Security Council Votes for Hariri Tribunal

The United Nations Security Council has approved a resolution establishing a tribunal in which to try those accused of the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Al-Hariri. There were five abstentions but no opposing votes. The move is a direct challenge to Syria, which many believe is behind the murder of Hariri and 22 others who died when a roadside bomb exploded. The matter has been a source of contention within the Lebanese government, with those elements loyal to Syria bitterly opposing efforts to try suspects in the case. The issue of establishing an international tribunal was also criticized by some for impinging on Lebanese sovereignty. The Hariri assassination set into motion a series of events culminating in the withdrawal of Syrian troops from Lebanon.