'Hezbollah committed all major crimes in Lebanon in past 25 years': Abu Assi

L'Orient-Le Jour

3 days ago

Lebanese Forces (LF) MP Pierre Abu Assi described the Aug. 4, 2020, Beirut port explosion, which killed 235 people and injured more than 7,000, as the "crime of the century," pointing to "Hezbollah as the primary accused."
In an interview with the Al Jadeed podcast, reported by the National News Agency (NNA), he specified that this tragedy is made up of three consecutive crimes: the storage of dangerous materials in the heart of the capital for years up to Aug. 3, the catastrophic explosion on the evening of Aug. 4 and impunity, the most serious crime, which began on Aug. 5.
"Five years have already passed, but the investigation has not led to any results," lamented Abu Assi. "All the major crimes committed in Lebanon over the past 25 years, whose perpetrators have not been identified, were committed by Hezbollah, from the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri to the Aug. 4 explosion, as well as the assassination of Elias Hasrouni [LF official] in Ain Ibl."
"The attacks against the judge and the intrusion into the Justice Palace are further evidence of the party's involvement. There is, in fact, a clear decision not to let the investigation advance," he continued, alluding to pressure put on investigating judge Tarek Bitar, and to the demonstration against this magistrate on Oct. 14, 2021, outside the Beirut Justice Palace, led by Hezbollah and the Amal movement, which escalated into bloody clashes.
After two years of political and judicial obstacles, the investigation into the double explosion at Beirut's port, led by Judge Bitar, was relaunched last January. The indictment is still pending.
"Lebanon is no longer among the priorities of the international community," added Abu Assi, recalling recent statements by American envoy Tom Barrack, who called on Beirut to disarm Hezbollah and asserted that "the United States would not wait for Lebanon, nor would Saudi Arabia or any other friendly country."
In this context, the MP accused the party of refusing to surrender its weapons and of threatening the social contract. "The truth is, Hezbollah is Iran's political and security arm in Lebanon and refuses to surrender its weapons, which threatens the social contract based on equality among Lebanese. What is happening today undermines this contract, and if we cross the point of no return, only God knows how things will end," he insisted, also stating that "civil peace can only be achieved if the state fully plays its role, not by abandoning it."