Lebanon: From Deadly Explosion to New PM Resignation

An army helicopter drops water on a fire at warehouses at the seaport in Beirut. (AP)
An army helicopter drops water on a fire at warehouses at the seaport in Beirut. (AP)
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Lebanon: From Deadly Explosion to New PM Resignation

An army helicopter drops water on a fire at warehouses at the seaport in Beirut. (AP)
An army helicopter drops water on a fire at warehouses at the seaport in Beirut. (AP)

From the Beirut port blast to premier-designate Mustapha Adib stepping down on Saturday after less than a month of trying to form a new cabinet, here are developments in crisis-hit Lebanon:

Devastation

On August 4, one of the world's biggest ever non-nuclear explosions destroys much of Beirut's port and devastates swathes of the capital.

The detonation was caused by a fire in a warehouse which Lebanese authorities acknowledge held a vast stockpile of ammonium nitrate for the past six years.

The huge explosion leaves more than 190 dead, over 6,500 injured and ravages large parts of Beirut.

The tragedy strikes as Lebanon has for months been mired in its worst economic crisis in decades, marked by an unprecedented depreciation of its currency, massive layoffs and drastic banking restrictions.

'Apocalyptic situation'

Beirut is in a state of shock, with residents looking for the missing, tending to the wounded and searching gutted buildings for pets and belongings.

It is an "apocalyptic situation", says Beirut governor Marwan Aboud, a day after the blast. A state of emergency is declared. International aid starts to fly in.

Macron weighs in

On August 6, Macron visits Beirut and walks through the devastated Beirut neighborhood of Gemmayzeh.

His visit is praised by many Lebanese angry at their own leaders, whom they accuse of corruption and incompetence.

Macron calls for an international probe and for the "deep changes" that the Lebanese population has been demanding for months.

President Michel Aoun the next day rejects any international probe into the disaster.

Protests

On August 8, following a handful of lawmakers resigning, thousands of Lebanese call for vengeance against their leaders over the explosion.

Clashes erupt between security forces, using tear gas and rubber bullets, and protesters.

Demonstrators storm a series of ministries and the banking association, occupying the foreign ministry for several hours.

International aid

On August 9, the international community pledges around $300 million in emergency aid at a video conference jointly organized by France and the United Nations.

The international community promises to stand by Lebanon but demands that its aid be directly distributed to the population, and a transparent probe be carried out.

Government resigns

On August 10, prime minister Hassan Diab announces the resignation of his government.

Demonstrators again take to the streets of Beirut and clash with security forces.

System criticized

On August 28, Macron points to the "constraints of a confessional system" in a country where political posts are allocated by sect.

"If we let Lebanon go... it will be civil war," he warns.

Two days later, Hassan Nasrallah, chief of the Iran-backed Hezbollah party , says his group is "open" to a French proposal for a new political pact for Lebanon.

Aoun calls for the proclamation of a "secular state" during a televised address to mark the centenary of the Lebanese state.

New premier

On August 31, diplomat Mustapha Adib is named as Lebanon's new premier.

He vows to carry out reforms demanded by the international community and to conclude an accord with the International Monetary Fund.

Macron lands in Beirut hours later, extracting a promise from all political sides to help Adib form a crisis government of independents in less than a fortnight.

PM-designate resigns

On September 26, less than a month later, Adib bows out, apologizing to the Lebanese people over his "inability to realize its aspirations for a reformist team".

His resignation follows weeks of deadlock, including over the insistence of the two main Shiite parties Hezbollah and Amal on keeping the finance ministry under their control.

President Michel Aoun accepts Adib's resignation and is set to "take the appropriate measures according to the requirements of the constitution".



