Bundle Of English Reports, News and Editorials For December 16-17/2019 Addressing the On Going Mass Demonstrations & Sit In-ins In Iranian Occupied Lebanon in its 61th Day
Compiled By: Elias Bejjani
December 17/2019
Tites For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News published on December 16-17/2019
No Trust In Lebanon’s Caretaker PM, Mr. Saad Al Hariri
UN calls for investigation into use of force against protesters in Lebanon
Aoun postpones consultations to name PM as divisions deepen
Violent protests erupt on streets of Beirut
Lebanon: Two Months of Protest
Israel Says Hizbullah, Lebanon ‘Will Pay Dearly’ for Any Attack
Moody’s Sees Lebanon ‘Debt Restructuring’ if No Help from IMF, World Bank
Kubis Regrets Postponement of Talks to Name PM
Hariri’s Office: FPM Decision to Cede Votes to President a Grave Constitutional Violation
FPM Calls on Hariri to Pick ‘Consensual’ PM Candidate
Mustaqbal Lashes Out at FPM, LF for Withholding Votes from Hariri
Presidency Hits Back at Mustaqbal, Says Aoun Doesn’t Need Constitutional ‘Lessons’
Dozens of Protesters Rally near Hariri’s Residence
Army: Troops Supported ISF in Central Beirut to Control Situation
IDF officer: Hezbollah still has tunnels on Lebanese side of the border
Thousands protest against crackdown in Lebanon
Berri meets UN’s Kubis, Kanaan
Del Col chairs regular tripartite meeting, emphasizes importance of maintaining calm along Blue Line
AUB Issam Fares Institute welcomes nine Senior Policy Fellows
The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News published on December 16-17/2019
No Trust In Lebanon’s Caretaker PM, Mr. Saad Al Hariri
Elias Bejjani/December 16/2019
لا ثقة برئيس الوزراء اللبناني المستقيل السيد سعد الحريري لتشكيل حكومة جديدة
Lebanon’s PM, Caretaker Mr. Saad Al Hariri protects covertly and covertly the most corrupt officials and businessmen in what is known the Lebanese deep government that is leading the country into bankruptcy.
At the same time he has no sovereign or patriotic back bone, to the extent that he has even compromised on his father’s assassination case (Raffic Al Hariri), and put the ongoing trial by the Special Tribunal For Lebanon (STL) on a marginal scale of his priorities.
In this realm he forged a political alliance with his father’s assassins, The Hezbollah Terrorist Militia, while the STL has accused a number of its security topnotch members to have committed the criminal assassination in year 2005.
Mr. Hariri, in his PM, capacity has been totally serving Hezbollah’s occupation of Lebanon status quo, as well as the Iranian-Mullahs’ expansionism schemes in exchange for staying as an MP.
Practically, Mr. Hariri is the first politician who should not be trusted any more in any official position and especially as a PM.
He is not only one of all of the corrupt Lebanese politicians and officials, but in fact the first of them all.
In summary, No trust is ought to be granted by the Lebanese revolution to Mr. Hariri in a bid to head the new Lebanese Government.
Hariri is not a talented or a professional politician, and based on his record since 20015 he will never be one.
Meanwhile, he surrounds himself by advisers who in general serve their our businesses and lead him into un-patriotic and non-sovereign deals with the Lebanese warlords, political parties, contractors and oligarchies.
His record as PM shows that he moves disastrously from one failure to another.
He is not the right PM, for dealing with serious and devastating current Lebanese crisis.
UN calls for investigation into use of force against protesters in Lebanon
Al Arabiya English/Monday, 16 December 2019
The force used against protesters in Beirut should be investigated, said United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon Jan Kubis on Monday. “The violence and clashes over the weekend once again showed that postponements of a political solution of the current crisis create a fertile ground for provocations and political manipulation,” said Kubis in a statement. Kubis also criticized the decision to postpone the parliamentary consultations on electing a new prime minister for the country. “Yet another postponement of the parliamentary consultations. Either a sign that following the events and statements of the last days politicians start to understand that they cannot neglect the voice of the people, or another attempt to buy time for business as usual But with the collapsing economy it is a risky hazard both for the politicians but even more so for Lebanon and its people,” added Kubis.
– Developing.
Aoun postpones consultations to name PM as divisions deepen
Georgi Azar/Annahar/December 16/2019
This comes after caretaker Prime Minister Saad Hariri requested further deliberations between the different stakeholders.
BEIRUT: President Michel Aoun has postponed the binding parliamentary consultations until December 19, according to a statement from his office.This comes after caretaker Prime Minister Saad Hariri requested further deliberations between the different stakeholders. Hariri was the frontrunner to secure the majority of votes until the Lebanese Forces rescinded their pledge to nominate him, bringing his threshold below the 65 votes mark. In the late hours of Sunday night, the LF issued a statement announcing their intentions of “not nominating any candidate in line with the people’s demands of an independent government.”On Sunday night, thousands of Lebanese protesters made their way back to downtown Beirut and gathered outside the parliament. What started off as a peaceful demonstration quickly morphed into chaos for the second night running after infiltrators, captured on video, instigated clashes with law enforcement. A video circulating on social media showed a man named Abbas Shami boasting with his companion about his indecorous intentions. “At 10 pm we start killing them, yeah?” he asked. Other videos showed members of Parliament’s security apparatus, dressed as civilians, partaking in the vicious assault on demonstrators. One video showed a demonstrator, lying on the ground, as undercover officers, ISF and army members beat him to a pulp. Security forces quickly resorted to heavy use of tear gas, dispersing the crowd who retreated to near the Kataeb’s party’s headquarters in Saifi. Meanwhile, a group of hooded thugs, believed to have made their way from the Amal stronghold of Khanda’ al Ghami’, burnt tents and art installations in Martyr’s Square with videos showing members of the security forces standing by. Demonstrators have accused security forces of colluding with Speaker Nabih Berri’s supporters while showing leniency towards their scare tactics. The popular uprising has engulfed the small Mediterranean country for the better part of two months as financial unease galvanized the movement calling for a complete revamp of the country’s ruling class. Lebanon has been without a fully functioning government since Prime Minister Saad Hariri on Oct. 29. In a statement issued Monday, Hariri laid the blame at the feet of the Free Patriotic Movement, who he accused of “constitutional violations for lending its votes to the President to do with as he pleases.”A nomination without the backing of any of the major Christians parties, Hariri said, is contrary to his views of “national reconciliation.”Last week, the leader of the Free Patriotic Movement and the president’s son-in-law Gebran Bassil argued that his party would not take part in any government headed by Hariri, labeling it as bound to fail. The FPM has seemingly fallen out with Hariri, with the relationship strained after the latter’s refusal to include any official who previously held office in his Cabinet, including Bassil. This then led to a disagreement between the Shiite duo and the FPM, who have thrown their weight behind Hariri given his clout in international circles.
