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The National
12 hours ago
- General
- The National
'I always think of moving back': Lebanese expats who left their hearts in Beirut
Four years ago today, Grace Dergham did the one thing she said she would never do. With her life packed in a single suitcase, she boarded a one-way flight from Lebanon in a move she described as "anything but easy". The 28 year old bid farewell to her parents with tears in her eyes and a heavy heart on July 31, lingering a little longer in their embrace, before rushing to catch the plane she desperately wanted to miss. It was deja vu for the departure terminal at Beirut International Airport. Emotional goodbyes had become the norm for many Lebanese families in 2021, with thousands of young people travelling to seek a future abroad amid their country's political paralysis, economic collapse and the final straw – the Beirut port blast. Hundreds of tonnes of ammonium nitrate improperly stored at Beirut port exploded on August 4, 2020, killing more than 220 people, injuring thousands and obliterating parts of the capital. While there are no accurate statistics, Information International, a research firm in Beirut, noted a mass exodus after the port explosion. Only way forward Ms Dergham was on her way to play tennis with her friends in Hamra, about 4km from the port, when the devastating explosion happened. "I saw a huge, pink cloud in the sky. Just as I pulled out my phone to take a picture, I felt the ground underneath me shake. Next thing I know, there was shattered glass everywhere and panicked calls from my family started flooding in," she told The National. "It was only later that reality set in and I understood the gravity of what happened." The architect is the youngest of four siblings and was the only child still living with her parents at the time of the blast. All three of her elder siblings had families and lives abroad, a path she had never considered, until then. Lebanon had been the only home Ms Dergham knew and she was particularly fond of its scenic landscapes, hospitable people and rich cultural heritage. In June 2021, a job opportunity came knocking on Ms Dergham's door and by July she had left Beirut with no return flight. The decision to pack up and leave came with an immense feeling of guilt that "eats at her every day", she said. "I didn't want to leave my parents alone but I was starting to lose hope in the country. I thought I could support them better from abroad and so leaving felt like the only way forward, even if it meant letting go of everything that felt like home," she added solemnly. Four years on, Ms Dergham has established a life in Abu Dhabi that she's grateful for, but every trip back to Beirut leaves her wondering if she made the right choice. "You can never have enough of Lebanon," she said. The country has been described as having a charm that attracts tourists and citizens alike. "Every time I say goodbye to my parents again, every time I have to leave home, I start reconsidering my options," she told The National. Economic collapse Her former colleague, Alex Habr, faces the same problem. The two worked together at a non-profit organisation that was involved in rebuilding homes destroyed by the Beirut blast. Mr Habr, 28, received a bachelor's degree in interior architecture from Milan. He moved back to Beirut for work in July 2020, but less than one month later, the port blast happened. Mr Habr was among scores of Lebanese who took to the streets in the days and weeks after August 4 to help clear up the rubble. He was working first-hand with NGOs to help families rebuild their homes, and now owns construction and contracting companies in the US. "Being on the streets after the blast and helping people slowly rebuild was the most fulfilling experience of my life but it also showed me how unstable our country really was," said Mr Habr. He described families who had been well-off, only to find themselves unable to afford renovations after losing their hard-earned savings in Lebanon's banking crisis. In late 2019, Lebanon began feeling the impact of one of the worst financial crises in history. The economic collapse pushed more than half the population into poverty, with the national currency losing more than 90 per cent of its value. The banking system was hard-hit, with years of unsustainable monetary policies catching up with the once-globally praised sector. Cash deposits in Lebanese banks vanished and many people lost their life savings. The ripple effects of the economic crisis, still felt to this day, are another reason that pushed many to leave, despite their love for their homeland. 'Lebanon is my favourite country, it's always on my mind, I always think about moving back home," said Mr Habr. "But Lebanon is unstable, there are no guarantees, I can't sacrifice what I have to move back." While he has no immediate plans to relocate to Beirut, Mr Habr still flew back for the summer. Even during crisis, expats often find their way home for the holidays, where they revel in the pristine beaches, scenic hikes, delicious feasts and parties till sunrise. 'It keeps me up at night' Nagham Abou Zeid had always dreamt of pursuing her postgraduate studies abroad but had plans to move back to Lebanon and teach at her alma mater, the Lebanese American University. The 24 year old is currently a candidate for a doctorate at the University of Tennessee in Nashville, where she is studying child psychology and development. However, her plans to move back home have fallen through. "I changed my mind after the economic collapse," Ms Abou Zeid told The National. "I saw my parents work really hard all their lives, only to lose everything overnight." Ms Abou Zeid's father had been in the Lebanese Army for 37 years. His retirement money, which had been stored in the bank "after years of serving the country", was all gone. The Beirut blast, which the postgraduate student escaped by mere chance, was the final nail in the coffin. "On the day of the blast, I had a therapist appointment in Achrafieh at exactly 6pm," she told The National. "I don't remember why I cancelled it, but luckily I did because the therapist's office was fully destroyed in the blast." Ms Abou Zeid also took to the streets as part of clear-up and recalls chaotic scenes she will never forget. Five years since the explosion, there has been no justice, no accountability and no answers. Political pushback on an investigation into the blast, which has largely been blamed on state negligence and mismanagement, has led many Lebanese diaspora to stand by their decision to stay away, despite how difficult it can be. "I don't regret my decision, it has come with a lot of pain, but I think it was the right thing to do," Ms Abou Zeid said. "I hate that I can't see my parents get older, and I hate that I miss out on milestones and special occasions. "I don't regret not wanting to go back. There's no stability, no safety, no security, but it's 100 per cent a really difficult decision that keeps me up at night."
