Hizbollah walkout brings Govt collapse

Hizbollah and its allies brought down the Lebanese Government yesterday amid growing tensions over a United Nations-backed tribunal investigating the 2005 assassination of Rafiq Hariri, a former Prime Minister.

The collapse of the 14-month-old national unity Government led by Saad Hariri, the slain politician's son, has plunged the country into its worst political crisis since it stood on the brink of civil war two years ago.

Ten ministers allied to the Shia movement Hizbollah handed in their resignation as Hariri was due to meet United States President Barack Obama in Washington.

Adnan Sayed Hussein, a minister allied with Lebanon's President, later joined them, bringing the resignations up to the number required to dissolve the 30-strong Cabinet.

"This Cabinet has become a burden on the Lebanese, unable to do its work," Energy Minister Jibran Bassil said. "We are giving a chance for another government to take over."

Hariri immediately cut short his visit to Washington to head for Paris, where he was to meet French President Nicolas Sarkozy for consultations on the government's collapse before returning to Beirut.

Lebanon's fragile government, an uneasy coalition of competing interests, has been paralysed by tensions stemming from a UN-backed investigation into the Hariri assassination that is expected to implicate members of Hizbollah. The Cabinet has met just once in the past two months.

Hizbollah has denounced the investigation as an "Israeli project". Hassan Nasrallah, the movement's leader, has warned repeatedly it would not stand by and let itself be accused.

The collapse of the Government was seen as imminent after Hizbollah warned it would walk out if Hariri did not convene a special Cabinet meeting to discuss breaking off all co-operation with the UN Special Tribunal for Lebanon.

Regional leaders have sought to resolve tensions stemming from the tribunal to try to stave off renewed sectarian conflict among the country's Sunni, Shia and Christian population. But a Saudi-Syrian initiative this week ended in failure.

Washington has resisted efforts to reach a face-saving deal on the tribunal's findings. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton yesterday condemned the move by Hizbollah, describing it as a "transparent effort to subvert justice", saying that the work of the tribunal "must go forward so justice can be served".

The UN tribunal has not said yet whom it will indict, but it told Nasrallah in October that several members of Hizbollah potentially faced indictment. Hizbollah has leaned on Hariri to reject the tribunal's findings, but he has refused to bow to pressure.

Since Rafiq Hariri's death in a bombing on the Beirut seafront five years ago, Hizbollah has tussled with its opponents over the country's direction. Rafiq Hariri, who resigned as Prime Minister in 2004, was revered for his efforts in rebuilding Lebanon after its 15-year civil war that ended in 1990. He also enjoyed popular support among the country's Christians.

More recently, Hizbollah has emerged as the most potent political force in Lebanon amid cracks among its opponents.

Although Saad Hariri has the backing of Saudi Arabia and Washington, the Obama Administration is seen as less solid in its support than the previous Administration.

Hizbollah, which has attracted growing support over its dogged resistance to Israel, is backed by Syria and Iran. Any link to the 2005 assassination could dent domestic support.

- INDEPENDENT