Violent protests erupt on streets of Beirut
Sarah El Sirgany, Ben Wedeman and Tamara Qiblawi, CNN
Beirut, Lebanon (CNN)Dozens were injured in clashes between protesters and security forces in central Beirut on Saturday, one of the most violent nights since anti-government demonstrations started in October.
Security forces used teargas, water cannon and rubber bullets to push protesters, who pelted them with rocks and firecrackers, away from the main sit-in site and government buildings in the capital city.
The Lebanese Civil Defense and the Red Cross said they transferred 46 people to hospitals and treated the wounds of dozens others on site during hours of clashes.
Many of the protest chants were directed at caretaker Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri who is widely expected to be named head of the next government during parliamentary consultations on Monday. Other chants targeted caretaker Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil, a major ally of the militant and political group Hezbollah. Bassil announced on Thursday that his party would not participate in the next government. On Friday, Hezbollah’s chief Hassan Nasrallah said the group would continue to push for a coalition government, putting them on a collision course with Hariri who insists on forming a Cabinet of technocrats.
Social media video showed dozens of protesters, who said they had come from the northern city of Tripoli, joining forces with demonstrators in central Beirut. As security forces cracked down on protesters, some could be seen dragging apparently unconscious protesters on the tarmac.
Some protesters broke a police cordon and attempted to enter the city’s Parliament Square, shut off to the public since protests began on October 17, according to social media video. Local television showed security forces beating protesters with sticks.
Lebanon’s ISF said 23 members of the security forces were sent to the hospital during Saturday’s clashes, and several more were treated by paramedics on site. Calm returned to Beirut’s central district on Sunday amid beefed up security presence. Protesters erected a new banner accusing Hariri of corruption and mismanagement, and holding him responsible for the country’s ballooning debt. Protests in Lebanon have been demonstrating against corruption and government mismanagement perceived to be widespread in the country. Less than two weeks after protests began, Hariri stepped down, deepening the country’s political crisis. The country is also buckling under an economic crisis that has sent prices soaring, and led to mass layoffs and salary cuts. Business across the country have closed their doors. Banks imposed informal capital controls last month, leading to a severe liquidity crunch.
Lebanon: Two Months of Protest
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/December 16/2019
Lebanon has been paralyzed by two months of protests demanding an overhaul of the entire political system.
Here is a recap:
WhatsApp tax’ anger
On October 17, the government announces a tax on messaging apps such as WhatsApp. Coming amid a looming economic crisis, the announcement is seen by many as a step too far. Thousands take to the streets in Beirut and other cities, some chanting “the people demand the fall of the regime”.
The government scraps the messaging app tax the same day, but the protests continue.
Demos grow
On October 18, thousands of demonstrators from across sects and political affiliations bring the capital to a standstill. They demand an overhaul of the entire political system, citing grievances from austerity measures and state corruption to poor infrastructure and rampant electricity cuts. The army reopens some highways blocked by protesters and disperses a huge crowd in Beirut with water cannon and tear gas. Dozens are arrested. The demonstrations swell over the following days, with major gatherings also in second city Tripoli and other centers.
Reforms announced
On October 21, Prime Minister Saad Hariri announces his government has approved a raft of economic reforms, including halving lawmakers’ and ministers’ salaries. But demonstrators dismiss the new measures as insufficient. On October 25, Hizbullah — which with its allies holds a majority in parliament — tells supporters not to take part in the protests. The next day, it mobilizes counter-rallies, sparking scuffles with anti-government demonstrators.
Government resigns
On the evening of October 29, Hariri submits his resignation and that of his government, prompting cheers and dancing in the streets. President Michel Aoun asks the government to stay on until a new cabinet is formed.
Protesters regroup over the next days, demanding a government of technocrats, independent of traditional political parties divided along sectarian lines. In a television address on November 3, Aoun announces plans to tackle corruption, reform the economy and form a civil government. But thousands of protesters stream back into Beirut’s Martyrs’ Square, chanting “Revolution!”
Counter-attacks
On November 24, supporters of Hizbullah and its AMAL allies attack anti-government protesters in Beirut in their most serious assault on protesters so far. Army reinforcements intervene. At least 10 people are injured. It prompts the U.N. Security Council to call for “intensive national dialogue.”
Over three consecutive nights of violence, 16 people are detained and 51 troops are wounded, the army says on November 27.
Violence intensifies
Parliamentary consultations to nominate a new prime minister due for December 9 are postponed just hours after Sunni Muslim leaders back Hariri. On December 12 Hariri appeals for international funding for an emergency rescue package to resolve the crisis. Clashes that erupt late December 14 are most violent since the protests began. Security forces use tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse demonstrators, who demand an independent technocrat government and that Hariri is not returned to his post. Hizbullah and AMAL supporters also clash with riot police who fire tear gas to prevent them from breaching barricades near parliament. Dozens are hurt. The violence continues on December 15, thousands flooding central Beirut on the eve of planned consultations to select a new prime minister. Shortly before the talks are due to start, the presidency announces Aoun has postponed them until December 19 at Hariri’s request.
Israel Says Hizbullah, Lebanon ‘Will Pay Dearly’ for Any Attack
Naharnet/December 16/2019
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a warning that Hizbullah and the State of Lebanon will pay dearly for any assault against Israel, Israeli media reports said on Monday. At his weekly cabinet meeting, Netanyahu said that “Iran had launched new threats of destroying Tel Aviv from inside Lebanon, which means Hizbullah is the proxy wing of Iran.”He added saying that both “Lebanon and Hizbullah will pay dearly if the party launches attack on Israel, because Lebanon allows attacks from its territory against Israel.”
Moody’s Sees Lebanon ‘Debt Restructuring’ if No Help from IMF, World Bank
Associated Press/Naharnet/December 16/2019
Moody’s Investors Service said Monday that without technical support from the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and international donors, it is increasingly likely that Lebanon could see “a scenario of extreme macroeconomic instability in which a debt restructuring occurs with an abrupt destabilization of the currency peg resulting in very large losses for private investors.”Caretaker Prime Minister Saad Hariri has recently asked the IMF and the World Bank for help developing a reform plan to address the economic crisis. Lebanon’s currency has been pegged at 1,507 Lebanese pounds to the dollar since 1997, but in recent weeks it has reached more than 2,000 in the black market. Lebanon’s debt stands at $87 billion or 150 percent of GDP.
