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Lebanon's justice minister resigns from cabinet

Xinhua, February 21, 2016 Adjust font size:

Lebanon's Justice Minister Ashraf Rifi offered Sunday his resignation from the cabinet presided by Prime Minister Tammam Salam.

Rifi, the former head of the Internal Security Forces, told local LBC TV that "the situation cannot be tolerable anymore."

Rifi, a staunch supporter of the March 14 camp backed by Saudi Arabia, criticized in his resignation letter the reluctance of the government in declaring its support to the kingdom following the burning of Riyadh's embassy in Teheran.

"Hezbollah confiscated the government through its weapons and is enforcing its policies on Lebanon's Ministry of Foreign Affairs," he said.

Riyaddh announced Friday that it is halting deals worth four billion dollars which aimed at equipping and supporting the Lebanese army and security forces.

The decision came after Lebanon's Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil declined to support Saudi resolutions against Iran during two meetings of Arab and Muslim foreign ministers.

Bassil heads the Free Patriotic Movement, which is one of the strongest allies of the Iran-backed Hezbollah. Endit