The risk of a civil war in Lebanon 2:15
(CNN Spanish) -
A little over a year ago, on August 4, 2020, in the midst of a deep political, economic and social crisis, one of the largest non-nuclear explosions in history destroyed a part of Beirut.
Now that violence has broken out again a few days ago, Lebanon has become a painful example that when everything seemed to fall apart, the situation can always be worse.
What's going on?
José Levy tells us in the new episode of
Global Challenges
.
The chilling whistle of gunfire in the very center of Beirut.
The bone-chilling explosions of B7 rockets.
Families fleeing, desperate, from the horror.
Also children, babies.
Everything remembered that civil war that lashed Lebanon until three decades ago, with thousands and thousands of deaths.
And it is that sectarian differences emerge threatening again, especially when on the one hand there is the Islamic extremist group Hezbollah, and on the other the nationalist Lebanese Forces.
The memories are so horrifying, so traumatizing, that the vast majority in Lebanon now seem to want to prevent what many fear could break out again: another bloody civil war.
Lebanon's problems one year after the 1:19 explosion
Greetings, this is José Levy in a new episode of the CNN
Global Challenges
podcast
.
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Lebanon became a painful example that when everything seemed to fall apart, to have reached the bottom, the situation, unfortunately, can always be ... even worse.
Just over a year ago, on August 4, 2020, in the midst of a deep political, economic and social crisis, something “even more terrible” occurred when one of the largest non-nuclear explosions in history destroyed part of Beirut and killed more than two hundred people.
The reason for the explosion?
A massive quantity of more than 2,700 tons of the highly explosive ammonium nitrate, irresponsibly stored in the port of the Lebanese capital for years.
Now, the violence broke out, a few days ago, when members of Lebanese Shiite groups, Amal and especially the Iranian-backed Hezbollah, demanded the resignation of Judge Tarek Bitar, someone especially popular in his country, who is in charge of the investigation. from the monstrous explosion a year ago.
Above all, in Hezbollah they accuse him of politicizing the case.
A few days ago, when strangers and snipers opened fire on that Shiite protest, the exchanges of fire began that recalled bloody chapters of the past and alarmed a civil population that was fleeing desperately, fearing the worst.
Six people, including members of Hezbollah, lost their lives.
Now, this organization is demanding an investigation into the shooting, which, according to them, should reach the conclusion that those responsible for opening the fire belonged to the so-called Lebanese Forces, a nationalist party, supported only by a part of the local Catholic Maronites, headed by Samir Geagea.
Party that, yes, rejects the accusations.
But in a televised message, Hezbollah leader Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah not only demanded an investigation into the shooting, but he again demanded the removal of the judge who verified the mega-explosion a year ago.
Of course, he assured not to be the enemy of the Christians and, even more so, he affirmed that the main threat that the Christian presence in Lebanon has to face is the Lebanese Forces party of Samir Geagea.
Very disturbing.
Listen to the rest on the podcast.
Well, so far this podcast, I await your comments on
Twitter:
@joselevycnn.
Next week we will continue with more
Global Challenges
that present us this terrible or wonderful passionate corner of the universe where we lived.
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