Lebanon's Hariri Suspends Role in Politics, Will Not Run in Elections
1/24/2022 5:45:00 PM
Lebanon's former prime minister Saad Hariri announced on Monday the suspension of his political life, calling on the Future Movement to follow suit and not to run in the parliamentary elections.
"There is no room for any positive opportunities in Lebanon in light of the Iranian influence, international confusion, national division, sectarianism, and the state's collapse," Hariri said.
"After the assassination of martyr Rafic Hariri, the choice fell on me to continue his political project, but not for the Hariri family to remain in politics," he added. "Rafic Hariri's project prevented civil war and secured a better life for the Lebanese; I have succeeded in the first, but was not destined to succeed in the second," Hariri added in regret.
"I was forced to make settlements from Doha, to visit Damascus, to elect Michel Aoun; all of these settlements came at my expense," Hariri said.
"But every step I have taken emanated from my concern for the Lebanese people's best interest, which cost me my personal wealth and my foreign friendships. Some of the Lebanese have come to consider me one of the authority's main pillars that have sparked the country's disaster. Yet, I was the only to reciprocate to the October 17 revolution, as I submitted my government's resignation and insisted on forming a government of specialists," Hariri added.
The former Prime Minister then stressed that he would remain in the service of the Lebanese people.
"We will cleave to our position as citizens who adhere to Rafic Hariri's project to prevent civil war, and we will endeavor to provide a better life for all the Lebanese."
"There is no room for any positive opportunities in Lebanon in light of the Iranian influence, international confusion, national division, sectarianism, and the state's collapse," Hariri said.
"After the assassination of martyr Rafic Hariri, the choice fell on me to continue his political project, but not for the Hariri family to remain in politics," he added. "Rafic Hariri's project prevented civil war and secured a better life for the Lebanese; I have succeeded in the first, but was not destined to succeed in the second," Hariri added in regret.
"I was forced to make settlements from Doha, to visit Damascus, to elect Michel Aoun; all of these settlements came at my expense," Hariri said.
"But every step I have taken emanated from my concern for the Lebanese people's best interest, which cost me my personal wealth and my foreign friendships. Some of the Lebanese have come to consider me one of the authority's main pillars that have sparked the country's disaster. Yet, I was the only to reciprocate to the October 17 revolution, as I submitted my government's resignation and insisted on forming a government of specialists," Hariri added.
The former Prime Minister then stressed that he would remain in the service of the Lebanese people.
"We will cleave to our position as citizens who adhere to Rafic Hariri's project to prevent civil war, and we will endeavor to provide a better life for all the Lebanese."