Hezbollah threatens to quit Lebanon govt

BEIRUT: Hezbollah and its allies will quit Lebanon's government unless their demands over a UN tribunal probing the murder of ex-premier Rafiq Hariri are met, a minister told AFP Wednesday.

"If the cabinet fails to meet, it means there is no government and as such 11 ministers will tender their resignations this afternoon," said Health Minister Mohamad Jawad Khalifeh, whose Amal party is allied with the powerful Hezbollah.

Lebanon's hard-won unity government is made up of 30 ministers, 10 of them representing Hezbollah and its allies.

In order for the government to collapse, Hezbollah needs to secure the backing of more than a third of the ministers, which Khalifeh said was the case.