Hezbollah-backed PM takes over, Lebanon erupts
BEIRUT: Hundreds of angry protesters burned tyres and blocked roads across Lebanon on Tuesday after Iranianbacked Hezbollah secured the appointment of its candidate to lead the next government.
The nomination of Najib Mikati as PM, endorsed by President Michel Suleiman, is seen a victory for Hezbollah , which secured the parliamentary votes needed to wrest control of the Lebanese government. Hezbollah's control over the government for the first time will sound alarm bells in Washington and Israel.
The protesters turned out in many cities in support of Mikati's defeated rival Saad al-Hariri , a Sunni Muslim whose government was ousted this month by Shi'ite Hezbollah and its allies in a dispute over the investigation of his father's assassination in 2005. The protests were part of a "day of anger" called by loyalists of Hariri, who is backed by Saudi Arabia and Washington, to protest against Hezbollah, funded and supported by Tehran.
Mikati, a telecoms tycoon who has portrayed himself as a consensus candidate, said he would start talks to form a government on Thursday and appealed to all Lebanese factions to overcome their differences . "All Lebanese leaders should cooperate together to face the current challenges ," he said after he accepted his nomination by President Michel Suleiman.
The biggest protest took place in Tripoli where 20 people were treated for injuries and protesters set fire to a satellite truck used by the Arab TV channel Al Jazeera. Hariri appealed for calm, saying he rejected demonstrations of violence . "Sunni blood is boiling" chanted protesters in Tripoli, urging Mikati, a Sunni Muslim , to withdraw his nomination and waving flags of Hariri's Future Movement which says it will not serve in any government dominated by militant Shi'ite group.
The nomination of Najib Mikati as PM, endorsed by President Michel Suleiman, is seen a victory for Hezbollah , which secured the parliamentary votes needed to wrest control of the Lebanese government. Hezbollah's control over the government for the first time will sound alarm bells in Washington and Israel.
The protesters turned out in many cities in support of Mikati's defeated rival Saad al-Hariri , a Sunni Muslim whose government was ousted this month by Shi'ite Hezbollah and its allies in a dispute over the investigation of his father's assassination in 2005. The protests were part of a "day of anger" called by loyalists of Hariri, who is backed by Saudi Arabia and Washington, to protest against Hezbollah, funded and supported by Tehran.
Mikati, a telecoms tycoon who has portrayed himself as a consensus candidate, said he would start talks to form a government on Thursday and appealed to all Lebanese factions to overcome their differences . "All Lebanese leaders should cooperate together to face the current challenges ," he said after he accepted his nomination by President Michel Suleiman.
The biggest protest took place in Tripoli where 20 people were treated for injuries and protesters set fire to a satellite truck used by the Arab TV channel Al Jazeera. Hariri appealed for calm, saying he rejected demonstrations of violence . "Sunni blood is boiling" chanted protesters in Tripoli, urging Mikati, a Sunni Muslim , to withdraw his nomination and waving flags of Hariri's Future Movement which says it will not serve in any government dominated by militant Shi'ite group.
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