Lebanon Cabinet Resigns, Will Remain as Caretaker Government

By Staff, Agencies

Lebanese Prime Minister Hassan Diab announced the resignation of his government on Monday, almost one week after the devastating blast that tore through the capital, and as political and popular pressure mounted.

“I announce the resignation of my government ... May God protect Lebanon,” Diab said during a televised address to the Lebanese.

“The system of corruption is greater than the state,” Diab said, adding that "one of the examples of corruption exploded at the Beirut Port.”

Diab said political forces should have cooperated to help Lebanon and its people, but that some are living in another time and do not care about what happened, all they care about is scoring political points and giving populist speeches.

The resigned prime minister said that the Lebanese people wanted change but "between us and change there is a very thick wall."

"The biggest paradox is that several weeks after the formation of this government they [the political class] tried to throw their sins on the Cabinet and hold it responsible for the collapse," Diab said.

He later formally submitted his letter of resignation to President Michel Aoun at Baabda Palace.

The current government will remain in a caretaker capacity until a new one is formed.

Aoun is to set a date for binding parliamentary consultations to appoint a new prime minister, who will then be tasked with forming a new government.