Kubis Regrets Postponement of Talks to Name PM
Naharnet/December 16/2019
UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon Jan Kubis regretted the postponement of Lebanon’s talks to pick a new prime minister in light of an aggravating political and economic crisis. On Twitter, Kubis said: “Yet another postponement of the parliamentary consultations. Either a sign that following the events and statements of the last days politicians start to understand that they cannot neglect the voice of the people, or another attempt to buy time for business as usual.”President Michel Aoun postponed the binding parliamentary consultations until December 19. It is not the first time the talks have been delayed. Parliamentary consultations had been scheduled for December 9 before being pushed back a week. Noting the consequences it has on a frail economy, Kubis added on the postponment: “But with the collapsing economy it is a risky hazard both for the politicians but even more so for Lebanon and its people.” Kubis emphasized that “the violence and clashes over the weekend once again showed that postponements of a political solution of the current crisis create a fertile ground for provocations and political manipulation.“Identification of instigators of violence investigation of the incidents as well as of use of excessive force by the security forces is necessary, also to prevent sliding down towards more aggressive and confrontational behavior of all,” he concluded.
Hariri’s Office: FPM Decision to Cede Votes to President a Grave Constitutional Violation
Naharnet/December 16/2019
The Free Patriotic Movement’s decision to cede its votes to President Michel Aoun so that he uses them as he wishes in the binding parliamentary consultations to pick a PM-designate is a “grave constitutional violation,” caretaker PM Saad Hariri’s office said on Monday. “In the framework of the political contacts prior to the parliamentary consultations that were set for today, it turned out that the Free Patriotic Movement was planning to deposit its votes with the President of the Republic so that he uses them as he wishes,” Hariri’s office said in an English-language statement. “It is an occasion to warn against repeating the constitutional breach that martyr Prime Minister Rafik Hariri faced during President Emile Lahoud’s term, and to confirm that Prime Minister Hariri cannot cover such a grave constitutional violation, regardless of its use, in designating any prime minister,” the office added. Hariri was also informed “today at dawn of the Lebanese Forces’ decision to refrain from naming anyone or participating in the nomination of anyone in the parliamentary consultations that were scheduled for today,” the office explained. It added: “This would have led to a designation without the participation of any substantial Christian bloc, contrary to Prime Minister Hariri’s constant attachment to the requirements of national reconciliation.”“Accordingly, Prime Minister Hariri discussed the matter with Speaker Nabih Berri, who agreed with him. They decided that both of them would call the President and ask him to postpone the consultations for a few days in order to avoid adding new constitutional and national problems to the major social, economic and financial crisis that our country is facing,” the office went on to say. It added that Hariri believes that the focus should be on “addressing the crisis to preserve the interests of the Lebanese, their living conditions and security.” Earlier in the day, President Aoun postponed the consultations to Thursday at Hariri’s request. Hariri had tendered his government’s resignation on October 29, bowing to pressure from unprecedented massive protests against corruption and the entire political class.
FPM Calls on Hariri to Pick ‘Consensual’ PM Candidate
Naharnet/December 16/2019
The Free Patriotic Movement on Monday called on caretaker Prime Minister Saad Hariri to pick a “consensual” candidate for the PM post. “The FPM positively calls for an end to the waste of time and for the endorsement of the Strong Lebanon bloc’s proposal on the formation of an active salvation government comprised of competent and upright figures in terms of both its premier and ministers, so that it immediately starts to confront the severe crisis,” the FPM said in a statement. “Accordingly, the FPM reiterates its suggestion that PM Hariri… quickly seek to pick a candidate enjoying consensus on their competence and credibility,” the movement added, stressing that the ministers should also not be suspected of any corruption. “Otherwise, the FPM will not be concerned with engaging in discussions on any government that is doomed to fail, because it will not be clear and guaranteed that it will seek to change the financial and economic policies, fight corruption or implement the structural reforms and sectoral plans,” the FPM went on to say. FPM chief Jebran Bassil had recently announced that the movement will not take part in any techno-political government led by Hariri.
Mustaqbal Lashes Out at FPM, LF for Withholding Votes from Hariri
Naharnet/December 16/2019
Al-Mustaqbal Movement on Monday slammed both the Free Patriotic Movement and the Lebanese Forces, the country’s biggest Christian parties, lashing out at their “intersection of interests” after they both decided not to vote for caretaker Prime Minister Saad Hariri in the binding parliamentary consultations to name a new premier. “The country stands at a critical crossroads that threatens to bring the direst consequences as a result of the race to score political points in one direction or another,” the Movement said in a statement. Blasting a perceived attempt at “besieging the PM post and breaching the constitutional norms in the designation of premiers,” al-Mustaqbal described the decision by the FPM and the LF to refrain from naming any candidate as “suspicious.” There is an “intersection of interests” between the two parties, the Movement noted, decrying that the FPM “has sought, throughout two months, to discredit the post-October 17 events before eventually announcing that it is an inseparable part of the protest movement and revolution.”“Others have found the moment appropriate to turn themselves into ‘Che Guevara’ so that they stay on the streets for their own objectives,” Mustaqbal added, apparently referring to the Lebanese Forces. “Al-Mustaqbal Movement is clearly not awaiting any nomination for PM Hariri from the FPM or the LF, and it does not accept that the premiership post be turned into a ball thrown around by some movements and parties,” the Movement said in its statement. “The premiership post is bigger than all these heresies and it will not be a hostage held by anyone no matter how influential they might be,” Mustaqbal went on to say. It said Hariri had resigned on October 29 in order to “open the door to a solution that meets the people’s demands.”“But it seems that some interests have coincided on impeding the formation of a government,” the Movement lamented. “If there is a chance to name a Sunni figure eligible to fill the post, so be it, but let no one believe that they can take the country to ruin, because the flames of destruction would burn everyone, topped by the parties and politicians who are hiding behind the revolution and considering themselves the heroes of this era,” Mustaqbal warned.
Presidency Hits Back at Mustaqbal, Says Aoun Doesn’t Need Constitutional ‘Lessons’
Naharnet/December 16/2019
The Presidency on Monday snapped back at al-Mustaqbal Movement and caretaker Premier Saad Hariri’s press office, stressing that President Michel Aoun does not need constitutional “lessons” from anyone. “Claims that the Free Patriotic Movement bloc intended to cede its votes to the President are mere fabrications and a prejudgment that preceded the binding parliamentary consultations that the president intended to conduct today,” the Presidency’s press office said in a statement. “Accordingly, using this as an excuse to ask the president to postpone consultations is a judgment of intentions that cannot be part of any sound political action and a blatant attempt at justifying this request and overlooking other reasons,” the statement added. “The president, who is entrusted with the constitution, does not need lessons from anyone in this regard,” the statement stressed, noting that Aoun had obliged MPs to name their candidates during previous consultations to name premiers.The statement also rejected accusations about a “constitutional violation,” urging Hariri and his al-Mustaqbal Movement to stop “the practices that contradict with the text and spirit of the Constitution.”
