by aljazeera.com Farah Najjar– Beirut, Lebanon – Violent demonstrations were witnessed on the streets of central Beirut as protesters gathered in the heart of the capital near the main entrance to parliament, which has been heavily fortified with barbed wire, steel gates and metal plates. Protesters lobbed stones, firecrackers and street signs at riot police, who fired water cannons, tear gas and rubber-coated bullets in a bid to clear the area. Security forces stood behind the fortified wall as reinforcements were sent to block demonstrators from passing through via parallel roads in the area.

Lebanon announced the formation of a new government on Tuesday following three months of political blockade. However, the protesters say the new government comprises the same people they have been rallying against since October 17. “We want the government to work according to our needs. If not, to hell with them,” said Mohammed, a 23-year-old protester who is from Tripoli, in the country’s north, and who was present in the Beirut demonstrations. “If anything, the old cabinet that we rallied against is slightly better than this ‘one colour’ government,” he said, using a term to describe the new cabinet backed by Hezbollah and its allies.

Protesters have been calling for sweeping reforms and a government that is led by independent technocrats and that can deal with the crippling economic crisis and widespread corruption. Protesters reject members belonging to the current political elite, which has ruled Lebanon since the end of its civil war in 1990 and is considered responsible for the country’s economic crisis. “They’re still stealing from us. We don’t have electricity, we don’t have hospitals, and we are starving to death,” Mohammed added. “We’re forced to escalate, the revolution is no longer peaceful … we gave them a chance for 30 years.”

‘They’re playing with us’

 Lebanon has been without an effective government since caretaker Prime Minister Saad Hariri, under pressure from protests against state corruption and mismanagement, resigned in October. The country’s newly appointed Prime Minister Hassan Diab pledged on Tuesday that his government “will strive to meet their [the protesters’] demands for an independent judiciary, for the recovery of embezzled funds, [and] for the fight against illegal gains”. He also said his cabinet will adopt financial and economic methods different from those of previous governments, amid the country’s worst economic crisis in decades. But protesters insist that only a government of independent experts will have what it takes to save the country. Calls to dismantle ruling parties, which include groups that transitioned into politics since the country’s civil war, have also been a major demand of the protesters. “It’s bullsh*t … they’re playing with us. They are the same people with different faces,” Stephanie, a 30-year-old protester, said of the new government. “People are here because they have no jobs and they’re trying to tell the government that a change if needed. “But nothing is happening … they’re still robbing us, torturing us, [and] treating us like we don’t deserve anything good,” she said.

The Daily Star BEIRUT: Washington does “not know the answer yet” if it will work with the new Lebanese government, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Wednesday. “We’ll have to take a look at it. I don’t know the answer to that yet,” the top U.S. diplomat told Bloomberg in an interview from Jamaica. […]

by National —  Lebanon’s new Prime Minister Hassan Diab formed a government late on Tuesday, 34 days after he was nominated. The former university professor will have to address Lebanon’s worst economic crisis since the end of the civil war in 1990, amid nationwide protests. Mr Diab was intent on forming a government of 18 ministers but caved in at the last minute to political pressure and added two more to his Cabinet. Many had already taken to the streets on Tuesday to reject his government, which they consider to be of “one colour”. That meant it is backed by President Michel Aoun and his allies, including Iran-aligned Hezbollah, and does not include western-supported parties such as former prime minister Saad Hariri’s Future Movement.

