2020 in Lebanon

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Decades:	2000s 2010s 2020s
See also:	Other events of 2020 Timeline of Lebanese history

Events in the year 2020 in Lebanon.

Incumbents

• President: Michel Aoun
• Prime Minister: Saad Hariri (until 21 January), Hassan Diab (starting 21 January)

Events

January

• January 14 - 2019-20 Lebanese Protests resume after weeks of calm.[1]
• January 21 - A new cabinet is formed after months without one.[2]

February

• February 21 - The 1st case of COVID-19 in Lebanon is confirmed in Beirut.[3]
• February 28 - Lebanon bars all travel by non-residents by air, sea or land from countries worst hit by the COVID-19 outbreak. The Public Works Ministry named China, South Korea, Iran, and Italy as affected countries.[4]

March

• March 10 - The first COVID-19 death is recorded.[5]

April

• April 21 - Baakline attack - nine people were killed with a knife and gun in Baakline.[6]

July

• July 27 - There was an exchange of fire between Israeli soldiers and four Hezbollah members.[7][8][9][10]

August

• August 4 – 2020 Beirut explosions - Massive explosions in the Port of Beirut, caused by explosion of an estimated 2750 tonnes of Ammonium Nitrate. Around 157 people have been reported dead till now and thousands are injured.[11]
• August 5 - The government declares a two week state of emergency following the explosions.[12]
• August 9 - Protesters in Lebanon called on the government to end the neglect that caused the 4 August explosion.[13]
• August 10 - Prime Minister Hassan Diab announced that he and his entire cabinet had resigned following anger over the Beirut explosions.[14]

Deaths

Salah Stétié

• 2 January – Najwa Qassem, journalist and television presenter (b. 1967).[15]
• 4 April – Mohammad Ali Younes, spy, head of Hezbollah's counter espionage unit.[16]
• 19 May – Salah Stétié, writer and poet (b. 1929).[17]
• 3 June – Mohsen Ibrahim, politician (b. 1935).[18]
• 9 June – Joseph Mohsen Béchara, Maronite Catholic hierarch, Archbishop of Cyprus and Antelias (b. 1935).[19]
• 5 July – Ahmad Karami, politician (b. 1944).[20]
• 27 July – Khalil Taha, wrestler (b. 1932).[21]
• 31 July – Jocelyne Khoueiry, militant and activist (b. 1955).[22]
• 4 August – Nazar Najarian, politician, secretary-general of the Kataeb Party (born c. 1959).[23]

References

1. "Protesters block roads in Lebanon as anti-gov't rallies resume". Al Jazeera. 14 Jan 2020. Retrieved 21 Apr 2020.
2. "Lebanon protests: New government ends months of deadlock". BBC News. 22 Jan 2020. Retrieved 21 Apr 2020.
3. Yassine, Hussein (21 Feb 2020). "First Coronavirus Case Confirmed in Lebanon". the961.com. Retrieved 21 Apr 2020.
4. "Coronavirus outbreak 'getting bigger' - WHO". BBC News. Retrieved 2020-02-28.
5. Abdul Reda, Nour (10 Mar 2020). "Breaking: First Person Dies From Coronavirus in Lebanon". the961.com. Retrieved 21 Apr 2020.
6. Azhari, Timour (21 Apr 2020). "Several dead in 'indiscriminate' Lebanon mass shooting". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 21 Apr 2020.
7. "Lebanon's Hezbollah denies infiltration attempt or clashes near Lebanese frontier". 27 July 2020 – via www.reuters.com.
8. "Netanyahu warns Hezbollah against playing with fire after frontier incident". 27 July 2020 – via www.reuters.com.
9. "i24NEWS". www.i24news.tv.
10. Azhari, Timour. "Lebanon's Hezbollah accuses Israel of fabricating border clash". www.aljazeera.com.
11. Sullivan, Oliver Holmes (now); Helen; Ratcliffe (earlier), Rebecca; Holmes, Oliver; Elgot, Jessica; Borger, Julian; Blackall, Molly; Bramley, Ellie Violet (2020-08-05). "Beirut explosion: death toll rises to 135 as about 5,000 people are wounded – as it happened". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2020-08-05.
12. Sullivan, Oliver Holmes (now); Helen; Ratcliffe (earlier), Rebecca; Holmes, Oliver; Elgot, Jessica; Borger, Julian; Blackall, Molly; Bramley, Ellie Violet (2020-08-05). "Beirut explosion: death toll rises to 135 as about 5,000 people are wounded – as it happened". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2020-08-05.
13. "Lebanese call for an uprising after protests rock Beirut". Reuters. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
14. "Beirut explosion: Lebanon's government resigns as public anger mounts". BBC News. August 10, 2020. Retrieved August 10, 2020.
15. "Lebanese TV presenter Najwa Qassem dies at 51". egypttoday.com. Retrieved 2 January 2020.
16. "Hezbollah Official Assassinated in Southern Lebanon". english.aawsat.com. 5 April 2020. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
17. "Salah Stétié est décédé à Paris". lorientlejour.com (in French). 20 May 2020. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
18. "Mohsen Ibrahim, l'une des dernières figures historiques de la gauche libanaise, n'est plus". lorientlejour.com (in French). Retrieved 7 August 2020.
19. "Archbishop Joseph Mohsen Béchara". catholic-hierarchy.org. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
20. "Former Minister Ahmad Karami passed away". nna-leb.gov.lb. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
21. "Khalil Taha". olympedia.org. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
22. "La première combattante Kataëb, en 1975, Jocelyne Khoueiry est décédée à l'âge de 64 ans". lorientlejour.com (in French). Retrieved 1 August 2020.
23. "Secretary-general of Lebanese Kataeb Party Najarian dies in Beirut blast". news.am. 4 August 2020. Retrieved 7 August 2020.