BEIRUT (Reuters) – Lebanon formed a new government on Saturday, Lebanon’s presidency announced, following unusually direct U.S. intervention in the process and bringing the country closer to accessing reconstruction funds following last year’s devastating war between Israel and Hezbollah.
The presidency said it would be a 24-member cabinet. It was formed after more than three weeks of talks with rival political parties in Lebanon – where government posts are parceled out according to sect – and days of deadlock over the Shi’ite Muslim ministers, usually named by Iran-backed Hezbollah and its ally Amal.
(Reporting by Maya Gebeily and Laila Bassam in Beirut, Writing by Nayera Abdallah in Dubai and Menna AlaaElDin in Cairo, Editing by Maya Gebeily)
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