Lebanon - Closer to the Edge

This morning, 13 February, two bombs exploded on buses in the Christian north of Lebanon killing 12 and wounding 20. The blasts took place in the Phalangist Party heartland, near Bikfaya, the village of the former President Gemayel, whose son was assassinated last November and the home of the Defence Minister responsible for the recent seizure of a shipment of arms to Hezbollah.

It appears that the motive of the blasts was to deter anti-Syrian Christians from attending a demonstration organized for tomorrow in Beirut, in order to commemorate the second anniversary of the assassination of Rafik al-Hariri. The buses are typical of the transport, which would be used to transport participants to the event.

Moreover, the demonstration would pass near the ongoing sit-in against the current anti-Syrian government, organized by pro Hezbollah and anti-government Christians. Christians are split in their pro and anti-Syrian, pro and anti-government sentiments. Nobody has claimed responsibility for the attacks, but obviously it is being blamed on Syria or pro-Syrian parties.

Coming just weeks after huge student and local clashes between pro-and anti-government Shia and Sunni Arabs in Beirut, it further heightens tensions in the complex and highly volatile situation there. All eyes will now be on Beirut tomorrow.