Dozens of Protesters Rally near Hariri’s Residence
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/December 16/2019
Dozens of protesters rallied near caretaker Prime Minister Saad Hariri’s residence in downtown Beirut on Monday evening, refusing his return as prime minister — a scenario put forward in the past week. “We’re protesting here until they form the government people want,” said activist Claude Jabre, referring to demands for a cabinet entirely formed of independent experts. Nearby, 27-year-old Youssef said he utterly rejected Hariri as he represented the old political system protesters want to replace. “The parliamentary consultations should reflect what the people want, not what the parliament and the ruling authority want,” said the bearded protester, a red and white checkered scarf around his neck. Cabinet formation can drag on for months in the multi-confessional country, with Hariri taking almost nine months to reach an agreement with all political sides for the last one. Consensus on the name of a new prime minister is frequently reached before parliamentary consultations begin. The names of various potential candidates to replace Hariri have been circulated in recent weeks, but bitterly divided political parties have failed to agree on a new premier. Earlier this month, the Sunni Muslim establishment threw its support behind Hariri returning.The powerful Shiite movement Hizbullah, a key political player with ministers in the outgoing government, has also supported the outgoing premier or someone nominated by him. But it has repeatedly dismissed the idea of an exclusively technocratic cabinet.
Army: Troops Supported ISF in Central Beirut to Control Situation
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/December 16/2019
The Lebanese Army issued a statement on Monday on the clashes with police near the parliament a day earlier on the eve of much-delayed consultations to form a new cabinet needed to fix a deepening economic crisis. “As a result of massive chaos witnessed in downtown Beirut last night accentuated by riots, encroachment on public and private property, and tossing firecrackers at the security forces, the army units deployed in the region and worked on supporting the Internal Security Forces to maintain stability and stop the attacks, and managed to restore the situation to normalcy,” said the Army statement.
Lebanese protesters clashed with police Sunday for the second consecutive night near parliament on the eve of delayed consultations to form a new cabinet. The renewed clashes in Beirut came as Interior Minister Raya El-Hassan ordered security forces to open a “rapid and transparent” enquiry after dozens were wounded on Saturday night. The unprecedented rallies have swept Lebanon since October 17, demanding the overhaul of a political system deemed inept and corrupt and the formation of an independent government of technocrats. Clashes again erupted near parliament, with demonstrators throwing water bottles and firecrackers at the security forces who responded with tear gas and water canon. Witnesses said men in plainclothes were seen hitting protesters while anti-riot police fired rubber bullets at protesters throwing stones. Outgoing Interior Minister Raya el-Hassan demanded the identification of those responsible for the most violent episode since the anti-government protests began in October.
IDF officer: Hezbollah still has tunnels on Lebanese side of the border
Jerusalem Post/December 16/2019
Israel is ready to stop a potential Hezbollah invasion, including from tunnels that the IDF has not yet destroyed, an IDF commander for fighting Hezbollah’s underground warfare in the north said. Israel is ready to stop a potential Hezbollah invasion, including from tunnels that the IDF has yet to destroy, the head of the IDF’s Underground Warfare Department in the North revealed on Monday. “If there is any [Hezbollah] tunnel near the border, we will know about them,” said Lt. Col. Aviv Amir, an Engineering Corps officer who oversees IDF efforts to to detect and destroy tunnels, whether from Lebanon or the Gaza Strip.
In late 2018, the IDF destroyed six Hezbollah cross-border tunnels and proclaimed the tunnel threat from Hezbollah vanquished. In his presentation on Monday, Amir said that in 2018 the IDF also meant to demolish a Hezbollah tunnel near the Israeli town of Misgav Am. However, when the IDF counter-tunnel units found that the tunnel came up to Israel’s border, but did not cross it, the military decided to leave it alone. Hezbollah is believed to have additional tunnels similar to the one discovered last year near Misgav Am that end close to the Israeli border but do not cross it. Amir said that Israel has “no plan to get into the Lebanese side,” absent Hezbollah starting a new conflict. At the same time, he said that the IDF knows about tunnels it did not destroy which still exist on the Lebanese side and maintains constant readiness to address any potential Hezbollah invasion.
Thousands protest against crackdown in Lebanon
AP, Reuters, BeirutظMonday, 16 December 2019
Thousands of Lebanese protesters defiantly returned on Sunday to rally outside parliament in Beirut, hours after security forces chased them out, using tear gas and rubber bullets and injuring dozens.
The protests were largely peaceful, but some lobbed water bottles and firecrackers at security forces guarding parliament. After a couple of hours, security forces chased them away, using batons and tear gas to disperse the crowd.
Saturday night into Sunday saw one of the most violent crackdowns on protesters since nationwide anti-government demonstrations began two months ago, leading to the resignation of Prime Minister Saad Hariri on October 29. The harsh use of force was largely carried out by security forces outside of the parliament building who reacted violently to an earlier attempt to hold a rally outside parliament.
Attackers in northern Lebanon also set fire to the offices of two major political parties, the state-run National News Agency said.
The large crowd that was gathered on Sunday largely dispersed by the evening but hundreds remained in the streets outside parliament. Many had come prepared with helmets and tear gas.
After clashes that included the firing of tear gas, security forces then used water cannons to empty the area around parliament. The remaining protesters used plant pots and bins to barricade themselves, drawing a front line in the street that just hours before was filled with protesters.
Demonstrators had chanted against the security crackdown and called for an independent new head of government unaffiliated with established political parties.
The crowd, many raising Lebanese flags, said: “We won’t leave, We won’t leave. Just arrest all the protesters!”
Others raised posters saying the tear gas won’t keep them away. “We are crying already,” said one, in a jab at the deep economic crisis Lebanese are facing. The streets leading to parliament were filled with men, women and even children. Some huddled in smaller groups while others were lifted on shoulders chanting in megaphones.
The overnight confrontations in Beirut left more than 130 people injured, according to the Red Cross and the Lebanese Civil Defense. The Red Cross said none of the injured were in serious condition and most of them were treated on the spot.
The violence and Sunday’s rally came just hours before the president was due to meet with representatives of parliamentary blocs to name a new prime minister. After weeks of bickering and despite calls from the protesters for a technocratic government, politicians seem set on bringing Hariri back to the post.