The National asked three Lebanon experts for their take on the new government. “The government today is an interesting mix between specialists and others who are affiliated with political parties,” including advisers to former ministers, said Maha Yahya, director of the Carnegie Middle East Centre. Ms Yahya said one name stood out: Foreign Affairs Minister Nassif Hitti, a Maronite Christian and formerly Lebanon’s ambassador to the Arab League. “He is quite highly regarded and a good former diplomat,” she said. This is the first Lebanese Cabinet to include six women, including the first female Defence Minister, Zeina Akar. Ms Akar, a Greek-Orthodox Christian, is also the country’s first female Deputy Prime Minister. “Her appointment came out of left field. Nobody saw this coming,” Ms Yahya said. “She has never occupied a public office before.” But she criticised the process of forming the government, which was conducted as usual through back-door negotiations between political parties. “This is just not what protesters were aspiring to so I don’t think it’s going to end well,” Ms Yahya said. She also said the government might not be up to the task of addressing Lebanon’s rapidly deteriorating economic situation. “I cannot underestimate the size of the challenges that the country is facing on economic and fiscal terms, and their repercussions on society, on the standards of living, and in the medium term, on the stability of the country,” Ms Yahya said.

by naharnet.com — Lebanese activists on Monday launched a social media campaign to express outrage and solidarity with anti-government protesters who lost eyes after being hit by rubber bullets fired by riot police. The activists posted pictures of themselves covering one eye under the Arabic hashtag “Our Revolution Is Your Eyes”. Two protesters reportedly lost an eye each after being hit by rubber bullets in Sunday evening’s demo in central Beirut. In another show of defiance, demonstrators who said they took part in the weekend protests used the Arabic hashtag “The Infiltrator Is Me” and disclosed their full personal details in response to accusations by authorities that “infiltrators” are taking part in the demos. More than 540 people, including protesters and security forces, were wounded in the weekend violence in central Beirut, according to a toll compiled by AFP from figures provided by the Red Cross and Civil Defense.

Lawyers and rights groups have condemned “excessive” and “brutal” use of force by security forces, who they said hit protesters on the head, face and genitals. Human Rights Watch accused riot police of “launching tear gas canisters at protesters’ heads, firing rubber bullets in their eyes and attacking people at hospitals and a mosque.” The violence also drew condemnation from the United Nations, which called the crackdown “unacceptable.” A 22-year-old protester, who asked not to be named for security reasons, said he was severely beaten by security forces until he was bleeding in the head. “Four of them were beating me with batons,” said the man, who has been in the hospital since Saturday. “Then they dragged me on the ground before they started kicking me,” he told AFP. “One of them slammed the base of a tear gas launcher against my mouth, another jabbed my face.”

by Tarek Ali Ahmed — arabnews.com — DAVOS: Lebanese have erupted in anger after the country’s caretaker foreign minister was announced as a participant at the World Economic Forum conference in Davos. Activists have started an online petition called “No to Gebran Bassil at WEF”. “It’s a shame that the international community fails to see Gebran Bassil amongst the pool of failed politicians who have lead to the crisis Lebanon witnesses today,” Chermine Haidar, a Lebanese student at SOAS University in London, told Arab News. “He has for years incited sectarian violence in Lebanon, and today he is turning a blind eye to the devastating violence against civilians we’re witnessing,” she added. Bassil, who has been one of the protesters’ main targets, is set to speak in a panel session called “The Return of Arab Unrest” along with Hussain Sajwani, chairman of Dubai-based developer Damac Properties, Rached Ghannouchi, speaker of the Tunisian assembly and the Dutch trade minister Sigrid Kaag.

The panel, moderated by CNBC anchor Hadley Gamble, will discuss the rise of popular protests across the Middle East and how they can “be translated into a practical roadmap for positive change,” according to the session description. “What positive change will Gebran Bassil be talking about?” asked George Azzi on Twitter. “How to ignore protesters and oppress them? “There is a revolution against him in Beirut and he is invited to speak about a ‘practical roadmap to avoid past pitfalls?’ This panel is shameful!”

