Lebanese ‘deserve the truth’ over deadly port blast: Guterres

[sammuel]

~

Lebanese ‘deserve the truth’ over deadly port blast: Guterres


The extent of the devastation has drawn comparisons within Lebanon, to the horrors endured by the residents of Hiroshima in 1945, after one of the two atomic bombs dropped on Japan at the end of World War Two, raised the Japanese city to the ground, killing tens of thousands. Locals refer to the infamous day on August 4, 2020, as “Beirut-shima”.

UN News is travelling with UN chief António Guterres, and in a tweet during a hectic day of meetings and events, he paid tribute to the victims of last year's Beirut Port blast, stressing that "an impartial and transparent investigation into this tragic event is crucial to ensure justice.”



According to seismologists, the pressure of the explosion was equivalent to an earthquake measuring 3.3 on the Richter scale.

The first explosion occurred at 6:08 pm local time, after a fire broke out in a storage area containing a large amount of ammonium, followed by another massive explosion that caused great damage to the port, and large areas of the city.

The explosions killed some 217 people, injured more than 6,000, and displaced around 300,000 families, with losses estimated in the billions of dollars.

In his remarks in the Lebanese capital to journalists, including UN News, the Secretary-General spoke about his visit to the Harbor, saying it was a very emotional moment. “The suffering of the people, first of all, those that perished, their families, the wounded, the dramatic impact in the lives of so many people is something that of course generates very deep solidarity”.

On the other hand, he noted that he had been receiving messages from many victims demanding “the need for truth to be established, for the need for an independent investigation, that is able to produce that truth.”

He said he fully understands their concerns and hoped that the country’s institutions will be able to guarantee that the truth will come to light.


the rest here :

Lebanese ‘deserve the truth’ over deadly port blast: Guterres

One of the UN Secretary-General’s most prominent stops during the second day of his visit to crisis-hit Lebanon was the port of Beirut, where he laid a wreath at the memorial for the victims of the explosion there which took the lives of more than 200 people.

news.un.org

 

[tower9]

I’m pretty sure israel was responsible for it in some measure

 

[sammuel]

I’m pretty sure israel was responsible for it in some measure

Sure it was Israel that thought it wize to store 2,750 tons of leaking Ammonium nitrate for 6 years without proper safety measures .

It is Israel not Hezbollah that does all in it's power to stop the investigation into the blast and threaten the judges.

" Nice " how someone exposes his bias by writing nonsense.





Hezbollah’s campaign against Beirut blast judge paralyses Lebanon’s government

Hezbollah and its political allies have intensified Lebanon’s political crisis and paralysed the new government by trying to push the cabinet to dismiss Tarek Bitar, the judge in charge of investigating the 2020 Beirut blast.



Prime Minister Najib Mikati’s Lebanese government is already in a fragile state – even though it was only formed on September 10. Many hoped that the new administration would launch reforms to get Lebanon out of a political and economic crisis after a thirteen-month political vacuum. But instead the cabinet has found itself paralysed by tensions around the investigation into the cataclysmic August 2020 Beirut port explosion.

These tensions contributed to the deadly shootings in Beirut on October 14 at a demonstration organised by Hezbollah and its ally the Amal movement. The protesters were demanding the removal of the judge in charge of the investigation into the Beirut blast, Tarek Bitar, amid political pressure and a smear campaign pushing for his dismissal.

The same day that the situation got out of hand on the streets of Beirut – in scenes reminiscent of bloody moments during the 1975-90 Lebanese Civil War – the country’s highest court rejected complaints against Bitar brought by several ex-ministers, allowing him to resume the inquiry.

“Everything is clear from a legal point of view, because several court rulings over recent weeks ensured that Bitar is still doing his job,” noted Antoine Sfeir, a law professor at the Saint Joseph University of Beirut and a practising lawyer in both Beirut and Paris. But from a “political vantage point”, Sfeir continued, the pressure against Bitar has become “explosive” for the Lebanese government.

Indeed, days before this month’s bloodshed in Beirut, the Shia political alliance extended its campaign against Bitar to the cabinet – pushing for the judge’s removal in a meeting on October 12.

