Lebanon’s political crisis deepened as the cabinet approved the framework of an international tribunal to try suspected killers former prime minister Rafiq Hariri in the absence of six pro-Syrian ministers.
Yacoub Sarraf, environment minister and a supporter of pro-Syrian President Emile Lahoud, stepped down after the weekend resignation of five Shia ministers from Hezbollah and its ally, the Amal movement, over the failure of unity talks.
Hizbollah on Sunday repeated its threat to stage “peaceful” demonstrations to back up its demand for a decisive say in the government of Prime Minister Fouad Siniora or else to force new elections.
Hizbollah’s leader, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, said last month he wanted a greater say in the government for himself and his allies in order to stop the anti-Syrian majority from giving in to the “American-Israeli demand” to disarm the movement following this summer’s war with Israel.
Hizbollah has demanded a share of one-third-plus-one of the cabinet seats for itself and its allies, which would give it veto power over the most important decisions and, in effect, reverse the results of last year’s elections in which the anti-Syian coalition triumphed.
The militant Shia movement feels under pressure because of a strengthened United Nations military presence in its heartland in the south of the country.
The cabinet met on Monday as planned and approved a UN draft for the tribunal to try suspects in the assassination of Hariri, who was killed in a massive bomb blast along with more than 20 others in February last year.
The UN investigation into his assassination has implicated senior Lebanese and Syrian security officials, although Damascus has denied any involvement.
The country’s pro-Syrian president, Emile Lahoud, said ahead of the meeting that the resignation of the Shia ministers would render any new cabinet decision “anti-constitutional”. But the anti-Syrian majority, as well as some constitutional experts, have denied this.
Anti-Syrian politicians have accused Hizbollah and its allies of forcing the crisis to thwart Lebanese approval of the international tribunal. The UN last week sent a draft of the framework for such a tribunal to the government after the permanent members of the Security Council reached a consensus.
Hizbollah’s deputy leader, Sheikh Naim Kassem, said that the crisis “has nothing to do” with the international tribunal. He accused the anti-Syrian majority of using the issue to obscure their responsibility for the failure of the political talks and said Hizbollah would stage peaceful street protests to back up its demands but it was not clear yet when these would start.
Anti-Syrian politicians have expressed fears that Hizbollah’s protests will turn violent. They have vowed to stage counter-demonstrations.
Several leading politicians will be out of the country until the middle of the week and there is a feeling that the demonstrations or renewed talks will only take place after they return.