Another Lebanese expat, Catherine Warde, also reacted with disbelief at Bassil’s appearance. “How can someone who is so hated by their own people go and speak at the World Economic Forum when the people that they should be representing are being shot and tear gassed because of orders they gave out?” she said. The Lebanese protests erupted at the weekend into the worst violence since the demonstrations began in October. Hundreds of people were injured during clashes with riot police and the army. The online petition, which has reached more than 5,000 signatures, says: “We the People urge the World Economic Forum to rethink Mr Bassil’s invite and listen to the People of Lebanon, listen to their voice, the voice of truth, the voice of justice.” “He should not be present at a prestigious international forum such as Davos in our name. He should not be given a legitimate platform to cement his power and to speak on behalf of a nation that has rejected him and accuses him of flagrant corruption.” One Lebanese twitter user, Rula El-Halabi, tweeted a poll that asked Lebanese citizens whether they agree with Bassil representing Lebanon at the forum. Some 76 percent out of the 17,551 who responded voted “No.”

by lorientlejour.com — Le bâtonnier de Beyrouth, Melhem Khalaf, a pris lundi avec grandiloquence la défense d’un avocat très âgé, sorti d’une salle d’audience par un juge parce qu’il parlait trop fort, selon des éléments obtenus par L’Orient-Le Jour qui a interrogé l’un des acteurs de l’affaire, en l’occurence le président du Tribunal pénal chargé des affaires criminelles, Sami Sodqi, ainsi qu’un membre du conseil de l’Ordre des avocats. “Le juge Sodqi présidait une audience et a entendu quelqu’un parler fort. On l’a informé qu’il s’agissait de l’avocat Malek Oueidate. Le juge a alors demandé qu il sorte de la salle d’audience”, raconte à L’OLJ Nader Gaspard, membre du Conseil de l’ordre des avocats et commissaire du Palais de justice de Beyrouth près du gouvernement.

Selon des sources concordantes, l’avocat, qui aurait des problèmes d’audition, discutait avec son épouse au téléphone d’une histoire de médicaments. Informé de l’incident, M. Gaspard s’est rendu, en compagnie du bâtonnier, auprès de l’avocat. “Melhem Khalaf, le secrétaire général de l’Ordre, Saadeddine Khatib et moi, ainsi que plusieurs avocats, avons trouvé l’avocat en dehors de la salle d’audience assis sur un banc”, poursuit M. Gaspard. La vidéo du bâtonnier rhabillant Malek Oueidate de sa robe d’avocat a fait le tour des réseaux sociaux.

 by AP — Lebanese security forces prepared for more violence on Sunday after a night of protests over the country’s worsening financial situation gripped Lebanon’s capital. Demonstrators used rocks and other projectiles early Sunday while security forces responded by firing tear gas canisters and water cannons, before turning to rubber bullets. A few protesters tried to breach metal barriers that separated them from the riot police, while hundreds more gathered down the blocked street leading to the Parliament building.

At least 70 people were injured in the first 90 minutes of the clashes, including 30 transported to hospitals for treatment, according to the Red Cross. Reporters on the scene said most of the injured were from rubber bullets. Earlier Sunday, security forces reinforced the metal barriers surrounding the Parliament building in central Beirut, after the worst night of violence since protests erupted several months ago. Saturday’s clashes left nearly 400 people injured, according to the Red Cross and the Lebanese Civil Defense. Lebanon’s Internal Security Forces said 142 of its members were injured, some with serious concussions. Lebanon’s military made a show of force on Sunday, heavily deploying in downtown Beirut and patrolling ahead of the rallies. Riot police were in the front line guarding Parliament.

Sunday’s unrest comes a day after President Michel Aoun called on the military to intervene as fierce clashes broke out between protesters and police. “We’re not scared. This is all for our future and our children,” shoemaker Bassam Taleb told Reuters at the protest. “The country is frozen. The state is not doing a thing, they’re a bunch of thieves. And if you have money in the bank, you can’t even get a hundred dollars out.” Earlier in Beirut on Sunday, shopkeepers, banks and other businesses swept up broken glass and boarded-up windows. Workers at one bank took down the large sign with its name to remove any identifier and avoid soliciting anger from protesters, who smashed the windows and the facade of Lebanon’s Banking Association headquarters with metal bars on Saturday. The demonstrators widely blame Lebanese financial institutions, alongside government corruption, for the crippling economic crisis. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