Hezbollah threat against judge

The meeting had to be adjourned due to the heated debate that followed. It was postponed until the next day, then delayed again amid rumours of Shia ministers threatening blackmail if the cabinet did not take a stand on Bitar’s dismissal.

Signalling the mounting unease within the government, even Gebran Bassil, leader of the Free Patriotic Movement (CPL) the biggest Christian party in parliament and a political ally of Hezbollah, felt compelled to give Bitar his implicit support: “The CPL wants the investigation to continue – to bring the truth to light and those responsible to justice,” he said.

Lebanon’s Justice Minister Henry Khoury added his support on Saturday, saying that the judge had the right to summon anyone he wanted. Khoury also underlined that he lacks the legal right to replace Bitar.


This comes after the pressure on the judge amplified when a senior Hezbollah official threatened him in September. Lebanese media reported that Wafic Safa, the head of Hezbollah’s security apparatus, sent a threat to Bitar via a journalist who remains anonymous: “We have had enough of you; we will go to the end of the legal path, and if that does not work, we will remove you by force.”

The Shia military-political organisation seems obsessed with Bitar’s investigation – at the same time as rumours have proliferated in Lebanon that Hezbollah was involved in storing the tons of ammonium nitrate behind the August 2020 blast.

“Judge Bitar’s investigation seems to have made some people panic,” Antonella Hitti, the sister of a victim of the Beirut explosion, said last month. “The threats against him make it clear that he’s doing a good job and that his probe is pointing in the right direction – namely, people who are so scared they’re ready to do anything to remove him from his job.”

Hezbollah boss Hassan Nasrallah added to the pressure on Bitar in an October 11 televised address, accusing the judge of having political targets and “not wanting to reveal the truth”.

Hezbollah’s campaign against Beirut blast judge paralyses Lebanon’s government

Hezbollah and its political allies have intensified Lebanon’s political crisis and paralysed the new government by trying to push the cabinet to dismiss Tarek Bitar, the judge in charge of investigating…

www.france24.com

 

[tower9]

Sure it was Israel that thought it wize to store 2,750 tons of leaking Ammonium nitrate for 6 years without proper safety measures .

It is Israel not Hezbollah that threaten the judges does all in it's power to stop the investigation into the blast and threaten the judges.

" Nice " how someone exposes his bias by writing nonsense.





Hezbollah’s campaign against Beirut blast judge paralyses Lebanon’s government

Hezbollah and its political allies have intensified Lebanon’s political crisis and paralysed the new government by trying to push the cabinet to dismiss Tarek Bitar, the judge in charge of investigating the 2020 Beirut blast.



Prime Minister Najib Mikati’s Lebanese government is already in a fragile state – even though it was only formed on September 10. Many hoped that the new administration would launch reforms to get Lebanon out of a political and economic crisis after a thirteen-month political vacuum. But instead the cabinet has found itself paralysed by tensions around the investigation into the cataclysmic August 2020 Beirut port explosion.

These tensions contributed to the deadly shootings in Beirut on October 14 at a demonstration organised by Hezbollah and its ally the Amal movement. The protesters were demanding the removal of the judge in charge of the investigation into the Beirut blast, Tarek Bitar, amid political pressure and a smear campaign pushing for his dismissal.

The same day that the situation got out of hand on the streets of Beirut – in scenes reminiscent of bloody moments during the 1975-90 Lebanese Civil War – the country’s highest court rejected complaints against Bitar brought by several ex-ministers, allowing him to resume the inquiry.

“Everything is clear from a legal point of view, because several court rulings over recent weeks ensured that Bitar is still doing his job,” noted Antoine Sfeir, a law professor at the Saint Joseph University of Beirut and a practising lawyer in both Beirut and Paris. But from a “political vantage point”, Sfeir continued, the pressure against Bitar has become “explosive” for the Lebanese government.

Indeed, days before this month’s bloodshed in Beirut, the Shia political alliance extended its campaign against Bitar to the cabinet – pushing for the judge’s removal in a meeting on October 12.