The demonstrators were clear they wouldn’t accept his return. “Saad, Saad, Saad, don’t dream of it anymore.”
“I came back today to pressure the parliament to make the right choice tomorrow and choose a prime minister from outside the political parties. If they don’t choose someone acceptable, we will be back to the streets again and again,” said Chakib Abillamah, a protester and businessman who was demonstrating on Saturday when violence broke out.
Caline Mouawad, a lawyer, said she watched as security forces violently broke up the protests and decided to join in solidarity. “What happened last night provoked me. I came down even it means getting beaten tonight.”
Interior Minister Raya al-Hassan on Sunday ordered an investigation into the clashes, which she said injured both protesters and security forces. She said she watched the confrontations “with concern, sadness and shock.”
Al-Hassan blamed “infiltrators” for instigating violence and called on the demonstrators to be wary of those who want to exploit their protests for political reasons. She didn’t elaborate.
The head of the Internal Security Forces, Maj. Gen. Imad Osman, turned up at the protest rally on Sunday. He told reporters on the scene that the right to protest was guaranteed by the law. “But calm down, no need for violence,” he said, appealing to protesters.
In the northern Akkar district, attackers broke the windows and set fire to the local office of Hariri’s political party in the town of Kharibet al-Jundi. Photos circulated on social media of shattered glass and the aftermath of the fire, which torched the building.
In a separate attack in Akkar district, assailants stormed the local office of the largest party in parliament, affiliated with President Michel Aoun and headed by Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil. The party said the contents of the office in the town of Jedidat al-Juma had also been smashed and burned.
The mayhem came just hours after the capital was rocked by violence. Lebanese security forces fired rubber bullets, tear gas and used water cannons throughout the night to disperse anti-government protesters from the city center – the epicenter of the protest movement in Beirut – and around parliament. The protests had largely been peacefully since they began on October 17.
The Lebanese Civil Defense said it had treated 46 people for injuries and taken 14 others to hospital.
The clashes rocked a commercial district of Beirut for hours late into the night, and army soldiers closed off some streets.
Lebanon’s Internal Security Forces said they fired tear gas after demonstrators pelted them with fireworks and stones. On Twitter, the ISF called on protesters to leave the streets.
“They attacked us in a barbaric way, as if we’re not protesting for their sake, their children,” said a protester, Omar Abyad, 25, a nurse who has been unemployed since he graduated two years ago.
“There’s no work, no wages, no money, nothing. I am in the streets and I have nothing to lose.”
Berri meets UN’s Kubis, Kanaan
NNA /December 16/2019
House Speaker, Nabih Berri, on Monday received at his Ain El Tineh residence the UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Jan Kubis, who briefed him on the deliberations of the International Support Group for Lebanon’s meeting held recently in Paris. Speaker Berri also received Head of the Finance and Budget House committee, MP Ibrahim Kanaan, in the presence of Caretaker Finance Minister Ali Hassan Khalil. Following the one-hour meeting, MP Kanaan said: “It is essential to meet the House Speaker after we have almost finished discussions in the Finance and Budget committee for the 2020 state budget draft.”
MP Kanaan stressed the dire need for a political solution to the current situation, saying “politics is the key to solution” and pledging to seek feasible solutions to address the financial and economic situation, He said the current situation requires exceptional solutions.
The Lawmaker also indicated that they shall inform the Lebanese of all the financial realities out of keenness to maintain transparency. “We have decided, in agreement with the Speaker, to be transparent, whatever the outcome, and we will inform the Lebanese of all financial realities,” Kanaan said, adding that “the economy cannot by itself lead to a financial and economic solution: we must face the situation with the cooperation of all.”He said “We shall put forward realistic solutions, not solutions based on delusions.” Kanaan also urged all sides to assume responsibility in taking the adequate decisions in order to place Lebanon on the right track for a resolution. On the other hand, Speaker Berri received a series of phone calls and cables condemning the insults and bellicose rhetoric against the status of the House Speaker. In this framework, Berri received phone calls from Mufti of Tripoli and the North Sheikh Malek Al Shaar, former Prime Minister Nejib Mikati, “Unity and Reform” Movement President and Coordinator of the “National and Islamic Gathering” Sheikh Maher Abdel Razzak. They also hailed Berri’s national role, deeming him as “the safe valve for the nation” and a national figure working for the supreme interest of the whole nation.
Del Col chairs regular tripartite meeting, emphasizes importance of maintaining calm along Blue Line
NNA /December 16/2019
UNIFIL Head of Mission and Force Commander Major General Stefano Del Col today chaired a regular Tripartite military meeting at the UN position in Ras Al Naqoura.
A press release by UNIFIL said: “Issues relating to UNIFIL’s mandate under UN Security Council resolution 1701 were discussed. The UNIFIL Head of Mission emphasised the importance of insulating the tripartite forum and the work carried out in the UNIFIL area of operations, from the wider political dynamics or regional developments. In his remarks Major-General Del Col emphasised the message from the UN Secretary-General’s latest report on the implementation of resolution 1701, encouraging the parties to reach agreement on outstanding points of contention along the Blue Line, cautioning that unilateral action could potentially escalate tension and must be avoided, while calling on the parties to avail themselves of the UNIFIL liaison and coordination arrangements. “Our priority is to maintain calm along the Blue Line” General Del Col said “and to create the right conditions to facilitate potential agreement on some of the larger contentious issues.” The UNIFIL Head commended the parties for their continued cooperation with UNIFIL in preserving the cessation of hostilities: “Both parties are clearly committed to engagement through the tripartite forum. As we look forward to the new year, let us do so through dialogue and positive engagement to find practical solutions. Only through dialogue can we hope to achieve a sustainable peace.” UNIFIL Head of Mission was encouraged by the positive messages from both sides: “Neither side seeks conflict and I can assure you that UNIFIL will play its part to attain our primary objective of preserving the cessation of hostilities.” And he added: “We can achieve this by ensuring our actions are geared towards reducing tension and minimising the potential for escalation along the Blue Line.”
Tripartite meetings have been held regularly under the auspices of UNIFIL since the end of the 2006 war in south Lebanon as an essential conflict management and confidence building mechanism.”
