As if Lebanon didn't have enough problems, Former Lebanese cabinet minister Issam Charafeddine has issued a direct call for violence in Lebanon over the country’s frozen bank deposits crisis, saying that only force will bring results.
Charafeddine, who has become a leading voice among depositors who lost access to their savings during Lebanon’s 2019 banking collapse, said that violence should be “proportional” and should escalate according to need.
He called for depositors to lay siege to the homes of officials responsible for freezing their money, including members of the government. He also challenged depositors by asking whether they were ready to act like “real men” — meaning strong, determined, and willing to confront those in power.
Charafeddine added that many depositors are afraid to take to the streets because Hezbollah has not joined the protests. According to him, even people who have millions of dollars frozen in the banks are reluctant to act without Hezbollah’s backing.