Chronicle of the protests in Lebanon 2019
The Chronicle of the Protests in Lebanon 2019 records the events of the protests in Lebanon in 2019.
First week of the protests (from October 17th)
Hours after the government announced the WhatsApp tax, it overturned the decision. But it was too late, wrote Helen Sullivan ( The New Yorker ). The Lebanese civil society organization Li Haqqi had already sent a message via WhatsApp calling on people to block streets in protest. “Let's take action against the unfair taxes! To Riad al-Solh Square today (October 17th) at 6pm to thwart government efforts to impose unfair taxes on telecommunications, gas and others, "it said. Protesters burned tires on the streets that night and clashed with police. Two Syrian workers died when the building they were sleeping in was set on fire. The hashtag that came up that night was: "Lebanon is on fire."
Since October 17, 2019, hundreds of thousands of people have taken to the streets in Lebanon to protest against corruption and the rule of the political elite. In front of the seat of government in the center of Beirut, they are calling for the resignation of the entire leadership: the president, the head of government and his cabinet, the president of parliament and the people's representatives. New elections should follow. On Friday evening (October 18), the police broke up the rally in the government district with tear gas, and thousands of protesters returned after midnight. There were also fearless demonstrations in the Shiite regions in the south and in the Bekaa plain on the border with Syria , which are otherwise under the influence and control of Hezbollah and the Amal party . Images of a young woman stepping into the crotch of an armed guard in Beirut went around the world. The incident occurred on the night of October 18-19 during a confrontation between demonstrators and Education Minister Akram Chehayeb's convoy in downtown Beirut. One of the bodyguards got out of the minister's car and shot an assault rifle in the air, fueling protesters anger. While another bodyguard was pointing his rifle in the air, a young woman kicked him.
On Saturday and Sunday (October 19-20) tens of thousands of demonstrators gathered at Martyrs Square in the capital, Beirut, in front of the Mohammed al-Amin mosque , which leads from there to the seat of government. There were also protests across regions from Tripoli in the north to Tire and Nabataea in the south and in Sidon . Since the start of the protests in Beirut, three abandoned buildings in the city center, the Teatro al-Kabir, the “Egg” and the Saint-Vincent-de-Paul Church have been stormed by demonstrators.
The demonstrators accused the ruling elite of having “viewed the Mediterranean state as a self-service shop” for decades. Corruption is practiced on a large scale - political offices are handed over to relatives, government contracts are given overpriced to the politicians' companies. “We haven't had any reforms since the 1990s. The sea is polluted, there is no running water and no work, ”complained the journalist and activist Hussein Baydoun in a ZDF interview . Hundreds of thousands of followers from all parties and all 18 officially recognized religions took part in the largest demonstration in the country's history on Sunday afternoon (October 20). By Sunday, more than a million people are said to have taken part in demonstrations in more than seventy cities and villages.
The Baby Shark episode attracted international attention : A woman who was driving through the Lebanese capital Beirut with her toddler became involved in the protests. Her boy became scared and the mother asked the protesters not to scream as they passed. To their surprise, they sang the nursery rhyme “Baby Shark” for him instead.
A general strike largely paralyzed the country on Monday (October 21). Despite the government's proposals for reform, the protests continued on Tuesday (October 22); they were also directed against the central bank in Beirut. "We do not pay for the debts that you saddle up for us," was a slogan of the demonstrators. Among the targets of the outrage was Riad Salameh , the head of the Lebanese central bank, "who plays a major role in a system against which the current protests in Lebanon are directed." The confrontation intensified on Monday evening when a large motorcycle column with Hezbollah and Hezbollah Amal flags drove in the capital Beirut to the central protest square in front of the large Friday mosque, where thousands of demonstrators were still gathered. The army stopped the convoy and thus prevented clashes. Hezbollah and Amal then protested that they had nothing to do with the action.
Education Minister Akram Chehayeb called on schools and universities on Tuesday (October 22) to resume teaching, which had been inactive since Friday, and to compensate for canceled teaching units. In return, students and lecturers called on people to ignore the Ministry's instructions and to continue participating in the protests. The Lebanese Banking Association announced that the financial institutions would also remain closed on Wednesday. Those on the streets on October 22nd are calling for an end to Lebanon's clientelist form of government . They claim that it firmly entrenched the leaders of the country's various Christian and Muslim factions, fueled networks of patronage and clientelism, and hindered the country's development.
On the same day, Lebanon's Maronite patriarch Cardinal Béchara Pierre Raï announced that he would counter the mass protests with a "Christian-spiritual summit". In a statement, he invited the Catholic and Orthodox patriarchs and bishops to a meeting at his official residence in Bkerke , as reported by the Naharnet newspaper . The talks should therefore be about "the tragic situation in the country", the "legitimate demands" of the demonstrators and the reform plans approved by the cabinet. National Public Radio observes that the protests have remained peaceful so far, but there are concerns that they could become violent, particularly in areas that are Hezbollah strongholds. And there are also concerns that Lebanon, a country that has shown relative stability in the Middle East in recent years , could fall into chaos.
On the seventh day of the protests (Wednesday 23 October), the Lebanese army clashed with protesters blocking a major highway connecting northern Lebanon with the capital after it was blocked by protesters. The army tried to clear the road in northern Beirut between the suburb of Jal el-Dib and the Nahr al-Kalb river . According to eyewitnesses, troops of the Lebanese army tried to disperse the gathered people. Accordingly, the soldiers who had advanced with armored vehicles pushed the demonstrators aside. "We will not leave the streets until this whole political group leaves," was written on a poster in Beirut. On Wednesday (October 23) the demand was made that the government should resign as a first step; In a second step, a government of experts is to be formed. It would have “two main tasks: The first is to implement the demands that the people on the street have: the fight against corruption, no mismanagement, improvement of the infrastructure, increase in the standard of living. And the second task is to prepare an early election for Parliament. "
"The seven-day-old anti-government revolt in Lebanon has brought up to a quarter of the country's four million people to the streets and has endured government opposition, the beginnings of sectarian backlash and bad weather, the New York Times wrote . They are the largest and most diverse protests since the country's independence and at the same time the most ambitious: Initially, the crowds are only calling for a new political system because they are upset about the economic conditions and corruption. "
Second week (from October 24th)
The protest in Lebanon began a second week with protesters blocking main roads in Beirut and other parts of the country, Arab News tweeted . On Thursday morning (October 24th) protesters put up roadblocks in the capital. A large east-west artery was blocked by a dozen young demonstrators who pitched tents in the middle of the street. The army now tried to reopen the main routes. Meanwhile, banks, schools and universities remained closed, Al Jazeera reported. Lebanon's President Michel Aoun made his first public statement that day, promising economic reforms to save the country from economic collapse. Aoun's speech was mocked on the streets of Beirut and fueled the mistrust that he and Ausernminiter Gebran Bassil encountered from all walks of life in Lebanon.
Protests broke out again in the southern Shiite stronghold of Nabatieh; five members of the Nabatieh municipal council resigned Thursday after clashing with demonstrators on Wednesday. In Tripoli , too, many people continued to gather. “Tripoli has traditionally been a support base for Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri. But the Sunni majority city has been neglected and has some of the poorest areas in the country, ”reported Al Jazeera (October 24). The protests in Lebanon are now also bringing Syrians and Palestinians onto the streets.
The Lebanese Transparency Association - No Corruption (LTA), the national section of Transparency International , expressed on Thursday (October 24th) "deeply disappointed" with the reaction of the Lebanese executive and legislature to the demands of the demonstrators. In order to remedy the acute lack of trust between citizens and public institutions, the LTA calls on the government to urgently adopt the laws and ordinances required to effectively combat corruption. (→ Protests in Lebanon 2019 # Opposition demands )
Fighting between Hezbollah supporters and anti-government protesters broke out in the streets of downtown Beirut on Thursday (October 24) as riots continued in the Lebanese capital, the AP news agency reported. The fighting took place as Hezbollah supporters sang slogans in favor of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah - one of the politicians the protesters are calling for his resignation. The riot police were taken to Riad El Solh Square to disperse the demonstrators. Two women were wounded as a result of the fight.
Lebanon's banks will remain closed on Friday (October 25) due to security concerns amid ongoing nationwide protests, but will reopen as soon as the situation stabilizes, the country's banking association said on Thursday. In a statement by the Lebanese state news agency, the Lebanese Bankers Association said: "The banking business is limited to providing the wages of customers and employees at the end of the current month via ATMs."
Protesters in the Lebanese capital, Beirut, rejected President Michel Aoun's call for dialogue and called for the government to resign before such talks take place. "The reaction to Aoun's speech reflected the response to the measures announced by Hariri on Monday, which included a commitment to no new taxes and modest government spending on house loans and social programs," wrote Al Jazeera (October 25).
Banks and credit institutions have remained closed since widespread protests in Lebanon began last week, fueling fears of an impending nationwide currency crisis . The Banque du Liban, the Lebanese central bank, is also under fire for allowing allegedly corrupt politicians to embezzle money from the country. The only activity currently permitted by the country's other banks and lenders is paying out customer and employee wages at the end of the month via ATMs, a statement from a state news agency confirmed.
On Friday (October 25), protesters gathered to protest outside the headquarters of the Lebanese Central Bank in Beirut. Some Lebanese Twitter users said there was a media outage and attempts were made to suppress coverage of the event. One video is labeled in Arabic: The bank's decision is made. In front of the Banque du Liban. The protests in Lebanon began on the ninth day with protesters blocking main roads in the capital and other parts of the country. The bakery owner syndicate required vehicles carrying wheat flour and fuel to pass through. On Friday the Syndicate announced they were running out of wheat flour and fuel. They said vehicles carrying wheat flour and fuel must be allowed into all areas. Aoun-related Minister for Presidential Affairs Salim Jreissati told the private television company LBCI that the government had three options: replacing four ministers of the Lebanese armed forces who left the government on Saturday, a broader reshuffle or the creation of a new government.
- Clashes with Hezbollah
On Friday there were also scuffles between protesters and Hezbollah supporters in Riyadh al-Solh Square. A group of the anti-insurgency troops of the Beirut police came to the square to stop the brawls and to separate the groups. This Hezbollah group tried to prevent LBCI reporter Edmond Sassine from exposing the brawl. The reporter Robert Fisk ( The Independent ) reported on the events on Friday:
- “ Tens of thousands of mostly young protesters calling for a nonsectarian Lebanon were cheerful, full of happiness and determined to change the miserable sectarian nature of their state forever this time. Then Hezbollah showed up, a truckload of them, dressed in black and shouting through loudspeakers, holding up posters of their All-Shiite militia heroes. Troops of the Lebanese interior police appeared in the side streets ”.
Men who support Hezbollah shouted "We listen to your call, Nasrallah". They accused the protest movement of insulting their leader Hassan Nasrallah . In fact, the demand for resignation of the political class was expanded in the course of the protests: "Everyone means everyone - and Nasrallah is one of them". Nasrallah himself vehemently denies being part of the corrupt establishment. Accordingly, his supporters modified the slogan to "Everyone means everyone - except the Sayyid" - an allusion to the noble descent of the Hezbollah General Secretary ( Sayyid are called descendants of the Prophet Mohammed , from which a certain religious legitimation is derived). Two protesters were wounded in the brawl, according to the Lebanon Red Cross. The riot police with masks and batons were sent into the square to defuse the situation when people started throwing stones and sticks.
At the same time, Hezbollah leader Narallah spoke to his supporters about the Lebanon crisis. In his speech, which ended in the late afternoon, Nasrallah warned of chaos and a power vacuum in the country: " We are open to dialogue and have said that we do not support the resignation of the current general election and the holding of early parliamentary elections, " stressed Nasrallah in his speech. "In view of the current monetary and economic situation and the fragile political climate as well as the numerous international and regional attacks, the void will lead to chaos and the void to destruction," warned Nasrallah in a speech that conjured fears of the 15-year Lebanese civil war, which ended in 1990, according to Al Jazeera. "We do not accept the overthrow of the presidency or the resignation of the government, and we do not accept early parliamentary elections under these conditions." During his speech, Nasrallah also argued that the mass protests, although they began as a spontaneous movement, were recently hijacked.
In central Beirut, where street parties continued until the early hours of the morning, groups of volunteers gathered again to collect the rubbish. There was no sign of any government reshuffle planned by Aoun on Friday. The newspaper al-Akhbar wrote that day that "all the signs" showed that Aoun's initiative would not necessarily lead to reshuffle. Early on Friday (October 25), protesters briefly closed the highway between the southern city of Sidon and Beirut, burned tires and blocked traffic. Protesters put up tents on the motorway between East and West Beirut to block traffic.
According to Al Jazeera, given the roadblocks, one can expect a lot of support for political parties and people who are supporters of those parties who are now trying to cause anger among the protesters. “ Here are uncertain times ahead of us. Nobody knows what the effects will be . ”In the afternoon, supporters of Nasrallah demonstrated in Tire and the Dahiye district of Beirut, while supporters of Nabih Berri took to the streets in Tire with party flags of the Amal movement.
On Friday (October 25th) the Foreign Office issued a partial travel warning ; In the travel and safety information, it was stated that important transport links in the country are sometimes only restricted or not accessible at all. “The airport was temporarily inaccessible. Public life has mostly come to a standstill, banks, schools and offices have largely closed. Even if the protests have been largely peaceful so far, a continuation can be expected. "
The rating agency Standard & Poor’s said on Friday that the government’s limited ability to comply with the protesters’s demands could damage confidence in banks and damage currency reserves .
Sulome Anderson ( NBC ) reported (October 26) about the leader of a Hezbollah tank battalion. "It was quite a shock when he criticized Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, who is admired by his supporters, and expressed his support for the anti-government protests." He supported the protest movement "because I am disgusted with living here," he said also noted that some Hezbollah supporters did not clash with protesters until Friday (October 25), while others actually took part in the demonstrations. The Hezbollah leadership is in a situation of chaos. "You don't know what to do right now."
Protesters occupied the western route of the Byblos motorway a few meters from Notre Dame des Secours University Hospital and under the bridge leading to Byblos Municipal House, it was reported on Saturday (October 26). The Jal El-Dib motorway remains closed in both directions, as reported on Saturday morning. A number of youths carried out a cleanup in the area prior to the protests. Meanwhile, the Lebanese armed forces reopened the "Chevrolet" intersection (on Damascus Street near the National Museum ) in Beirut on Saturday morning . A unit of the Lebanese Armed Forces naval commands arrived in the Okaibe area on Saturday morning to reopen the road. The army engaged in peaceful negotiations with the protesters, who insisted on sitting peacefully and refused to reopen the road.
A campaign was started on Saturday, which is being spread on social media platforms under the title Lebanon Human Chain - South to North , in which Lebanese citizens are supposed to stand hand in hand in the form of a human chain as a symbol of a united people.
The place al-Baddawi (or Beddawi , 5 km north of Tripoli, where there is also the UNRWA -Flüchtlingslager Beddawi camp ) Saturday afternoon was affected by rising tensions: In the incident in Beddawi five soldiers and a number of citizens were wounded. A communiqué issued by the army on Saturday evening reads:
- “ Due to a clash that broke out this afternoon in the Beddawi area of Tripoli between a group of demonstrators on the street and a line of citizens trying to cross the street with their vehicles, the army intervened to grab the citizens disperse, but was shot at with stones and large fireworks, injuring five of its members. "
As a result, the army fired tear gas to disperse the civilian population and was later forced to fire rubber bullets into the air. Injuries were reported during the incident. Meanwhile, Lebanese army and security forces tried to reopen the mound-blocked Kfar Hazir highway, but the protesters resisted the attempts and sat in the middle of the road, the National News Agency reported on Saturday. In the southern coastal city of Sidon , some shops opened their doors on Saturday after days of closure.
- Human chains, sit-ins and blockages
Tens of thousands of Lebanese demonstrators have successfully formed a human chain leading from the south to the north of the country to symbolize the newly discovered national unity. "The demonstrators traveled from Tripoli to Tire, a 170 km long chain that runs through the capital, Beirut, where protests took place in an unprecedented mobilization across sectarian lines."
The leader of the Progressive Socialist Party , Walid Dschumblat, stressed on Sunday that there could be no solution to the current stalemate in the country without the formation of a “new government”. “Aside from conspiracy theories and skepticism from whichever side they come, the core of the problem in most democracies lies in the faulty distribution of wealth, due to liberal policies that avoid the progressive tax system and taxation of wealth, and due to full Privatization, ”tweeted Jumblat. There could be no solution without the formation of a new government and the organization of elections under non-sectarian law, added the PSP chairman.
On the twelfth day of the protest, roads were again blocked with cars. Activists opened a field kitchen on Al Nour Square in Tripoli to feed demonstrators. The protesters emphasized that the food was donated daily by the citizens. A number of protesters staged sit-in strikes in front of Banque du Liban's branches in several regions, including Hamra Street in Beirut, as well as Sidon, Baalbek and Nabatea. Protests also broke out in Alam Square in Tyroc as life normalized across the city, the National News Agency correspondent reported on Monday.
A number of lawyers held a protest in front of the Beirut Justice Palace on Monday and briefly blocked the street as a symbolic gesture to support protesters across Lebanon. From a protest tent in the city of Ghazze in the west of the Bekaa plain , unknown attackers opened fire in a protest tent with an assault rifle on Monday, the national news agency said. The shots hit the water tank that supplies the city, which caused panic among those present in the region, the NNA said.
Most local residents have been in favor of road closures and entrepreneurs called for a solidarity strike on Sunday evening. In the past few days, however, political officials and nervous motorists have accused protesters of robbing people of their livelihoods.
Prime Minister Saad Hariri on Monday (October 28) denied claims, published in the Hezbollah daily newspaper al-Akhbar, that Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are supposedly funding media coverage of the protests in Lebanon.
