US President Donald Trump is expected to include representatives from Germany, Italy, Spain, China, Saudi Arabia, the United Nations, the European Council and others at the donors’ conference, according to the Elysee Palace.
Protesters occupied the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of the Environment and the Ministry of Economy as they called for the downfall of the ruling elite. The Banking Association, which blames Protestants for the country’s worsening banking crisis, was also taken over by protesters and set on fire.
During a visit to Beirut on Thursday, Macron told an audience that he would propose a ‘new policy pact’ to the Lebanese political class and promise that he would ensure that aid was not lost through corruption.
“This help, I guarantee it, will not end up in corrupt hands. I will speak with all political forces to demand a new pact,” Macron said, according to an Alysee Palace aide. “I’m here today to propose a new policy pact. If they [the political forces] are not able to keep this pact, I will take my responsibilities. “
The international community has already sent emergency medical and food supplies to the country and promised financial aid.
Mock the gallows
Saturday’s demonstrations, called “Judgment Day” protests, stretched to surrounding neighborhoods and the city’s main road, in the biggest outburst of public discontent since a nationwide uprising last October.
Parts of the demonstrations remained peaceful, while other parts were mostly filled with angry Protestants who came to stand with security forces. Police in riot gear stormed a rally on Friday, removing hundreds of protesters by truck.
The reaction of the security forces did not seem to disperse many of the angry Protestants. One woman who fell as she stumbled over people walking in her direction said, “They bombed our city. I will return.” Her face woke up with tears, she grabbed her belongings, like some stones, and went back into the crowd.
“You survive an explosion in Beirut just to gasp,” said one man in his 20s when he held an onion to his mouth to reduce the effects of the gas.
Some protesters have erected mock gallows, a key symbol of the demonstrations. Struggles of leading political leaders, including former Prime Minister Saad Hariri and Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah, were hung by noises, in some of the most explicit signs of public unrest the country has seen in years.
Lebanon’s Prime Minister Hassan Diab promised on Saturday to hold early elections as his beleagured government called for his resignation. He said he would remain in government for two months until major parties can reach an agreement.
Diab also addressed the ongoing political and economic crisis in the country in a televised speech. “We need a nationwide solution. We have taken over the country in an exceptional time … what happened was thanks to corruption and mismanagement,” he said.
Lebanon’s Information Minister Manal Abdel Samad announced his resignation on Sunday via a tweet from the Lebanese Ministry of Information.
“I apologize to the Lebanese because we were unable to meet their ambitions. Change remained inevitable, and because reality did not match the ambitions, and after the horror of the Beirut disaster, I submit my dismissal from the government, “Abdel Samad said in a statement, according to the state-run National News Agency (NNA).
Abdel Samad was part of a new cabinet appointed in January following the dismissal of the previous government following mass protests last year.
Security officials are asking questions
Lebanese judge Ghassan El-Khoury will resume his hearing with the heads of the security services on Monday to investigate technical information about the circumstances of the explosion, NNA reported Sunday.
Military police are requesting to continue with security officials in the port of Beirut as part of an investigation into the explosion, under the supervision of the Public Ministry, according to NNA.
Authorities have detained 16 people in connection with the blast, including Lebanese customs director general Badri Daher, Beirut port chief Hasan Kraytem and former customs chief Chafic Merei.
CNN’s Ben Wedeman and Ghazi Balkiz reported from Beirut and Laura Smith-Spark wrote from London. CNN’s Tamara Qiblawi, Mostafa Salem, Ali Younis, Jomana Karadsheh, Hamdi Alkhshali, Nada AlTaher and Pierre Bairin contributed to this report, as did journalist Luna Safwan.
.
