A security meeting was held today
at the Baabda Presidential Palace and was attended by President Michel Aoun,
caretaker Minister of Defense Elias Bou Saab, caretaker Minister of Interior
Rayaa al-Hassan and heads of security apparatuses, to discuss ways to protect
peaceful demonstrators and deter the groups that are committing vandalism. One
wonders why caretaker Prime Minister Saad Hariri did not attend this crucial
meeting. As a matter of fact, PM Hariri has not attended a security meeting in
three months! While the turmoil increases alarmingly in the streets, luring new
factions and groups that raise foreign flags and speak non-native accents, we
await His Excellency to make a useful appearance/contribution to help the
current situation. Yet, he did not hesitate to go on his annual vacation abroad
and is extremely active in his daily and critical tweets.
Meanwhile, caretaker Minister of
Foreign Affairs Gebran Bassil is getting ready to participate in the 2020 World
Economic Forum to represent Lebanon and acquire methods to resolve the
financial mess, in the midst of a bombardment of cruel criticism and groundless
condemnations. This came a week after he and the head of IDAL Mr. Mazen Sweid
signed a memorandum of cooperation aimed at preparing the right studies to help
attract foreign capital to Lebanon. One might ask, what is the alternative?
Paralyzing the country completely and watching as thugs commit acts of pure
vandalism? If (BIG IF) demonstrators are “protesting” to obtain their demands (i.e.
solutions to the economic crisis and eradicating corruption), shouldn’t the
politicians work exceptionally harder to grant these demands? This is exactly
what Minister of Energy Mrs. Nada Boustany has been doing by fighting the fuel
cartels, despite harsh and degrading criticism from Mr. Walid Jumblatt and
other politicians. This is exactly what Minister of the displaced Mr. Ghassan
Atallah has been doing by striving to close the Displaced Fund for good. This
is exactly what Minister of Justice Mr. Albert Serhan has been doing by
bringing corrupt officials to justice, under a vicious wave of attacks against
him and Judge Ghada Aoun.
The question begs itself: What is
the alternative?
Stay idle as the destruction and
sectarian divisiveness in the streets of Lebanon continue, escalate, and become
an end in itself?