Also on Monday, ex-Social Affairs Minister Richard Kouyoumjian said he was surprised that the political class continued to ignore the protesters' legitimate demands. " How can the conscience of presidents and ministers not be shaken when they hear the screams of the people and the roar of national uprisings in every region, " wrote Richard Kouyoumjian in a tweet. The minister, along with three other LF ministers, resigned from the cabinet on the third day after protests against tax increases and alleged official corruption. He said the political class must listen to the people's demands for a " modern state and a non-corrupt authority ".
- Impending economic collapse
Lebanon is on the verge of economic collapse unless an "immediate solution" can be found to end the days of nationwide protests crippling the country, central bank governor Riad Salameh told CNN in one Interview on Monday. Lebanese banks have been closed since the demonstrations began almost two weeks ago. It is "a matter of days because the costs are high for the country," said Salame, who called for an immediate solution to stave off the crisis while warning of longer-term damage to investor confidence.
In many places in the past few days protesters have been sitting or lying on the streets in the form of civil disobedience, forcing the security forces to pull them away by the arms and legs. In other parts of the country, they blocked routes with overturned dumpsters and burned tires, and threw black smoke into the air. Protesters set fires early Monday to block the airport road in Beirut before Lebanese troops arrived in armored personnel carriers to clear the way, The Times of Israel newspaper reported .
Lebanese soldiers forcibly removed protesters from a highway connecting the southern city of Sidon with the capital, Beirut, and briefly detained about a dozen of them. No weapons were used and there were no reports of serious injuries from the confrontation. The protests were largely peaceful and the security forces held back. Few cases of arrests or serious injuries have been reported since the demonstrations began, and the security forces have quietly handled the mass rallies held in public places. The protests, which are still popular with the population and in which hundreds of thousands of Lebanese have been mobilized in the past few days, showed no signs of relaxation at the beginning of the week, despite a decreasing number of participants and heavy rains, wrote Daily Star.
The Lebanon Bankers Association said banks would remain closed for the 13th straight day on Tuesday, October 29, "given continued popular movements and expectations that general conditions will stabilize." However, the banks said they were determined to pay off the salaries of the public sector, particularly the security forces, and would have sufficient liquidity to do so. In the meantime, the ATMs have largely stopped issuing US dollars , which for a long time served as the generally accepted second national currency. This has added to concerns that the government may no longer be able to maintain a fixed exchange rate against the Lebanese pound .
On Monday (October 28), Kata'ib party leader Sami Gemayel called for the resignation of the government and the formation of a " neutral government of experts ". This is the only way to restore the trust of the people and the international community in the state, tweeted Gemayel.
Around noon, a Reuters report came in that Hariri would step down as prime minister; He might announce his resignation on Tuesday or Wednesday. According to Reuters, supporters of the Lebanese Shiite groups Hezbollah and Amal fought with protesters at a roadblock in Beirut on Tuesday.
- New clashes with Hezbollah in Beirut
During tensions in the Beirut suburb of Hamra in the west of the city on Tuesday morning (October 29), Hezbollah and Amal supporters tried to break the blockades. Something similar happened on the Beirut ring road, which was occupied by yoga activists. Counter-demonstrators sang songs praising Nasrallah and Nabih Berri . Hundreds of Lebanese Hezbollah supporters, some with sticks, attacked a protest camp set up by anti-government protesters in central Beirut, burning some of its tents and dismantling others. The violence began shortly after dozens of other Hezbollah supporters, who were also carrying sticks, attacked a roadblock erected by protesters on a main thoroughfare in the capital. The riot police and the military initially tried to separate the rival groups, but the security forces were unable to stop the storming of Martyrs Square, where anti-government protesters have been holding their ground since October 17. Many in the angry crowd sang, "God, Nasrallah and all of Dahiyeh," referring to the southern suburb of al-Dahieh al-Janubiya, which is a stronghold of the Iran-backed militant group. Others told the TV crew that they were upset by the roadblocks and insults from their guide. Then they marched to the central square, tore down tents, smashed plastic chairs, and drilled holes in the tents with metal rods, which they later burned. They also beat some anti-government protesters. A television presenter described it as a "theater of war".
The situation after the resignation of Saad Hariri (October 29)
The Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri announced his resignation on Tuesday afternoon (October 29), giving way to the demands of the demonstrators, who have been holding nationwide demonstrations for almost two weeks. Hariri has headed a government of national unity for less than two years, which includes some of his political opponents. Hariri said he had reached a "dead end" after unprecedented protests paralyzed the country. Lebanese took to the streets to celebrate his resignation.
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The leader of the Lebanese Forces Party , Samir Geagea , praised Hariri's resignation on Tuesday and said he was “a reaction to the massive demands of the population”. The second step should be the formation of a new government of experts, which above all should be completely independent of the political forces, added Geagea. He also called on security agencies to safeguard the safety of protesters across Lebanon following the nasty attacks that protesters on the ring road in central Beirut on October 29th.
According to AFP reporters, more cars were on the streets of Beirut on Tuesday to avoid the barrages set up by protesters on the 13th day of the demonstrations. Banks and schools remained closed and the normally congested main arteries in Beirut were blocked by protesters - some camped on couches at a major intersection in the center of the city. After several days of deserted streets, AFP reporters saw fewer protesters on Tuesday, despite key routes remaining closed.
With raised fists and traditional “ dabkeh ” dances, thousands of Lebanese celebrated on Tuesday afternoon Hariri's offer to resign on Tuesday after nearly two weeks of unprecedented protests. Protesters across Lebanon filled the main squares, waved Lebanese flags and celebrated their first major victory since the protest movement started on October 17. The northern city of Tripoli - actually a stronghold of Hariri's future movement - experienced one of the largest participations; hundreds released red, white and green balloons - the colors of the Lebanese flag. “ Our revolution is not over yet, ” they sang after Hariri announced that he was submitting his government's resignation in response to street pressure. The southern city of Sidon, where the Hariri family comes from, was filled with a festival atmosphere after the premier's speech, wrote the British Daily Mail. Hundreds of other demonstrators were in cities and villages across the country on Tuesday evening, including Jal al-Dib , Zouk Mosbeh and Jbeil north of Beirut and Nabatieh and Tire south of the capital.
After the army urged the demonstrators to take the initiative and lift the roadblocks, representatives of the protest movement tweeted late Tuesday that they would continue action in the squares and around government buildings such as the Grand Serail. The protesters welcomed the prime minister's resignation on Wednesday (October 30) but vowed to remain on the streets until all of their demands were met. "It's a good first step, but we're still on the road," a 21-year-old filmmaker told Al Jazeera in central Beirut. "Hariri is part of the problem, but he's not the whole problem ... I don't think anyone thinks we're done." One protester said that Hariri's resignation had in no way satisfied her hopes for the movement to which she belonged; "The second step is to get back the money the politicians stole from us."
Stronger Lebanon MP George Atallah stressed on Wednesday (October 30th) that "the government's resignation should not be taken out of the general context of the existing uprising," noted that "it is fair and there are fundamental demands that form a common denominator for all Lebanese. "" If the demand for Hariri's resignation was left aside, the protest movement would be limited to a few factions, which were divided into two parts, one "with just demands and one with parties that try to take advantage of the movement, "emphasized Atallah and said that the resignation had come about, according to the motto" Save yourself who can. "
President Aoun has not yet accepted Hariri's resignation, and there is no clear solution to the political crisis that has generated warnings from Lebanese partners abroad. Meanwhile, the Lebanese armed forces and security forces, with the consent of the demonstrators, reopened the highway to Zouk Mosbeh (12 kilometers north of Beirut) in both directions on Wednesday morning. They also removed the tents.
With the consent of the demonstrators, the Lebanese army cleared the last blockades on Wednesday (October 30) and opened the streets. Stefanie Dekker of Al Jazeera, reporting from Beirut, confirmed that demonstrators were working with security forces and clearing streets in the city's central districts. Although Hariri's resignation was an important request from the demonstrators, they quickly indicated that their goal was to change the political system as a whole. “ We've been opening the streets since the military asked us to. You have protected us very well in the last few days and served us very well, ”said one protester. “ We have to give them [politicians] a day or two to respond to our demands. [..] We are still trying to understand how we should deal with it in a peaceful, loving and respectful way . "
Education Minister Akram Chehayeb urged all public and private schools and universities to resume classes on Thursday, October 31, 2019. Lebanese banks will resume normal operations and receive customers on Friday (Nov. 1), the banking association said, ending a two-week shutdown caused by massive protests.
According to analyst and columnist Zvi Bar'el ( Haaretz ), the protesters, mostly young university students and unemployed, [after Hariri's resignation] “are not satisfied with achieving any of their main goals without bloodshed and without Lebanon entering a civil war to pull - for now. They want to change the structure of the government, pass a new electoral law, fight corruption and stabilize the economy. "
On Wednesday evening there were rallies and road blockades in Tripoli after it became known that Saad Hariri was ready to run again as Lebanese prime minister, albeit under certain conditions. As a result, roads in other parts of the country were again occupied; on the road in the coastal town of al-Aabdeh in the district of Akkar , the army fired tear gas at blocking demonstrators. There were also riots that night on Elia Square in Sidon and Beirut.
Mass anti-corruption demonstrations resumed Wednesday in the northern city of Tripoli and the southern city of Sidon, which reopened across Lebanon following the resignation of the government. Some protesters in Tripoli al-Nour Square called for the overthrow of the president, the speaker of the parliament and the MPs. The broadcaster MTV reported that some streets in the city will be closed at night. Meanwhile, a mass demonstration took place in Sidon, during which demonstrators roamed the streets of the city and blocked the Elijah intersection again.
Meanwhile, protesters blocked the international highway between Tripoli and Minieh to al-Abdeh at point al-Beddawi. In Beirut, dozens of demonstrators flocked to Riad al-Solh Square and Martyrs Square. According to the National News Agency, the protesters were later joined by some supporters of Prime Minister Saad Hariri. Hariri's supporters had previously roamed Beirut's streets on motorcycles to support him. In the meantime, the army tried to reopen roads blocked by demonstrators in the cities of Saadnayel, Taalabaya, Barelias , Qab Elias and al-Marj.
Third week (from October 31st)
In Lebanon, despite the resignation of Prime Minister Saad Hariri, popular mobilization will continue for the 15th consecutive year on Tuesday. Security forces are struggling to keep the streets open, the Daily Star reported on Thursday (October 31) morning; the streets in Lebanon (including the Beirut ring road) were blocked by demonstrators on Wednesday evening after they had been cleared by security forces.
This renewed tension forced the schools, which had decided to reopen after a two-week break in classes, to remain closed. The same goes for universities. These developments came hours after hundreds of supporters parade on the streets of Beirut for the resigned Prime Minister Saad Hariri, who is also the leader of the largest Sunni party.
In the course of the morning, security forces forcibly removed the demonstrators from the ring road. Apparently there is a clear decision to keep the important route open. The protesters persistently try to block the intersections. For the 15th day in a row, protesters flocked to al-Nour Square in the northern city of Tripoli. They insisted that they take to the streets until all of their demands are met. Protesters also gather in Majdel Anjar (Bekaa) and around the main roundabout in the city of Abdeh in the north of the country.
Lebanese security forces were still struggling to open some streets on Thursday as protesters continued their civil disobedience campaign to support nationwide demonstrations. Meanwhile, protesters held a rally in front of the central bank in Beirut's Hamra before marching to the ring road and Martyrs Square in downtown Beirut. Schools were supposed to reopen for the first time in two weeks, but late on Wednesday many parents received a text message telling them that their schools would be closed for security reasons. Banks were due to reopen on Friday amid concerns that the severe financial crisis that preceded the protests could worsen. Government offices and businesses remained closed across northern Lebanon after night clashes in which the army dispersed demonstrators with tear gas and wounded seven of them.
On October 31, President Aoun promised in his televised address that he would form "a cabinet of technocrats" in a new government. In a televised address to mark the conclusion of the third year of his presidency, Aoun, who described sectarianism as a "destructive disease", promised to transform Lebanon from its sectarian political system into a bourgeois state. Lebanon is at a dangerous crossroads, especially in economic terms, and urgently needs a harmonious government that is capable of acting, he added. Aoun also promised to continue the "war on corruption" through the necessary laws and a fair and impartial judiciary. He responded to the demands of the demonstrators, who are calling for a technocratic government and the end of a sectarian system in which posts are divided according to religious / ethnic origin.
- Banks reopened
After a wave of protests that prompted the Prime Minister to resign, the banks were reopened to customers for the first time in two weeks on Friday (November 1st). A protester clashed with the security forces in front of the Lebanese Banking Association building. They arrested the man after he approached the vehicle in which three young men and a woman were being held after breaking into the building.
In his televised address on the afternoon of November 1st, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah spoke of the protests "plotting a political coup to plunge the country into a vacuum, and this created tension in the streets." With “mindfulness and patience” Lebanese have managed to evade the plans of some parties and thwart their efforts, which want chaos, street fights and unrest.
Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri held a series of meetings in Ain al-Tineh on Friday ; His guests included his deputy Elie Ferzli, the chairman of the National Dialogue Party Fouad Makhzoumi, the former information minister Ghazi Aridi, the former MP Nasser Qandil and the former minister Karim Pakradouni . In the coming week, the parliamentary blocs will have the opportunity to hold consultations with one another to name their candidate for the post of prime minister.
In an article for The Atlantic, Fadlo R. Khuri , President of the American University of Beirut , said the university was “ an essential incubator for better kinds of leadership in the Arab world .” It was now necessary to find out how to manage the teaching that had been going on since the 18th October was interrupted, “ even if we support and protect the freedom of speech and protest of our students and faculties. We need to unite through dialogue and adaptation so that we can educate the best young people in the region. Serious introspection may be required to ensure we become a better incubator, to learn what we did right and where we were wrong, and to take responsibility for ensuring that many of the gray men are our own graduates . “But the mission can only be revived if the people of Lebanon and other Arab countries are given the opportunity for real change. After all, “ these courageous, educated and determined young people deserved more than the role model given by a small group of gray men. "
The head of the Lebanese Forces , Samir Geagea , stressed that the recent popular movement was "honest and transparent" and that the major movements that took place in the past, such as March 14th, always expressed a certain political orientation during the movement of October 17th I crossed all sects and borders. In a statement following the meeting of the Strong Republic bloc, Geagea praised the Lebanese armed forces and the internal security forces for standing by and protecting the people despite the pressure on the security apparatus. He demanded that the new government be a technocratic government made up of independent experts, pointing out that this was the only way to save the country. "If the political cabinets had been successful, the streets would not have responded the way they did," he said.
Around 30 demonstrators held a symbolic rally on Friday near the presidential palace in Baabda and called for the "acceleration of the (binding) parliamentary consultations" required to form a new government. Consultations now! stood on the banners they carried. In a statement made during the protest meeting, protesters said the new government should include competent figures from outside the political class and warned that the cabinet-building process should not take more than two weeks.
Another group of protesters gathered outside the Al-Helou barracks (Corniche al-Mazraa on Beirut Saeb Salam Street) to demand the release of an activist who was killed in the morning in connection with the storming of the Lebanese Banking Association building was detained in downtown Beirut. All other activists detained for moving were released earlier that day. Protesters later left the area after being told the activist will be released later that day. They had blocked the road in both directions in front of the barracks.
In the southern city of Sidon, five demonstrators and two soldiers have now been injured when the army intervened to reopen the blocked Elia roundabout, MTV said.
According to Tamirace Fakhoury, associate professor of political science at the Lebanese American University in Beirut, the roadblocks were a necessary maneuver for a society where most civil organizations were co-opted by sectarian political parties. "It has proven to be a very efficient protest technique for sustaining and sustaining the insurrection that would otherwise break out," she said. "Activists have learned from previous strategies that lobbying and campaigns and protests in isolated places have no effect on the system, do not disturb it, and do not make politicians listen to them."
The reforms announced by the government so far have not appeased the demonstrators. On the barricades and in the squares you can feel that these protests have led to a kind of awakening among many Lebanese, the journalist Richard Hall ( The Independent ) described the situation in the first days of November. "They say that the economy will collapse because we are blocking the road," said one protester. “ They're trying to blame us for their own mess. But it's the corrupt politicians, it's the governor of the central bank because they all stole that we are here . ”Another said,“ In the last two weeks we have overcome sectarianism and created a new national identity . We have made it here on the streets and only leave the streets when we are accountable . "
The rain dampened attendance at rallies on Saturday November 2nd, but people called for a non-political, non-corrupt government to be formed quickly. The streets were clear again on Saturday, the state news agency reported. Banks reopened on Friday for the first time since the protests began without a much-feared run on the dollar , although withdrawals were capped at $ 2,000 or $ 2,500 depending on the bank. Salim Sfeir, head of the Lebanese Banks Association, told Reuters that the lenders had "not seen an extraordinary movement of money."
But protest weariness, combined with promises of a new government and violent attacks by supporters of Hezbollah and Amal, have caused the numbers of protesters to decline. An exception was the northern city of Tripoli, where further protests took place this week. People booed and whistled for President Michel Aoun's speech on Thursday evening and continued to chant slogans like “The people want the regime to overthrow”. The city's Al Nour Square, however, appeared to be less busy than the previous week. The National website reports that the protest movement is preparing a “March of the Millions” for Sunday November 3rd.
Al-Manar TV channel announced on Saturday that Twitter had blocked most of its accounts without warning. The station said their accounts have around 1 million followers. The station is close to Hezbollah. The demonstrations in the central Abdul Hamid Karami Square in Tripoli continued on Saturday as demonstrators from different regions arrived at the entrances to the square with the support of internal security forces under security control from army units. The protesters also marched through the streets of the Azmi and Nadim al-Jisr neighborhoods, hoisting Lebanese flags and banners to denounce the "responsibility of the corrupt" and demand the "return of looted money". Impoverished Tripoli, known for its conservatism, has become "a festive center for anti-corruption demonstrations" across Lebanon since October 17, wrote Al-Araby.
