Beirut bombing brings Lebanon's political parties together
The Nov. 12 suicide bombing in Beirut failed to sow discord among Lebanese political parties and actually seemed to bring them closer temporarily, but their disagreements run too deep to allow for sustained cooperation.
As the world was learning of the deadly terrorist attack Nov. 12 in Beirut, it was stunned by another attack the next day in Paris. The Nov. 12 explosions in Lebanon claimed dozens of lives. The following day, the bloody Paris events made the headlines.
Though the suburban Beirut explosions in Burj al-Barajneh lost the media spotlight to the Paris shootings — as well as to field developments in Syria and reactions to Turkey's downing of a Russian plane — the attacks in Lebanon were significant.
As the state security systems that were put in place by Lebanese Prime Minister Tammam Salam’s government in February 2014 are weakening, political divisions are deepening and constitutional institutions remain in a state of paralysis.
Following the Burj al-Barajneh explosions, Hezbollah immediately called for appeasement, while security authorities were able to arrest the perpetrators in record time, dismantle their networks and thwart terrorist operations that were being planned.