The National
2 days ago
- Politics
- The National
'Corruption and negligence': New book uncovers past Beirut port explosions
With the fifth anniversary of Beirut's 2020 port explosion on Monday, one might expect to see memorials and other acts of remembrance across the city, but many in Lebanon are simply trying to move on. Between the continuing economic crisis, regional conflicts and political inaction, the outrage over the Beirut blast and public demands for justice have grown quieter and quieter. The official investigation remains unfinished, and many remain sceptical that those responsible will ever be held to account. Complicating matters further is the fact that Lebanon lacks a reliable public record. Archives are poorly maintained, if they are kept at all. Illuminating and solidifying forgotten heritage has long been a great passion for artist, author and amateur historian Eddy Choueiry, who has brought together his academic background in philosophy and psychology with a quietly patriotic love for the legacy of Lebanon. In the wake of the August 4 blast, however, his creative practice took on a new meaning, unpicking a disaster years in the making. Half a decade later, he plans to present the findings of his research, first in a public lecture hosted by Asabil Public Library in Beirut, and later in a new book, which will be released soon. 'After the explosion, my target was to make a book to represent what we call in French a travail de deuil, or work of mourning,' Choueiry tells The National. 'It's a mourning process and, as is usual with this process, I wanted to do it through art, culture and heritage, so I started the book one week after the blast.' The history of the Port of Beirut stretches back to the Ottoman Empire, which, in 1887, put control of the port into the hands of the French company Compagnie du Port, des Quais et des Entrepots de Beyrouth. The Port of Beirut quickly grew to become a key shipping centre for the region, continuing to expand during the French Mandate thanks to greater funding and trade from France, even after Lebanon became an independent nation in 1943. In 1960, the company was renamed the Gestion et Exploitation du Port de Beyrouth. Unfortunately, the Port of Beirut also earned a reputation for corruption and smuggling. Abandoned crew and cargo were also common occurrences, as was the case with the MV Rhosus, the Moldovan ship which, in 2013, delivered the 2,750 tonne of ammonium nitrate that caused the 2020 blast. Many of the records of the port were destroyed by the explosion, but Choueiry managed to uncover a trove of physical documents kept in the Gestion et Exploitation du Port de Beyrouth offices. It took four years just to go through all the files, which include letters, photographs, maps, contracts and even newspaper articles. 'The old archives of the harbour had been saved – although still damaged – because they were in a closet,' says Choueiry. 'I discovered a lot of documents, so I limited my research to the Ottoman period, the French Mandate period, and then – after our independence – the construction of the silos.' Unbeknownst to most in Lebanon, the 2020 explosion at the port of Beirut, although the most devastating, was not the first such blast. In fact, three other explosions had taken place, in 1919, 1928 and 1934. In the case of the first two events, only one fatality was reported from each incident. In the case of the third, 20 people were killed and 14 were injured. The 1938 case stands out in particular in eerie similarity to the events of 2020. Back then, Warehouse S was used to store hazardous and explosive materials – including gunpowder and TNT – under restricted access but, due to limited space, this holding area had also started to be used for other goods, including flammable textiles and foodstuffs. Questions were also raised regarding the collapse of Warehouse S's roof and the failure of the sprinkler system to prevent fire from spreading through the building following the explosion. Ultimately, no responsible party was ever identified, and the damaged site was built over. 'The authorities launched an inquiry into the cause of that explosion,' Choueiry explains, 'but it led nowhere. Even at the time, it was predicted [in the local press] that it would lead nowhere, as with the two previous port explosions that happened in 1919 and 1928; that the third – 1934 – was going to be the same, without consequences.' Despite the recurring historical pattern of worsening accidents caused by the improper storage and handling of hazardous materials at the port, no lessons were seemingly learnt. When the new grain silos were completed and put into operation in 1970, the port authorities designated Warehouse 12 – the eventual epicentre of the 2020 explosion – as the holding area for such materials; a building almost directly co-located with the silos. 