- "Sunday of Pressure" and counter-demonstrations by the Aoun movement (November 3rd)
Two demonstrations are expected on the streets of Beirut on Sunday (November 3rd), one of which is to support President Michel Aoun and his reform plan that was launched last Thursday, while in the streets of downtown Beirut and Tripoli under the motto "Sunday of Pressure" Expecting opposing protest is one goal of continuing the popular movement aimed at overthrowing the sectarian regime. On Saturday evening, the supporters of Aoun and his Free Patriotic Movement had already gathered in Baabda near the presidential palace.
Thousands of Lebanese have gathered near the presidential palace after more than two weeks of nationwide protests against the country's ruling elite to demonstrate support for embattled President Michel Aoun. Aoun's supporters filled a two-kilometer road that led to the palace in Baabda outside of Beirut on Sunday. The head of the Free Patriotic Movement and Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil noted at the gathering of his supporters on Sunday that the people had "turned the tables" when he criticized political rivals as "corrupt" and "thugs". "We had warned our partners that we would reach this stage and the people (who took part in the unprecedented popular uprising) acted and turned the tables before us, and we are here to support them," Bassil said at one FPM rally near the President's Palace in Baabda. PSP party leader Walid Jumblat described the speeches of President Aoun and the head of the Free Patriotic Movement, Jebran Bassil , as "empty populist positions".
While reports arrived on Sunday that a "technical-political" cabinet would soon be formed again under Saad Hariri, the Maronite patriarch, Cardinal Beshara Boutros Rai , warned officials and politicians on Sunday not to disappoint the Lebanese people again and not to force them to return to the streets and squares. " The people are calling for a neutral government of Lebanese personalities known for their moral values, their great achievements and their freedom from the spirit of the sects and their political affiliation, " said Rai during the Sunday service in Kloser Bkerke . He urged the Lebanese youth present "to reject any orientation that undermines unity and to act with wisdom and discernment towards all those who create sectarian divisions ." " The dignity of Lebanon, its independence and sovereignty are above all else ", concluded the patriarch.
Meanwhile, Lebanese gathered across the country on November 3rd, the third Sunday and 18th day of anti-government protests, this time under the motto “Sunday of Unity” and “Sunday of Pressure”. Downtown protesters sang protest songs against Aoun and the country's political establishment, chanting " all of them " to leave. It was the largest protests in Beirut since Tuesday (October 29), when numerous Hezbollah supporters searched a patrol against the government and injured some of the demonstrators.
Long demonstrations from the surrounding towns of Bisharri , from the Koura district and from Batrun arrived in Tripoli. In other parts of the country, too, people demonstrated “Sunday of Unity”, such as in Sidon on Elia Square, on Al Alam Square in Tire, on al-Nour Square in Tripoli, in Baalbek in Zahlé and in Kfarremane at Nabataea.
On the night of November 4, roads were again blocked, such as from Talabaya to Saad Nayel, the Jal el-Dib motorway and the Beirut ring bridge from Ashrafieh to Hamra Street. The protesters called for a general strike on Monday (November 4th) and urged the government to speed up the political transition following the resignation of Prime Minister Saad Hariri last week.
According to Timour Azhari (Al Jazeera), the reason thousands continue to protest in Tripoli, Lebanon, is because of the severe economic disadvantage in the northern city; hence the locals would have little reason to return to normal life.
Two journalists from the Hezbollah-run Al-Akhbar newspaper recently submitted their resignation; they justified this by rejecting the newspaper's position on the nationwide demonstrations. They were Mohammed Zbeeb, editor-in-chief of the newspaper's economics section, and journalist Joy Slim. She wrote on her Facebook page:
- “ The past few days have been decisive for me. I was disappointed with how the newspaper documented the uprising after months (and maybe years) of work to prove that this had to happen. As soon as that happened, the newspaper quickly joined the counter-revolution, introducing inflammatory conspiracies and rumors that fueled what was going on in the streets and the attack by "citizens" (as al-Akhbar called them on Facebook) on the demonstrators . "
It is noteworthy that many articles by the editor-in-chief of al-Akhbar newspaper , Ibrahim al-Amin, viewed the October 17 uprising as " suspicious and sponsored by foreign embassies ."
However, in the early hours of Monday, new roadblocks appeared in Beirut and across the country, affecting major arteries, including the main coastal highway north and south of the capital. The schools have canceled their plans to reopen and are now in their third week of closure. The protesters pledged to maintain their roadblocks until all their demands are met, including the formation of a technocratic government. The slogan was: “This revolution knows no sleep, form a new government today!” “ The rulers are not serious about forming a new government, ” said a 30-year-old protester who blocked a street connecting the capital with the connects southern city of Sidon. Protests also broke out for the first time in the village of Baaklin in the administrative district of Chouf , where demonstrators blocked roads and besieged the local bank branch. In the town of Zgharta east of Tripoli, residents held a silent march.
Kata'ib party leader Sami Gemayel said on Monday that Lebanon needs an independent, neutral government and not a techno-political one. "The cabinet must include specialized ministers who are able to organize early parliamentary elections," added Gemayel during a press conference. The politician said: "It is shameful to bet on the defeat of the people." Hariri reportedly met with Minister Gebran Bassil at his residence on Monday afternoon. The consultations take place outside of media coverage, "as the situation is critical and the search for solutions is ongoing to prevent the country from collapsing," said Arab News. Anti-government protesters clashed with security forces as protesters took to the streets on Monday, again blocking roads across Lebanon.
- 20th day of protests - road blockades continued
On Tuesday (November 5), protesters blocked the entrance to the MTC building in the Gemmayzeh district of Beirut, MTC (touch) is one of the two mobile phone and data operators in Lebanon. Other protesters went to the company's headquarters in Corniche al-Nahr and closed the main gate to demand a reduction in the cost of telecommunications services. In protest against the bank's policies, numerous demonstrators have gathered in front of the central bank in Nabatieh and demanded the dismissal of their governor, Riad Salameh, as reported on Tuesday.
On the 20th day of the uprising, the Lebanese army and protesters opened some major roads across the country on Tuesday. However, other protesters refused to open roads to further pressure politicians to quickly form a technocratic government. The Lebanese Armed Forces worked on Tuesday to reopen the highway in both directions in the Zouk Mosbeh region. During the mission, there was a clash between the armed forces and protesters who refused to open the street, resulting in arrests. The protesters then negotiated with the army to release the arrested people. A number of students held a sit-in in front of the campus of the American University of Science and Technology, Beirut- Achrafieh , where they tried to close the university. A clash broke out with the Lebanese army and security forces who tried to keep the demonstrators off campus and prevented the media from filming. Protesters in Baalbek held a sit-in in Khalil Mutran Square, where they hoisted Lebanese flags and banners with anti-corruption slogans. Security forces tried to prevent a number of demonstrators from entering Zaitouna Bay in Beirut that evening.
The international rating agency Moody's downgraded Lebanon's issuer ratings from Caa1 to Caa2 on Tuesday. "The downgrade to Caa2 reflects the increased likelihood of debt rescheduling or other liability management, which Moody's definition can represent a failure since the review of the Caa1 rating downgrade began in early October," the agency announced.
Lebanese protesters have begun to surround government institutions in the capital Beirut and other cities; So on Wednesday (November 6th) there was a demonstration by students in front of the Ministry of Education, where the national anthem was sung. Attempts are being made to hold sit-in strikes at government locations to keep up pressure on the political establishment, wrote Al Jazeera. Meanwhile, an audio recording was circulating on the Internet via WhatsApp , which Mona Wazen, director of the Collège Notre Dame Des Soeurs Salvatoriennes in Aabra (near Sidon), sent to her students. In it she suggested that her students should be suspended from school should they take part in the nationwide protests.
Activists protested outside the Alfa cellphone company building in Dekwaneh on Wednesday; Other The protesters blocked the Electricité du Liban (EDL) building in Akkar. Another group held a sit-in in front of the central bank in Beirut's Hamra district on Wednesday. Hundreds of students held demonstrations across Lebanon on Wednesday and refused to return to class. In the largest student-led protest, crowds flocked to a central plaza in the southern city of Sidon to demand better public education and more job opportunities for school leavers, the state-run National News Agency reported.
Thousands of women gathered near the government headquarters in Beirut's Riad al-Solh Square on Wednesday evening, carrying candles, some of which were banging on saucepans. " O patriarchal powers, women's rights are not a footnote, " they exclaimed. In other parts of the country, some citizens made similar expressions of solidarity on their balconies. In the Ramlet al-Bayda neighborhood on the Beirut coast, security forces and activists clashed after protesters attempted to break into the Eden Bay resort; they denounced the illegal privatization of public property.
Fourth week (from November 7th)
Thousands of students left universities and school for the second time on Thursday (November 7th) and took part in nationwide demonstrations against a corrupt political class on day 22. In Tripoli, where mobilization has been widespread since the protests erupted on October 17, protesters planned to tear down or paint over the giant portraits or politicians plastered in every building in the city. Thousands of students and high school students flocked to the streets of Beirut and other cities to intensify the protests. A number of protesters held a sit-in outside the residence of former Prime Minister Fouad Siniora on Bliss Street in Hamra, Beirut, on Thursday evening , while others held a sit-in outside his Sidon residence. The protesters called for the stolen public funds to be recovered and for all corrupt officials to be prosecuted. Later, a number of supporters of the Free Patriotic Movement joined the protest in Hamra. A number of citizens took to the street in front of the residence of the former minister Nouhad al-Mashnouq in the Koraytem district of Beirut, where they blocked the street with their vehicles.
According to Asharq al-Awsat , the new government should take shape in the course of extensive meetings between parliamentary blocs, also to determine whether the cabinet should consist entirely of technocrats or representatives of the main political blocs together with technocrats. Sources believed that these proposals could be worked out within the next 48 hours, adding that ongoing efforts would be coordinated with a group of civil society representatives who expressed their openness to dialogue. Medical associations on Thursday called on hospitals and doctors to strike next week against the deterioration in the sector as the state failed to pay its dues.
Lebanon's Treasury Prosecutor's Office on Thursday ordered a full investigation into suspected corruption and wasted public money by senior officials, the state-run National News Agency reported. Finance Prosecutor Ali Ibrahim has launched an investigation into the head of the customs authority Badri al-Hence on suspicion of "wasting public money," the NNA reported. He had ordered an investigation "of all ministers of successive governments since 1990". Vehicles lined up at gas stations in Beirut and Sidon on Thursday after gas station owners announced they would soon run out of inventories due to a renewed dollar exchange rate crisis. Meanwhile, discussions on the appointment of the new cabinet and the new prime minister continued, said Acting Prime Minister Saad Hariri on Thursday after a meeting with President Michel Aoun.
On Friday (November 8th) the protests continued in front of state institutions and companies; Protesters gathered again in Beirut in front of the EDL building, the Lebanese post office, the Ogero telephone company and the central bank branch in Jounieh. A group of protesters arrived at the National Social Insurance Fund building in Jounieh on Friday to block the gates and prevent staff from entering their offices. Protests skyrocketed in various parts of the country on Friday. Students, retired soldiers and activists marched from Beirut Martyrs Square to the port of Beirut to protest against the "waste of public money". Others performed sit-ins near government institutions in Dekwaneh, Jounieh, Hasbaya, Zahlé, Jbeil and other parts of the country. In the eastern city of Baalbek , the students gathered in the main square and marched to the local banks in the area; the country's central bank is accused of fueling the economic crisis.
Attorney Marwan Salam said on Friday that he had filed a lawsuit against Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil accusing him of embezzling public funds, money laundering , illicit enrichment and embezzlement . One of the country's top Christian politicians, Samir Geagea ( FL ), warned on Friday of social unrest if basic goods become scarce. He said the only way out of the crisis was to form a competent government that was independent of political parties, as protesters were calling for. Geagea noted that the talks about a new government had so far failed; rather, in his view, the politicians acted as if nothing had changed since the October 17th protests hit the country. Geagea said the country's financial situation had become "very, very delicate". "I am concerned that the necessary credit to buy gasoline or buy goods from abroad will not be provided," he said. In his opinion, this would lead to great unrest in society. Geagea accused Hezbollah of attempting to form a government similar to the outgoing government, including by insisting on the admission of their Christian ally Gebran Bassil . If Hariri were able to form an independent government, the Lebanese armed forces would support him as their prime minister, Geagea said.
On the 24th day of the protests (November 9th) there were demonstrations in the city of Qab Elias in the Bekaa governorate , in Tire and other parts of the country. A number of students marched through Lebanon's various streets on Saturday chanting slogans to hasten the formation of a neutral government, prosecute corruption and get back looted public funds. On Saturday, students from the southern city of Tire also joined the protests for the first time; they sang " Revolution, Revolution ", expressed anger at rising unemployment, and called for new curricula and social rights.
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The Republic's Grand Mufti, Sheikh Abdullatif Deryan, on Saturday called on the country's political authorities to listen to the “demands of the people” in the context of nationwide protests against the political class. “It is time to respond to people's demands and to their national free will. It is time for people to regain their trust in the state and its administrative structures. It is time to respect the principles of democracy, ”said in a message on the occasion of the Prophet Muhammad's birthday . "I urge those responsible to form a government with competent professionals and to immediately begin implementing Prime Minister Hariri's reform paper to tackle the country's problems." Finally, Deryan urged the political class "to be aware of their personal interests." to collect tight calculations for the country and its people ”.
The Department of Commerce's director of consumer protection, Tarek Younes, said that after patrols by the ministry's inspectors, prices of consumer goods and services rose 6 to 8 percent, Asharq Al-Awsat reported Saturday. In addition, Nabil Fahd, chairman of the supermarket owners' association, told the daily: "The rise in prices of some consumer goods is related to several problems that arose before the dollar crisis."
- The 25th day of protests - "Persistence Sunday"
On Sunday morning, the 25th straight day of the nationwide uprising, students and residents of several cities continued protests; Demonstrators positioned themselves in front of Kleiat Airport in Akkar and demanded that it be reopened. Thousands of Lebanese mothers and other citizens held a rally of the “ My Nationality, My Dignity ” campaign on Sunday , marching from outside the Interior Ministry in Hamra to Riad al-Solh Square. The demonstrators called for Lebanese women to have the right to pass on their citizenship to their children. There were further protest rallies in front of the ruins of Baalbek , in Tripoli, where demonstrators held sit-in strikes in front of the houses of the politicians, and in the Beirut resort of Zaitouna Bay, where the assembled demonstrators jumped into the water without permission. Under the slogan Sunday of Perseverance , a rally was held in the afternoon on Beirut Martyrs Square. The protesters on Sunday denounced the continuing delay in setting a date for the mandatory parliamentary consultations on the appointment of a new prime minister.
The Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Béchara Pierre Raï said in his sermon at Sunday Mass in Bkerke that he regretted the obstacles to the formation of a government that won the people's trust. According to Raï, this delay will lead to the collapse and overthrow of the state. Subhi at-Tufaili , the former general secretary of Lebanese Hezbollah, a key ally of Iran , criticized Iran's highest leader Ali Chamene'i on Sunday for standing behind corruption in Lebanon and Iraq, where anti-government and corruption protests continue . Subhi at-Tufaili also criticized the peaceful protesters in Lebanon for being attacked by supporters of Hezbollah and the Amal movement, claiming the attackers were linked to the Iranian Supreme Leader. He accused Iranian-backed groups in Lebanon of being responsible for injustice and looting in Lebanon since 1972, and Khamenei had spent money buying media on his behalf during the Syrian civil war.
The demonstrations against the ruling class in Lebanon continued on Monday (November 11) for the 26th day in a row; Protesters slept in tents in front of the state headquarters of Electricité du Liban in Corniche al-Nahr and demanded 24-hour electricity. Due to the outdated power grid, rampant corruption and the lack of reforms, the power supply has lagged far behind the rising demand since the Lebanese civil war from 1975 to 1990. In Kaslik, north of Beirut, university students blocked the entrance to the facility in front of the University of St. Esprit .
Maronite Patriarch Bechara Rahi stressed Monday (November 11th) that it was unacceptable that politicians "hold the state hostage for a person or group, no matter how delusional they are of their strength and power." Their rebellion demonstrated that their membership of citizenship is superior to any other membership, and have therefore revived the very foundation on which the Lebanese regime was originally based, i.e. H. Citizenship , not religion, he added. In his view, the Lebanese would demand a neutral government, free of politicians and parties, to carry out the necessary reforms of the infrastructure, fight corruption and control public spending. The Patriarch regretted that certain pages still do not deal with the voice of the youth and the people and the collapse of the state, thereby hindering the ascent into a more promising future.
- Debate about an amnesty law in Lebanon
According to Transparency International, the proposed amnesty law in Lebanon would weaken accountability and reduce government revenues. The proposed law says no to corruption, but it contradicts the Lebanese state's obligation to curb corruption, tax evasion , money laundering and illicit enrichment, according to the NGO. It also jeopardizes a large part of the much-needed state revenue and in no way helps to restore confidence between citizens and political authorities. After three weeks of uninterrupted popular protests calling for action against corruption and serious reforms of national fiscal policy, this will only lead to confusion and further unrest. Probably not least because of the massive criticism of the planned amnesty law, Parliament President Nabih Berri postponed the legislative session planned for Tuesday by a week on Monday, citing "security concerns" when he accused some demonstrators of extending the state of the "political vacuum" in the country .
A “complete paralysis” of the country has been announced for Tuesday (November 12th); Banks, schools and universities are to be closed, and protesters want to block roads across the country again. In front of the Ministry of Justice and the Palace of Justice in Beirut, protesters used a sit-in to block the entrances. "The Lebanese government resigned 13 days ago and the political class has ignored the fact that the country needs more than just an executive government and is again playing on the time factor while forgetting that Lebanon has no luxury for wasting time", so a communique Antar TV station LBCI on 12 November.
