France’s Enduring Support for Lebanon
The President of the Republic, Emmanuel Macron, reiterated on Sunday, August 4, the unwavering commitment of France to Lebanon, four years after the deadly explosion that rocked the port of Beirut, against a backdrop of renewed tensions between Israel and the Lebanese Hezbollah. Macron expressed, “Beirut, a salute from my heart. Four years after the explosion, my thoughts are still with the Lebanese.” He emphasized, “I reaffirm France’s unwavering commitment to Lebanon and our demand for justice for all victims.”
Commemorating the Tragedy
Several marches were scheduled to converge towards the port of Beirut on Sunday afternoon to pay tribute to the victims of the 2020 explosion and demand accountability from those responsible, as the investigation remains stalled. On August 4, 2020, one of the largest non-nuclear explosions in history devastated entire neighborhoods of the capital, claiming over 220 lives and leaving more than 6,500 injured. The blast was caused by a fire in a warehouse where tons of ammonium nitrate were stored without caution.
Heightened Tensions and Calls for Departure
Four years after the tragedy, fears of an all-out war between Israel and the Lebanese Hezbollah weigh heavily on the grim commemoration. Calls to leave Lebanon have intensified this weekend, following threats of retaliation from Iran, Palestinian Hamas, and Hezbollah after the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran on July 31, attributed to Israel, and an Israeli strike that killed Hezbollah’s military chief, Fouad Chokr, near Beirut. The France urged its citizens on Sunday to depart Lebanon “as soon as possible,” following the lead of the US, UK, and Sweden.
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