AUB Issam Fares Institute welcomes nine Senior Policy Fellows
NNA /December 16/2019
The AUB Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs (IFI) is delighted to welcome to the institute nine Senior Policy Fellows for the AY 2019-2020. Given their diverse backgrounds, and their extensive experience in public policy in Lebanon and the region, they will enrich the intellectual life of the institute and will make a valuable contribution to IFI’s mission. Through the fellowship program, IFI aims to grow a network of policy influencers to strengthen its engagement with policymaking and to translate knowledge to practical policy recommendations. As such, each Senior Policy Fellow forms a critical link to a variety of policy issues and research programs at the institute. The Senior Policy Fellows for the current academic year 2019-2020 are:
Lina Abou Habib, PhD
Expert in development policies and practices, and gender mainstreaming
Ziad El Sayegh
Expert in public policy and refugee issues
Heba Elgazzar, PhD
Program leader and senior economist at the World Bank
Khalil Gebara, PhD
Professor and expert in governance, political economy, local development, and public policy
Mahmoud Haidar
Expert in business strategy, innovation, and public policy
Maysa Jalbout, PhD
Visiting scholar and Special Advisor on the UN Sustainable Development Goals at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
Sami Mahroum, PhD
Director of Research and Strategy at the Dubai Future Labs
Jamal Saghir
Economist and expert in infrastructure, energy, and international finance
Robert Watkins
Former UN Deputy Special Coordinator for Lebanon
Titles For The Latest Lebanese LCCC English analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on December 16-17/2019
No Trust In Lebanon’s Caretaker PM, Mr. Saad Al Hariri/Elias Bejjani/December 16/2019
Chaos ensues after video targetting Shiite sect goes viral/Georgi Azar/Annahar/December 17/2019
Lebanon delays nomination of new PM amid protests, divisions/Timour Azhari/Al Jazeera/December 16/2019
Lebanese police clashed with anti-government protesters in Beirut, firing/Najia Houssari/Arab News/December 16/2019
More than protests, Lebanon today is witnessing a profound social revolution./Maha Yahya/Carnegie/December 16/2019
The Latest Lebanese LCCC English analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on December 16-17/2019
No Trust In Lebanon’s Caretaker PM, Mr. Saad Al Hariri
Elias Bejjani/December 16/2019
لا ثقة برئيس الوزراء اللبناني المستقيل السيد سعد الحريري لتشكيل حكومة جديدة
Lebanon’s PM, Caretaker Mr. Saad Al Hariri protects covertly and covertly the most corrupt officials and businessmen in what is known the Lebanese deep government that is leading the country into bankruptcy.
At the same time he has no sovereign or patriotic back bone, to the extent that he has even compromised on his father’s assassination case (Raffic Al Hariri), and put the ongoing trial by the Special Tribunal For Lebanon (STL) on a marginal scale of his priorities.
In this realm he forged a political alliance with his father’s assassins, The Hezbollah Terrorist Militia, while the STL has accused a number of its security topnotch members to have committed the criminal assassination in year 2005.
Mr. Hariri, in his PM, capacity has been totally serving Hezbollah’s occupation of Lebanon status quo, as well as the Iranian-Mullahs’ expansionism schemes in exchange for staying as an MP.
Practically, Mr. Hariri is the first politician who should not be trusted any more in any official position and especially as a PM.
He is not only one of all of the corrupt Lebanese politicians and officials, but in fact the first of them all.
In summary, No trust is ought to be granted by the Lebanese revolution to Mr. Hariri in a bid to head the new Lebanese Government.
Hariri is not a talented or a professional politician, and based on his record since 20015 he will never be one.
Meanwhile, he surrounds himself by advisers who in general serve their our businesses and lead him into un-patriotic and non-sovereign deals with the Lebanese warlords, political parties, contractors and oligarchies.
His record as PM shows that he moves disastrously from one failure to another.
He is not the right PM, for dealing with serious and devastating current Lebanese crisis.
Chaos ensues after video targetting Shiite sect goes viral
Georgi Azar/Annahar/December 17/2019
BEIRUT: A group of men descended upon downtown Beirut after taking offense to a video circulating on social media that offended the Shiite sect.
The video targetted a number of Shiite religious figures and officials, including Speaker Nabih Berri and Hassan Nasrallah. It was reportedly recorded by a man hailing from Tripoli but now residing in Greece. His family was quick to condemn his actions, saying that “it does not reflect our views or beliefs.”
The men were believed to be from al-Khandaq al-Ghamiq, who has had a number of run-ins with the law. The angered men attempted to reach Martyr’s Square and RIad el Solh but were held back by riot police. They threw rocks and fireworks at both soldiers and riot police alike before water cannons were used to disperse them. Hezbollah and Amal then called on the group of men to withdraw from the streets of Beirut to avoid further sectarian tensions. A local Imam from Khandaq al-Ghamiq called on the men to withdraw as well while a senior Sheikh from Dar el Fatwa, the highest Sunni authority in Lebanon, distanced the sect from the offensive video. “We tell our Shiite brothers that those who harm … do not represent the Sunni sect, have nothing to do with the sect and do not express the Sunni opinion,” Sheikh Hasan Merheb told local TV channel LBCI.
Lebanon delays nomination of new PM amid protests, divisions
Timour Azhari/Al Jazeera/December 16/2019
President postpones talks which were expected to result in Saad Hariri being named as next prime minister.
Beirut, Lebanon – The nomination of Lebanon’s next prime minister has been postponed after major Christian parties said they would not support the candidacy of caretaker Prime Minister Saad Hariri, presenting a new impasse after weeks of political wrangling.
Hariri resigned on October 29 amid widespread protests against Lebanon’s ruling elite, but had seemed set to return on Monday after all other candidates failed to secure enough support from the country’s Sunni Muslim establishment.
Under Lebanon’s complex political system, where power is shared among religious groups, the prime minister must always be a Sunni, the president a Maronite Christian and the speaker of Parliament a Shia Muslim. Meanwhile, according to the modern-day interpretation of a key article in the Constitution, there must be parity in the representation of Christians and Muslims in Parliament and government.
This premise of sectarian power-sharing now poses the greatest obstacle to Hariri’s candidacy, as without the support of the major Christian parties in government, the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) and the Lebanese Forces, the government’s constitutional legitimacy could be called into question.
A statement from Hariri’s office said that the caretaker PM on Monday requested that Aoun postpone the binding parliamentary consultations during which a new prime minister is selected, “in order to avoid adding constitutional and national problems to the great social, economic and financial crisis facing our country”.
Aoun rescheduled the talks for Thursday.
Riding the wave
Since he resigned, Hariri has said he would return to government only in a cabinet made up of technocrats and experts – a key demand of protesters, most of whom have rejected Hariri’s potential return as prime minister.
Thousands protested in Beirut on Sunday night to reject Hariri’s expected nomination.
Hezbollah and its allies, the Amal Movement, along with the FPM, have rejected Hariri’s conditions and instead called for a government of both politicians and technocrats. Last week, the FPM announced it would not participate in any government headed by Hariri.