- First death (November 12)
A protester was shot dead near Beirut on Tuesday after a clash with Lebanese soldiers. The shooting in Khaldeh, south of the capital, was the first of its kind in nearly four weeks of nationwide protests against the ruling elite. The man who was killed was a member of the PSP , led by Druze leader Walid Jumblat . In a statement, the army said a soldier opened fire to disperse protesters who were blocking a street in Khaldeh and wounding one person. The soldier was arrested and the incident was investigated. Tensions rose late into the night in Beirut; In the Cola district in the Mala'ab district of Beirut, dozens of men threw stones at soldiers and a tank.
The escalation came after President Aoun hinted in a television interview that there had been no breakthrough in talks about forming a new government to replace Saad Hariri's coalition cabinet. Aoun also said that a purely technocratic government, as demanded by many in the leaderless protest movement, would not be able to rule Lebanon, so it should involve politicians. Addressing the demonstrators, he said: “ If you continue like this, you will attack Lebanon and your interests. We work day and night to fix the situation. If they carry on, there will be disaster. If they stop there is still room for (us) to fix things: "
Angry protesters blocked the streets in Lebanon Tuesday evening after President Michel Aoun urged them to stop four weeks of demonstrations and go home. The demonstrators blocked the Beirut ring bridge with burning tires on Tuesday evening. Aoun warned protesters not to withdraw their money from the banks and promised that the funds would be "guaranteed". Banks were due to reopen on Tuesday after a three-day shutdown, but remained closed after staff went on strike and some complained of aggressive customer behavior. Lebanese protesters again blocked highways with burning tires and roadblocks on Wednesday (November 13). Schools and universities closed on Wednesday, as did the banks - "a reflection of the worsening political and financial crisis the small country is facing."
The deputy chairman of the PSP in Chouaifet El Aamroussieh, Marwan Abou Fara, called the dead party member Alaa Abou Fakher a martyr and asked the citizens to come to his funeral. Fakher was a member of the local council in Chouaifet El Aamroussieh. The protesters in Tripoli honored Fakher with a portrait of the wall on Al-Nour Square; The picture was created by Ghayath al-Rawbeh, a Palestinian refugee. Meanwhile, the street in the Khaldeh area was blocked by demonstrators.
PSP party leader Walid Jumblat called the killed protester Alaa Abu Fakher on Wednesday "the martyr of the Lebanese revolution and the PSP"; The best way to honor him, tweeted Jumblat, was "to maintain the peaceful revolution, without tension, turmoil or close partisanship." The protest movement had broken all boundaries, united the Lebanese and "Alaa was at the top," added the PSP - Leader added. Protesters in Lebanese regions lit candles to honor the revolutionary martyr Alaa Abou Fakher, who was killed Tuesday evening in a clash that broke out during a demonstration in the Khaldeh region. Thousands of people gathered on the highway in Khalde on Wednesday evening to pay their respects to Alaa Abou Fakher. The coffin of Alaa Abou Fakher, who had been declared a revolutionary martyr, arrived in Beirut's Riad al-Solh Square on Wednesday evening, where demonstrators carried it and sang slogans critical of the regime to condemn the incident that cost him his life. The national anthem and other patriotic and revolutionary songs were also played.
Fifth week (from November 14th)
After the demonstrators in the region blocked the Nahr El-Kalb motorway in both directions for the whole day a few hours ago and laid barbed wires, they used a new route on Wednesday evening to prevent the road from opening; they built a wall in the Nahr El-Kalb tunnel. The demonstrators soon experienced violent backlash from the population because this move reminded them of how regions were divided during the Lebanese civil war. The demonstrators in the Nahr al-Kalb tunnel then removed the previously erected cement wall. They had also prevented the LBCI TV crew from filming.
Acting Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil on Thursday described the wall, which was built by demonstrators under Jounieh's Nahr el-Kalb Bridge and later removed, as an "isolation wall ". “Today the main thing,” he continued, “is to form a government of salvation and prevent destructive thinking from bringing the country into conflict. Beware of the walls of segregation that draw people into the struggle, ”Bassil said in a tweet. He added, addressing his party comrades in the Free Patriotic Movement, "You must not trigger a reaction because the conspiracy is beginning to unfold and the good people among the protesters and the people at home will crush them."
According to Gulf News , the current (November 14th) crisis has reached an impasse: “The leadership insists on being in control and protesters say they will not leave the streets. The possibility of violent clashes grows day by day as sectarian tensions and old political rivalries re-emerge. A bad financial situation made the mix even more flammable. ”The protest movement continues to be leaderless, the newspaper said, although the demonstrations, which began as a spontaneous movement, became more organized and structured over time. Some political parties tried to co-opt the protests and now played an important role in the planning - an ironic turn, given that the leaders of that party are themselves a target of the protesters. However, the protests are still largely driven by genuine disappointment over the years of mismanagement by the country's political elite.
Tensions would be mounting since Tuesday; On Wednesday, a man opened fire over the heads of demonstrators in a city north of Beirut and there was brawl, fistfighting and stone throwing between supporters and opponents of President Michel Aoun. Months before the riots, many Lebanese had begun transferring savings abroad and withdrawing cash and saving in their homes. The central bank governor this week estimated $ 3 billion was withdrawn. The protests have made the situation worse. Initially, the banks were closed for two weeks, which led to a run on the banks when they finally opened. In the city of Taalabaya (Bekaa), demonstrators threw stones at Lebanese soldiers who had tried to force them off a main road. This was the biggest escalation so far between protesters and security forces on Thursday.
During the memorial service for Alaa Abou Fakhe, MP Taymour Jumblatt said on Thursday that only a “just and independent judiciary can do justice to Alaa.” Protesters marched towards the Presidential Palace in Baabda on Thursday (November 14) , angry at the allegation President Michel Aoun in a television interview on Tuesday that if the protesters “don't see decent people in this state, they will emigrate. You will not come to power ”. Hundreds of Lebanese soldiers stopped the protesters several hundred meters from the palace and blocked the street with jeeps, barbed wire and fully armored riot lines three men deep. Tensions increased with several brawls throughout the day. The protesters covered the route with graffiti with a slogan: “How do you sleep at night, Mr. President?” As the country enters the second month of continuous demonstrations, banks, universities and schools are closed until further notice; Some petrol stations still have fuel or are closed. Your reserves will be used up within a week, Leila Molana-Allen described the situation in Al Jazeera . "Aoun warned the country of a 'catastrophe', but in his third speech in as many weeks did not offer any concrete solutions to the protesters' complaints," she quotes a protester. The latter did not expect the political system to change overnight, but said that the government's refusal to make room for new faces in politics will further alienate the demonstrators and increase their anger.
Defense Minister Elias Bou Saab said Lebanon was in a "very dangerous situation" on Thursday, comparing the street riots or the last few days to the start of the civil war of 1975-1990. Bou Saab told reporters that the "democratic movement" of demonstrators was not to blame for the situation and that demonstrators had the right to protest and to be protected. However, he added that the Lebanese army and security services could not accept anyone who acts violently. He hoped that a government would be formed in the coming days to meet the protesters' demands.
- Burial of Alaa Abou Fakher
The funeral of Alaa Abou Fakher took place in Dhour Choueifat on Thursday with a large participation of the PSP and the population of Choueifat; The Druze Sheikh Akl, Naim Hassan at the head of a delegation from the community, ministers Akram Shehayeb and Wael Abou Faour and MP Teymour Jumbaltt attended the funeral. A large number of religious, military, party political and political delegations were also present, such as the Chairman of the Lebanese Forces , Samir Geagea . The MP Jumblat praised Alaa Abou Fakher and said: "We only have the land for which you fought and gave up your life for his birth"; stressing the need to resort to the voice of reason and calling for a just and fair justice system to do justice to Alaa's spilled blood. Jumblat also called for continued peace and quiet to fight together for the future of Lebanon. In his speech, Sheikh Hassan praised the late Abou Fakher as a "martyr of the nation" and called on politicians to exercise caution and wisdom and to take responsible account of the overriding national interests of the independent and constitutional state and fair governance.
- Reactions to Mohammad Safadi's proclamation as the new Prime Minister
Meanwhile, it was reported that several Lebanese leaders have agreed to appoint former Finance Minister Mohammad Safadi as prime minister of a new government , according to an al-Arabiya source . The deal came after a meeting on Friday between outgoing Prime Minister Saad Hariri, Lebanon's leading Sunni politician, and senior officials from Amal and Hezbollah. Lebanese broadcaster MTV said the government was a mix of politicians and technocrats.
Reports that the political parties had agreed on former Finance Minister Mohammed al-Safadi as the new Lebanese head of government did not appease the 30-day-old uprising. Protests broke out again late on Thursday; Zouk Mosbeh's motorway was blocked again with burning tires. The newspaper Al-Joumhouria quoted "observers" who wondered whether Safadis nomination a "trap" is to the revolution to fuel, or a "solution" to meet the demands of the people. At the beginning of the 30th day of the demonstrations (November 15), the Lebanese army arrested blockers and clashed with protesters. Private hospital workers went on a day-long strike to protest the government's failure to pay salaries. Meanwhile, protesters blocked several streets in the Tripoli area on Friday.
The army command issued the following statement on Friday: “ While the armed forces were performing their tasks in opening roads in various Lebanese regions, some demonstrators tried to attack them and address them with provocative remarks. As a result, some soldiers suffered various bruises and injuries that led to the arrest of 20 attackers, who were later transferred for further investigation. Nine of those arrested have now been released and seven have been detained by the relevant judiciary for further investigations. Four of them, including a Syrian, were referred to the military police after they were found involved in other crimes. "
Hashim Safi Al Din Safieddine, a senior Hezbollah member, said Friday (November 15) that the tensions in Lebanon over the past few days are "totally unjustified". “We have to ask about what has happened in the last few days and about the obvious political and partisan interference, and the protest movement has to ask about the identity of those sides that have a political program and are trying to bring the country into tension and urge the protest movement to do harm and aggression against the rest of the people, ”said Hezbollah Executive Council chief Sayyed Hashem Safieddine. He criticized the road closures as a hostile act; this printing method leads to the wrong approach, added Safieddine. "You have expressed your position and people have heard it, and I believe that the real protest movement is not looking at all of these methods that it does not need." Safieddine warned all parties that Lebanon should not be "in further tension advised ”, and lamented the political“ absence ”of the protest movement. Instead of blocking the streets, he urged them to put forward a political program. Lebanese MP Toni Frangieh, on the other hand, said the protests in Lebanon should be an opportunity to "face the country's chronic crisis and move into a real state". Frangieh called for the rapid formation of a new cabinet that would strengthen the confidence of the Lebanese people. "The new cabinet must consist of honest and experienced people."
- Protesters reject Mohammad Safadi as an MP kadidat
Lebanese protesters reject Mohammad Safadi as one of the "other elite" candidates for the post of prime minister; Activists say the Tripoli business tycoon and former minister is a symbol of the system they want to overthrow. A “revolutionary bus” started early on Saturday morning (November 16) from Akkar in northern Lebanon to drive south through the main theaters of the mass demonstrations, which have now lasted for a month.
The campaign coordinators said the vehicle would pass all the places and points of the protests, from al-Nour Square in Tripoli to Batroun , Jbeil, Jal el-Dib, Ashrafieh , the Ring Bridge and Martyrs Square in Beirut on to Khaldeh, um to place the “Crown of Revolution” where Alaa Abu Fakhr was killed. The bus will tour south to Na'ameh, Bardscha , the cities of Sidon , Kafr Rumman and Nabataea continue and Tyros finish. In Sidon, the bus was prevented from continuing its journey after rumors surfaced that the action was supported by the US, which soon turned out to be fake news . The US embassy in Beirut denied rumors on its Twitter account on Saturday that the “bus of the revolution” would be financed by the embassy. In its tweets, the embassy also stressed the support of the Lebanese people " in their peaceful demonstrations and expressions of national unity ". The bus eventually turned and drove back to Beirut at night instead of continuing its course south.
The Free Patriotic Movement's candidate for the office of President of the Beirut Bar Association , Georges Nakhle, announced on Sunday that he was withdrawing from the race for "reasons related to the general situation in Lebanon". The broadcaster MTV later announced that Melhem Khalaf, Pierre Hanna, Saadeddine al-Khatib, Nader Kaspar and Ibrahim Musallem had been selected to be candidates for the main office. This year's vote takes place amid an unprecedented popular uprising in the country against the entire political class. The independent candidate Melhem Khalaf was ultimately elected. With this, the anti-establishment protest movement celebrated its first election victory. "We hope that this day will renew democracy in the Lebanese institutions," said Khalaf in a speech after the election.
Mohammad Safadi withdrew as a candidate for the next prime minister, a political source said on Saturday. Hariri's return to the MP post was brought into play again. Hezbollah Central Council member Sheikh Nabil Qaouq on Sunday accused some parties of "building mines on the way to forming a government" to "change the country's political equations". From the position of historical national responsibility, he said, Hezbollah has managed to thwart the unrest and ambitions of Israel regarding the civil war and is keen to facilitate all contacts and consultations for the purpose of forming a new government . He pointed out that politics and Saudi electronic media were trying to get citizens to clash on the streets, waiting for conflicts to break out among Lebanese. Nabil Qaouq admitted that demonstrators are gathering on the streets to save the country and claim their social rights. However, he warned that "those who have invaded the popular protest movement, be it political parties or US interference, do not want to save the country but tear it down in order to achieve political success."
The Lebanese protests meanwhile also show the undisguised anger against one of the country's power factors, Hezbollah, wrote the online portal Naharnet. The Shiite group has so far enjoyed a reputation among its supporters as representing the interests of the poor and defending the country against Israel . This has so far helped to dominate the political scene in Lebanon. But recently protesters want the entire political elite - including Hezbollah - to disappear from the political scene, and even some of the Shiite supporters are angry about the economic problems. Many protesters now count Hezbollah as part of the ruling class against which they rebel and accuse it of ruining the economy through years of corruption and mismanagement.
According to Timour Azhari, who reports for Al Jazeera (Nov. 17), the mood on the streets is increasingly frustrated as Lebanon's economy and finances continue to shatter as fuel shortages are widespread and warnings from importers that staple foods could soon be at risk. At the same time, the security forces reacted increasingly violent, bloody demonstrators who blocked the main streets and arrested at least 20 on Thursday evening alone. The protests have so far been largely peaceful, although some clashes with security forces have broken out. With few signs that either the politicians or the demonstrators are willing to make concessions, the uprising is likely to enter an increasingly difficult phase, the author sums up. Khalil Gebara, professor of economics at the Lebanese American University, told Al Jazeera that student and youth engagement could turn out to be one of the greatest values of the uprising.
As life returned to normal in Beirut, residents of northern Lebanon protested in front of state institutions in the region on the 33rd day of the nationwide uprising. Meanwhile, on Monday, November 18, protesters shut down the Ogero cellphone operator's office in Minieh ; Employees of the two cellular networks in Lebanon, Alfa and Touch, held a sit-in in the Touch building in downtown Beirut. Demonstrators also closed the offices of Ogero and the Ministry of Labor in the northern town of Halba on Monday.
A senior US official in Lebanon, Slovak diplomat Ján Kubiš , called for the public and civil society to be involved in the debate on bills as parliament is due to hold a legislative session on Tuesday. The leader of the Progressive Socialist Party, Walid Jumblat, criticized the country's top decision-making authority on Monday, which he described as "schizophrenic". Schizophrenia predominates in the higher decision-making circles, said the ex-MP, who after the death of the Second Republic cannot hand over power to a modern transitional alternative to the Third Republic. MEP Hassan Fadlallah regretted the lack of action against the corrupt on Monday, despite having submitted numerous relevant files to the judicial authorities. "We encountered significant obstacles in pursuing the corruption case," he added.
- The controversial parliamentary debate on November 19 is blocked
In the morning, demonstrators blocked the way to the parliament in central Beirut with human chains. They want to prevent the MPs from debating laws on corruption and a general amnesty. The demonstrators fear that these are used to protect corrupt politicians. A large number of security forces should prevent people from reaching Parliament. Several parties stated that they did not want to attend the meeting. The MPs of the Lebanese Forces , the Progressive Socialist Party , the Kata'ib and the independent MPs of the parliament will not take part in the controversial legislative session on Tuesday, TV channels said. Kata'ib chief Sami Gemayel announced the boycott of the meeting in a live video on his Facebook page, noting that the meeting "will not be public" and that "reporters will not be able to attend". "We were informed that the meeting's agenda did not include any laws required by Lebanon, such as the Judicial Independence Act, the Stolen Funds Recovery Act and the Bank Secrecy Removal Act, " added Gemayel. MEP Osama Saad, whose supporters are actively involved in the protest movement, added: “Neither the demands of the insurrection nor the priorities of the people are on the agenda, and there will be no discussion of how to overcome the dangerous, fateful crisis in the country can: "
The Lebanese government sent security forces to Beirut ahead of the parliamentary session; the parliamentary session on Tuesday (November 19) was originally scheduled for last week, but was postponed for security reasons by the speaker of parliament Nabih Berri. Protesters formed a human chain in the morning to block the streets leading to parliament. Hundreds of young people blocked all entrances to the parliament building. Fights broke out with riot police while women acted as barriers between the two sides to prevent clashes. Two meetings should be held, one to elect the secretariat and committee members, and another to include anti-corruption legislation, pensions and a general amnesty law. The general amnesty law would include thousands of people. According to the activists, the text of the law could exonerate those convicted or suspected of involvement in tax evasion or environmental crimes. The protesters have called for the prioritization of laws to bring corrupt officials to justice or to reclaim misappropriated public funds.
