Beirut (CNN) Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri announced Wednesday he was putting his resignation on hold, more than two weeks after he shocked the country by saying he was stepping down. Hariri finally returned to Beirut late Tuesday , where his first stop was the grave of his slain father, former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. Lebanese President Michel Aoun (center) meets with Saad Hariri (right) on Wednesday. Maher Hussein, 23, a handyman, said: "Saad Hariri holds the balance in Lebanon. Saudi Arabia had strongly backed both Saad Hariri and his father Rafik in its bid to grow its influence in Lebanon by trying to counter Hezbollah's expanding authority.

Source: CNN November 22, 2017 10:09 UTC