4 former government heads in Lebanon and political forces called for an international investigation into the devastating explosion that rocked Beirut harbor two days ago and killed and wounded thousands of people, while French President Emmanuel Macron - who visited Lebanon today - issued a remarkable statement about the Lebanese crisis and the repercussions of the explosion.
Former Prime Ministers Saad Hariri, Fouad Siniora, Najib Mikati, and Tamam Salam today called for asking the United Nations or the Arab League to form an international or Arab investigation committee to start its tasks in uncovering the circumstances of the disaster that occurred in Beirut, and former prime ministers called on the agencies operating in the Beirut Port to maintain The scene of the explosion and not to be compromised.
The Beirut Port explosion left 137 people dead, about 5,000 wounded, and hundreds of missing in an endless toll, aside from material damage, the facilities, buildings and homes were heavily affected, and 300,000 people lost their homes.
The Future Bloc, led by Hariri, said that there are serious doubts surrounding the Beirut port explosion in terms of timing, conditions, location and how it happened, and described what happened as a destructive war.
And the bloc called - after a hypothetical meeting held under the chairmanship of former Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri - for a transparent judicial and security investigation that is not subject to negotiation, according to its expression, and with the participation of international experts and specialized committees able to reveal the truth.
The Future Bloc also stressed the knowledge of the direct responsible for storing high explosive materials and the reasons for their existence for years.
Jumblatt, Geagea,
and the leader of the Progressive Socialist Party, Walid Jumblatt, called for an international investigation committee to uncover the circumstances of the port explosion.
Jumblatt added - at a press conference today - that the explosive material needed what he called the detonator to explode.
He expressed his lack of confidence in the current government to reveal the truth, saying that "there is a gross failure in the judiciary and security services, today they are trying to disavow, so we do not believe in a local investigation committee."
In the same direction, the Lebanese Forces Party Chairman, Samir Geagea, called, at a press conference, an international fact-finding committee to be dispatched by the United Nations, referring to the loss of confidence in the ruling class in Lebanon.
Geagea added that he calls for the establishment of an international fund for relief of the stricken area and affected sectors under the supervision of the United Nations.
The Grand Mufti of the Republic, Sheikh Abd al-Latif Drian, reinforced the calls for an international investigation into the Beirut explosion.
Urgent Samir Geagea: Based on the loss of confidence in the ruling group, we demand an international fact-finding committee to be dispatched by the United Nations.
- Al Jazeera - Urgent (@AJABreaking) August 6, 2020
A voice rejecting,
in contrast, Elie Al-Farazli, Deputy Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament, rejected calls to open an international investigation into the causes of the Beirut port explosion, and saw that as a cancellation of the Lebanese judiciary and the Lebanese state.
Al-Farazli said - in a statement to Al-Jazeera - that these calls and the current debate in Lebanon are similar to the controversy that followed the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.
The government decided to set up an administrative investigation committee to uncover the causes of the explosion, provided that it raises the results of its work within 5 days at the latest, and the military authority was asked to impose house arrest on all those responsible for storing ammonium nitrate in Beirut port since 2014 until the date of the explosion.
Lebanese President Michel Aoun said in a speech he delivered after an exceptional session of the Council of Ministers held yesterday at the Presidential Palace that everyone is determined to proceed with the investigations, reveal the circumstances of what happened as soon as possible, and hold the officials and minors accountable, and stressed that the results of the investigations will be announced transparently.
Lebanese Prime Minister Hassan Diab chaired the first meeting of the Administrative Inquiry Committee set up by the government to manage the investigation into the causes of the explosion at Beirut Port.
Yesterday, the judicial authorities launched an investigation into the circumstances of the explosion, and the Prosecutor-General of the Court of Cassation mandated Ghassan Aouidat, all security services, to carry out investigations and investigations, and to conduct immediate investigations to find out all information and circumstances related to the explosion.
Rescue the victims In terms of efforts to recover the victims of the explosion, ambulance and rescue teams in the Lebanese capital continue to search for victims and missing persons as a result of the explosion that occurred in the port of Beirut.
And local media outlets posted on the media a video clip to retrieve a girl still alive from the rubble long hours after the explosion of the port.
And Lebanese official authorities announced that hundreds are still missing after the Beirut explosion, including workers at the port being pulled from the rubble.
Health Minister Hassan Hamad said that there are missing people due to the explosion, which is likely to increase the number of deaths, adding that the explosion wave threw some victims at sea.
Al-Jazeera correspondent in Beirut, Ihab Al-Okdah, added that the Lebanese authorities are searching for unknown numbers of missing persons after the explosion of the port, especially as many Lebanese are publishing calls through the communication sites to search for the missing relatives, and the army imposed a large security cordon around the port.
The Lebanese government had declared Beirut a disaster city, and imposed a two-week state of emergency, and Information Minister Manal Abdel Samad said, "The Supreme Military Authority immediately takes over the authority to maintain security, and all armed forces are at their disposal" for two weeks.
Macron's visit
On the other hand, the French President said today, in response to the Lebanese who demanded their support against the political class, that he would propose a new charter.
Macron, who visited Beirut today, did not disclose the details of this charter.
The French president added that he will work to arrange more and wider French, European and international aid to Lebanon.
Yesterday and today, Beirut received many medical assistance from Arab and non-Arab countries to support the Lebanese authorities in facing the repercussions of the Beirut port explosion.
In statements he made upon his arrival to Beirut on a visit of solidarity with Lebanon, Macron stressed the need for urgent reforms to confront the political and economic crisis in Lebanon, warning that the situation will continue to decline in the absence of serious reforms.