Lebanon's Diab Warns Country 'Days Away From Social Explosion' Without International Aid

Lebanon is on the brink of disaster without international assistance and risks facing a "social explosion" in the coming days, caretaker Prime Minister Hassan Diab said on Tuesday

BEIRUT (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 06th July, 2021) Lebanon is on the brink of disaster without international assistance and risks facing a "social explosion" in the coming days, caretaker Prime Minister Hassan Diab said on Tuesday.

"Lebanon is only a few days away from a social explosion. The Lebanese are following this unjust path alone. To be honest, all the measures taken by this government have succeeded in delaying the explosion but not in preventing it," Diab said at a meeting with foreign ambassadors in Beirut.

All the hardships the Lebanese have, including the shortage of fuel, electricity and medicine, are pushing the country into a massive disaster, the prime minister warned, noting that the situation in Lebanon is frightening.

"The threat faced by the Lebanese is not limited to the borders of the country. When a major tragedy occurs, it will echo outside Lebanon, both in the region and far beyond. No one can isolate themselves from the danger of Lebanon's collapse," Diab added.

Ensuring stability in Lebanon is a starting point for stability in the entire region, given that the country is hosting some 1.5 million Syrian refugees and hundreds of thousands of Palestinians, the politician said.

With the international community setting implementation of financial and administrative reforms as a prerequisite for providing financial aid, Diab asked not to "punish" the Lebanese with economic pressure and blockade, forcing them to "pay with their future and the health of their loved ones for what corrupt officials have done."

Lebanon has long been mired in a major political crisis, exacerbated by the worst financial and economic gridlock in many years. The turmoil triggered mass demonstrations in October 2019, which have since ousted two governments.

The ongoing economic crisis has also deprived the state and private companies of funds to purchase enough fuel to cover demand in the country, leading to gasoline shortages.