Lebanon’s Hariri puts resignation on hold at the request of the president
Beirut — On Wednesday, Lebanon’s Saad al-Hariri shelved his decision to resign as prime minister at the request of President Michel Aoun to allow for dialogue, easing a crisis that had deepened tensions around the Middle East. Hariri made his announcement after returning to Beirut for the first time since he quit abruptly in a November 4 broadcast from Saudi Arabia. At the presidential palace near Beirut, Hariri said he hoped this move would open "a new gateway for a responsible dialogue ... that deals with divisive issues and their repercussions on Lebanon’s relations with Arab brothers." In a televised statement, he said: "I presented, today, my resignation to President Aoun and he urged me to wait before offering it and to hold onto it for more dialogue about its reasons and political background, and I showed responsiveness." Hariri said all Lebanese must commit to keeping the country out of regional conflicts, a reference to the powerful, Iran-backed Hezbollah whose regional mil...
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