The Int’l Community and Its Blindness to Those Who Destroy Lebanon

Al-Nahar, Lebanon, August 6

The international community, in its dealings with Lebanon, resembles a judge to whom a woman rushes to seek help from her abusive husband. After the man harmed his wife and shattered their home, the judge looks the woman in the eye and explains at length the importance of the marriage institution and the role that the husband and father plays in the family. Lebanon’s political leaders are just like this abusive husband. Instead of understanding that the problem is with Lebanon’s ruling elites, the international community turns a blind eye to the country’s abusive political system and focuses, instead, on explaining why democracy is crucial for Lebanon’s future. A close read of the speeches delivered at the International Conference on Lebanon, co-hosted by France and the United Nations, serves as a case in point. The remarks delivered by French President Emmanuel Macron on the occasion of the first anniversary of the Beirut Port explosion revolved around so many different issues that they missed the most important mark. The truth about the Beirut Port explosion is that the investigation isn’t going anywhere because those in charge of conducting it are the same ones involved in the crime that led to the disaster. This issue isn’t limited to political immunity and corruption but extends well beyond it to the intimidation of witnesses. Investigations have shown that there are many in the port of Beirut who know important facts, but they won’t name names for fear of their own lives. Some of those who have been arrested in the aftermath of the disaster indicated that they have “groundbreaking” evidence, but they would rather spend years in prison than divulge any information that will send them to the grave. This means that the chasm between what everyone knows has happened and what officials are actually saying won’t be bridged until those involved in the crime step down from their positions of power. What is happening in Lebanon is one big tragedy that the international media refuses to recount. And as long as the balance of power remains the way it is today, nothing is likely to change in the foreseeable future. Those who are liable for Lebanon’s current state of affairs will continue to rule this country with impunity. –Faris Khashan (translated by Asaf Zilberfarb)