A heavy deployment of Lebanese security forces, which was sparked on Tuesday in the center of Beirut before a parliamentary session, is to be prevented as they demonstrate against the ruling elite. Banks were slated to reopen for the first time in a week after temporary steps were announced, such as a weekly cap of $ 1,000 on cash withdrawals and international transfers, limited to urgent personal expenses to prevent capital flight. Several cars drove through the crowd at high speed to break through the blockade, as shown on images on the Lebanese television broadcaster MTV. When demonstrators attacked the vehicles, several shots were fired into the air from one of them. The shots were fired from inside the vehicle, according to a video filmed by one of the protesters. No one was injured in the incident. Based on the license plate, the owner of the vehicle was identified on social media as Finance Minister Ali Hassan Khalil. However, he denied having sat in the car. According to the National News Agency, three demonstrators were injured on Tuesday evening and several were arrested in a fight with riot police in Riad al-Solh Square in Beirut. The NNA said the skirmishes broke out after some protesters tried to cross the barbed wire and enter Nejmeh Square, which is where the parliament building is located.
Both parliamentary sessions scheduled for Tuesday were postponed indefinitely after hundreds of protesters blocked all main entrances to Nejmeh Square in Beirut despite heavy use of security forces. Instead of electing new committees on Tuesday, the mandate of the current committees has been extended, said Parliament's Secretary General Adnan haben at around 11 a.m.
MEP Paula Yacoubian said on Twitter that "a delay in parliamentary consultations will exacerbate the economic crisis and create further dangers." "People believe they have power and continue to demand a clean cabinet of experts instead of the usual power-sharing “, She continued, urging the President to uphold the Constitution and to assume his duties. The Minister of State for Affairs of the President Salim Jreissati said of the blockades to the LBCI: "The obstruction of an institution like Parliament only falls into the category of a victory if the system of the state collapses."
The 35th day of the uprising began with roadblocks in northern Lebanon. The streets in Tripoli and Akkar were blocked on Wednesday morning when protesters there called for a general strike . According to the traffic management center and the state national news agency, the roads to Halba and Bibnine, as well as the main square of Abdeh and the highway of Minyeh were closed from the morning in the district of Akkar . The main street in Halba was blocked with burning tires and metal barriers, and protesters only allowed ambulances and those with emergencies to pass, the NNA said. Students gathered outside the campus of the Lebanese University in Tripoli and urged students from other universities to join them; Students in Sidon protested in front of the state Electricité du Liban and the state telecommunications company Ogero. Traffic in Beirut was normal that morning after at least three people were injured in brawls in downtown Beirut overnight. On Wednesday, employees also demonstrated in front of the Ministry of Social Affairs because of late salaries.
The United Nations on Wednesday called for the rapid formation of a government in Lebanon that "responds to the efforts of the demonstrators and is supported by parliament." In a tweet, the UN encouraged the Lebanese security forces to continue protecting peaceful demonstrators.
Sixth week (from November 21st)
Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat announced on Wednesday that President Michel Aoun's term and the 1989 Taif Accords had "ended" on the streets - the second republic was over when he announced that he advised Prime Minister Saad Hariri not to lead the new government. When asked whether the Executive Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil will be among the new ministers, Jumblat told MTV: “I believe that some faces have expired.” “After resigning, I advised Hariri several times not to lead the new government, and told him to rule even with a unilateral government [on sectarism ], ”the PSP leader added. A minister in the previous government, who spoke to Asharq al-Awsat on condition of anonymity , said that the parties urgently had to accept a state of emergency . He stressed that the delay in appointing a new prime minister was "no longer acceptable". All parties must recognize that the formation of a new government should result in a “positive shock” that would meet the demands of the popular movement, the minister underlined. He went on to say that most of the communication channels were closed and that the route to the presidential palace was "politically" blocked because Aoun had insisted on the formation of a mixed government of specialists and politicians. He noted that the positions of the country's political parties were clear and divided between "a team that insists on forming a government of politicians and technocrats and a team that the government of experts is inevitable." quoted Prime Minister Saad Hariri saying that the Lebanese people "no longer accept us and do not want to hear from us." He added that the prime minister did not understand the refusal of some parties to form a government of technocrats.
- Excursus - Debate about Amer Fakhoury and the collaboration in the Lebanese civil war
Protests also broke out in front of the courthouse in Nabatiyah in southern Lebanon, where the questioning of Amer Fakhoury, an ex-cadre of the former South Lebanese army and responsible for Chiyam prison, took place. Fakhoury was sentenced in 1996 to 15 years imprisonment for collaborating with Israel. Protesters hostile to the accused had gathered outside the courthouse that morning to express their anger against Amer Fakhoury, who allegedly committed the worst acts of torture while reporting to Chiyam. Three months ago, Mr. Fakhoury wanted to return home without expecting the authorities to arrest him for other crimes, including allegedly acquiring Israeli citizenship. On September 17, the military judge Najat Abu Chacra issued an arrest warrant against him. Since then, several former inmates have testified in court and asked the military tribunal to overturn Amer Fakhoury's sentence.
The arrival of Israeli collaborator Amer al-Fakhoury on September 13, and his subsequent arrest and questioning by General Security sparked national controversy and anger against the Lebanese authorities. At a protest in southern Lebanon two days after Fakhoury's arrest, posters were distributed that read The Butcher of Khiyam against what several demonstrators considered "gentle treatment". Khiyam Prison, where Fakhoury was an officer until 1998, was used by the Israel-backed South Lebanon Army (SLA) and replacement militias to arrest and torture fighters and opponents of the Israeli occupation. Since 2000, when the Israeli occupying powers were expelled from southern Lebanon, there have been heated discussions from time to time about the fate of the collaborators and the nature of the resistance. A round of talks took place in early November 2019, ranging from discussing the definitions of “treason” and “resistance” to remembering the role of the secular left in confronting the Israeli occupation of Lebanon.
- Protests against Michel Aoun's televised address
Protesters are again expected to take to the streets in Lebanon as President Michel Aoun will deliver a speech the evening before the country's Independence Day at 8:00 p.m. local time. On Thursday morning, students in Tripoli organized protest marches and discussions on Aoun's planned speech; Students and schoolchildren protested in the Koura district and at the El Kobbeh Technical University in Beirut. Protesters and students held a sit-in in front of the Lebanese International University campus in the southern city of Sidon on Thursday.
Citizens gathered outside the Independence Citadel in Rashaya on Thursday to protest the traditional visit of the representative of the three representatives of the state to the castle on the occasion of Lebanon's Independence Day, the National News Agency reported. A group of Palestinian refugees demonstrated outside the UNRWA office in Taalabaya . The protesters denounced the corruption in UNRWA, which has existed since 1949.
The suspended soldier, who is accused of shooting and shooting protester Alaa Abou Fakhr, was charged with murder, state news reported Thursday. Protesters block the streets in Lebanon again after the president's speech. An unknown assailant set fire to the large clenched fist labeled “Revolution” on Friday (November 22nd) that demonstrators raised in Martyrs Square in central Beirut. Witnesses reported that an unidentified man on a motorcycle hurled incendiary material around 6:00 a.m. before speeding from the scene to an unidentified location.
- Independence day
On Friday's Independence Day, the demonstrators said that only the population experienced “real independence” this year. For the first time in Lebanese history, Independence Day was marked by nationwide civil marches in which pride and protest fell on the 37th day of the Friday of the popular uprising, The Daily Star wrote . Interior Minister Raya Haffar El Hassan expressed concern over the state of Lebanon as leaders gathered in Yarze, Baabda district on Friday to celebrate the 76th anniversary of the country's independence from France. Raya Hassan also announced on Friday that investigations are underway in some places where riot has broken out in recent days, such as the Ring Road and Riad El Solh Square in downtown Beirut. "We have information we provided to prosecutors to take appropriate legal action," she said. The Minister pointed out the need for dialogue and the achievement of a common denominator between the state authority and the demonstrators and expressed concern that “the political parties and the demonstrators will not compromise on the country and the demonstrators will affect the future of generations ”. Meanwhile, Hassan categorically denied that the security forces used excessive force to disperse the protesters, stressing that “the instructions were very clear not to use force with the protesters while the need to stay clear of road closures is my responsibility to open the streets as Minister of the Interior. "
According to the protesters, the exchange offices are trading against the Lebanese pound, contrary to the local currency pegging set by the central bank. Earlier this month, the Lebanese central bank announced that after weeks of mass protests it would endeavor to maintain the peg of the national currency to the US dollar and to facilitate access to the greenback. Already facing an economic crisis, the financial problems of Lebanon have worsened since the outbreak of economy-driven mass protests last month that paralyzed the country and kept banks closed for two weeks. Since the banks reopened last week, depositors have quickly withdrawn their money. The country's lenders have put different capital controls in place, which vary from bank to bank, adding to the turmoil. Although the Lebanese pound is still pegged to the dollar at £ 1,500, it trades up to £ 1,900 on the black market, a depreciation of almost 30% from the official rate.
The United Nations Security Council will hold a session devoted to Lebanon on Monday to discuss the international report on the implementation of Resolution 1701 , LBCI sources said. Council members are also expected to discuss the current situation in Lebanon.
Protesters across Lebanon joined forces on the coast on Sunday (November 24) to recapture public property and mark the 39th day of the nationwide uprising. Meanwhile, a small group of protesters gathered near the US embassy in Beit Aaoukar, northern Beirut, to protest foreign interference in Lebanese affairs and recent statements by former US ambassador Jeffrey Feltman. He had said that "the demonstrations and the reactions of leading Lebanese politicians and institutions fortunately coincide with US interests." A number of demonstrators who took part in the protests in front of the American embassy in Awkar burned the American and Israeli flags. announced the NNA correspondent on Sunday. The demonstrators also tried to cut the barbed wire and reiterated that their protest was directed against US policies in Lebanon.
A breakthrough in negotiations to form a new government is not expected in the coming week, a ministerial source said on Sunday.
- Hezbollah and Amal supporters attacked protesters in downtown Beirut (November 25)
On Sunday evening the Beirut ring intersection and the coastal motorway at Jal El-Dib were blocked again. Security forces fired tear gas on Monday morning (November 25) as confrontations broke out in central Beirut between supporters of Hezbollah and Amal and protesters against Lebanon's political elite. The confrontations began after dozens of Hezbollah supporters arrived on scooters and attacked protesters with clubs and metal bars. Riot police and soldiers then formed a human barrier that separated both sides. Groups of young men spent hours together, with security guards in the middle. Several people were beaten and injured. Some Hezbollah supporters held up and waved the large yellow flag of the Muslim Shiites and mocked the protesters on the other side. The clashes were one of the worst since protests in Lebanon in the middle of last month. The protesters called for an end to widespread corruption and mismanagement by the political class. " Shiites, Shiites, Shiites, " Hezbollah shouted to its supporters. Some fired flares at security forces and protesters on the other side who replied, " Hezbollah is a terrorist ". The attacks came after demonstrators put new blockades on the ring road that connects eastern parts of the capital with western parts. The demonstrators blocked the roads in northern Beirut and in the eastern Bekaa Valley at the same time. Protesters have called for a general strike in Beirut.
Security forces cleared roadblocks across Lebanon on Monday and competed against protesters who took to the streets from early morning despite being attacked overnight by supporters of Hezbollah and the AMAL movement. An army spokesman said it arrested nine people north of Beirut at dawn after trying to block streets with burning gasoline and broken glass. The security forces have been criticized again after the attack on Sunday. Protesters accuse them of being negligent with Hezbollah and AMAL supporters, most of whom have been allowed to leave.
The judicial and security authorities opened an investigation on Monday into the incidents that rocked the center of Beirut that night. The state's National News Agency said the violence "resulted in the injury of large numbers of soldiers and civilians, the destruction of cars and shops on Monot Street, and the aggression and intimidation of innocent civilians." Prosecutor Ghassan Oueidat also asked To retrieve CCTV footage from the buildings in the area of the clashes in order to identify and arrest the attackers. According to civil protection, at least ten demonstrators were injured without disclosing the extent of their injuries. On Monday morning, stones, broken glass and the destroyed remains of tents lay on the floor of the main protest camp. Car windows had been smashed with stones around the square.
On Monday, the 40th day of the national uprising, people returned to the streets across Lebanon, but a nationwide strike did not take place.
- The traffic accident on the Jiyeh highway between Sidon and Beirut is exploited (November 25)
The two victims of the fatal road accident have been identified as Hussein Shalhoub and his relative Sanaa al-Jundi. Shalhoub's daughter, who was in the car with them, survived unharmed. CCTV footage shows a fast moving car brushing against a metal barrier before hitting a pole on the ground and catching fire. Protesters in the area said the metal barrier was erected by the army and that they were hundreds of meters away. Some social media users then accused the protesters of throwing stones at the car, which the protesters denied. Pro-Hezbollah media in recent weeks has accused political rivals, particularly the al-Mustaqbal movement, of playing a role in blocking some roads in the country, particularly the Jiyeh highway that connects Beirut with the south.
A video was shared showing the moment the fatal traffic accident occurred on the Jiyeh Highway that resulted in the vehicle burning. Hezbollah issued a statement Monday condemning " the terrible crime " that occurred on the Jiyeh Highway on Monday morning, which resulted in the deaths of Hussein Shalhoub and Sanaa Al-Jundi. “ This sinful attack on the two dear martyrs is an attack on all Lebanese. it is a threat to civil peace and social stability and we therefore call on everyone to take full responsibility to expose the criminals and punish the attackers, ”the statement reads.
The security forces later increased their presence in the capital's Martyrs' Square and in the Riad al-Solh. According to media reports, the motorcyclists came from the southern Beirut suburb of Msharrafiyeh, where supporters of the two parties held a sit-in to protest a car accident that killed two people near a roadblock in Jiyeh. Gunfire broke out in the Cola area of Beirut later on Monday after convoys of motorcycles drove past in the area. The convoys had roamed several streets in Beirut and its suburbs. TV stations reported that the shots were fired in the air and did not cause injuries. The army immediately sent reinforcements to the area. Al-Mustaqbal supporters had previously blocked the Qasqas street in Beirut after Hezbollah and AMAL supporters drove by in the area on motorbikes and shouted slogans. MTV said shots were fired into the air there as well. Elsewhere, Hezbollah and AMAL supporters attacked the main protest area in the southern city of Tire and set fire to protesters' tents. After the violence on Monday between Lebanese demonstrators and Hezbollah supporters, the security and armed forces are “determined” to ban roadblocks in order to save Lebanon from a “worst-case scenario”, the daily Al-Joumhouria reported on Tuesday.
If President Michel Aoun does not initiate mandatory parliamentary consultations by the end of this week, the Lebanese protesters are reportedly intending to form a "revolutionary government" to regulate the affairs of the popular movement, the Kuwaiti daily al-Anbaa reported on Tuesday Jan. November). When asked whether the "revolutionary government" should rebel against the constitutional authority, a high-ranking source told the daily: "It is a shadow government ." It will have no president and will be the mouthpiece of the movement, with the authorities and all parties to negotiate, the source added.
According to the Supreme Islamic Council , Lebanon urgently needs a rescue government. A spokesman for the Tats stressed on Tuesday (November 26) that recent developments in the country "require a conscience awakening and the commitment of all to work seriously to resolve the problems facing Lebanon that threaten its existence and fate." The council also called on everyone to "take their national responsibility to lead the country out of the crisis." The council called for compliance with the Lebanese constitution and the implementation of all its provisions, and stressed the need for mandatory consultations to designate a new one To carry out Prime Minister. The Maronite Patriarch Béchara Pierre Raï condemned the nightly attack on protesters in central Beirut as an "attack on Lebanon" on Monday. "The attack was directed not only against peaceful young people, but also against the army and the security forces," he said during a visit to Cairo. "We condemn this approach to a sacred cause because young men and women demand the welfare of Lebanon and its people and institutions, and attacking them is an attack on Lebanon and the sacred cause," added the Patriarch. He also condemned the attacks on "public and private property, cars and shops" and urged protesters to "show restraint" and "work with security forces and the army to protect the common good".
- Increasing tensions between rival parties - clashes in Ain al-Remmaneh, Baalbek and Bikfaya
For the third night in a row, there were clashes between party supporters and demonstrators; According to Timour Azhari (Al Jazeera), the largely peaceful protest in Lebanon threatens to turn into a civil war-like state. "Most symbolically, there was an hour-long argument between residents of Ain al-Remmaneh, where the 15-year civil war began in Lebanon, and neighboring Chiya." Hezbollah and Amal movement supporters threw stones and other objects across a street between the two Areas that marked the dividing line between Christian East Beirut and Muslim West Beirut during the Lebanese Civil War . The men on the other hand, many of whom support the Party of Lebanese Forces , retaliated before the army stepped in to keep the two sides apart. But even after the clashes ended, hundreds of men gathered in the dark alleys of Ain al-Remmaneh, carrying batons and inspecting cars that drove through the streets. Across the street, supporters of Hezbollah and Amal, many of whom are local residents, said the men in Ain al-Remmaneh had provoked them with curses. Many chanted slogans in support of the Amal movement leader, Nabih Berri, and shouted across the street.
A series of peaceful protests continued in Beirut and across Lebanon on Tuesday evening, although tensions increased in other parts of the country. Hundreds came to a nightly demonstration at the central bank. However, many protesters fear that the increasing provocations of partisan supporters will undermine the anti-cult and anti-establishment values of the uprising and drive people back towards traditional alliances.
On Tuesday evening, a confrontation broke out between supporters of the Free Patriotic Movement and the Kata'ib in the city of Bikfaya in northwest Beirut. The situation began after a Pro-FPM convoy of dozens of cars arrived in front of the residence of former President and Kata'ib leader Amin Gemayel . Bikfaya residents and Kataeb supporters later blocked the entrance to the city to prevent the convoy from entering the city and urged FPM supporters to take Dahr al-Sowwan-Baabdat Road. Kata'ib supporters later attacked the cars and threw stones at them, injuring an FPM supporter in the head. Video footage showed a row of cars with broken windows and supporters from the two parties chanting rival slogans. After the army intervened, the two groups were separated. Bikfaya is a stronghold of Kata'ib and the hometown of its founder Pierre Gemayel . Hezbollah supporters attacked demonstrators in Baalbek on Tuesday evening , breaking down their tents and attacking their spokesmen in the square. Protesters reportedly fled to stores waiting to be protected by the Lebanese army.
