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January 13, 2011

Lebanese Gov't Collapses After Hezbollah Withdraws Ministers 
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Lebanon's political discord has intensified with the collapse of its
national unity government. On Wednesday, ministers with the
Hezbollah-led political bloc pulled out of the Lebanese cabinet,
toppling Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri's ruling coalition. The
resignations came after Hariri rejected Hezbollah's calls for the
convening of a meeting to address concerns over a U.N. probe into the
2005 assassination of Hariri's father, former Lebanese Prime Minister
Rafiq al-Hariri. There have been rumors the U.N. tribunal is preparing
to indict Hezbollah members for Hariri's death. Hezbollah has denied
involvement in the assassination and denounced the U.N. probe as a tool
of the United States.



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