The reopening on Friday follows 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 this week, a key demand of the protesters.
There are concerns the reopening of the banks would lead many to withdraw their money, fearing economic collapse.
A banker told The News Agency that Dare Not be Named "there are no restrictions" on those who want to withdraw money. The banker spoke on condition of anonymity as he was not authorized to talk to news hounds.
Large queues starting forming outside banks from early morning and people rushed in as soon as doors opened to cash in their salaries and make transfers.
Tellers struggled to handle the flood of customers trying to cram inside bank branches, as queues spilt onto the streets.
The central bank had promised not to impose capital controls when banks reopened, measures that could hamper the currency inflows and investment Leb badly needs to weather its worst economic crisis since its 1975-90 civil war.