BEIRUT - As the bizarre case of the fate of Lebanon’s prime minister continues to unfold, many in Lebanon are now waiting to see what Saudi Arabia’s next move will be after what many consider to be the kingdom’s miscalculations in "phase one".
Saad Hariri surprised the country on 4 November with his unplanned resignation after he was abruptly summoned to Saudi Arabia.
The move fuelled rumours that Hariri was subject to restriction of movement, lack of access to the outside world, detention, house arrest, and even kidnap. These claims are also echoed by the Lebanese president and the political class, who have all refused to recognise the resignation – going so far as to call it illegal - until Hariri is allowed to return to Lebanon.
But in a live interview on Sunday night from Riyadh with his own TV channel, Hariri promised to return to Lebanon soon, in a move interpreted as a feeble attempt to dispel the notion he is not "free".