'This is crazy,' says Choueiry. 'The silos stocked grain and wheat for the whole of Lebanon. Who could imagine putting this warehouse in front of the silos? There is no excuse in 2020 that nobody knew about the importance of nitrate, and how it's so dangerous. They are not doing their jobs as they should. It's negligence.' Today, the remains of the damaged silos stand over the Port of Beirut as a scarred reminder of the latest tragedy to befall the harbour, but ensuring that it will be the last requires that Lebanon change its relationship with its complex and often painful past. Through this "mourning work", Choueiry and those like him are attempting to put Lebanon's ephemeral history into concrete forms that will persist and provide clarity for future generations, in the hope that this cycle of abuse, impunity and failure can finally be broken for good. 'We shouldn't forget this injustice that happened to Beirut and to Lebanon,' says Choueiry. 'We are crossing our fingers with the 2020 explosion that – if we are fortunate – we will have answers. God knows how long it's going to take, to tell the truth about what really happened.' 'If you put yourself face-to-face with catastrophe, it's going to be an eternal trauma,' he continues. 'But, if you try to make enough of it into something related to your identity, to your culture, now you are making something fruitful.'
The National
20-07-2025
- Politics
- The National
Lebanon cannot call itself a state without answers to Beirut blast, says Justice Minister
Lebanon 'cannot pretend' to be a state if answers are not found over the deadly 2020 Beirut port blast, the country's Justice Minister has said. No one has been held accountable for one of the largest non-nuclear explosions in history, which killed more than 220 people, injured thousands and devastated large parts of the Lebanese capital. The explosion was caused by the detonation of nearly 3,000 tonnes of ammonium nitrate that had been improperly stored at the port for years, despite repeated warnings to Lebanese authorities. The physical wounds are still present throughout Beirut, while the mental and emotional scars linger for its people every day, with justice still out of reach. The tragedy exposed the deep-rooted corruption, negligence and dysfunction at the heart of Lebanon 's political and judicial systems. Efforts to investigate the blast have been repeatedly obstructed by political interference, legal challenges and the removal of lead investigators, leaving victims' families still searching for answers five years later. The current investigative judge Tarek Bitar has previously been threatened and faced challenges summoning senior figures he has fought to interrogate. He is finally making some progress after years of constant impediments - although a long road ahead remains. 'When you have a blast of the dramatic impact of the port blast, a state that is not able to give answers and ensure accountability to its citizens is a state not fulfilling its role,' said Justice Minister Adel Nassar. 'I understand the families, all the victims, that they want a decision as soon as possible. But I think they understand that the main criteria is to ensure he [Mr Bitar] completed his work and he got sufficient evidence supporting his findings,' Mr Nassar told The National in an interview at his office in Beirut, days before the fifth anniversary of the explosion. Mr Nassar assumed the role earlier this year in the government of Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, himself a former judge and former chief of the International Court of Justice. Mr Salam's team has sought to bring about reform in a country long plagued by institutional malaise, and the Premier has repeatedly said that accountability over the blast is one his key objectives. 'It's one of the priorities and nobody will accept that this major dramatic event remains without answers, without a trial, without a proper judicial system acting in this respect,' said Mr Nassar. Justice delayed Judge Bitar's investigation has been fraught with challenges from the start. He was not the original lead judge in the immediate aftermath of the explosion and, at one point, was stripped of his authority by Lebanon's then-top prosecutor Ghassan Oueidat — who himself had been charged in connection with the case. Mr Bitar also faced a barrage of lawsuits filed by senior officials seeking to avoid interrogation. But in January he reopened the case again. Shortly after, his powers were reinstalled by Lebanon's new top prosecutor and some – although not all – top officials who resisted interrogation for months, if not years, eventually appeared for questioning. Mr Oueidat, however, refused on Thursday to be notified of a hearing scheduled by Mr Bitar for questioning on Monday as a suspect in the case. The investigation's reactivation has coincided with the arrival of a new president and a reform-minded government, raising cautious hopes for a shift in approach. 