Lebanon formed a new government Tuesday, with Prime Minister Hassan Diab putting together a Cabinet of 20 members, made up of specialist "expert" ministers backed by political parties.

Diab, a former engineering professor at the American University of Beirut, said his government "will strive to meet their demands for an independent judiciary, for the recovery of embezzled funds, for the fight against illegal gains."

Lebanese President Michel Aoun picked Diab for the prime minister post in December. Lebanon has been gripped by three months of protest and political unrest following the resignation of former Prime Minister Saad Hariri.

Read more: Lebanon: Scores injured as riots break out in Beirut

Diab is also supported by the Iran-backed Shiite Hezbollah movement. Diab's new Cabinet includes a woman appointed as deputy prime minister and defense minister, a first in Lebanon.

Hezbollah, Lebanon's Iran-backed paramilitary organization Rise of Hezbollah Hezbollah, or Party of God, was conceived by Muslim clerics in the 1980s in response to the Israeli invasion of South Lebanon in 1982. The Shiite group has a political and military wing.

Hezbollah, Lebanon's Iran-backed paramilitary organization National support against Israel Hezbollah emerged in the 1980s as an amalgamation of Shiite militias and played a major role in the Lebanese civil war. It used guerrilla warfare to drive Israeli forces out of South Lebanon — Israel withdrew in 2000. Israel and Hezbollah fought another war in 2006. Its defense of Lebanon against Israel had won it cross-sectarian support and acceptance in Lebanese society.

Hezbollah, Lebanon's Iran-backed paramilitary organization Backed by Iran Since its creation, Hezbollah has received military, financial and political support from Iran and Syria. Today, Hezbollah's military wing is more powerful than Lebanon's own army and has become a major regional paramilitary force.

Hezbollah, Lebanon's Iran-backed paramilitary organization Political apparatus Hezbollah turned its focus to politics following the end of Lebanon's 1975-1990 civil war. It represents a large section of the Lebanese Shiite population and is allied with other sectarian groups, including Christians. Their political development has mostly come under Hassan Nasrallah (pictured), who became the group's leader in 1992.

Hezbollah, Lebanon's Iran-backed paramilitary organization Armed wing Unlike other parties in Lebanon's multi-sided 1975-1990 civil war, Hezbollah did not disband its armed wing. Some Lebanese political groups, such as Prime Minister Saad Hariri's Future Movement, want Hezbollah to put down its arms. Hezbollah argues its militant wing is necessary to defend against Israel and other external threats.

Hezbollah, Lebanon's Iran-backed paramilitary organization Terror group? A number of countries and bodies, including the United States, Israel, Canada and the Arab League, consider Hezbollah a terrorist organization. However, Australia and most of the European Union differentiate between its legitimate political activities and its militant wing.

Hezbollah, Lebanon's Iran-backed paramilitary organization Hezbollah enters Syria's civil war Hezbollah has been one of the main backers of Syrian President Bashar Assad in the country's civil war. Its entrance into the war helped save Assad, one of its chief patrons; secured weapons supply routes from Syria and formed a buffer zone around Lebanon against Sunni militant groups it feared would take over Syria. As a result it has won considerable support from Shiite communities in Lebanon.

Hezbollah, Lebanon's Iran-backed paramilitary organization Sectarianism Lebanon has long been at the center of regional power struggles, particularly between Saudi Arabia and Iran. However, Hezbollah's military and political ascendancy, as well as its intervention in Syria, have also helped stoke Sunni-Shiite sectarian tensions in Lebanon and across the region.

Hezbollah, Lebanon's Iran-backed paramilitary organization Renewed conflict with Israel? Iran and Hezbollah have increased their political and military strength through the war in Syria. Israel views this as a threat and has carried out dozens of airstrikes on Iran/Hezbollah targets in Syria. Israel has vowed to not let Iran and Hezbollah create a permanent presence in Syria. There is growing concern of another war between Hezbollah and Israel that could draw in Iran. Author: Chase Winter



Many of the rest of the Cabinet are former academics and advisers in their respective specialist fields, and has been dubbed an "expert" Cabinet, though protesters have dismissed this is a farce. Diab himself is a former academic and education minister.

The country has been without a government since Hariri's resignation, and is facing an economic and financial crisis.

Protesters not satisfied

Shortly before the cabinet was announced, thousands of people poured into the streets of the capital, Beirut, in rejection of the new government.

Protesters have been calling for sweeping reforms and a government made up of independent experts.

Read more: Opinion: Is the Middle East seeing a new Arab Spring?

Hilal Khashan, a professor at the American University of Beirut, told the AFP news agency that the idea of a genuinely technocratic government in Lebanon was "wishful thinking."

"Behind every candidate, there is a political party backing their nomination," he said.

Another demonstrator said Diab did not "keep his promise of forming a government of independent" experts.

Promises of reform

After the Cabinet announcement, Prime Minister Diab said his new government will work to address the protesters' demands.

"This is a government that represents the aspirations of the demonstrators who have been mobilized nationwide for more than three months," he said, moments after his cabinet was read out at the presidential palace.

Diab also said his government would be a "a rescue team" that will act "fast but not hasty" in tackling the worst economic and financial crisis to hit Lebanon since the country's civil war.

The nationwide protests are led by young people who blame government corruption and incompetence for the lack of jobs and basic services.

The new government is scheduled to meet on Wednesday for the first time.

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wmr,ed/ng (AFP, Reuters, AP, dpa)