Lebanon: calm returns to central Beirut, and the political scene is becoming increasingly complex

Calm has returned to the center of Beirut today, Tuesday, after a new attempt to attack the demonstrators demanding change. The latest tensions come in light of a new delay in binding parliamentary consultations to name a new prime minister, amid the refusal of major Christian blocs to assign the head of the caretaker government, Saad Hariri, to form the next government.

Al-Jazeera correspondent Johnny Tanios said that the calm has returned after the confrontations that took place last night between anti-movement youths from the deep trench area on the one hand, and between the security forces and the army on the other hand.

He added that the situation returned to normal after the army's intervention and Hezbollah's call for their supporters to exercise restraint and exit the street.

Al-Jazeera correspondent added that the popular movement considers that what happened during the night was aimed at reaching the Martyrs Square and exposure to the tents of protesters and sit-ins, and he said that it is not the first time that such actions have caused damage that includes the burning of at least one car.

The Lebanese Civil Defense said that 66 people were injured in the confrontations, which continued until dawn today. It is reported that it is not the first time that protesters have accused loyalists of Hezbollah and Amal, of attacking protesters in central Beirut.

The Al-Jazeera correspondent in Lebanon had reported that the riot police in the Internal Security Forces imposed a cordon around the vicinity of the Martyrs Square after dozens of youths opposed to the popular movement to reach the center of Beirut, where the tents of the activists in the popular movement, in response to what they considered the abuse of religious shrines via videotape Broadcast on social media from outside Lebanon.

The security forces threw tear gas to disperse the youths who threw stones at the security forces, and pictures showed the burning of some tents.

Activists have carried out separate symbolic gatherings and sit-ins in the center of Beirut, in Tripoli in northern Lebanon, and in Sidon and Tire in the south of the country, stressing their demands for an independent government.

Political complications
The tension in Beirut comes at a time when the political situation is becoming more complicated, with both the Free Patriotic Movement and the Lebanese Forces declaring their opposition to the naming of the caretaker Prime Minister Saad Hariri to form the next government.

The Lebanese President, Michel Aoun, postponed yesterday for the second time the date of parliamentary consultations obliging to nominate a prime minister from Monday to Thursday, in response to Hariri's request to postpone the consultations for further consultations on forming the government.

Pierre Raffoul, the Lebanese President’s advisor for political affairs, said that Hariri's request came because he did not receive an external green light to form the next government.

As for the Lebanese Future Movement, he said that there was what he called the intersection of interests between the Free Patriotic Movement and the Lebanese forces, which led to Hariri not being named as prime minister.

For his part, Al-Hariri justified his request yesterday to postpone consultations that it would lead to the appointment of a prime minister without the participation of any Christian bloc in it, in a country that is based on sectarian quotas.

Al-Jazeera correspondent Johnny Tanios stated that the Lebanese Forces Party has reshuffled the paper by announcing that it will not vote for a character in these parliamentary consultations, and indicated that Hariri’s request to postpone the consultations was due to the position of the Free Patriotic Movement and the Lebanese forces, the two largest Christian blocs.

He clarified that there is no agreement on the major stage and ways to get out of the political crisis that toppled the Hariri government and increased the risks to the Lebanese economy.

Yesterday evening, activists in the Lebanese popular movement organized a stand near the Hariri house in downtown Beirut, and chanted against his return to head the government.

The protesters demanded a national rescue government work to quickly resolve the financial and economic crises, prepare a new election law and hold early parliamentary elections.