Bad news for Hezbollah: A heavy Christian turnout at the polls in Lebanon brought the country’s Western-backed coalition back to power in parliament on Sunday, thwarting the Islamist party’s bid for greater influence. Lebanon’s March 14 coalition of Sunnis and Christians grabbed at least 70 seats in the 128-member parliament, with more expected to be added as votes are tallied up. Coalition leader—and son of slain former prime minister Rafik Hariri—Saad Hariri said the factions now have to “give a hand to each other and have the will to go back to work.” The election result is good news for Washington, with Obama pushing ever harder for Arab-Israeli peace, and is seen as a blow to Iran and Syria, Hezbollah’s patrons.
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