Lebanon: the virtual "civil war" rages on the networks
Empty gas stations are a subject of clashes on social media in Lebanon.
AFP - ANWAR AMRO
Text by: Paul Khalifeh Follow
6 mins
Lebanon is hit by one of the worst crises in the world, according to the World Bank.
The collapse of the “cedar country”, long called the “Switzerland of the Middle East”, was brutal.
Poverty, shortages, inflation, disappearance of social safety nets, political deadlock, the Lebanese have no respite.
The crises follow one another and the State, very weakened, has no more answers.
Only the army, which somehow maintains its cohesion, prevents large-scale recourse to political and community violence.
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From our correspondent in Beirut,
Despite the gravity of the crisis, the extent of the contradictions between the political forces, and the foreign interference, the violent outbursts have been contained so far.
But on social networks, the Lebanese clash without any restraint through exchanges of incredible virulence.
When we browse social networks and dialogue platforms, we realize how deep the gap between the Lebanese is.
The impression that emerges is that of a virtual civil war, where words and images replace weapons and bombs.
Accusations of treason, lack of patriotism, collaboration with foreign powers fuse from everywhere as well as calls for the partition of the country, or the use of arms.
On the verge of explosion ...
Each event gives rise to epic clashes that mobilize what we call here the "electronic armies", that is to say the supporters of the different political formations, who create
hashtags
, publish comments and images, shared tens of thousands of times, all day long.
The unhealthy atmosphere on social networks thus reflects the depth of resentment and the gravity of the situation.
Lebanon appears to be on the verge of explosion.
One of the last virtual clashes relates to
the announcement Thursday August 19 by the head of Hezbollah
, Hassan Nasrallah, of the next departure for Lebanon of an Iranian ship carrying fuel oil.
This controversial approach has, once again, pointed to the inter-Lebanese divisions both at the level of the political class and the population, between supporters and opponents of the arrival on the Iranian fuel market.
Those who support the move launched the
hashtag
“
the ship of genuine promise
,” an allusion to the fact that Hassan Nasrallah still keeps his promises.
"
We are in hell
"
The reaction of former
Prime Minister Saad Hariri,
who in a lengthy
tweet
accused
Hezbollah of exposing Lebanon to US sanctions, drew conflicting reactions.
Under the
hashtag
"
We are in hell
", journalist Hala Saghbini urged the head of state to prevent the arrival of Iranian fuel oil, to spare Lebanon from US sanctions.
Lebanese Forces supporter Elie Abdo accused the Shiite party of smuggling subsidized fuel into Syria and then importing it from Iran.
The Internet user criticized
President Michel Aoun
for not having the courage to fight against smuggling or to prevent the Iranian ship from docking.
He ended his
tweet
with the
hashtag
“
the mandate of humiliation
”, shared hundreds of times.
MP Jamil Sayyed denounced those who rose up against Hezbollah's initiative while remaining silent about the violation Thursday evening by Israeli planes of Lebanese airspace to carry out raids in Syria.
The
hashtag
“
the Great Satan
” also appeared after the announcement by the US Ambassador to Beirut, Dorothy Shea, that her country had decided to help Lebanon cope with the energy crisis. An announcement made a few hours after that of Hassan Nasrallah.
These exchanges illustrate a heavy and tense atmosphere, but despite all these hardships, the Lebanese have not lost their sense of humor.
They find a way to make a joke or a joke even in the most difficult situations.
Like this comment from Karim Makdissi, professor at the American University of Beirut, who mocked the fuel shortage by writing that "
before any other country on the planet, Lebanon will reach zero emissions next month. carbon
”.
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