Lebanon: Prime Minister Hariri rescinds resignation December 5 /update 2

Event

Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri formally rescinded his resignation on Tuesday, December 5, after negotiations with coalition partners in Beirut. Hariri’s coalition reaffirmed the governmental policy of non-interference in conflicts in other Arab states.

Context

Hariri informally suspended his resignation while in Beirut on November 22. Earlier in November, Hariri unexpectedly announced his resignation while on a visit to Saudi Arabia. The circumstances surrounding the resignation remain unclear; some reports allege the move was due to Saudi pressure, despite Hariri's statement blaming the rising influence of Hezbollah and suspected assassination plots. In addition, Saudi Arabia has threatened to consider Lebanon a "hostile state" for as long as the Iran-backed political party Hezbollah remains in power in the current Lebanese coalition government. Both Saudi Arabia and Hariri have denied any Saudi involvement in his original decision to resign.

Advice

Although the political situation in Lebanon appears to have largely stabilized, individuals present in Lebanon are advised to monitor the situation in case of any unexpected developments.