View of the gathering for the fourth anniversary of the double explosion at the Port of Beirut, Aug. 4, 2024. (Credit: Matthieu Karam/L'Orient-Le Jour)
“We are here four years later because a certain Hassan Nasrallah is soft on the South... and harsh on Beirut,” William Noun said on Sunday during the fourth anniversary of the Aug. 4, 2020, Beirut Port explosion that claimed the life of his brother Joe and over 235 others. His remarks signal a new phase in the victims' families' struggle for justice, which now pits them against the Amal-Hezbollah coalition, whom they accuse of obstructing the investigation in a country where impunity prevails.
Since the investigation began, the victims' families have consistently targeted the two parties with verbal attacks and accusations. Ministers and deputies linked to the coalition have refused to appear before the court, hindering the efforts of investigative judges Fadi Sawan and later Tarek Bitar. This time, however, the families have raised their voices significantly, directly targeting Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, whom Noun described as “ruling the country from his underground hideout.” Speaker of the Parliament Nabih Berri has also been a target of their anger for his involvement in obstructing the case.
'It is high time to break all taboos'
William Noun told L’Orient-Le Jour that the issue is not personal; if Hezbollah were not obstructing the investigation, there would be no problem with them. However, the popular base of the Amal-Hezbollah coalition disagrees. Shortly after the commemoration, the electronic army of both parties attacked Noun. “It is unacceptable to insult Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah this way,” wrote a Hezbollah supporter. Others accused Noun of “exploiting his brother’s blood” in a political battle against Hezbollah. Noun countered, “This is not exploitation. Four years after the crime, it is normal to highlight those preventing us from reaching the truth.” Cecile Roukoz, whose brother Joseph was also killed in the explosion, supported this, saying, “We promised our loved ones we would point out those blocking the investigation.”
U.N. Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, who had met with the victims' families, visited the Beirut Fire Brigades' station in solidarity on Sunday, stating, “Justice must be done.”
Despite promises from President Michel Aoun and the government of Hassan Diab that those responsible would be identified in just five days, the investigation has dragged on, largely due to Hezbollah’s intransigence. In 2021, Hezbollah official Wafiq Safa even threatened to “topple” Judge Bitar. However, the victims’ families have renewed their fight amid heightened tensions from Hezbollah, which is exchanging daily fire with Israel from southern Lebanon, as a support front for Hamas in the Gaza war, a war that could escalate to a regional level.
The comments on southern Lebanon particularly angered Hezbollah’s supporters. William Noun criticized Hezbollah’s unwavering support for Palestinians while failing to address the critical issue of the port. This led to accusations of “untimely politicization” of the Aug. 4 case. Noun responded, “Raising our voice on this matter does not diminish our respect for those who have paid the price of war.”
“We seek justice for both our victims and those close to Hezbollah,” he added, asserting that he is not exploiting the war context to challenge the party, whose media service did not respond to L’Orient-Le Jour’s request for comment.
For Noun, the sole aim of his battle is to achieve justice and end impunity in the country. This is a struggle that the victims’ families are not facing alone. Despite their insistence on distancing themselves from traditional political parties, many, including the opposition, have joined this fight, giving it a political dimension. This includes the Lebanese Forces, the Kataeb, and the Renewal Bloc, whose prominent figures participated in the commemoration ceremony.
“This could tighten the noose around Hezbollah, which is obstructing the investigation into the tragedy,” says Lebanese Forces spokesperson Charles Jabbour. “But we are involved because no one can stand by in the face of such a tragedy, which has severely affected the Christian neighborhoods.”
This article originally appeared in French in L'Orient-Le Jour.