A key March 8 official informed PM Najib Mikati the day before yesterday that “Hezbollah and its allies refuse to finance the Special Tribunal for Lebanon’s (STL) in any shape or form.” The same official said that Mikati responded by saying:” I am committed to funding the court , and this commitment I can not withdraw . ”

The March 8 official told al Akhbar newspaper in response to a question about the possibility of Mikati’s resignation in the event of failure to reach a settlement on the STL funding: “Mikati did not mention resignation when talking about his commitment to financing of the Court. And if he resigns he would be be saying that the Syrian regime has fallen and I can not continue in my position. ”

The Special Tribunal for Lebanon is currently probing the 2005 assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.

Four Hezbollah members have been indicted by the UN-backed court in Hariri’s killing. However, the Shiite group strongly denied the charges and has been refusing to cooperate with the court.

Lebanon contributes 49 percent of the STL’s annual funding.