French President Emmanuel Macron visited blast-stricken Lebanon and was welcomed in the streets of Beirut with warmth and admiration that Lebanese politicians have not been granted in a long time.
Macron visited to assess the damage and give the politicians a deadline to act quickly on ending corruption and making reforms, or else he will have to take matters into his own hands to help the people, he said.
During his one-day visit, Macron proposed a ‘political pact’ to the Lebanese political figures and said he has hopes they will cooperate.
Days after his visit, the Lebanese government has still not begun to take action. Instead, more pain has been inflicted on the people of Lebanon during anti-government protests.
Lebanese security forces are firing tear gas, using physical violence, and detaining protesters who are demanding the government’s resignation.
While some officials did quit due to shock after the explosion, the majority have not. A few have testified that they are waiting for the Cabinet session Monday before they make their final decision.
Now, the French President is threatening to impose sanctions on multiple Lebanese politicians, including President Aoun’s son-in-law Gebran Bassil, reported Al Arabiya.
Based on a diplomatic source, Al Arabiya revealed that these sanctions will include the withholding of funds stored abroad and visa-bans.
The sanctions will affect political figures from various sects, not just Shiite politicians, the news channel added.
Earlier on Sunday, Macron co-hosted a donors’ conference with the United Nations to solicit aid for Lebanon. The participating countries have pledged a total of $298 million in relief.
