To understand why al-Hariri threw in the towel where he did, when he did, a review of the key players in the region is in order, Inside Israel: The Saudi Story Behind Hariri’s Resignation,To understand why al-Hariri threw in the towel where he did, when he did, a review of the key players in the region is in order
The Saudis pulled the plug on al-Hariri’s leadership now because they saw a different opportunity (Photo: AFP/Image Bank)
L ebanese prime minister Saad al-Hariri visiting Saudi Arabia’s capital Riyadh last Saturday stepped up to a podium and delivered his resignation speech.
The stunning announcement was as notable for its locale as its repercussions and spoke volumes about the different players contesting the shifting gameboard in the Middle East.
Although al-Hariri is the son of a previous Lebanese prime minister — Rafic al-Hariri assassinated in 2005 widely credited with rebuilding Beirut after a long civil war — he was in fact on familiar turf when he declared he was quitting. Riyadh is Saad al-Hariri’s hometown; he was born there in 1970 and grew up to manage his father’s considerable business holdings in Saudi Arabia.
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