Five Shia ministers resign from Lebanese government

LEBANON: Lebanon has been plunged into a political crisis by the resignation on Saturday of five Shia ministers, following the collapse of talks on the formation of a national unity government.

President Emile Lahoud said yesterday the country's government has lost legitimacy. Under the 1989 Taif Accord which ended Lebanon's civil war, the government must contain members from the country's major sects.

Therefore, the withdrawal of all Shia ministers represented by the Hizbullah and Amal movements essentially finished off the current coalition, led by the March 14th alliance of Christian and Sunni politicians.

This grouping takes it name from the date of a mass protest in 2005 against the assassination of former premier Rafiq Hariri. Following the Shia pullout, the coalition becomes an interim government authorised to deal only with day-to-day administrative affairs.

Eight ministers must depart for the government to fall, necessitating fresh parliamentary elections.

Following last summer's 34-day Israeli onslaught on Lebanon, Hizbollah called for the formation of a government of national unity through the inclusion of ministers from its ally, the Free Patriotic Movement of Gen Michel Aoun. But the ruling coalition refused to accept this demand unless Hizbullah agreed the opposition would not insist on the veto conferred by one-third plus one of the seats.

Stepping up pressure on the government led by Prime Minister Fuad Siniora, deputy head of Hizbullah Shaikh Naim Qassem reiterated the threat first voiced by secretary general Hassan Nasrallah that the populist movement would stage mass demonstrations to secure its demands.

"I can say that this campaign will be varied and effective. Going down to the streets is one of the important steps that Hizbullah and its allies will take. This is a first step."

Members of the ruling coalition are also threatening to stage demonstrations, risking violent confrontations.

Ratcheting up tensions, al-Qaeda in Lebanon said it would destroy any government which takes dictation from the US, referring to the pro-western orientation of March 14th.

The shaikh observed, "The parliamentary majority camp foiled the dialogue because [ its members] don't want wide-scale Lebanese participation in government and they want to monopolise decision-making in this country. This is something we cannot tolerate."

Talks ended on Saturday after four days. The March 14th movement, which adopts an anti-Syrian stance, fears Hizbullah and its allies, regarded as pro-Syrian, could block legislation providing for the creation of an international tribunal to try those accused of involvement in Mr Hariri's murder.

An Israeli general in charge of troops along the Lebanese border resigned yesterday after being accused of failing to prevent the capture of two soldiers that triggered a month-long war with Hizbollah guerrillas.

Brigadier-General Gal Hirsch is the second Israeli general to quit amid widespread public criticism of military failures during the 34-day war that ended with a UN-brokered ceasefire in mid-August.

"He has submitted his resignation," a military spokeswoman said of Hirsch, who, according to Israeli media reports, stepped down after a military probe accused him of "improper functioning" after the two soldiers were seized on July 12th.