 An AFP photographer at the scene said security forces fired rubber bullets at stone-throwing protesters as thick clouds of tear gas covered central Beirut. On Sunday, local television aired the testimonies of relatives of two young men they said were hit in the eyes by rubber bullets. Human Rights Watch condemned what it called “the brutal use of force unleashed by Lebanon’s riot police against largely peaceful demonstrators”. “Riot police showed a blatant disregard for their human rights obligations, instead launching tear gas canisters at protesters’ heads, firing rubber bullets in their eyes and attacking people at hospitals and a mosque,” said its deputy Middle East director Michael Page. The authorities must act quickly “to end this culture of impunity for police abuse”, he said. Saturday’s clashes began after dozens of protesters threw stones and plant pots at security forces, and tried to charge police lines near parliament with traffic signs. The security forces responded with water cannon and thick tear gas. Protesters had called for a week of “anger” over the political leadership’s failure to form a new government even as the country sinks deeper into a financial crisis.

 ‘STOP WASTING TIME’

The NNA said around 30 people were briefly detained after the violence on Saturday. Security forces said they had opened an probe after a video shared online showed police beating up people believed to be protesters as they were brought to a Beirut police station. “Another day without a government, another night of violence and clashes,” UN envoy to Lebanon Jan Kubis said on Twitter. Outgoing prime minister Saad Hariri, who stepped down on October 29, urged political parties to “stop wasting time”. “Form a government and pave the way towards political and economic solutions,” he said.

This is an opinion article and does not necessarily represent khazen.org opinion 

Syria’s invisible hand in Lebanon confronts Iran’s allies

by Dr Basem Shabb  — Since October 17, a nationwide uprising took Lebanese by storm, forcing then prime minister Saad Hariri and his Cabinet to step down. In December, Iran-backed Hezbollah and its ally, the Christian Free Patriotic Movement, or FPM, were duped into naming Dr Hassan Diab, a Sunni academic, as prime minister designate. It is the prime minister designate’s duty by law to form the Cabinet but acting foreign minister and head of the FPM, Gebran Bassil mistakenly thought he could impose his preferred nominees on a relatively unknown prime minister and divide the spoils with Hezbollah. Much to the dismay of Mr Bassil, Mr Diab appears bent on forming a government of unaffiliated experts, in compliance with the demands of protesters. Mr Diab has challenged Mr Bassil as well as his father-in-law Lebanese President Michel Aoun, with active support from pro-Syrian politicians, most notably member of parliament Jamil Al Sayyed. Other pro-Syrian factions voiced their demands to be represented in the new government, effectively competing with the FPM for the next Cabinet’s 18 ministries.

 It seems that Mr Diab, far from being weak and isolated, has considerable support from Pro-Syrian factions opposed to Mr Hariri. Grand Mufti Abdul Latif Darian and other Sunni dignitaries have refrained from criticising Mr Diab, avoiding the thorny issue of his legitimacy within the community. More importantly, the Saudi leadership has yet to take a position on Mr Diab, which may indicate that they are ready to give him a chance. Syrian President Bashar Al Assad has yet to comment on the situation but Druze politician Wiam Wahhab, one of Syria’s closest allies in Lebanon, has indicated he was the one to suggest Mr Diab for the position of prime minister. The Russians first endorsed Mr Hariri but after Mr Diab was officially nominated, they have assumed a neutral stance. Western powers are closely watching as Lebanese politicians bicker while the economy is in free fall.

by france 24 — Clashes between police and protesters in Lebanon angered by delays in forming a government wounded more than 160 people on both sides Saturday as anti-establishment demonstrations enter a fourth month. The sound of ambulance sirens rang out across Beirut as the Red Cross reported 65 wounded had been taken to hospital and 100 more were treated on site. On Saturday evening, fire tore through protest tents in an iconic square in central Beirut. It was not immediately clear what caused the blaze. According to the spokesman, there were injuries on both sides. The protest movement rocking Lebanon since October 17 revived this week as a deepening economic crisis increases pressure to form a new government. No progress appears to have been made towards finalising the cabinet, which protesters demand be comprised of independent experts and exclude all established political parties. ‘We won’t pay the price’

