Justice Minister Marie-Claude Najm submitted her resignation Monday, making it the third ministerial resignation in 24 hours as the political fallout of the catastrophic Beirut blast left the Cabinet of Prime Minister Hassan Diab hanging by a thread.
Najm in a letter said she submitted her resignation due to the Beirut explosion and subsequent protests demanding justice for those who died.
Faced with growing popular anger against Diab’s government, Information Minister Manal Abdel-Samad and Environment Minister Demianos Kattar resigned Sunday. Abdel-Samad cited her respect for those who were killed in the blast and frustration at the lack of change in her resignation statement.
The explosion that ripped through Beirut Port Tuesday, transformed the capital into a disaster-stricken city, killing more than 159 people, injuring over 6,000 and leaving about 300,000 people homeless.
Diab is reported to have told other ministers to hold off on resignations pending the results of a special Cabinet session set to be held 3 p.m. at the Grand Serail.
In addition to addressing the implications of the Beirut blast and the ongoing investigation into the worst disaster in Lebanon’s history, the Cabinet is expected to discuss Diab’s proposal for holding early parliamentary elections.
This article has been adapted from its original source.