Hezbollah threat against judge

The meeting had to be adjourned due to the heated debate that followed. It was postponed until the next day, then delayed again amid rumours of Shia ministers threatening blackmail if the cabinet did not take a stand on Bitar’s dismissal.

Signalling the mounting unease within the government, even Gebran Bassil, leader of the Free Patriotic Movement (CPL) the biggest Christian party in parliament and a political ally of Hezbollah, felt compelled to give Bitar his implicit support: “The CPL wants the investigation to continue – to bring the truth to light and those responsible to justice,” he said.

Lebanon’s Justice Minister Henry Khoury added his support on Saturday, saying that the judge had the right to summon anyone he wanted. Khoury also underlined that he lacks the legal right to replace Bitar.


This comes after the pressure on the judge amplified when a senior Hezbollah official threatened him in September. Lebanese media reported that Wafic Safa, the head of Hezbollah’s security apparatus, sent a threat to Bitar via a journalist who remains anonymous: “We have had enough of you; we will go to the end of the legal path, and if that does not work, we will remove you by force.”

The Shia military-political organisation seems obsessed with Bitar’s investigation – at the same time as rumours have proliferated in Lebanon that Hezbollah was involved in storing the tons of ammonium nitrate behind the August 2020 blast.

“Judge Bitar’s investigation seems to have made some people panic,” Antonella Hitti, the sister of a victim of the Beirut explosion, said last month. “The threats against him make it clear that he’s doing a good job and that his probe is pointing in the right direction – namely, people who are so scared they’re ready to do anything to remove him from his job.”

Hezbollah boss Hassan Nasrallah added to the pressure on Bitar in an October 11 televised address, accusing the judge of having political targets and “not wanting to reveal the truth”.

Hezbollah’s campaign against Beirut blast judge paralyses Lebanon’s government

Hezbollah and its political allies have intensified Lebanon’s political crisis and paralysed the new government by trying to push the cabinet to dismiss Tarek Bitar, the judge in charge of investigating…

www.france24.com

Ok well **** Israel anyways

 

[Apollon]

Ok well **** Israel anyways

Whats your Problem with israel

 

[Maula Jatt]

Whats your Problem with israel

Now go back to China bashing threads

 

[tower9]

Whats your Problem with israel

Israel is evil. I’ve been there. Unlike you, I see with my own eyes before I make a judgment.

 

[Apollon]

Now go back to China bashing threads

Thats business as usual in any arabic country. Its not like libya, syria, algeria, iraq ect is a heavenly places full of unicorns and fairy.

Saudi Arabia murders hundreds of people in yemen each day. But nobody gives a shit about it.

Double standards galore.

The funny thing is, that living standards in Gaza for example are a billion times higher than living standards in Yemen or Syria.

Israel is evil. I’ve been there. Unlike you, I see with my own eyes before I make a judgment.

What exactly is evil in Israel? To high prices on ice cream in Tel Aviv?

 

[tower9]

Thats business as usual in any arabic country. Its not like libya, syria, algeria, iraq ect is a heavenly places full of unicorns and fairy.

Saudi Arabia murders hundreds of people in yemen each day. But nobody gives a shit about it.

Double standards galore.

The funny thing is, that living standards in Gaza for example are a billion times higher than living standards in Yemen or Syria.


What exactly is evil in Israel? To high prices on ice cream in Tel Aviv?

What nonsense about living standards in Gaza. You make me sick honestly. Gaza is the worlds biggest open air prison and their children are used as target practice by the IDF. And yes I’ve been to Gaza too.

 

[Mentee]

Now go back to China bashing threads

He seems indian to me ------.

 

[Apollon]

What nonsense about living standards in Gaza. You make me sick honestly. Gaza is the worlds biggest open air prison and their children are used as target practice by the IDF. And yes I’ve been to Gaza too.

You mean like in Yemen? Would you say Gaza is worse than Yemen? Also if Gaza is so bad, why do they multiply so fast there?