Early on Monday, the Lebanese Forces – which is nominally allied with Hariri – announced it would not name anyone during the planned consultations, dealing him another blow.
Bassel Salloukh, an associate professor of political science at the Lebanese American University, said that these developments effectively ended Hariri’s attempt to strengthen his hand on the back of the uprising.
“It seems he tried to free-ride the revolution, but his bluff has been called,” Salloukh told Al Jazeera.
Hariri had made concessions to the FPM in 2016 in a deal that saw the party’s founder Michel Aoun elected president and Hariri return as prime minister.
Salloukh said Hariri would now be forced to make concessions again: either back someone else for prime minister, or try to find a way out with either of the major Christian parties.
A senior Lebanese Forces official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Al Jazeera that the party would not reverse its decision to refrain from naming a prime minister, so that it can be “convinced” of the makeup of the next government before backing it in Parliament.
“We have to wait and see if the final outcome is appropriate or not, because there are so many deals being made and so many people excluded from these discussions,” the source said.
“As long as the prime minister and government are accepted by the people, we will give it confidence,” the source added, meaning Hariri would likely be excluded “unless he can convince the people he’s the right choice”.
‘No more delays’
Meanwhile, the FPM is not giving up any ground either.
Pierre Raffoul, a political adviser to President Aoun, told local news channel Al Jadeed that Hariri’s condition of a purely technocratic government was a non-starter, and that consultations would be held on Thursday, putting pressure on Hariri to find a way to break the deadlock.
“I want to tell the prime minister: if you are still coming from the standpoint of ‘I will choose and I will decide’ … That won’t work with us,” Raffoul said. “[Consultations] won’t be delayed any more, it will be on Thursday, either he [Hariri] is named or someone else than him, let everyone bear their responsibilities.”
Salloukh said he believed the deadlock effectively returned negotiations “back to square one”, but that the impasse could create the space for a new type of government to emerge.
“This kind of inability of the political elite to find agreement may pave the way for a truly independent professional government,” he said.
There is also the possibility that Hariri could be named prime minister, but the process of actually forming a government could take a long time. The previous cabinet formation process took almost nine months.
Lebanon is in the midst of a deep economic and financial crisis. The country is the world’s third-most indebted nation as a ratio of gross domestic product and is spiralling into more debt.
At the same time, a dollar shortage has threatened to cause shortages of basic imports such as fuel, wheat and medicine, and has pressured a decades-old currency peg of 1,500 Lebanese pounds to the US dollar. Rates were higher on Monday, at 2,000 pounds.
Business as usual
The UN’s representative in Lebanon Jan Kubis Monday said the postponement of parliamentary consultations was “either a sign that following the events and statements of the last days politicians start to understand that they cannot neglect the voice of the people, or another attempt to buy time for business as usual.””But with the collapsing economy, it is a risky hazard both for the politicians, but even more so for Lebanon and its people,” he said. Salloukh said a protracted delay in forming a cabinet could be disastrous.
“[It is] not simply a case of these politicians shooting themselves in the foot. They are shooting the entire country in the head,” he said.
Lebanese police clashed with anti-government protesters in Beirut, firing
Najia Houssari/Arab News/December 16/2019
BEIRUT: The UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon Jan Kubis accused Lebanese politicians of “trying to buy time” after crucial parliamentary talks to nominate a replacement prime minister faced a further delay.
Discussions due to take place on Monday were postponed an hour beforehand amid a widening rift between Lebanese President Michel Aoun and the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) on one side and caretaker PM Saad Hariri on the other.
It is the second time talks over the replacement leadership and composition of the new government have been delayed.
More than seven weeks after Hariri quit as prime minister, politicians are still unable to agree on a new administration despite the deepening financial crisis facing the country.
Kubis warned that “with a collapsing economy, buying time to form a government is a risky hazard for politicians, but even more so for Lebanon and its people.”
Plans for parliamentary talks on Monday fell into confusion following the Christian-based Lebanese Forces’ refusal to nominate a new prime minister. The party said that it will only approve “a government of independent experts trusted by the people.”
Aoun postponed the discussions until Thursday after Hariri asked for “more consultation on the government’s formation.”
Moustafa Allouch, a member of the Future Movement’s political bureau, told Arab News that Hariri is refusing to lead a government without the backing of the Christian vote.
“Hariri doesn’t want to face accusations of lacking a national consensus,” Allouch said.
However, Hariri’s office said that the caretaker PM was seeking “to avoid adding national and constitutional problems to the social, economic and financial crisis in Lebanon.”
Pierre Raffoul, Aoun’s political adviser, launched an unprecedented attack on Hariri, saying the caretaker PM “wants to eliminate everyone.”
“We are not in a dictatorial country and such things do not work here,” he added.
Raffoul said that “if the parliamentary consultations had taken place, Hariri would not have been able to form the government.
“Today, we are standing at a crossroads; to stay or not stay. Our solidarity can save the country, but Hariri wants to work alone and he cannot acknowledge the presence of anyone else,” he said.
The FPM also called on Hariri to “act swiftly to designate a person to lead the government … and save the country from its current crisis.”
With no end in sight to the political impasse, street protesters in Beirut have faced intensified violent attacks from armed “infiltrators,” according to Rayya Al-Hassan, caretaker interior minister.
Activist Ziad Abdel Samad told Arab News that “infiltrators among the protesters are trying to attack the movement, but as long as there is no political solution, we are staying in the streets.”
Tents in Martyrs’ Square in the capital were set alight during clashes late on Sunday night.
Former PM Fouad Siniora was forced to flee a music concert at the American University of Beirut on Sunday night after students chanting “revolution, revolution!” demanded that he leave.
Siniora tweeted on Monday: “History will prove that I have always worked for the interest of my country. Today, I stand resilient alongside the Lebanese, just like I did in the times of peace, war and revolution.”
More than protests, Lebanon today is witnessing a profound social revolution.
مها يحيى/في لبنان اليوم أكثر من اجتجاجات، في لبنان ثورة اجتماعية عميقة
Maha Yahya/Carnegie/December 16/2019
Lebanon’s protests, which began on October 17, have focused on the need to change the country’s power-sharing system and reverse the rapid deterioration in the quality of daily life. But something more profound is taking place. We are witnessing a social transformation, a revolution in the norms underpinning Lebanese society.
Demands by protestors to bring down the regime are an indictment of the catastrophic political and economic mismanagement of the country by its political class. Most of the wartime militia leaders came to power after the end of the civil war in 1990, moving into state institutions. A key component of the Taif agreement that helped facilitate a postwar settlement was the dismantling of Lebanon’s sectarian power-sharing system. However, this was never implemented. An amnesty law passed in August 1991 forgave perpetrators of wartime crimes, and was based on the logic of no victor, no vanquished.
