Hizbollah leader hits out as anger grows Lebanon
Hizbollah’s leader has warned that the Shiite militia should not be held responsible for the massive blast at Beirut’s port, as many Lebanese point to Hizbollah as a source of the problems that helped to bring about the tragedy.
Hassan Nasrallah, in a televised address yesterday as the death toll topped 150, responded to growing calls for Hizbollah to be held at least partially accountable.
The group, which has a powerful place in Lebanon’s government, is widely believed to use the port for its own smuggling operations, and more generally because it operates a parallel state outside official structures, contributing to the weaknesses in the institutions that run and regulate the country.
Hizbollah was strong enough to counter challenges from any faction, Nasrallah cautioned. ‘‘If you want to start a battle against the resistance over this incident, you will get no results.’’
His comments came amid mounting fury among ordinary Lebanese at the negligence, corruption and mismanagement of successive Lebanese governments, which have included Hizbollah, that allowed a huge stash of flammable ammonium nitrate to sit unattended at Beirut’s port for more than six years.
A fire ignited the stockpile, triggering a huge explosion that wrecked large areas of the city, killed at least 150 people and injured thousands.
Activists have called for demonstrations this weekend to protest at the government dysfunction widely blamed for the blast. The slogan for the march is ‘‘They are the murderers’’, referring to politicians.
The demonstrations could revive a mass protest movement that erupted last October but has since died down.
Investigations are still under way into the cause of the blast, including what caused the fire that spread to the warehouse housing the ammonium nitrate.
Though no evidence has emerged, suspicions linger among Lebanese that Israel may have sought to target Hizbollah weapons at the port.
Lebanese President Michel Aoun, a Hizbollah ally, fuelled those suspicions yesterday, saying the government had not ruled out an attack.
Aoun and Nasrallah are rejecting the need for an international investigation into the blast, which many Lebanese have urged. Nasrallah said the Lebanese Army was fully capable of conducting an investigation.
On the streets of Beirut, rescue workers are pressing ahead with the search for victims. They pulled three more bodies from the rubble yesterday, bringing the death toll to 154, as investigators prepared to question officials over the disaster.
A Beirut judge yesterday ordered the detention of a port director, as well as the director of Lebanese customs and his predecessor.
Lebanese Health Minister Hamad Hassan said that nearly a quarter of the more than 5000 people who were injured required hospitalisation. At least 120 were in a critical condition.
As Beirut’s cleanup continued – led by citizens, not the government – French and Russian rescue teams, including 22 French investigators, were assisting in search and relief efforts and evidence recovery.
The United States embassy in Beirut said the US had pledged more than US$17 million (NZ$25.7m) in initial disaster aid, including food, medical supplies and financial assistance for the Lebanese Red Cross. Two flights were scheduled to arrive yesterday, carrying meals, water and medical kits.