 

[tower9]

You mean like in Yemen? Would you say Gaza is worse than Yemen? Also if Gaza is so bad, why do they multiply so fast there?

Man you are so clueless.

Imagine if Turkey occupied Greece and you grew up in a walled ghetto of Athens where you have to be harassed at checkpoints manned by Turkish soldiers and turkish settlers just trying to see your friend in another part of Athens. Turkey also routinely bombs your apartment buildings with whole families inside. There is no work or employment because it is a constant state of war since the Turks keep taking more land for their settlements. Even though you are Greek, you’ve never been able to see the Greek islands or other cities like Thessaloniki because the Turks won’t allow you and have occupied and settled the land in between. If you can even picture this reality then maybe you’d start to think past your zionist brainwashing and see reality.

Also this constant comparison with Yemen is ridiculous. Palestine is very different from Yemen. There is no doubt that without Israel, the Palestinians would be living a far better quality of life. In fact israel is the main source of destabilization of its neighboring states. Lebanon, Palestine, Syria would all be better off with no Israel.

 

[Apollon]

Man you are so clueless.

Imagine if Turkey occupied Greece and you grew up in a walled ghetto of Athens where you have to be harassed at checkpoints manned by Turkish soldiers and turkish settlers just trying to see your friend in another part of Athens. Turkey also routinely bombs your apartment buildings with whole families inside. There is no work or employment because it is a constant state of war since the Turks keep taking more land for their settlements. Even though you are Greek, you’ve never been able to see the Greek islands or other cities like Thessaloniki because the Turks won’t allow you and have occupied and settled the land in between. If you can even picture this reality then maybe you’d start to think past your zionist brainwashing and see reality.

Also this constant comparison with Yemen is ridiculous. Palestine is very different from Yemen. There is no doubt that without Israel, the Palestinians would be living a far better quality of life. In fact israel is the main source of destabilization of its neighboring states. Lebanon, Palestine, Syria would all be better off with no Israel.

Does Israel block Gaza from all sides? Or just from one? Btw living standards in Gaza are higher than in Lebanon, Syria or Yemen. The EU sends billions each year.

 

[tower9]

Does Israel block Gaza from all sides? Or just from one? Btw living standards in Gaza are higher than in Lebanon, Syria or Yemen. The EU sends billions each year.

You are honestly giving me a headache. What living standards? You understand that most people there are unemployed and they routinely get bombed by Israel. Little kids get shot by the IDF or Israeli settlers for fun all the time.

It’s really impossible to have a conversation with someone so thoroughly brainwashed by the zio demons like you have been. Aren’t you in Egypt? Why don’t you try going to Gaza and see for yourself? Oh yeah the IDF probably won’t let you in.

Btw man I remember I had one of the most memorable conversations with a Greek Orthodox priest who was a guardian at the Church of Nativity in Bethlehem and boy, did he let me know about all the evils Israel committed that he saw with his own eyes.

You’re too brainwashed kid. Just realize that and maybe there is hope. Remember who owns the media you consume.

 

[Apollon]

You are honestly giving me a headache. What living standards? You understand that most people there are unemployed and they routinely get bombed by Israel. Little kids get shot by the IDF or Israeli settlers for fun all the time.

It’s really impossible to have a conversation with someone so thoroughly brainwashed by the zio demons like you have been. Aren’t you in Egypt? Why don’t you try going to Gaza and see for yourself? Oh yeah the IDF probably won’t let you in.

Btw man I remember I had one of the most memorable conversations with a Greek Orthodox priest who was a guardian at the Church of Nativity in Bethlehem and boy, did he let me know about all the evils Israel committed that he saw with his own eyes.

You’re too brainwashed kid. Just realize that and maybe there is hope. Remember who owns the media you consume.

Is it better in Yemen?

Im back from Egypt since yesterday. And i have news for you. One side of Gaza is blocked by Egypt. funny you only blame Israel.

That said, im not brainwashed. I fully agree with Israels methods in Gaza. Infact i believe they are too soft.Only because Israel can christians travel to the holy sites there. Without Israel it would only be another hellhole like Syria, Yemen or Somalia.