What ensued was a profound abuse of the political system, which effectively divided the national pie between sectarian leaders. The net result was catastrophic. Today, the budget deficit is around 152 percent of GDP and net foreign reserves have declined dramatically. According to a 2016 World Bank report, patronage politics have cost Lebanon an estimated 9 percent of gross domestic product annually. This is in part due to the fact that the state rarely punishes corruption when it is associated with sectarian political elites. While public servants and their political sponsors directly pocket around 25 percent of public-sector funds, perhaps up to half of the population today is below the poverty line. Inequality is rampant with the richest 1 percent of Lebanese receiving 25 percent of national income. The healthcare system is broken with 52 percent of the population lacking proper health insurance. Around 50,000 children were out of school in 2016. And while the national electricity utility costs the country 11 percent of its budget deficit, the Lebanese pay twice the regional average for electricity. Pervasive inequalities in access to fundamental services such as health and education are evident across the country irrespective of region or geography.
In this broader context, protesting against political sectarianism does not mean that people have dropped their sectarian identity. Rather it signals that the Lebanese have decided to privilege a broader national identity and their rights as citizens. This has come with a realization that sectarian communities have not protected or preserved the dignity of their members or guaranteed their rights. Rather it has allowed a narrow group of leaders to prevail, usurp communal representation, propagate a siege mentality among followers, and generate equal opportunity abuse among all communities.
What has emerged since the protests began is a revolt against the system and a complete collapse of trust in all institutions—state institutions, political parties, the banking sector, and professional associations. This revolt has been accompanied by an expanding sense of national solidarity and recognition that the “us versus them” formulation is no longer about sect, ethnicity, class, or gender. It is about a corrupt political class versus the rest of the country.
Along with this national awakening, the moment is also about upending social norms. What is taking place is partly an uprising against a patriarchal system that maintains unequal relationships among citizens, especially its women. Women have been at the forefront of demonstrations, mobilizing, forming lines of defense between protestors and the security services, organizing events, and leading efforts to decrease sectarian tensions between neighborhoods. They have also demanded equal rights in a country where the relationship between citizens and the state is defined by the personal-status laws of sectarian communities. For women this means they are subjected to one of eighteen different systems of communal law with regard to marriage, divorce, inheritance, and child custody.
Similarly they have also protested against other discriminatory laws to which they have been subjected. To maintain a demographic balance in Lebanon’s sectarian system, women are denied the right to pass on Lebanese citizenship to their children if they were born from a non-Lebanese father. Women have angrily denounced this flagrant denial of equal status under the law.
The protest movement is also about generations. The large number of high school and university students participating shows that they are fighting for their future. Unemployment is high, the prospects of pursuing satisfying and enriching careers is low, and on top of that the young cannot vote until they are 21 years old. This generation is a post-ideological generation that believes in the rights and responsibilities of citizenship, and many young people blame their parents for ceding them a Lebanon that is broken and from where they must emigrate so as to improve their prospects. They want to be defined by ideas, not their identities. The country is laden with a debt that will affect the young for decades, it lacks basic infrastructure, and its environment has been poisoned through the pursuit of mercenary practices, provoking protests in the past.
This movement is also about the systematic exclusion of the country’s impoverished populations, whether they live in Lebanon’s geographic peripheries or on the edges of major towns and cities. Populations are protesting their continued marginalization from political and economic life in a country that has historically centralized such activities in Beirut.
In Tripoli, which has been dubbed the “bride of the revolution” because of the high participation rate in demonstrations, 51 percent of residents live in extreme poverty on less than $4 a day for a household of five, compared to the national average of about $15 a day. Unemployment levels in some of the city’s neighborhoods have reached 55 percent. In Nabatiyeh, in southern Lebanon, 25 percent of the population lives below the poverty line and unemployment stands at 13 percent. In ‘Akkar, 13 percent of children work. Given the economic crisis and the tens of thousands of people losing their jobs as a result of businesses closing, more and more protestors from such areas and across Lebanon will take to the streets.
The protests are also about opposing the privileging of connections and sect over merit. Professionals and expatriates are playing a key role in this process, supporting or organizing protests, debates, and discussions. They have been disenfranchised for decades by a system that fails to award jobs and contracts on the basis of ability. In contrast, many Lebanese are very successful abroad even as they have been unable to make a difference at home.
The movement is about a rediscovery of the public realm as well, a reassertion of notions of the public good and reclaiming the rights of citizens to their towns and cities, where entire neighborhoods have been cordoned off for security purposes or under the pretext of urban rezoning. Public squares, abandoned theaters, pre-civil war architectural icons, and private parking lots in the once historic center of Beirut have been opened up. These have been transformed into spaces of discussion on topics that were once limited to academia or civil society activists. Lawyers, student organizations, labor unions, university professors, some political parties, and civil society organizations have been organizing these discussions daily across the different spaces of protest. They are tackling topics as varied as electoral laws, the role of media, economic options for Lebanon, the public good and shared commons, how to deal with trauma after the civil war, and what a new Lebanon might possibly look like.
For the first time in the country’s history, this new sense of empowerment pushed representatives of around 500 private-sector companies to stage a demonstration with their employees recently. They declared that they would refuse to pay taxes and, instead, divert the sums to their employees, in that way avoiding having to lay them off. This took place outside the purview of traditional chambers of commerce, trade associations, and other representative institutions related to the private sector. Similarly many of these individuals have now turned to creating alternative and independent associations capable of representing their interests.
How this new sense of social solidarity and the upending of norms will stand the test of time is unclear. But a fundamental societal shift is taking place in Lebanon that will have repercussions down the road. Women will play an even more visible role in public affairs, as will youths who are the country’s future. Lebanon’s downtrodden will determine the nature of the country’s political leaders, who will be publicly held accountable. Lebanon’s politicians have to accept that as far as they are concerned it is no longer business as usual. In order to survive, they need to account for new social realities.
Solidarity is what has enabled the Lebanese to gain ground in their protests and score important victories. But more importantly, it is necessary to protect the nascent sense of national awakening as the Lebanese navigate the turbulent months ahead, that will be characterized by considerable economic and political uncertainty. The political leadership may increasingly try to inflame sectarian tensions because it has little left to offer. The instinct to turn back to those sectarian leaders may increase should those leaders miraculously manage to provide some forms of economic relief. But appealing to those who brought the country to its knees will not bring a better life. For that, the Lebanese can only rely on their fellow citizens.