In Tripoli, too, the situation had worsened on Tuesday night; Residents alleged that a group of out-of-town people wreaked havoc in the city at night, they told MTV reporters. A group of men smashed or burned the Fransabank and MedBank ATMs. In a statement, the Lebanese army said four people were arrested in Gemayzet after attacking the offices of a political party and a bank. One of the men threw a non-exploding hand grenade at the troops. One soldier was injured by stones thrown by protesters and two motorcycles were confiscated, the statement said. Dozens of people were injured in nightly confrontations in several Lebanese regions, mostly through fistfights and stone throwing, and 16 people were detained for their involvement, the Lebanese Red Cross and the army said on Wednesday. Mothers march between Muslim-Christian suburbs of Beirut, where violent clashes had taken place the day before; they distributed white flowers on their way from Ain al-Rummaneh to Chiyah on November 27, 2019. After singing the national anthem, the women and residents sang against the civil war and called for national unity. "We, the mothers of the country, will not accept the separation," said one of the banners.
During the unrest in Tripoli, an office of the political party founded by Aoun and an ATM were also attacked. The incidents have put the crisis into a more dangerous phase, said Nabil Bou Monsef, deputy editor-in-chief of An-Nahar newspaper. While the number of victims has so far been limited, it would become more difficult to contain the violence. "If the crisis cannot be contained quickly and politically, there is a risk of armed clashes," he said. He noted that only Hezbollah possesses heavy weapons, while light weapons are widespread across Lebanon.
Seventh week (from November 28th)
The Economic Committees, an association of Lebanese executives and owners of large corporations, canceled a strike on Wednesday that they had scheduled for Thursday, Friday and Saturday after the petrol station owner syndicate struck out in protest at the ongoing crisis of dollar scarcity. They accuse the central bank and oil importers of failing to agree to pay in Lebanese liras given the country's dollar shortage.
On Thursday (November 28), protesters gathered in front of the Treasury Department's tax office in the Adlieh district of Beirut to prevent staff from entering the facility. The riot police were later used to ensure that staff could enter the building. In the evening, protesters marched to the headquarters of the central bank in Beirut to protest against its governor, Riad Salameh, who was accused of corruption.
A line of protesters gathered outside the Banque du Liban in the Hamra district of Beirut on Thursday evening. They shouted slogans about the current economic crisis and the banks as well as against the governor of BDL, Riad Salameh . Lebanon's Money Exchange Syndicate has announced that it will go on strike on Friday, November 29; the gas stations in Lebanon continue their strike.
- Gas station strike paralyzes Lebanon in the wake of the worsening crisis
Motorists blocked roads on Friday (November 30th) to express their anger over gas station closures and created traffic jams to protest the strike by gas station owners calling for gasoline prices to rise as the purchasing power of the local currency declines. Meanwhile, the UN special coordinator for Lebanon, Ján Kubiš , said he met with the governor of the central bank, Riad Salameh, on Friday and discussed measures that are "urgently needed to stop the deepening of the economic crisis" and improving the banking sector's ability to cope with the pressure. Building a credible and competent government that can regain the trust of Lebanon's people and international partners is a priority, "Kubis wrote on social media.
For the second year running, a small group gathered outside the European Union embassy in Beirut on Saturday (November 30) to demand the return of Palestinian and Syrian refugees to their countries, the state-run National News Agency reported. Meanwhile, a group of activists stood on an adjacent sidewalk, waving slogans against "racism" and welcoming the presence of refugees. More than a million Syrian refugees are registered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Lebanon. The government estimates the actual number of Syrians in the country at 1.5 million. Also on Saturday, a group of women with white roses led a march from Beirut's ring bridge to the nearby al-Khandaq al-Ghamiq neighborhood to demand unity for all Lebanese regardless of sect or place of residence. Meanwhile, Sami Brax, the head of the petrol station owner syndicates, announced the suspension of the petrol station owner strike after contacting the Ministry of Energy, LBCI announced.
On Saturday there was also a solidarity gathering in front of the Iraqi embassy in the Ramlet al-Bayda district of Beirut. Candles were lit in solidarity with the Iraqi protesters and for the people who were killed in Iraq. On the same day a march took place in Tripoli, starting at the southern entrance to the city, through Azmi Street, Fouad Chehab Boulevard to Abdel Hamid Karameh Square. The demonstrators hoisted Lebanese flags, sang national songs and shouted slogans for change in the country under strict security precautions.
- "Sunday of Clarity"
On Sunday (December 1st) rival demonstrations broke out on the streets of the Presidential Palace in Baabda; while one was organized by the country's protest movement and the Sabaa Party, supporters of the Free Patriotic Movement gathered in the other. In Beirut and in numerous other cities in Lebanon there are protests marches under the motto “Sunday of Clarity”.
Hady Hbeish MP ( Future Movement ) said on Sunday that the country is headed for disaster and should collapse completely if the situation continues, noting that there will be a financial war stuck in poverty and famine. On the government issue, Hbeish noted that talks are currently underway with Samir al-Khatib to see if he can form a cabinet. In the same context, Hbeish emphasized that Saad Hariri's position was clear and that the current situation could no longer tolerate delay.
A group of demonstrators stormed into the Beirut Justice Palace on Monday (December 2nd); they also made a number of demands, including the independence of the judiciary and the opening of the dossier on tax evasion . Another group held a sit-in in front of the Department of Energy on Monday. They put up banners condemning “corruption in the energy sector”. There were also protests at the Banque du Liban in Zahlé ; other demonstrators held a sit-in in front of the Lebanese Bankers Association (ABL) building to protest the restrictions and procedures recently put in place by Lebanese banks, particularly with regard to setting maximum withdrawals.
On Tuesday (December 3rd) there were again road blockades in Beirut and Tripoli and gatherings in front of state institutions such as schools and offices. Army troops immediately intervened and began opening all roads. In addition, students from the university in Tripoli al-Bahsas held a sit-in in front of the campus and had vehicles and buses drive onto the premises. Army troops were injured when protesters hurled stones at soldiers who opened the Naameh Expressway. Despite the contacts of MP candidate Samir al-Khatib, no breakthrough has been achieved to date as to who will be the next Prime Minister of Lebanon, wrote the TV station LBCI.
On Tuesday evening, the first details about the composition of the new government, in which the protest movement is said to be involved, became known. According to media reports, the new government will be “techno-political” and consist of 24 ministers - six political figures as ministers of state and 18 technocrats and representatives of the protest movement. The engineer and businessman Samir Khatib is to become prime minister as a consensus candidate. Protests and road closures in various Lebanese regions resumed Wednesday after Samir Khatib announced the consensus as head of the new government. Protests gsb it u. a. in Tripoli, Baalbek, Halba and Saadnayl. There were also arrests.
- Protest against the economic situation
The Maronite Patriarch Béchara Pierre Raï on Wednesday described the presidency's call for binding parliamentary consultations on the appointment of a prime minister-designate as a “new departure” for Lebanon. At the same time he addressed the social situation in the country; it is sad “that three people have committed suicide in the last few days due to financial hardship. It is very painful when a person ends their life because they cannot provide their family with money or a decent livelihood ”. Anti-corruption protesters blocked the key ring road in central Beirut on Wednesday evening (December 4th) after security forces fired tear gas overnight to disperse the protesters blocking the same road. Some protesters said they had come to protest the way security forces treated them the night before. Others said they got angry after a 41-year-old man reportedly died on Wednesday from his appalling living conditions. On Wednesday evening, a large number of riot police were present on the ring road. Minor brawls broke out with the demonstrators, but the demo remained largely peaceful on the whole.
Eighth week (from December 5th)
However, many protesters in the Lebanese civilian movement, who demonstrated for 50 days on Thursday (December 5), are dissatisfied with Hariri's decision to become prime minister; an activist, Dr. Ziad Abdel Samad told Arab News:
- “The demonstrators are absolutely against the appointment of Samir Khatib as future prime minister. They believe that he has looked at the country's corruption system and its icons. He was examined by officials in power from Hezbollah and Amals, as well as the leader of the Free Patriotic Movement, Gebran Bassil, before he could agree on his name. The protests are aimed at a major escalation until a clean person arrives. The crisis is caused by corruption. So how can the same parties come back to power through different faces? People are angry and disgusted and want independent personalities, ”he said.
Another activist who wanted to remain anonymous said:
- “The various groups of the civil movement oppose the appointment of Khatib as head of government because he is part of the structure that benefits from this system. We urge the authorities to replace a certain way of thinking and not to switch faces. We want an independent government. "
He said the protesters were undecided about their plan of action for Monday's crunch meeting. While some groups suggested preventing MPs from reaching the presidential palace and blocking all roads in Lebanon, others prefer to wait for the outcome. "It is true that people do not trust a person chosen by the current agency, but we have to wait for that person to prove otherwise."
The protests against public institutions continued on Friday (December 6th). Unidentified persons threw a Molotov cocktail into the office of the Free Patriotic Movement in the Jounieh region on Thursday evening without any reports of injuries. Protesters held sit-in strikes outside the ESCWA , demanding the return of Syrian refugees. Protesters close the seraglio entrance in Zahlé with a large Lebanese flag.
A number of protesters held a rally in front of the Council for Development and Reconstruction on Saturday calling for an end to suspicious projects that are damaging the environment and wasting public funds. On Saturday there was also a silent march from Bliss Street in the Beiuter district to Märtyrerplatz to protest against the harassment and bullying against women. Citizens also protested in Qraytem, demanding a technocratic cabinet and the recovery of stolen public funds.
The leader of the independence movement, Michel Mouawad, announced in a statement on Saturday (December 7th) that he would propose Ambassador Nawwaf Salam as MP candidate for the parliamentary consultations. In his view, although Samir al-Khatib bears no personal responsibility for what is going on, he does not have the popular support he needs. He is not the personality who can reconcile the Lebanese with their institutions, a necessary prerequisite for restoring trust and social stability. Meanwhile, Samir Khatib announced his resignation from the MP candidate on Sunday.
Beirut's Greek Orthodox Metropolitan Elias Audi said on Sunday that the country is being ruled by one person and one armed group. Audi said this at the sermon on the occasion of the 14th anniversary of the murder of journalist Gebran Tueni. Audi urged the Lebanese institutions to listen to the voice of the Lebanese people.
On Sunday (December 8th) a march took place in Tripoli from al-Nour Square to the parish of al-Mina. It happened when the protesters put up banners with slogans urging the president to resign and to cancel the consultations on the election of a new prime minister the following day. A number of protesters sat down the coastal road under the Palma Bridge in Tripoli on Monday (December 9), where they blocked the road. There were also blockades in Saadnayel.
The Lebanese army said in a statement Tuesday (December 10) that six of their soldiers were injured when they parted ways the day before in Tripoli between protesters and house guards from MP Faisal Karami. The statement said that dozens of protesters gathered in front of the homes of some MPs in Tripoli on Monday afternoon and that the situation has worsened in stone-thrown provocations. Army troops arrested four people in Sarba after trying to block the highway with burning tires.
Tensions in central Beirut increased on Wednesday (December 11) when a group of young men attempted to attack the epicenter of anti-government protests in Beirut's Riad al-Sol Square, causing security forces to fire tear gas. Dozens of men threw stones and Molotov cocktails at the riot police to stop the advancing attackers. The police pushed her back and fired tear gas. The group of mostly young men from the impoverished suburb of Khandaq al-Ghamiq sang “Shia, Shia!” As they approached the area of the anti-government protesters. It is once again that supporters of the two main Shiite groups in Lebanon, Hezbollah and the AMAL movement, attacked the protest site.
Ninth week (from December 12th)
The protest movement against the political class because of mismanagement and corruption continued on the 57th day and thus in the ninth week; the protests took the form of street marches, there were rallies in main squares and protests near state institutions. In Halba, angry activists gathered near the seraglio and called on the mayor to resign on charges of corruption and wasting public funds. In Jounieh, demonstrators gathered near the public order office to register vehicles and employees blocked access to their offices. Under the motto Give us back our stolen money , demonstrators in the Lebanese region of Bekaa held a sit-in near the National Social Insurance Fund in Zahlé .
The Lebanese army arrested several activists on Friday (November 13) during a brawl with protesters blocking the Jal el-Dib motorway. Dozens of demonstrators in Jal el-Dib fought the police in several places on the highway, disrupting the morning rush hour. Video footage circulating on social media showed army troops punching and kicking one of the protesters in the middle of the highway. In the meantime, the political arguments about the future form of government continued. Hariri calls for a government of technocrats but also remains the most likely candidate to lead a new government, wrote Naharnet. A number of protesters also stormed into the cellphone operator Ogero building in Beirut's Bir Hassan neighborhood on Friday.
The appointment of the next Lebanese prime minister was postponed after major Christian parties announced that they would not support SSad Hariri's candidacy, creating a new problem for the country and its volatile economy. Hariri, who resigned on October 29, appeared to be returning on Monday after all other candidates failed to get enough support from the country's Sunni Muslim establishment. This had contributed to the outbreak of renewed protests. On Saturday (December 14th), there were violent clashes between the police and groups of demonstrators who tried to break through barricades at the parliament building. Given the number of wounded, it was the most violent confrontation since the protests began on October 17. On Sunday, photojournalist Mohammed Akazir was hit by a stone thrown by parliamentary security forces while trying to cover their clashes with demonstrators in Beirut. On Sunday evening there were clashes between the supporters of Parliament President Nabih Berri and a number of demonstrators in the center of Beirut, but this was soon stopped. Clashes between demonstrators and security forces broke out in downtown Beirut. The security forces fired tear gas to disperse the demonstrators.
Thousands crowded the streets of the capital over the weekend between tear gas and fireworks to call for an independent government. Aya Majzoub, a Lebanese employee of Human Rights Watch , said on Twitter that at least four protesters had been injured by bullets coated with rubber. After a violent crackdown by security forces in the capital last night, many protesters in helmets and gas masks arrived on Sunday ready to confront. Some had sticks with them.
Lebanese troops used tear gas to disperse Hezbollah and Amal supporters who attempted to storm a neighborhood in Beirut on Monday (December 16) in response to a video allegedly insulting Shiite supporters. The video, which sparked passions in a country where religious divisions were deeply rooted, was allegedly filmed by a Lebanese Sunnis from Tripoli and posted on social media; it is said to have insulted Shiite religious figures in the country. Shortly before midnight on Monday, young Hezbollah and AMAL supporters attempted to attack the main anti-government protest camp in central Beirut. They arrived on foot and on scooters, apparently set on fire from a video of a Lebanese living abroad insulting the sacred symbols of the Shiites. They threw stones and fireworks at the riot police to prevent them from entering the largely empty main square. The counter-demonstrators also set fire to several cars. The security forces responded with tear gas and a water cannon. In Sidon, young attackers attacked a protest camp at night and destroyed several tents.
Lebanese scholar Imad Salamey, a professor at the Lebanese American University, said the clashes on Monday evening may have been an attempt to undermine the anti-establishment protests. "Sensational sectarian clashes are one of the ways in which those in power can divide Lebanese and weaken the street movement," he said. added. Salamey said solidarity among Lebanese only increased "after people started losing their jobs and businesses and were unable to withdraw money from banks." "The economic crisis has the barrier of fear, or at least that Broken barriers between different religious sects, ”he said.
In downtown Beirut on Tuesday, hundreds of youths gathered on motorbikes waving party and religious flags and sang Shia, Shia and set fire to tires. They threw stones and fireworks at nearby security guards, witnesses said. Anti-corruption protesters stormed the headquarters of the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture in Sanayeh on Tuesday during a meeting attended by the telecommunications minister, Mohammed Choucair. 'The protesters opposed the privatization of the mobile phone sector in Lebanon. The debate that took place between the two sides was not violent, according to a widespread video.
Security forces increased their presence in protest centers in central Beirut on Wednesday (December 18) after several nights of violence interrupted largely peaceful anti-government demonstrations for two months. According to AFP journalists, barricades were erected overnight to block or control access to protest sites in the capital where counter-demonstrators had previously attempted to attack protesters. An official, who spoke to AFP on condition of anonymity, said the concrete barriers were intended to help security forces better control the sites and prevent further clashes. After the violence between demonstrators and security forces in Beirut on Saturday and Sunday evening and between counter-demonstrators and police on Monday evening, the capital remained calm on Tuesday. However, tensions have surfaced elsewhere in the country as Lebanon awaits the scheduled parliamentary sessions to appoint a new prime minister on Thursday. This is a necessary step in the formation of a cabinet, wrote Naharnet.
The United States' Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Ján Kubiš , warned Lebanon's political leaders on Tuesday (December 17) that “blocking a sustainable political solution” would only lead to further violence and sectarian “provocations”. In a series of tweets, Kubis said he was "alarmed to learn of the increasingly complex and dangerous security situation surrounding the protests." He said that the army and internal security forces "have respect and appreciation for their professional and largely responsible manner ". He also praised them for" the commitment with which they protect peaceful protests and laws against politically motivated instigators of violence with a high personal and moral risk. "" When will politicians finally understand that Blocking a sustainable political solution that is increasingly setting Lebanon on fire? ”Asked Kubis. "Manipulation and increasing infiltration of protests by political activists, radicalization of parts of the protest movement, relentless attacks on the security forces with stones, incendiary devices and fuel, vandalism, provocations with the aim of sparking sectarian confrontations - that's what you want, political leaders , for the people of Lebanon? Because that's what you've given them so far, ”he complained.
Attacks took place on Wednesday (December 18) on the office of Sunni Mufti Sheikh Malek al-Shaar in Tripoli; the mob then moved to one of the city's main squares and lit the parish Christmas tree. The violence indicated that tensions that recently gripped the Lebanese capital, Beirut, through an online video deemed offensive to the country's Shiites, are spreading to Tripoli, the country's second largest city, Naharnet wrote. The state's National News Agency reported that the military later arrested four attackers in Tripoli and confiscated their motorcycles.