Earlier, marches converged on the city centre from across Beirut, with demonstrators chanting “We won’t pay the price”. But near parliament, dozens of protesters threw rocks and large plant pots at police guarding the institution. Others charged police blockades with traffic signs and metal barriers. Security forces behind the barricades responded with water cannon and tear gas to disperse the crowds. Lebanon’s Interior Minister Raya el-Hassan said it was unacceptable for protesters to attack security forces. “I always asserted the right to protest, but for the protests to turn into a blatant assault on the security forces, on public and private property, is condemned and not acceptable at all,” she said in a tweet. The Internal Security Forces also took to the social media: “A direct and violent confrontation is taking place with anti-riot police at one of the entrances to parliament”, they tweeted. “We ask peaceful protesters to keep away from the site of the rioting for their safety.” They published photos of several wounded policemen and a video showing pillars stripped of their tiles, reportedly to be thrown at security forces.

by AFP — BEIRUT: Protesters blocked several main roads across Lebanon on Friday as unprecedented demonstrations against a political elite accused of corruption and incompetence entered their fourth month. The protest movement rocking Lebanon since October 17 has resurged this week, over delays in forming a new cabinet to address the country’s growing economic crisis. No progress seemed to have been made on a final lineup, which protesters demand be made up solely of independent experts and exclude traditional political parties. In central Beirut, dozens of protesters Friday stood between parked cars blocking a key thoroughfare linking the city’s east and west. “We blocked the road with cars because it’s something they can’t move,” Marwan Karam said.

The protester condemned what he regarded as efforts to form yet another government in which power is divided among the traditional parties. “We don’t want a government of masked political figures,” the 30-year-old told AFP. “Any such government will fall. We won’t give it any chance in the street.” Forming a new cabinet is often a drawn-out process in Lebanon, where a complex system seeks to maintain balance between the various political parties and a multitude of religious confessions. Nearby, Carlos Yammine, 32, said he did not want yet another “cake-sharing government”. “What we have asked for from the start of the movement is a reduced, transitional, emergency government of independents,” he said, leaning against his car. Demonstrators also blocked roads in second city Tripoli Friday morning, although they were cleared later in the day, local media reported. Protests also took place in the southern port city of Tyre later in the day.

‘Unacceptable’ violence

by arabnews.com –RANDA TAKIEDDINE — A few days after the killing of Qassem Soleimani in Iraq, Hezbollah exhibited, all along the road to Beirut’s Rafik Hariri International Airport, posters bearing the portrait of the leading member of Iran’s Quds Force, who was responsible for killings, massacres and troubles in Syria, Iraq and Lebanon. This was a shocking scene to a Lebanese patriot. Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hezbollah, said Iran’s missile attacks on Iraqi military bases that host US troops was just “a slap” and promised they were only the beginning of the actions that would be taken in response to the US‘ killing of Soleimani. Nasrallah, Iran’s man in Lebanon, made an aggressive speech, in which he presented the goals of his party and his Iranian sponsor: Attacks on American targets in the Middle East with the aim of removing US military forces from the region.

At the same time, Hezbollah MPs and ministers in the caretaker Lebanese government made it publicly known that the party wanted the quick formation of a new government at any cost. However, despite their support of the designated prime minister, Hassan Diab, they failed to obtain a quick understanding between their allies, namely the caretaker Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil, who wanted seven ministerial positions for his followers, and Nabih Berri, the Shiite Speaker of Parliament, who disagreed with Bassil. Meanwhile, the demonstrations have resumed in Lebanon, with protesters objecting to Diab and all the political class, who they describe as “corrupt and responsible for the disastrous economic and financial situation that is wrecking the lives of the people, young and old, in the country.” Violence erupted near the Central Bank on Tuesday. Some accused Hezbollah and its ally the Amal Movement of having infiltrated the peaceful demonstrators, breaking windows and causing injuries. Hezbollah and Amal deny this.