On Monday evening, Lebanon's Future Movement leader, Saad Hariri, struggled to hold back tears during his speech announcing his political withdrawal, but ultimately could not succeed. In the address he delivered in Beirut, Hariri detailed the reasons behind his final decision and referenced a series of concessions he made to spare the country from the horrors of civil war.
Toward the end of his speech, tears welled up in Hariri's eyes, particularly when he declared that the members of the Future Movement would continue to uphold his late father, Rafik Hariri's, project of preventing civil war. He seemed on the verge of crying as he listed the names of Lebanese regions he cherished, such as “the beloved city of Beirut, unparalleled in its beauty in the world,” and “Tripoli, proud and resilient,” along with “noble Akkar” among others.
He spoke fondly of “the region and the roots of our childhood, the den of my uncle and the best people in Sidon, and the south and its loyal people (...)”. When reminiscing about his late father's words upon his own political withdrawal 17 years ago, he said, “I entrust this beloved country, Lebanon, to God Almighty,” at which point tears interrupted his speech for a moment. He expressed through his tears: “I express with all my heart my gratitude and appreciation to all those who collaborated with me.”
