Lebanon: Stay tuned for Aoun's speech and Washington supports the protesters

Demonstrations in sit-ins in various parts of Lebanon continued for the seventh day, and while the Lebanese street awaited a speech by President Michel Aoun, the first since the start of the protests, Washington considered the demands of the demonstrators "legitimate."

Thousands of Lebanese took to the streets on Wednesday, waving flags and chanting "peaceful and peaceful" slogans in response to army units attempting to enforce closed roads on the seventh day of an unprecedented popular movement demanding the departure of the political class.

The army has carried out an unprecedented deployment since the start of demonstrations against the political class, to open the main roads in various areas by force, in implementation of what a military source told Agence France Presse "a decision to open public roads and facilitate the movement of citizens."

His attempts north of Beirut clashed with the absolute rejection of the demonstrators who used the roads and chanted the Lebanese national anthem, and their numbers gradually doubled despite the rain, especially in the Zouk and Jal El Dib locals northeast of Beirut.

There was a state of pandemonium and a stampede to the extent that demonstrators were beaten. Nonetheless, the demonstrators chanted "Revolution Revolution", greeting the army, giving them flowers, and chanting the national anthem. Soldiers seemed helpless about the scene and some of them shed tears.

More than six hours later, army units withdrew at night from Zouk and Jall al-Dib, and retained protection. The demonstrators received this with applause and greetings.

In a statement, the Lebanese Army leadership reiterated its support for the demonstrators in what it called their rightful life demands. She called on demonstrators not to close roads.

Washington supports
For its part, the United States on Wednesday called on Lebanese leaders to respond to the "legitimate" demands of their citizens.

State Department Middle East envoy David Schenker said the United States was "ready to help the Lebanese government" in taking action.

Schenker said the Lebanese people were "really angry" at their government for refusing to tackle corruption and that the protests reflected Lebanese demands for action.

He said the demonstrations showed the need for a "frank discussion" between leaders and citizens about "the demands expressed long ago by the Lebanese people who want economic reforms and the end of chronic corruption."

"It is up to the Lebanese people to decide whether these reforms meet their legitimate desire to live in a prosperous country free of corruption that has long limited their capabilities," Schenker said.

In the context, dozens of members of the Lebanese community in the US capital Washington in support of protests in their country.

The demonstrators chanted slogans calling for the overthrow of all Lebanese officials and the elimination of political sectarianism and calling for fighting corruption.

The demonstrators saw the protests in Lebanon a week ago as a real revolution, calling on the governments of the world - including the US administration - to confiscate the funds of Lebanese officials abroad.

This is the second time the Lebanese community in the United States has demonstrated in support of the popular movement in Lebanon within a week.

Lebanese positions
These developments come at a time when the Lebanese street is awaiting a speech by President Michel Aoun on Thursday noon talking about the latest developments in the country.

"Aoun will answer all the questions and talk about the recent events in Lebanon," a source in the president's press office said.

Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri made his first comment on protests since Thursday evening.

Berri said on behalf of MP Ali Bazzi, a member of the parliamentary bloc of Amal headed by the first - that the country is not likely to remain suspended, expressing his fear of the vacuum.

Lebanon's Grand Mufti Sheikh Abd al-Latif Daryan also declared support for Dar al-Fatwa and embraced the demands of the protests.

The mufti of Lebanon called on officials to look positively towards the demands of the people who suffer from the burdens of deterioration in the economic and financial conditions in the country.

In turn, the Maronite League in Lebanon announced on Wednesday its support for popular protests and sympathy for its goals.

The Association said in a statement that "the sound of the intifada has reached the ears of everyone, and must be taken with the seriousness it deserves, and the accountability of the corrupt and the recovery of looted funds must be a top priority of the state."

Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri called for the opening of roads blocked by protesters.

On Wednesday, the Prime Minister met in Beirut with his Lebanese counterpart, Riad Salameh, and discussed with him the general economic and financial situation.

The Association of Banks in Lebanon announced in a brief statement to continue to close the doors of banks, Thursday, pending the restoration of the general situation in the country.

Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblatt called for a peaceful protest against anyone.

Jumblatt said on Twitter, "No to suppress peaceful demonstrations from any side, nor to the use of power to the organs in the face of freedom of opinion, not to theories of conspiracy obsolete theories of dictatorial Arab regimes that suppressed people under the slogan of no voice over the sound of the gun."