Hbeish Confirms Hariri's Resignation is a Possibility

The choice of resignation is “one of PM-designate Saad Hariri’s choices” but he “has not yet taken such a decision and he is still clinging to the French initiative,” MP Hadi Hbeish of Hariri’s al-Mustaqbal bloc said on Tuesday.

“Should options be imposed on PM-designate Hariri that do not fit with his choices, he will be inclined to step down,” Hbeish told al-Jadeed TV.

“PM-designate Hariri has never refused to meet with (former) Minister (Jebran) Bassil and his residence is always open to Bassil and to everyone,” Hbeish added.

As for French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian’s visit to Lebanon and the media reports that he will not meet with Hariri, the MP said: “So far, Le Drian has not requested an appointment with Hariri, but the French reports indicate that the French ambassador will visit him.”

Moreover, the lawmaker said Hariri is “not thinking of triumphing against Minister Bassil” but rather of “pulling Lebanon out of its crisis.”

“When he sees that the government’s path is not open, he will step down, and Le Drian’s visit will have nothing to do with resignation,” Hbeish added.

Ex-minister Wiam Wahhab, who is close to Damascus and Hizbullah, has advised Hariri to step down.

“With all due good will and without any political motives, I advise PM-designate Saad Hariri to step down and make way for someone else to form a government, because there is a major decision to exclude him,” Wahhab tweeted.

He had earlier said that “major developments in the Syrian-Gulf ties will leave their repercussions on the region and Lebanon,” adding that “before Adha, there will be political victims in Lebanon.”

“There is a traffic jam on the Riyadh-Damascus-Abu Dhabi route,” Wahhab added.