Tenth week (from December 19)
Hassan Diab, 60, a professor of computer technology, was a member of the government formed in 2011 when Hezbollah and its allies toppled a cabinet led by Saad Hariri; he was Minister of Education for three years. The international community has made the formation of a serious, reform-minded government a prerequisite for releasing aid to the country. It was not immediately clear whether Diab's appointment would satisfy the people on the streets who have been protesting for over two months and calling for a government made up of specialists. However, social media activists have rejected Diab on charges of corruption and calls have been made to protest outside his residence in the Tallet al-Kkhayat neighborhood of Beirut.
Diab addressed the protesters directly during the prepared speeches from the presidential palace, in which he said there was "no going back until October 17" when demonstrations began calling for a revision of the political system. "I have a feeling that what you have said represents me and all those in Lebanon who want to create a state of law and justice," he said. "Our efforts should be focused solely on stopping the [economic and financial] collapse and restoring confidence." Diab said he would start consultations with parties on Saturday about the formation of the next government and urged protesters, "Me to give a chance. "
"I call on the Lebanese in all places and in all areas to be partners in a reform workshop," said Diab in a televised address after he was appointed prime minister. Some on the street were ready to give Diab a chance to start over, reported Finbar Anderson (The Middle east Eye). "We should wait and see," said a 23-year-old business student; "We want a better living situation and he has to repair the economy". Still, most would have decided not to support Diab's appointment as he had previous experience in the government and was only supported by Hezbollah and its allies. Diab, a Sunni, won recognition from only six MPs from his own sect. The protesters' most popular chants on it were quickly adapted to mention Diab - they all mean them all and Hassan's one of them. Meanwhile, on the night of Friday (December 20), there were again several road blocks, including in the central Bekaa region, in Saadnayel, Taalbaya, Al-Marj, Al-Masna, Qeb Elias, Jdita and on the Zahleh Highway.
Repeatedly on social media, Diab has been accused of spending $ 70 million from Education Department money to print copies of his books when he was previously a minister. In an interview, he explained that the cost was actually twelve thousand dollars and that he accordingly frozen his salary, which was ten times the cost of these two books.
- Another serious riot - protests against Hassan Diab
In Beirut on Friday evening (December 20) there were serious riots and clashes between the army and supporters of the Mustaqbal movement on the Corniche al-Mazraa. The confrontation broke out after troops reopened a major highway in the area. The protesters then retreated to the inner streets of the area and began to throw stones and fireworks at the soldiers. They also started burning tires. The army responded with tear gas and pursued the pro-Mustaqbal protesters. The road had been blocked since that morning and minor brawls had broken out in the afternoon. According to an army statement, seven soldiers were injured in the afternoon after demonstrators pelted them with stones. The army said the protesters tried to empty a truck of stones and sand to block the road but were stopped by the military. Mustaqbal supporters protest against the appointment of Hassan Diab as prime minister-designate.
A group of demonstrators who held a sit-in in front of the Electricite Du Liban came to Märtyerplatz in Beirut, where a Christmas tree called the "Tree of Revolution" was lit. This is to set a sign to spread the spirit of the birth [of Jesus], of redemption and of revolution. It was "a confirmation that the Lebanese will not despair and the revolution will continue," noted the news blog The 961. On the 40th day after the death of the martyr Alaa Abou Fakher, a martyr's memorial was unveiled on Revolution Square in Khaldeh.
The Maronite Patriarch Béchara Pierre Raï on Sunday (December 22nd) urged protesters in all regions not to block the main roads during the holiday season. "What we saw two days ago, when the Lebanese army and security forces were pelted with stones during a protest, violates the dignity of the army and the dignity of the citizens who believe in the Lebanese state," lamented al-Rahi in his Sunday mass Sermon recalling a protest by supporters of the al-Mustaqbal movement against the appointment of Hassan Diab as prime minister-designate. “We rather call for respect and cooperation. And on the eve of Christmas, we ask all demonstrators not to block the main roads in all regions so that citizens can move around easily and celebrate joyfully. Don't deprive them of their joy, ”he added. Regarding political developments, al-Rahi warned: "Lebanon, with its current state of paralysis and poverty, cannot withstand any delay or obstruction in the formation of the new government."
Anti-government protesters gathered outside Prime Minister Hassan Diab's home on Sunday to condemn his meeting with a number of figures who claimed to represent the protest movement. Verbal clashes broke out between the head of the Lebanese media bank, Mohammed Noun, and a number of protesters outside Diab's house in Tallet al-Khayyat. According to LBCI TV, Diab did not meet with “influential groups” in the protest movement, but with some people who said they did not “represent the revolution”. Security forces have positioned themselves in front of the residence of Prime Minister-designate Hassan Diab in the Tallet Khayat district of Beirut, the correspondent for the National News Agency reported on Sunday. In Zahlé , too , the “Fist of the Revolution”, already known from Beirut and Tripoli, was set up by activists during a ceremony attended by many people from Saadnaye, Taalabaya, Marj, Bar Elias, Jdita and neighboring villages. The "fist of the revolution" became the symbol of the Lebanese people's movement. Shortly before Christmas , some activists organized a series of campaigns on Beirut Martyrs' Square, giving gifts to the children and collecting donations to the needy. The activists stressed the importance of social solidarity in the difficult economic conditions in Lebanon. Hundreds of people attended a Christmas dinner on Beirut's Martyrs' Square on the day before Christmas Eve to help the needy.
- Continuation of the protests or participation in the reform government
The appointment of Prime Minister-designate Hassan Diab has divided the country into two camps: Sunnis and Shiites , as Diab is supported by Hezbollah , wrote Tony Birtley ( Al Jazeera , December 23). There was also less participation in protest rallies against the new Prime Minister; some of the protesters seem ready to give Diab a chance as Lebanon is facing the worst economic crisis in decades. Hassan Diab, who was appointed to form a much-needed government on Thursday, asked protesters to give him the chance to form a cabinet of independent experts within four to six weeks. However, Sunday's call to consult representatives of the popular movement did not attract prominent street leaders or groups, AFP reported. Prime Minister-designate Hassan Diab was not deterred by the increasing protests in the street against his appointment and promised on Sunday to form a government of 20 independent specialists to revive the ailing economy and fight corruption.
The Lebanese protesters made it clear to Prime Minister-designate Hassan Diab that they were unwilling to give him any support or accept a prime minister appointed by the “Shiite duo” (Hezbollah and Amal movement ) and their allies, the Kuwaiti newspaper As- reported Siyasah on Tuesday (December 24th). The protestors' refusal to meet Diab reflects much of that message, the daily said. According to the movement's sources, "Diab is no guarantee that a transitional government will be formed."
The Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi said in his Christmas message on Tuesday that the political elite have led Lebanon into economic and financial collapse and the Lebanese into poverty. "Our tragedies stem from the fact that our rulers refuse to transfer power, preferring to assign it, spend it wastefully and accumulate debt." He said the Lebanese people expect a Christmas present from politicians in which they agree To “form a government of experts to put the country on the path to economic salvation.” “The people have expressed their suffering in a positive revolution that has not died down in 70 days. We hope that the cooperation with the army and security forces will always be positive, ”Rahi said. The Patriarch blessed the “revolution” noting that “our people will not accept the bad governance that has prevailed since the 1990s, with the spread of corruption, waste (public money), worsening deficits, rise in public debt poverty and unemployment. "
Eleventh week (from December 26th)
As the third month of the Lebanese protest movement began, demonstrators increasingly aimed for banks to capture their savings. On Saturday (December 28), groups of demonstrators stormed various banks in Beirut to protest against undeclared capital control measures. Dozens of angry activists stormed a bank and said one of their friends was not allowed to cash a check because of the control measures. In the face of a massive US dollar liquidity crisis, Lebanese banks have been introducing increasingly strict restrictions on dollar withdrawals and transfers abroad since September in order to protect the dwindling foreign exchange reserves. This has fueled tension in the debt-ridden country, where a two-month-old protest movement is calling for the removal of political leaders who are deemed incompetent and corrupt. Activists said ordinary depositors would shoulder a liquidity crisis exacerbated by politicians, senior officials and bankers who used their leverage to pull their hefty savings out of the country. Many of the country's leaders own or hold large stakes in multiple banks.
Activists at the end of the year turned down candidates being considered for the new Lebanese government after their names were posted on social media. The demonstrators doubt that they are really independent from the ruling elite. Ziad Abdul Samad, an NGO specialist and civil society activist, said the leaked names showed disrespect for the people who took to the streets to condemn corruption and mismanagement. "The most obvious evidence was the provocative names discussed by the prime minister-designate and representatives of Hezbollah and the Amal movement to receive their blessings," he told Arab News. "This will create tension on the streets, especially if there are no solutions to economic problems."
Public affairs expert and activist Walid Fakhreddin said the civil movement is still active on a political level and not necessarily on the streets, especially because of the holiday season and bad weather. Criticizing Diab's performance, he said the prime minister-designate had failed to express his vision for the structure of the new government; "We are facing an economic disaster and Lebanon does not have the luxury of time," he told Arab News. There are no divisions in the civil society movement, but different points of view. "One wants to continue the protests at the same pace, and another wants to wait for facts and results before formulating his position." December saw almost no demonstrators, with the exception of those clearing rainwater or pitching tents that had been destroyed by a storm.
On Saturday the “Fist of the Revolution” was also set up in Bechmezine ( Koura district ) and in Souk al-Khan in Hasbaiyya (near Sidon). With a tax protest, the demonstrators want to bring the protests into a new phase, reports Zvi Bar'el in Haaretz : “You are not ready to sit down and wait patiently. They are calling on the Lebanese to stop paying their electricity, water bills, local taxes, fines and even bank loans. ”“ As long as there is no government we trust to properly manage the state's money, no one can pay these taxes “, Explained the initiators in a tweet; they added assurances that the electricity company would not stop operating until two or three bills are not paid. The penalty for non-payment is also not a deterrent. This is the equivalent of $ 3 regardless of the amount of outstanding debt. It could also explain why the Lebanese electricity company, which has become a symbol of waste and bad management, has an estimated $ 2 billion in debt. The energy company, which is responsible for a significant portion of Lebanon's total national debt, is not only suffering from a failure to collect outstanding bills. Other problems include inflated wages, electricity theft , poor maintenance of power lines and unreliable power plants. A group of activists held a sit-in outside the residence of Prime Minister-designate Hassan Diab in Tallat al-Khayat on Sunday (December 29). They shouted slogans for him to withdraw, claiming the country needed an independent cabinet.
Meanwhile, attempts to form a national salvation government have failed after some Sunni politicians refused to accept ministerial posts in the leadership, wrote Najia Houssari (Arab News). The Future Movement , the largest Sunni parliamentary bloc, is boycotting attempts to form a new government. Nasser Yassin, acting director of the Issam Fares Institute for Public Order and International Affairs at the American University of Beirut, told Arab News that he had turned down an application for a ministerial post. Yassin described the portfolio as a "suicide squad". Yassin went on to say that the offer of a ministerial post "has nothing to do with representing the movement, but rather because I am a Sunni figure, given that other people refuse to participate in the government." The parties that have been in power for decades lack any concept of justice and human rights. Nothing will change if these politicians are not removed from power and replaced by a new generation of academics equipped with new concepts that prevent them from using power to enrich themselves and exert influence. "
Lebanese Forces Chairman Samir Geagea said at a party meeting that the immediate solution is to "form a government whose members are all independent technocrats because the economic wheel cannot be revitalized with the same forces present." Muhammad Al-Hajjar, a member of the parliamentary bloc of the Movement of the Future, said that while the new government appears to be technocratic, it is in fact political. "I'm afraid it will not win the trust of the people and the international community that is watching over what happens in Lebanon," he said.
The Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi warned on Sunday of "the exclusion or exclusion of a major component in Lebanon" as part of the ongoing negotiations to form a new government. "Lebanon cannot be ruled through hegemony , confrontation or a unilateral government," warned al-Rahi in his Sunday mass. "The victims of the young men and women of this positive national uprising should be given their true worth so that we do not despair them," said the patriarch. Despair would lead to "a negative and destructive revolt, " he warned. "We therefore reaffirm your call for a government that is independent of political parties and that brings together a harmonious team of competent and upright experts," said al-Rahi. Such a government would "work out and implement a rescue plan under parliamentary supervision that represents all components of Lebanese society," he added.
The Lebanese authorities are trying Hamas boss Ismail Haniyeh to refuse, given the continuing protests and instability in the country permission to visit Lebanon, reported the Saudi newspaper Elaph. Haniyeh would like to meet Hezbollah terrorist group leader Hassan Nasrallah, Druze leader Walid Jumblatt, and other Lebanese leaders, Hamas added. Lebanese security agencies fear that a visit to Haniyeh could lead to tensions over the internal Lebanese situation and ongoing disputes in Palestinian refugee camps between supporters of Fatah and Hamas.
On Monday, the 75th day of the nationwide protests against the state, small groups of demonstrators turned against financial institutions across Lebanon.
A number of demonstrators held protests against the banks in front of Lebanese banks in Beirut's Ashrafieh district, in Zahlé and in Kabershmoun near Beirut on December 30th . The civil movement welcomed the decisions of the Parliament's Committee on Information and Communication at its meeting in Parliament on Tuesday (December 31), reports MTV. Groups of demonstrators had previously gathered in front of parliament to object to the extension of the mandate of both Lebanese mobile phone companies. The meeting coincided with the meeting of the Parliament's Committee on Information and Communication.
See also
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b Helen Sullivan: The Making of Lebanon's October Revolution. The New Yorker, October 29, 2019, accessed October 29, 2019 .
- ↑ Manifestations au Liban: Femmes en premiere ligne. TV 5 Monde, October 23, 2019, accessed on October 23, 2019 (French).
- ^ Hanin Ghaddar: Iran Is Losing the Middle East, Protests in Lebanon and Iraq Show. Tehran may be good at winning influence, but it is bad at ruling after that. Foreign Policy, October 22, 2019, accessed October 22, 2019 .
- ↑ Carolne Hayek (with Julie Kebbi): Quand la jeunesse révoltée ressuscite les lieux cultes de Beyrouth. L'Orint le Jour, October 22, 2019, accessed on October 23, 2019 (French).
- ↑ Gil Yaron: WhatsApp tax riot in Paris in the Middle East. Die Welt , October 21, 2019, accessed on October 24, 2019 .
- ↑ Lebanon protests: What's happening and why are people demonstrating? BBC News, October 24, 2019, accessed October 24, 2019 .
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- ↑ Chaotic scenes and shots during protests in Lebanon - demonstrators in Beirut blocked the way to parliament with human chains. Northern Bavaria, October 19, 2019, accessed on November 19, 2019 .
- ↑ Naharnet Newsdesk: Gunshots Fired from Lawmaker's convoy in Bab Idriss. Naharnet, October 19, 2019, accessed November 19, 2019 .
- ↑ Naharnet Newsdesk: 3 Riad al-Solh Protesters Hurt in Evening scuffles with riot police. Naharnet, October 20, 2019, accessed November 20, 2019 .
- ^ Protesters force parliament to postpone session. The Daily Star, October 19, 2019, accessed November 19, 2019 .
- ^ Yaacoubian: Delay in parliamentary consultations leads to worsening of economic crisis. LBCI News, October 19, 2019, accessed on November 19, 2019 .
- ↑ Jreissati to LBCI: Obstructing an institution: such as the parliament is not a victory. LBCI News, October 19, 2019, accessed on November 19, 2019 .
- ↑ Uprising day 35: Roadblocks in north Lebanon. The Daily Star, October 20, 2019, accessed November 20, 2019 .
- ↑ Workers protest outside Social Affairs Ministry over delayed salaries. The Daily Star, October 20, 2019, accessed November 20, 2019 .
- ^ UN calls for the formation of a government that responds to protesters aspirations. LBCI News, October 20, 2019, accessed November 21, 2019 .
- ↑ Jumblat Says Presidential Term, Taef Accord Have 'Ended'. Naharnet, October 20, 2019, accessed November 21, 2019 .
- ↑ Mohammed Shukeir: Lebanon: Fears of Open-ended Political Crisis Amid Communications Interruption. Asharq Al-Awsat, October 20, 2019, accessed November 20, 2019 .
- ↑ Nouveau report de l'interrogatoire de Amer Fakhoury, hospitalisé. L'Orient Le Jour, October 20, 2019, accessed on November 21, 2019 .
- ↑ Lebanon's President Michel Aoun during one of his few addresses to the nation since protests began, on October 24. al-Arabiya (Reuters), October 20, 2019, accessed on November 20, 2019 .
- ^ Protest staged outside LIU campus in Sidon. LBCI News, October 21, 2019, accessed November 21, 2019 .
- ↑ Head of State, President of Parliament and Head of Government
- ↑ Citizens gather outside Rashaya citadel to protest against traditional Independence Day visit. LBCI News, October 21, 2019, accessed November 21, 2019 .
- ^ Palestinians protest outside UNRWA office in Bekaa. LBCI News, October 21, 2019, accessed November 21, 2019 .
- ↑ Lebanese soldier charged with murder after protester killing. The Nee Arab, October 21, 2019, accessed November 21, 2019 .
- ^ Protesters Block Roads across Lebanon after President Speech. Naharnet, October 21, 2019, accessed November 22, 2019 .
- ↑ Assailant Torches' Revolution's Fist 'in Martyrs' Square. Naharnet, November 22, 2019, accessed November 22, 2019 .
- ↑ Protesters Say 'Real Independence' Close as Lebanon Turns 76. Naharnet, October 22, 2019, accessed November 22, 2019 .
- ^ Protesters march for Independence Day, 37th day of uprising. The Daily Star, October 22, 2019, accessed November 22, 2019 .
