The Lebanese on Thursday marked the second anniversary of the Beirut port explosion that killed 215 people and is widely seen as a symbol of corruption and misrule by the elite in power. In this article, we return to the most important crises that Lebanon has experienced over the past two decades, from the assassination of Rafik Hariri to the economic collapse.
In light of the continuing financial crisis and political stalemateYahya Lebanon Thursday 2nd Anniversary Beirut port explosion Which killed 215 people.
The massive explosion is a new witness to the suffocating crises that the country has known over the past two decades. In addition, Lebanon has not witnessed significant stability since the end of the civil war that raged between 1975 and 1990. Here is a return to the most important stages of the security and political crises in the country.
- 2005: The assassination of Rafik Hariri
The billionaire and former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri was assassinated on February 14 when a massive bomb exploded as his motorcade was passing through Beirut, also killing 21 people.
Mass demonstrations erupted and blamed the assassination on Syria, which deployed troops during Lebanon’s 15-year civil war and kept them there following its end in 1990. Syria denies any role in the operation.
Shiites from Damascus’ allies in Lebanon, including the Iran-backed Hezbollah, organized large rallies in support of Syria, but international pressure forced Damascus’ forces to withdraw. Three opponents of Syria were assassinated: Samir Caesar, Gebran Tueni and George Hawi.
- 2006: A new Israeli war on Lebanon
In July 2006, Hezbollah forces crossed the border into Israel, kidnapped two Israeli soldiers and killed others, sparking a five-week war. At least 1,200 people were killed in Lebanon and 158 Israelis.
After the war, tension flared in Lebanon over Hezbollah’s arsenal. In November, Hezbollah and its allies withdrew from the government led by Western-backed Prime Minister Fouad Siniora and staged street protests once morest it.
In the same year, anti-Syrian politician Pierre Gemayel was assassinated in November.
- 2007 Pro-Hezbollah sit-in in Beirut
Hezbollah and its allies organized a sit-in in downtown Beirut to protest once morest the Siniora government throughout the year. Their stated demand was for a veto in the government. Two members of the Syrian parliament, Walid Eido and Antoine Ghanem, were killed.
- 2008: Signing of a political agreement in Qatar
ISF intelligence officer Wissam Eid, who was investigating Hariri’s assassination, was killed by a car bomb in January. In May, the government banned Hezbollah’s communications network. Hezbollah described the government’s move as a declaration of war and seized control of Muslim-majority West Beirut in a retaliatory move.
After mediation, the rival leaders signed an agreement in Qatar to end 18 months of political conflict.
- 2011: The collapse of Saad Hariri’s government
The government led by Hariri’s son and political heir Saad collapsed when Hezbollah and its allies resigned due to tension over the UN-backed tribunal considering the assassination of Rafik Hariri.
- 2012: Hezbollah intervenes in Syria
Hezbollah fighters have deployed to Syria to assist President Bashar al-Assad’s forces in the face of a popular rebellion. In October, a car bomb killed senior security official Wissam al-Hassan, whose security service arrested Michel Samaha, a former Syrian-allied minister accused of transporting bombs assembled in Syria to launch attacks in Lebanon.
- 2013: Hariri’s advisor was killed in an explosion
Muhammad Chatah, a former minister and Hariri’s advisor, was killed by a bomb.
- 2017: Saad Hariri detained in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia, angered by Hezbollah’s growing role in Lebanon, has faced accusations of detaining Saad Hariri in Riyadh and forcing him to resign. Hariri became prime minister once more in 2016 in a deal that saw Michel Aoun, a Hezbollah ally, become Lebanon’s president. Both Riyadh and Hariri denied that he was being held in the kingdom.
- 2018: Hezbollah wins parliamentary elections
Hezbollah and its allies won a majority in Lebanon’s first parliamentary elections since 2009.
- 2019: The outbreak of the October Revolution following an economic collapse
Despite the economic stagnation and slowing capital inflows, the government has failed to implement reforms that might open the door to foreign support. In October, a government move to tax internet calls sparked mass protests across sects that accused the ruling elite of corruption and mismanagement.
Hariri resigned on October 29, as the financial crisis accelerated. Depositors’ funds were frozen amid a liquidity crisis in hard currency and the collapse of the local currency.
- 2020: Beirut port explosion
Hassan Diab, a little-known academic, became prime minister in January with the support of Hezbollah and its allies. Lebanon defaulted on its sovereign debt in March. Talks with the International Monetary Fund have stalled due to the resistance of major parties and influential banks to the financial recovery plan.
On the fourth of August, a large amount of ammonium nitrate exploded in the port of Beirut, killing 215 people, injuring six thousand and destroying large areas of Beirut.
Diab’s government resigned and Hariri was assigned to form a new government, but the dispute continued over ministerial portfolios. A UN-backed court convicted a Hezbollah member of plotting to kill Rafik Hariri, 15 years following his assassination. Hezbollah denies any role in the crime.
- 2021: An unprecedented financial crisis and political blockage
Poverty worsened in the country. Hariri abandoned his efforts to form a government and exchanged accusations with President Michel Aoun of responsibility for the failure. In August, the central bank announced that it might no longer finance subsidies for fuel imports, which led to power cuts, fuel shortages and sporadic violence at gas stations.
In September, following more than a year of disputes over ministerial portfolios, a new government led by Najib Mikati was finally agreed upon.
The government was quickly derailed by tension over the investigation into the Beirut port explosion. Hezbollah and its ally, the Amal Movement, demanded the dismissal of the investigative judge, Tariq Bitar, following he brought charges once morest some of their allies.
Shiite parties called to protest once morest the judge. Six of their supporters were shot dead when violence erupted, and Hezbollah blamed the Christian Lebanese Forces party, which in turn denied the charge.
The investigation into the Beirut port explosion was halted due to the influx of legal complaints once morest the judge by officials he accused of being involved in the disaster.
For more – Beirut port explosion: Lebanese refuse to demolish grain silos in order to “preserve memory”
In October, Gulf states recalled their ambassadors and Saudi Arabia banned all Lebanese imports in protest of statements by a Hezbollah-allied minister who criticized the kingdom over the war in Yemen.
- 2022: The collapse of the Lebanese pound
In January, the Lebanese pound fell to 34,000 once morest the dollar, losing more than 90 percent of its value since 2019. The World Bank sharply criticized the ruling elite for its role in one of the worst downturns in national economies in the world due to its control over resources.
Hariri announced that he would not run in the parliamentary elections. In April, Lebanon reached a draft agreement with the International Monetary Fund for potential $3 billion in support, dependent on Beirut implementing long-awaited reforms.
In May, Hezbollah and its allies lost their parliamentary majority in the elections. But the long-dominant parties still retain their grip, reappointing Shiite politician Nabih Berri as parliament speaker and appointing Mikati to form a new government.
FRANCE 24/Archyde.com
