Lead:
The anniversary of the August 4, 2020 Beirut port explosion dominates the Lebanese opinion landscape, with writers examining the failure to deliver justice, the isolation of former Central Bank Governor Riad Salameh as a scapegoat, and broader questions about systemic accountability versus individual punishment. Columnists also address reconstruction prospects, maritime border negotiations with Israel, and the geopolitical pressures reshaping Lebanon's immediate future.
Voices & Positions:
In Al-Akhbar, an unnamed columnist argues that prosecuting Salameh alone constitutes a deception of Lebanese citizens, insisting that justice remains incomplete so long as all those who engineered or profited from the economic collapse evade accountability.
In Al-Diyar, an unnamed analyst contends that the indictment decision in the port explosion case remains pending six years later, demanding clarity on whether legal proceedings will finally materialize and expressing concern that delays themselves become a form of injustice to victims.
In Al-Diyar, another columnist discusses maritime border negotiations entering their seventh round in Rome, warning against Israeli tactical maneuvers that deliberately leave tunnels unexploded to leverage them as bargaining chips in future talks.
In Al-Nahar, Ghassan Abi Khalil marks six years since the explosion, calling this the year to finally achieve public announcements of justice and end Beirut's endless wait for closure.
In Al-Diyar, an analyst examines Lebanon's reconstruction opportunities, arguing that rebuilding the south presents a historic chance to rehabilitate the entire Lebanese economy if pursued with coherent national strategy.
Tension & Convergence:
Writers converge on the conviction that selective prosecution of Salameh without systemic accountability constitutes a false resolution. They divide, however, on whether maritime negotiations with Israel represent opportunity or entrapment—some warn of Israeli manipulation; others frame reconstruction as economically essential. All demand justice but disagree on whether current judicial momentum suffices.
Editorial Takeaway:
The dominant voice today is one of impatient moral accounting: Lebanese columnists reject partial justice as betrayal and demand that institutional enablers face equal scrutiny to individual defendants.