- ↑ Hassan worried as leaders observe Independence Day. The Daily Star, October 22, 2019, accessed November 22, 2019 .
- ^ Hassan: Investigation initiated into cases of unrest in some places. MTV, October 22, 2019, accessed on November 22, 2019 .
- ↑ Naharnet Newsdesk: Protesters Close Exchange Shops in Tripoli as Uprising Enters Day 38. Naharnet, October 23, 2019, accessed on November 23, 2019 .
- ^ UN Security Council to tackle Lebanon's situation in Monday session. LBCI NEws, October 23, 2019, accessed on November 23, 2019 .
- ^ Uprising day 39: Protesters reclaim the coast. The Daily Star, October 24, 2019, accessed November 24, 2019 .
- ^ Scores protest foreign interference outside the US Embassy. The Daily Star, October 24, 2019, accessed November 24, 2019 .
- ^ Protestors burn American, Israeli flags. National NewsAgency, October 24, 2019, accessed November 24, 2019 .
- ↑ Naharnet Newsdesk: Report: No Govt. Breakthrough Expected Next Week. Naharnet, October 24, 2019, accessed November 24, 2019 .
- ↑ Lebanon protesters and Hezbollah, Amal supporters clash in Beirut. Al Jazeera, October 24, 2019, accessed November 25, 2019 .
- ^ Hezbollah, Amal supporters attack protesters. The Daily Star, October 25, 2019, accessed November 25, 2019 .
- ^ Protesters have called for a general strike to be held on Monday across Lebanon with cutting off of some roads in Beirut. LBCI NEws, October 24, 2019, accessed on November 25, 2019 .
- ↑ Naharnet Newsdesk: Protesters Defiant despite attack by Hizbullah, AMAL Supporters. Naharnet, October 25, 2019, accessed November 25, 2019 .
- ↑ Naharnet Newsdesk: State Prosecutor Orders sample into Central Beirut Violence. Naharnet, October 25, 2019, accessed November 25, 2019 .
- ↑ Day 40: Protesters on the streets, but no nationwide strike. The Daily Star, October 25, 2019, accessed November 25, 2019 .
- ↑ Naharnet Newsdesk: Hizbullah calls Car Crash near Jiye roadblock a 'terrorist crime'. Naharnet, October 25, 2019, accessed November 23, 2019 .
- ↑ Video shows moment road accident occurs on Jiyeh highway. LBCI News, October 25, 2019, accessed November 25, 2019 .
- ↑ Hezbollah deplores Jiyeh incident, condemns death of two innocent citizens. NNA, October 25, 2019, accessed November 25, 2019 .
- ↑ Lebanese protesters clash with supporters of Hezbollah, Amal in Beirut. Reuter, October 25, 2019, accessed on November 25, 2019 .
- ↑ Naharnet Newsdesk: Gunfire, Tensions as Hizbullah, AMAL Supporters Roam Streets on Motorbikes. Naharnet, November 25, 2019, accessed November 26, 2019 .
- ^ Clashes, gunfire in Lebanon in second night of violence. Al-Ahram, November 26, 2019, accessed November 26, 2019 .
- ↑ Naharnet Newsdesk: Report: Army Determined to Ban Road Bloc Kages after clashes. Naharnet, November 26, 2019, accessed November 26, 2019 .
- ↑ Naharnet Newsdesk: Report: 'Shadow Government' Could Be Formed to Speak for protesters. Naharnet, November 27, 2019, accessed November 27, 2019 .
- ↑ Islamic Supreme Islamic Council: Lebanon is in dire need today of a rescue government. LBCI News, November 26, 2019, accessed November 26, 2019 .
- ↑ Naharnet Newsdesk: Al-Rahi Slams Attack on protesters as 'Attack on Lebanon'. Naharnet, November 27, 2019, accessed November 27, 2019 .
- ↑ a b Timour Azhari: Lebanese face off at civil war flashpoint as tensions rise - Third night of clashes between party supporters and protesters threatens largely peaceful Lebanon rallies. Al Jazeera, November 26, 2019, accessed November 27, 2019 .
- ↑ Naharnet Newsdesk: onfrontation between FPM, Kataeb supporters in Bikfaya. Nharnet, November 27, 2019, accessed November 27, 2019 .
- ↑ Watch: Party supporters attack protesters in Baalbek. MTV, November 26, 2019, accessed on November 26, 2019 .
- ^ Tripoli Protesters Call for Mass Rallies after Night of Tension. November 24, 2019, accessed November 27, 2019 .
- ↑ Naharnet Newsdesk: Overnight clashes in Lebanon Injure Dozens as Tensions Rise. Naharnet, November 27, 2019, accessed November 27, 2019 .
- ^ Mothers lead march between Muslim-Christian suburbs. The Daily Star, November 28, 2019, accessed November 28, 2019 .
- ↑ Naharnet Newsdesk: Mothers, Residents of Ain el-Rummaneh, Shiyyah March Together after Unrest. Naharnet, November 27, 2019, accessed November 27, 2019 .
- ↑ Reuters: Violence Grows as Lebanese Crisis Deepens. Haaretz , December 1, 2019, accessed on December 1, 2019 .
- ↑ Naharnet Newsdesk: Economic Committees Call Off Strike as Gas Stations Close Indefinitely. Naharnet, November 27, 2019, accessed November 27, 2019 .
- ^ Protesters block entrance to VAT building. MTV, November 28, 2019, accessed on November 28, 2019 .
- ^ Protesters gather outside BDL in Hamra. LBCI News, November 27, 2019, accessed November 27, 2019 .
- ↑ Exchange shops go on strike on Friday. LBCI News, November 28, 2019, accessed on November 29, 2019 .
- ↑ Gas stations in Lebanon continue their strike. LBCI News, November 28, 2019, accessed on November 29, 2019 .
- ↑ Petrol station strike paralyzes Lebanon as crisis deepens. Al Jazeera, November 30, 2019, accessed November 30, 2019 .
- ↑ Anti-refugee demonstration at the EU Embassy. The Daily Star, November 30, 2019, accessed November 30, 2019 .
- ↑ Naharnet Newsdesk: Groups split over 'Welcoming, repatriating' Refugees. Naharnet, November 30, 2019, accessed November 30, 2019 .
- ↑ Uprising Day 45: Women lead unity march on Ring Bridge. The Daily Star, November 30, 2019, accessed November 30, 2019 .
- ↑ Naharnet Newsdesk: Gas Station Owners Suspend Strike. Naharnet, November 30, 2019, accessed November 30, 2019 .
- ^ Solidarity sit-in held outside Iraqi embassy. LBCI News, November 30, 2019, accessed November 30, 2019 .
- ^ Protesters march Tripoli streets. LBCI News, December 1, 2019, accessed December 1, 2019 .
- ↑ Naharnet Newsdesk: Heavy Security Measures in Baabda ahead of rival demonstrations. Naharnet, December 1, 2019, accessed December 1, 2019 .
- ^ Protesters march from outside National Museum to Sodeco. LBCI News, December 1, 2019, accessed December 1, 2019 .
- ↑ Hbeish to LBCI: Lebanon heading towards disaster and total collapse. LBCI News, December 1, 2019, accessed December 1, 2019 .
- ^ Protesters storm into Beirut Justice Palace. LBCI News, December 2, 2019, accessed December 2, 2019 .
- ^ Protesters stage sit-in outside Energy Ministry. LBCI News, December 2, 2019, accessed December 2, 2019 .
- ↑ Protesters continue sit-in outside BDL in numbers. LBCI News, December 2, 2019, accessed December 2, 2019 .
- ^ Sit-in held outside Association of Banks in Lebanon. LBCI News, December 2, 2019, accessed December 2, 2019 .
- ↑ Naharnet Newsdesk: Protesters in Tripoli Block Roads, State and Public Institutions. Naharnet, December 3, 2019, accessed December 3, 2019 .
- ↑ No breakthrough was achieved until present over who would be named Lebanon's next premier despite the contacts made by candidate Samir al-Khatib. LBCI News, December 3, 2019, accessed December 3, 2019 .
- ↑ Naharnet Newsdesk: protest, road blockages after Reported consensus on PM. Naharnet, December 4, 2019, accessed December 4, 2019 .
- ↑ Naharnet Newsdesk: Al-Rahi Describes Call for PM Consultations as 'New Dawn'. Naharnet, December 3, 2019, accessed December 3, 2019 .
- ↑ Naharnet Newsdesk: Protesters block Ring Road after Suicide, overnight clashes. Naharnet, December 5, 2019, accessed December 5, 2019 .
- ↑ a b Najia Houssari: Lebanese protesters vow to step up demonstrations as decision on new prime minister looms. Arab News, December 6, 2019, accessed December 6, 2019 .
- ↑ Day 51: Protests outside state institutions. The Daily Star, December 6, 2019, accessed December 6, 2019 .
- ^ Molotov cocktail thrown at the FPM office in Jounieh. LBCI News, December 6, 2019, accessed December 6, 2019 .
- ↑ Protesters hold sit-in held outside ESCWA, demand return of Syrian refugees. LBCI News, December 6, 2019, accessed December 6, 2019 .
- ↑ Protesters close Zahle Serail entrance with large Lebanese flag. LBCI News, December 6, 2019, accessed December 6, 2019 .
- ^ Activists stage protest outside Council for Development and Reconstruction. LBCI NEws, December 7, 2019, accessed December 7, 2019 .
- ↑ Silent rally staged from Hamra to Martyrs Square in solidarity with sexual harassment survivors. LBCI NEws, December 7, 2019, accessed December 7, 2019 .
- ↑ Citizens stage protest in Qraytem, call for a technocratic cabinet and recovery of stolen public funds. LBCI NEws, December 7, 2019, accessed December 7, 2019 .
- ^ "Independence Movement" Head, MP Michel Mouawad, announced in a statement Saturday that he will be naming Ambassador Nawwaf Salam to head the next government. NNA, December 7, 2019, accessed December 7, 2019 .
- ↑ Khatib from Bayt al-Wasat: I announce withdrawal from premiership race. LBCI News, December 3, 2019, accessed December 3, 2019 .
- ↑ Audi: Country is being ruled by one person and an armed group. LBCI News, December 8, 2019, accessed December 8, 2019 .
- ^ Protesters hold march in Tripoli. LBCI News, December 8, 2019, accessed December 8, 2019 .
- ↑ Protesters block seaside road under Tripoli's Palma Bridge. LBCI News, December 9, 2019, accessed December 9, 2019 .
- ↑ Roads cut off in Saadnayel and Tripoli. MTV, December 9, 2019, accessed December 9, 2019 .
- ^ Army: Six Troops Injured in Clashes between Protesters, Karami Supporters. Naharnet, December 10, 2019, accessed December 10, 2019 .
- ↑ Naharnet Newsdesk: AMAL, Hizbullah Supporters Try to Storm Riad al-Solh, Repelled by Tear Gas. Naharnet, December 10, 2019, accessed December 11, 2019 .
- ^ Clashes Between Followers of Shia Parties, Police Taking Place in Downtown Beirut. Sputnik News, December 11, 2019, accessed on December 12, 2019 .
- ↑ Naharnet Newsdesk: Lebanon Protesters rally against State Institutions. Naharnet, December 12, 2019, accessed December 12, 2019 .
- ↑ Naharnet Newsdesk: Army Arrests Protesters in Jal el-Dib. Naharnet, December 13, 2019, accessed December 13, 2019 .
- ↑ Protesters storm into Ogero building in Bir Hassan in Beirut. LBCI News, December 13, 2019, accessed December 13, 2019 .
- ↑ a b Lebanese forces clash with Hezbollah and Amal supporters. Al Jazeera, December 17, 2019, accessed December 17, 2019 .
- ↑ Tension renews in central Beirut as security forces fire tear gas to disperse protesters. LBCI News, December 16, 2019, accessed December 16, 2019 .
- ^ Clash between supporters of Speaker Berri and protesters in central Beirut. LBCI News, December 16, 2019, accessed December 16, 2019 .
- ^ Timour Azhari: Angry confrontations in Lebanon before parliament sitting. Al Jazeera, December 15, 2019, accessed December 16, 2019 .
- ↑ a b Naharnet Newsdesk: Analyst: Monday Unrest May Have Been on Attempt to Undermine protest. Naharnet, December 17, 2019, accessed December 18, 2019 .
- ↑ Naharnet Newsdesk: Protesters Storm Commerce Chamber during Meeting Attended by Choucair. Naharnet, December 17, 2019, accessed December 17, 2019 .
- ↑ Naharnet Newsdesk: Security Measures Upped at protest sites after Violence. Naharnet, December 18, 2019, accessed December 18, 2019 .
- ↑ Naharnet Newsdesk: Kubis Warns Against Sectarian Provocations 'Politically Motivated Instigators of Violence'. Naharnet, December 17, 2019, accessed December 17, 2019 .
- ↑ Naharnet Newsdesk: Mob Attacks Cleric's Office in Tripoli, Burns Christmas Tree. Naharnet, December 18, 2019, accessed December 18, 2019 .
- ↑ Naharnet Newsdesk: Hassan Diab Garners 69 votes in Binding Parliamentary Consultations. Naharnet, December 10, 2019, accessed December 10, 2019 .
- ↑ Timour Azhari: Lebanese president asks Hassan Diab to form government. Al Jazeera, December 19, 2019, accessed December 20, 2019 .
- ↑ Finbar Anderson: 'Trust is lost': Protests continue in Beirut as Lebanon picks new PM. Middle East Eye, December 19, 2019, accessed December 20, 2019 .
- ^ NNA - Protesters have been blocking many roads in the central Bekaa region. NNA, December 20, 2019, accessed December 20, 2019 .
- ↑ Maria Zakhour: Lebanon's New Prime Minister intents to form His Gov't Before the Week Ends. The 961, December 20, 2019, accessed December 20, 2019 .
- ↑ Naharnet Newsdesk: Clashes between Army Renew, Mustaqbal Supporters in Corniche al-Mazraa. Naharnet, December 20, 2019, accessed December 21, 2019 .
- ^ "Tree of the Revolution" in Martyrs' Square. LBCI NEws, December 22, 2019, accessed December 22, 2019 .
- ^ The Christmas Tree in Central Beirut Lit Up with Patriotic Slogans. The 961, December 21, 2019, accessed December 22, 2019 .
- ^ Memorial for Martyr Alaa Abou Fakher unveiled in Khaldeh. LBCI News, December 21, 2019, accessed on December 22, 2019 .
- ↑ Naharnet Newsdesk: Al-Rahi Urges No roadblocks, Calls for 'Cooperation' with Diab. Naharnet, December 22, 2019, accessed December 22, 2019 .
- ↑ Naharnet Newsdesk: Protesters Denounce Diab's meeting with 'Civil Society Figures'. Naharnet, December 22, 2019, accessed December 22, 2019 .
- ↑ NNA: Security forces have widely deployed outside the residence of Prime Minister-designate Hassan Diab. NNA, December 22, 2019, accessed December 22, 2019 .
- ↑ “Revolution fist” raised in numbers. LBCI NEws, December 22, 2019, accessed on December 23, 2019 .
- ↑ Activists organize series of campaigns to spread Christmas spirit amid difficult economic conditions. LBCI News, December 22, 2019, accessed on December 23, 2019 .
- ↑ Hundreds share Christmas dinner in Martyrs' Square. The Daily Star, December 23, 2019, accessed December 24, 2019 .
- ↑ Tony Birtley: Lower turnout as protesters rally against new Lebanon PM: Protesters call for economic, political reforms as Prime Minister-designate Hassan Diab readies to pick new cabinet. Al Jazeera, December 3, 2019, accessed December 3, 2019 .
- ↑ Lebanon protest leaders shun PM-designate Diab's call for talks. RT: ONLINE, December 23, 2019, accessed on December 23, 2019 .
- ↑ Diab refuses to step aside, plans 20-member Cabinet. The Daily Star, December 23, 2019, accessed December 23, 2019 .
- ↑ Naharnet Newsdesk: Report: Shunning demonstrator Relay Message PM-Designate. Naharnet, December 24, 2019, accessed December 24, 2019 .
- ↑ Naharnet Newsdesk: Rahi: Lebanon Rulers Brought to Collapse and Citizens to Poverty. Naharnet, December 24, 2019, accessed December 25, 2019 .
- ↑ Naharnet Newsdesk: Activists Storm Banks Protesting Illegal Capital Controls. Naharnet, December 28, 2019, accessed December 28, 2019 .
- ↑ a b Najia Houssari: Activists reject candidates for new Lebanon government. Arab News, December 28, 2019, accessed December 28, 2019 .
- ↑ Revolution fist raised in Koura and Hasbaya. LBCI News, December 20, 2019, accessed December 20, 2019 .
- ↑ Zvi Bar'el: Analysis Lebanon Protesters Are Wielding the Ultimate Weapon. Haaretz, December 28, 2019, accessed on December 28, 2019 .
- ↑ Activists stage sit-in outside Hassan Diab's residence in Tallat al-Khayat. LBCI News, December 29, 2019, accessed on December 29, 2019 .
- ↑ a b Najia Houssari: Lebanon: Protesters Storm Beirut Bank As Fears Over Economy Mount. EurasiaReview, December 29, 2019, accessed December 29, 2019 .
- ↑ Naharnet Newsdesk: Al-Rahi Warns against marginalizing 'Any Main Component in Lebanon'. Naharnet, December 29, 2019, accessed December 30, 2019 .
- ^ Protesters targeted financial institutions across Lebanon Monday, marking the 75th day of nationwide anti-state protests. The Daily Star, December 30, 2019, accessed December 31, 2019 .
- ^ Protesters shout “we are not paying” outside Lebanese banks. LBCI News, December 30, 2019, accessed December 31, 2019 .
- ^ National News Agency: Civil movement welcomes Communications Parliamentary Committee's decisions. MTV, December 31, 2019, accessed January 1, 2020 .