Rulings in Khaldeh Incident Renew Debate on Lebanon’s Military Court

Young men block Khaldeh road in protest against the Military Court ruling. (Markaziah)
Young men block Khaldeh road in protest against the Military Court ruling. (Markaziah)
TT
20

Rulings in Khaldeh Incident Renew Debate on Lebanon’s Military Court

Young men block Khaldeh road in protest against the Military Court ruling. (Markaziah)
Young men block Khaldeh road in protest against the Military Court ruling. (Markaziah)

Judicial rulings against people from the Arab tribes of Khaldeh, south of Beirut, renewed the debate about the military court in Lebanon, which some accused of bias as it did not convict any of the supporters of Hezbollah involved in a dispute in Aug. 2021.

On Wednesday, the military court issued rulings against those accused of the Khaldeh clashes that took place between the Arab tribes of the region and supporters of Hezbollah in 2021.

Armed clashes erupted between Hezbollah supporters and a rival group in Khaldeh, south of Beirut, on Aug. 1. The skirmish occurred during the funeral of a Hezbollah member, who had been killed overnight in a revenge shooting. The tribes considered that they were being provoked by gunmen from the party who participated in the funeral, so they opened fire on the funeral procession, killing four Hezbollah supporters.

At that time, the Lebanese army arrested those involved in the shooting. Their trial began in the military court in parallel with reconciliation efforts undertaken by the Progressive Socialist Party, and its head, Walid Jumblatt, and with the mediation of the Lebanese army intelligence, which failed to achieve any breakthrough.

Lebanese politicians saw that the rulings were biased in favor of Hezbollah, as the court did not condemn any of the group’s armed members who were involved in the clashes.

With the announcement of the court ruling, tension mounted in Khaldeh on Wednesday evening, after a number of protesters blocked the highways in both directions. Gunfire was heard in the area.

Lebanese parliamentarians, including members of the Democratic Gathering bloc, expressed their surprise at the court decision. MP Faisal Al-Sayegh said on his Twitter account: “What is very surprising is the issuance of very harsh sentences against the Arab tribes exclusively, despite the presence of two sides in the problem…”

For his part, MP Marc Daou, pointed to “unfair rulings”, adding: “It seems that the political security pressure from [Hezbollah] was stronger than the military court’s adherence to justice and law.”

Similarly, member of the Strong Lebanon parliamentary bloc, MP Ghiath Yazbek, said: “After its rulings against the people of Khaldeh, the military court proved once again that it is a cover for [Hezbollah]…”



Thousands Join Anti-government Rally in Jerusalem

The protest is the largest to take place in Jerusalem for several months - AFP
The protest is the largest to take place in Jerusalem for several months - AFP
TT
20

Thousands Join Anti-government Rally in Jerusalem

The protest is the largest to take place in Jerusalem for several months - AFP
The protest is the largest to take place in Jerusalem for several months - AFP

Thousands of protesters massed in Jerusalem on Wednesday, chanting slogans against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who they accuse of undermining democracy and resuming Gaza strikes without regard for hostages.

Protesters shouted "You are the head, and you're to blame" as well as "The blood is on your hands" at the demonstration near parliament, the largest to take place in Jerusalem for months, AFP reported.

The demonstration was organized by anti-Netanyahu opposition groups protesting the premier's move to sack Ronen Bar, head of the Shin Bet internal security agency, AFP reported.

Following Netanyahu's announcement to dismiss Bar, which threatened to trigger political crisis, Israel launched a wave of overnight strikes on Gaza, by far the deadliest since the start of a fragile ceasefire in January.

Relatives of the Israeli hostages still held in Gaza joined the rally outside the parliament in Jerusalem.

"We hope all people from Israel will join this movement and we will not stop until we restore democracy and freedom for the hostages," said Zeev Berar, 68, from Tel Aviv.

"At this rate we won't have a country left, not a democratic one. It will be a dictatorship," student Roni Sharon, 18, told AFP.

Some in the crowd brandished banners reading: "We are all hostages".

Relatives of the hostages in the Gaza Strip have said the decision to resume strikes could "sacrifice" their loved ones.

Of the 251 hostages seized during the unprecedented October 2023 Hamas attack that sparked the war, 58 are still held in Gaza, including 34 the Israeli military says are dead.

The demonstrators in Jerusalem also accuse Netanyahu of using the war against Hamas to distract from domestic political concerns.

The prime minister has so far refused to set up a national commission of inquiry into Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack, while his bid to dismiss Bar threatened to plunge Israel back into deep political crisis.

Netanyahu's government recently also moved to oust Israel's attorney general and government judiciary adviser, Gali Baharav-Miara, a fierce defendant of the judiciary's independence.

A 2023 judicial reform project aimed at curbing the supreme court's powers fractured the country and sparked major protests -- before coming to an abrupt halt with Hamas's October 7 attack.

"The last two years have been a nightmare for us," said Yael Baron, 55, from the city of Modiin.

"I feel as though we are in the 99th minute and time is running out to save the country, the oxygen is running out for us, like democracy is running out."