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Syria-Lebanon-Iran

Lebanese protesters celebrate Hariri resignation - but want more

2019-10-30

[Al Jazeera] Cries of celebration went up across Leb on Tuesday as protesters demanding the fall of the government celebrated Prime Minister Saad Hariri

...Second son of Rafik Hariri, the Leb PM who was assassinated in 2005. He has was prime minister in his own right from 2009 through early 2011. He was born in Riyadh to an Iraqi mother and graduated from Georgetown University. He managed his father's business interests in Riyadh until his father's assassination. When his father died he inherited a fortune of some $4.1 billion, which won't do him much good if Hizbullah has him bumped off, too....
's resignation - though most said this was merely an initial victory in a long-term battle.

"It's a good first step but we're still going to stay in the streets," Pierre Mouzannar, a 21-year old filmmaker told Al Jazeera in central Beirut. "Hariri is part of the problem but he's not all of the problem ... I don't think anyone thinks we're done."

For many demonstrators in the capital, the news of Hariri's resignation was an important boost in their nearly two-week protest movement following a day of street brawls instigated by supporters of Hezbollah and the Amal Movement party.

Hundreds of men, most wearing black, beat protesters and destroyed protest encampments in central Beirut before Hariri's televised address, eventually retreating after security forces fired tear gas and rubber bullets.

"Hariri isn't the one who's sending his people to beat us up and destroy what we have. Those people are still in Parliament and we need to finish what we've started there," Mouzannar said, sitting next to a tent being reconstructed by protesters.

On a nearby road leading to Riad al-Solh square, Saba, a 21-year old event planner, was painting Lebanese flags on the faces of passersby. "He should have resigned earlier, but better late than never - and we got what we wanted," she said.

But she, too, said Hariri's resignation by no means satisfied her hopes for the unprecedented movement she was part of. "Step two is to get back the money politicians have stolen from us. Then we will hold everyone accountable, and God is on our side," she said.

Posted by:Fred

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