Speaking to French daily newspaper Le Figaro, France’s Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said Lebanon’s collapse resembled the Titanic, the once illustrious ship that drowned into the abyss in an inescapable tragedy.
“Lebanon is the Titanic without the orchestra. The Lebanese are in complete denial as they sink, and there isn’t even the music,” he said, in a quote that will be remembered throughout history.
Of course, this is in reference to how the musicians aboard the Titanic famously kept playing until the last minute giving their lives to the music before going down.
Except there isn’t music as Lebanon collapses, other than the muted sound of the people in pain and the silenced echo of their protests.
There is only crisis after crisis and politicians selfishly delaying reforms, purposely ignoring that the country is sinking as long as their seats at the captain table are preserved.
French President Emmanuel Macron has offered a helping hand to Lebanon, which capital was once dubbed as Paris of the Middle East. Reports are that Macron’s patience with the Lebanese politicians and their games is wearing thin.
These pessimistic undertones come ahead of Macron’s scheduled visit to Lebanon, fast approaching, to meet with its leaders for a solution to the catastrophe that is the Lebanese government.
Macron is due to drop down in Beirut shortly before Christmas to personally see to the Lebanon issue. Although, it’s worth noting that his previous visits have not been a success. The ruling politicians insist on their self-serving stances that are driving the country to more misery.
In fact, after PM-designate Saad Hariri finally presented his long-awaited cabinet lineup that would be in line with the French initiative, Lebanon’s president gave him a counter-proposal.
Hariri’s Future Movement bloc has not held back in pointing accusations at President Aoun for obstructing the government formation on behalf of his son-in-law, Gebran Bassil, who is sanctioned by the United States.