Nawaf Salam: Lebanon’s Prime Minister ‘Judge’ in Joseph Aoun’s First Term in Office

Lebanese Ambassador to the United Nations Nawaf Salam speaks to reporters after Security Council consultations on the situation in Libya, March 14, 2011 at United Nations headquarters. (AP)
Lebanese Ambassador to the United Nations Nawaf Salam speaks to reporters after Security Council consultations on the situation in Libya, March 14, 2011 at United Nations headquarters. (AP)
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Nawaf Salam: Lebanon’s Prime Minister ‘Judge’ in Joseph Aoun’s First Term in Office

Lebanese Ambassador to the United Nations Nawaf Salam speaks to reporters after Security Council consultations on the situation in Libya, March 14, 2011 at United Nations headquarters. (AP)
Lebanese Ambassador to the United Nations Nawaf Salam speaks to reporters after Security Council consultations on the situation in Libya, March 14, 2011 at United Nations headquarters. (AP)

Years after his name had been suggested by the Lebanese opposition to become prime minister, Judge Nawaf Salam was finally tasked on Monday with the formation of a new government under newly elected President Joseph Aoun’s first term in office.

Salam, currently serving as the head of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), was nominated by the majority of lawmakers during consultations with Aoun.

Salam was born in Beirut on December 15, 1953. He was elected as head of the ICJ in February 2024.

His nomination as prime minister was first floated by the opposition in wake of the October 2019 anti-government protests, after the resignation of Saad Hariri as PM.

The opposition at the time had proposed him as a neutral-technocratic figure who was not affiliated with the current political class. His candidacy was “vetoed” by the Shiite duo of Hezbollah and its ally the Amal movement, headed by parliament Speaker Nabih Berri.

They deemed him as the “United States’ candidate” and effectively thwarted his nomination. Hassan Diab was appointed prime minister instead.

The duo had on Monday refrained from nominating any candidate for the position of prime minister.

Diab’s government resigned after the August 4, 2020, Beirut Port explosion. Salam was again suggested as prime minister, but an agreement between the majority of political blocs led to Mustafa Adib’s appointment with 90 votes.

Adib would step down days later due to differences over the formation of the government.

Throughout that time, Salam had not taken political sides, but expressed his appreciation for MPs who had suggested his nomination.

Call for reform

He stressed the need to “save Lebanon from its plight, which demands change in how crises are handled and how work should be done. This starts with the implementation of financial and political reforms, which should focus on confronting the mentality of clientelism and quotas.”

He also underlined the importance of establishing an independent judiciary and “fortifying state institutions against sectarianism and favoritism.”

“The reforms will be meaningless if they are not based on the principles of fairness, social justice and the protection of rights and public and private freedoms.”

He vowed that he will always work alongside figures who “are committed to change to reform the state and allow it to impose its sovereignty throughout its territory and restore Lebanon’s position in the Arab world and the world’s trust in it.”

Salam and the ICJ

Salam’s appointment as head of the ICJ had alarmed Israel. He had taken clear stances against Israel and openly supported the Palestinian cause.

Israel’s Jerusalem Post said he has a “long history in opposing Israel through his statements and stances.” It recalled a tweet aimed at Israel in 2015, in which he said: “Unhappy birthday to you, 48 years of occupation.”

Salam is a member of a prominent family from Beirut. His grandfather “Abou Ali” Salim Ali Salam (1868-1938) was a leading figure in the capital. He was a member of the Ottoman parliament and head of its municipality in 1908.

Nawaf’s father, Abdullah Salam, was a prominent businessman and one of the founders of Middle East Airlines, Lebanon’s national carrier.

One of his uncles is former Prime Minister Saeb Salam, who served in that post four times between 1952 and 1973. Tammam Salam is a cousin who served as prime minister twice between 2014 and 2016.

Nawaf Salam holds a doctorate in political science from France’s prestigious Sciences Po university as well as a doctorate in history from France’s Sorbonne University. He also has a Master of Laws degree from Harvard Law School. Salam has worked as a lecturer at several universities, including the American University of Beirut.

Prior to heading the ICJ, he served as Lebanon’s ambassador to the United Nations between 2007 and 2017. He also represented the country at the UN Security Council between 2010 and 2011.

His publications include “Lebanon Between Past and Future”, published in Beirut in 2021.