Lebanese Government Collapses As Hezbollah Exits.

Lebanon's unity government collapsed
Wednesday after Hezbollah ministers and their
allies resigned.
Wednesday's walkout ushers in another political
crisis for a country with a long history of
volatility and violence. The resignations were
announced at a news conference by Energy
Minister Jibran Bassil, a member of the Free
Patriotic Movement - the key Christian ally of
Hezbollah.
In order to pave the way for a new
government according to the constitution that
will be able to take responsibility for the security
and interests of the people, he said, and also by
securing the real justice, the ministers are
submitting their resignations from this
government hoping that the president will
accelerate the formation of a new government.
Analysts say their departure could also force the
resignation of Prime Minister Sa’ad Hariri and
end Lebanese involvement in the U.N.-backed
court investigating the 2005 assassination of
former prime minister, Rafik Hariri, the father of
Sa’ad Hariri.
Mr. Hariri's assassination stunned and polarized
Lebanon, where Shi'ites, Sunnis and Christians
make up a third of the population.
Mr. Hariri was well liked and backed by many
Christians who sympathized with his efforts to
try to reduce Syrian influence in the country.
Political analyst Judith Palmer Harik said the
ministers resigned in order to force the
formation of a new government- one that
would end Lebanese support for the
international court's investigation into Mr. Hariri's
death.
The investigation by the court is likely to name
members of Hezbollah in upcoming
indictments, which many fear could re-ignite
sectarian violence.
But, Prime Minister Sa'ad Hariri refused to halt
the investigation and vowed to continue to
cooperate.
A diplomatic push by Syria and Saudi Arabia to
ease political tensions in Lebanon failed.
Labor Minister Butros Harb expressed concern:
The situation puts us into administrative crisis,
he said, and also in a new political crisis which
increases complications in the country and does
not contribute towards solving any of the
problems.
Prime Minister Hariri formed the current national
unity government in November 2009, but it has
struggled to function amid deep divisions.
Mr. Hariri met in Washington Wednesday with
President Barack Obama to discuss the crisis in
Lebanon.
After the meeting, the Mr. Obama reportedly
vowed to pursue stability in Lebanon. Later in
the day, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
said Hezbollah was attempting to "subvert
justice" and undermine stability. She said it
"won't work."
Lebanese political analyst Hilal Khashan says
Hezbollah is not likely to use its military might
to take over Lebanon. In 2008, Hezbollah took
over West Beirut in a matter of days. A move
like that, he says, will not happen again because
Syria will not allow it.
For the Lebanese people, Khashan says the
collapse of the government will not result in
immediate change because the government has
done virtually nothing in months. Government
paralysis, he says, is now simply formalized.


Source: Http://www.voanews.com/english/news/middle-east/Hezbollah-Could-Quit-Lebanese-Government-113349394.html