Lebanon - a putsch is looming

Alarming news from Lebanon were not unexpected: for months various Western sources predicted an attempt by Hezbollah and its Syrian and Iranian sponsors to take over the government. And now it has started to happen.

The prospect of renewed chaos loomed over Lebanon on Saturday after the Hezbollah movement and its Shiite allies quit the government, plunging the country into a political crisis that could quickly spill into the streets.

In a joint statement read on Hezbollah's television station Al Manar, Hezbollah and Amal said their ministers had resigned "to pave the way for the majority to practice what it wants freely."

And what is it precisely that this "majority" wants to practice freely?

It also coincided with the finalization of a draft UN resolution that will establish an international tribunal to investigate those responsible for the death of former Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri, whose February 2005 assassination was widely blamed on Syria. Lebanon's Cabinet is due to meet Monday to approve the draft.

Veto powers in the Cabinet would also give Hezbollah the opportunity to block other important government decisions in the wake of the war with Israel. They include future moves to order the disarmament of Hezbollah's guerrilla army, something Israel demanded as a condition for ending hostilities against Lebanon but which has slipped off the list of Lebanon's priorities amid the rising domestic political tensions.

Should be abundantly clear, shouldn't it? And to make this even more clear, up to the "in your face" category of clear, here is a clarification:

Hezbollah's deputy leader, Naim Qassem, told a Hezbollah gathering held to honor the "martyrs" of Lebanon's conflicts with Israel that Hezbollah would "consult with its allies before deciding its next move."

No need to add anything. I hope the people of Lebanon will find it in themselves to get rid of that malignant growth before it is too late.

Cross-posted on Yourish.com

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