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Lebanese prime minister resigns amid nationwide economic protests

Premier Saad Hariri conceded that he has “reached a dead end.”

Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri. Credit: Kremlin.ru via Wikimedia Commons.
Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri. Credit: Kremlin.ru via Wikimedia Commons.

Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri announced on Tuesday afternoon that he is tending his resignation to Lebanese President Michel Aoun amid anti-government protests throughout the country.

He conceded that he has “reached a dead end.”

The protests began as response against a now-scrapped government plan to tax WhatsApp calls, and expanded into demonstrations against government corruption and economic trouble, which includes Lebanon having one of the highest debt levels globally.

The government includes the U.S.-designated terrorist group Hezbollah.

Banks have been closed for 12 days with schools and other places also not open.

Israeli Air Force tanker aircraft have supported the operations, conducting approximately 2,000 aerial refuelings.
Troops locate two production sites and detain property owner.
The president said the joint U.S.-Israel military campaign could conclude within two to three weeks as objectives near completion.
Israel must designate the Palestinian Authority a terrorist organization and “act to dismantle it completely,” the Yesha Council said.
The deliberate targeting by Tehran and by its proxy Hezbollah of civilian areas in Israel and in other neighboring states violates all humanitarian norms and is absolutely prohibited.
“It’s a great victory for the First Amendment right to free speech, including the right to draw attention to bigotry and hateful speech,” Paul Eckles, of the Brandeis Center, told JNS. “We commend our client for having the courage to speak out.”