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WORLD NEWS Monday 6 noveMber 2017
Hezbollah: Lebanon PM forced to resign by Saudi Arabia

The boycott has been in Lebanese premiership in a protracted Israeli occu-
place since June. GCC 2009 with Saudi Arabia’s pation of its southern territo-
member states warned backing, until Hezbollah ries until 2000.Hariri’s resig-
against travel to Lebanon and its allies withdrew from nation came on the same
in 2012 and again in 2016. his Cabinet in 2011 and day as a stunning lock up
Hariri, who read his state- forced the government’s of over three dozen Saudi
ment haltingly and glanced collapse. The Iranian-spon- princes, ministers, and busi-
frequently off camera, has sored Hezbollah is now the nessmen, in a move seen
not been seen in Lebanon chief political rival of Hariri’s as squashing the internal
since Saturday, prompt- Future Movement.The 47- rivalry to ascendant Crown
ing speculation he may year old leader was ap- Prince Mohammad bin
be held in Saudi Arabia pointed to the post again Salman.
against his will.He posted in 2016, ending a two-year Hezbollah and its allies
a photo on Twitter Sunday power vacuum at the top have been given veto
In this photo taken on Friday, Sept. 8, 2017, Lebanese Prime night from the Gulf king- of Lebanon’s government power in Lebanese poli-
Minister Saad Hariri, left, appears in Beirut, Lebanon. Lebanese dom with the newly sworn and raising the possibility tics since Hezbollah forces
Prime Minister Saad Hariri has announced he is resigning in a in Saudi Ambassador to of parliamentary elections seized the streets of Bei-
surprise move following a trip to Saudi Arabia. In a televised ad- Lebanon Walid Yacoub. for the first time since 2009, rut in brief clashes in 2008.
dress Saturday, Nov. 4, he slammed Iran and the Lebanese He- Still, Nasrallah said Hariri four years behind sched- Their political bloc controls
zbollah group for meddling in Arab affairs and says “Iran’s arms could return Thursday to ule.Lebanon has weath- the largest shares of seats
in the region will be cut off.” meet with President Michel ered waves of assassina- in Lebanon’s parliament.
(AP Photo/Hassan Ammar) Aoun who by law must ac- tions and terror blasts and Hezbollah was founded
PHILIP ISSA political configuration and cept the Prime Minister’s numerous political crises with Iranian support in 1982
The Associated Press put it at the center of a resignation in order for it to since emerging from a 15- to resist the Israeli invasion
BEIRUT (AP) — spiraling regional rivalry be- be valid. Aoun has not indi- year civil war which ended of Lebanon and has since
The head of Lebanon’s tween Saudi Arabia and cated how he will rule. in 1990. It also survived a emerged as a regional
powerful militant group Iran. Hariri first ascended to the war with Israel in 2006 and power in its own right q
Hezbollah accused Saudi It has also raised worries
Arabia Sunday of forcing that the Gulf kingdom, un-
the country’s prime minis- der the leadership of its
ter to resign after less than increasingly bullish Crown
a year in his post, as Bah- Prince Mohammad bin
rain ordered its citizens in Salman, will squeeze Leb-
Lebanon to “leave imme- anon as a way to get to
diately” and banned travel Iran’s proxy Hezbollah.
there. “We need to wait and see
Prime Minister Saad Hariri why Saudi Arabia obligat-
stunned Lebanon and its ed the head of the govern-
leaders Saturday when he ment to resign,” said Nas-
announced his resignation rallah.
in a televised statement re- Bahrain’s travel ban
corded in Saudi Arabia, cit- against Lebanon portends
ing Iranian and Hezbollah broader prohibitions by
meddling in Arab affairs. Gulf states against the tiny
Hezbollah Secretary-Gen- Mediterranean country,
eral Hassan Nasrallah, one which depends on Gulf in-
of Lebanon’s most power- vestment and tourism to
ful figures, said the state- keep its economy running.
ment was “dictated and A harsher package of
forced upon” Hariri and sanctions would be in line
called for calm as Leba- with the Gulf Coopera-
nese leaders consult over tion Council’s abrupt trade
next steps. boycott with Qatar over
Hariri’s abrupt resignation what Gulf states see as Do-
has set off anxious chatter ha’s unfavorably warm ties
about Lebanon’s unstable with Tehran.

In Belgium:
Catalan 5 conditionally released

BRUSSELS (AP) — ficial agreed to discuss the
A Belgian official says oust- matter only if granted ano-
ed Catalan leader Carles nymity because the deci-
Puigdemont and four close sion is to be formally an-
allies are to be condition- nounced later.
ally released by Belgian The five were heard by an
authorities. investigative judge Sunday
The official said early Mon- afternoon and evening af-
day that the five would ter they voluntarily turned
have to meet certain con- themselves in to authorities,
ditions during their release, only days after Spain had
although those were not issued a European arrest
immediately clear. The of- warrant. q