Lebanon Gov't Scrambles Amid Protests

Lebanon Gov't Scrambles Amid Protests



Hundreds of thousands participated in Sunday's marches in downtown Beirut, in what has turned into a widening revolt against the country's sectarian status-quo and entire political elite. The outrage over the government's mismanagement of the economic crisis and proposed new taxes has unified Lebanon's often fractious society.

Prime Minister Saad Hariri has given his government — an unwieldy national coalition of nine largely sectarian parties — a deadline that expires Monday evening to come up with convincing solutions to the economic crisis. He is expected to put forward a reform plan during the Cabinet's morning meeting at the presidential palace in Beirut's southeastern suburb of Baabda.

Amid the unrest, Lebanese troops were deployed on the main road to the palace to clear the way for Hariri and government ministers to reach Baabda.

Local media reported that the government's plan includes measures such as raising taxes on the country's banking sector, cutting salaries of top officials, legislators and ministers by half, abolishing taxes imposed recently and fixing the electricity sector that has cost state coffers billions of dollars over the past years.



"I am with the reforms. I am against the destruction of Lebanon," said Rabih Zghaib a protester in Beirut. "Lebanon has been badly damaged by the politicians for 30 years. Today their thrones are shaking."

In Tehran, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif expressed hope that Lebanon's government and political parties pay "attention to people's demands," the semi-official Fars news agency reported.

It was the first remarks by an Iranian official about the protests in Lebanon.

Iran enjoys wide influence in Lebanon through the militant Hezbollah organization that is armed and funded by Tehran. Hezbollah and its allies have a majority of seats in Lebanon's parliament and Cabinet.

In 2005, Lebanon witnessed protests and a mass uprising against Syria's occupation of the country, after Damascus was blamed for the assassination of Prime Minister Rafik Hariri in a large car bomb.