'Maybe there is a coincidence between my arrival to the ministry and the fact that he [Mr Bitar] is being able to conduct his work without obstacles,' said Mr Nassar. "A coincidence?" The National asked. 'Why not?' the Minister responded, with a smile and shrug of his shoulders. Mr Nassar said he has no formal role in the investigation, and that no good justice minister should have one in this case or any other. 'It's clear that the Ministry is not in charge of the investigation and is not supposed to interfere in the investigation. And I'm clearly not interfering," Mr Nassar said. 'My role is to ensure that the investigative judge will have all the tools he may require to continue his work and to prevent any political interference in his work." He added: "I tried to support any requirements or demand he brought, I'm very happy that French investigative judges came to Lebanon to share information with him,' referring to a French judicial delegation that was on the ground two weeks after the blast and was allowed to share its findings with Mr Bitar once the investigation resumed. The contents of the French findings are not known to Mr Nassar, but it is hoped the exchange of information between judicial officials will support the case. 'I made the contacts to ensure that they could come and share information. But I didn't even meet them, it's not my role to meet them. 'We really have to respect the separation of powers in Lebanon. In a democracy, you have a proper separation. I am a minister, I am not supposed to ask questions regarding the merit of a judge's work.' Mr Nassar said he has ensured there is proper co-operation between Mr Bitar and Lebanon's top prosecutor. He also reiterated his solidarity with families of the victims. 'It is one of the most terrible crimes that occurred. It is the duty of the state to give this file a full effort, because we cannot pretend we have a state, and at the same time, not be able to address this terrible blast,' he said.
The National
28-05-2025
- General
- The National
Hospital emergency unit destroyed in Beirut blast reopens after Dh8.7 million UAE donation
The emergency and trauma unit at a Lebanese hospital that was destroyed in the 2020 Beirut port blast is ready to welcome patients again, thanks to a major UAE donation. The Big Heart Foundation, a global humanitarian organisation based in Sharjah, contributed Dh8.7 million ($2.36 million) to reconstruct and expand the facility at the 147-year-old Saint George Hospital University Medical Centre in Lebanon's capital. The hospital is about half a kilometre from the port and bore the brunt of the devastating explosion, which killed more than 200 people and left thousands injured. Four members of the hospital's nursing staff died, as well as 12 patients and a visitor. More than 100 doctors, nurses and administrative staff suffered injuries ranging from mild to critical, according to the hospital's website. The upgraded unit reopened on Tuesday. It has state-of-the-art medical equipment, expanded capacity, enhanced trauma-care facilities, and a new paediatric section. It is expected to serve 40,000 patients per year. Its inauguration has enabled the hospital to operate at full capacity for the first time since the disaster on August 4, 2020. Beirut blast aftermath – in pictures The crucial funding was made possible by the Salam Beirut campaign, which raised more than Dh30 million for recovery work following the explosion. At the inauguration ceremony, Alya Al Musaiebi, director of The Big Heart Foundation, reaffirmed Sharjah's long-standing friendship with Lebanon and praised the strength of its people. 'The reconstructed and expanded [centre] symbolises our belief that humanitarian work must be meaningful, long-term, and grounded in the dignity of those we serve,' she said. 'The devastation caused by the Port of Beirut explosion was not just structural – it was deeply human, and our response through Salam Beirut was committed to investing in systems that give people back not just services, but stability and self-worth.' Dr Joseph Wehbe, chief of staff and head of the emergency and trauma centre, said: 'The rehabilitation, restoration and expansion of the emergency and trauma unit marks a moment of great pride for everyone at Saint George University Hospital. 'The hospital was among the most severely affected institutions by the tragic explosion that rocked the Port of Beirut, resulting in a complete shutdown for the first time since its founding in 1878. 'Despite the magnitude of the disaster, our determination never wavered. Through the dedication and perseverance of our medical and administrative teams, we managed to resume operations via a temporary emergency unit within a record time of just two weeks.'
