Beirut was shaken on Tuesday evening by one of the fiercest explosions in the history of the country, which took place in the Beirut port, which is known to be among the most active ports and vital points in the Lebanese economy, to turn the city into something like a battlefield.
According to the assessments conducted so far, nearly 200 people have died and more than 5,000 have been injured, along with the displacement of hundreds of thousands.
A hypothesis that caused an attack in this explosion is still on the table among many others, but there is no evidence to confirm it. But it is certain that 2750 tons of ammonium nitrate, which has been stored in the port warehouses since 2014, is the most important factor that caused this huge explosion.
Whatever the assumptions, the grave mistake that the Lebanese are currently searching for their perpetrators is to leave those dangerous materials in this sensitive place of the city, which represents the lifeline of Beirut and the whole of Lebanon.
Since it is not possible for ammonium nitrate to ignite on its own, this means that the explosion was the result of an accident caused by an error committed by a warehouse worker, or that it is an external attack. If the explosion was caused by an attack, it is not possible to search for a perpetrator other than Israel, the suspect each time.
Whatever the assumptions, the grave mistake that the Lebanese are currently searching for their perpetrators is to leave those dangerous materials in this sensitive place of the city, which represents the lifeline of Beirut and the whole of Lebanon.
Much has been said about this tragedy, and even if it turns out that this explosion is the result of an external attack carried out by Israel, it will still be unreasonable to tolerate the decision to leave these materials in the harbor for all these years.
It is inevitable that all eyes will be directed to Hezbollah, given that the administration of the port is at its disposal, and that leaving these materials that Israel has known for a long time ago is an error that will bear the consequences of the party. So it is certain that holding officials accountable will have political dimensions, which will leave many tensions.
We are now entering a period in which all parties must exercise caution so that tensions do not lead to worse results for Lebanon, in light of the sectarian diversity that has achieved a fragile balance between its various components.
It is clear that the system of government in Lebanon based on the political balances that emerged after the civil war led the country to this situation. Today, Lebanon governs the political quota system based on religious sects - which was also applied in Iraq - which greatly hinders efforts to establish a more open democratic system based on equality and citizenship, in order to dispose of the country's resources more effectively and hold officials accountable.
The difficulties that Lebanon is going through are an inevitable consequence of the sectarian political quota system, in a country plunged into severe economic crisis and there is no way out of it on the horizon. Beirut is one of four Sunni capitals that Iran is proud to control. But, like the other three capitals, Beirut gained nothing but political and economic destruction, and undermined stability under Iranian control. While Lebanon looks better than Baghdad, Damascus, and Sanaa, the fact that this country falls under the control of Hezbollah and Iran leads to known results.
After this tragic incident in Beirut, is it not time to ask Iran itself about the way it rules in the region, and the cost of that to the Islamic world and the Iranian people themselves? In relation to these four mentioned capitals, Iran may think that it won and controlled it, but these countries have not benefited from this situation. Because of Iran's hegemonic style, Tehran has lost its reputation in the Muslim world, and its activities have become associated with the memory of people with widespread killing and destruction.
Why does Hezbollah, which has controlled various sectors in Lebanon for many years and has a multi-structure organizational structure, not contribute to the economy and development in Lebanon? This latest explosion may have been an accident, and it may also be the work of Israel despite its denial. But it is clear in all cases that this incident shed light on Iran and the role it plays in Lebanon through Hezbollah, and is supposed to push it to review its roles in the Islamic world. For how long will Iran ignore this reality?
Humanitarian organizations and associations in Turkey, from the first moments of the news of this explosion, were quick to provide immediate assistance to the Lebanese people. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has sent a message to his Lebanese counterpart, Michel Aoun, in which he expressed his solidarity, and two Turkish cargo planes carrying aid arrived the next morning.
Turkey has always been known for its extreme readiness to confront natural and social disasters, and it has demonstrated high professionalism compared to the rest of the world in dealing with the problem created by the influx of large numbers of Syrian refugees during the past years. It also dealt with the same craftsmanship with the earthquake that struck the Turkish lands, as its intervention was rapid and effective in the rescue and assistance operations, which gave the Turkish institutions great experience. Also today, Turkish aid teams were the first to arrive in Lebanon, which reflects the depth of historical and cultural relations between the two countries.