Lebanon denies Telegraph claims, invites officials for airport tour

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Al Mayadeen
23 Jun 2024 19:00
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Following an unfounded report that Hezbollah receives and stores weapons at the airport of Beirut, the Lebanese Air Transport holds The Telegraph responsible for the safety of the civilian infrastructure.

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Middle East Airlines jet grounded at the Rafik Hariri International Airport, in Beirut, Lebanon, Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2022. (AP)

The Air Transport Union in Lebanon (UTA) denied in a statement The Telegraph's report in which it claimed that "Hezbollah stores missiles and explosives at Lebanon’s main airport," saying that these claims were made without any proof offered.

The UTA called The Telegraph's unfounded claims "mere illusions and lies aimed at endangering Beirut Airport and its civilian workers, as well as travelers to and from it, all of whom are civilians."

Moreover, the Air Transport Union held the media outlet, as well as "those who report on it and spread its falsehoods" responsible for the safety of those who work at Beirut Airport in all its facilities, "including the passenger terminal, departure and arrival, the apron, maintenance, and civil air cargo."

Additionally, in its statement, it called on all Lebanese, Arab, and foreign media outlets to come to Beirut Airport "with their camera crews and verify for themselves, otherwise, we consider what is being promoted by suspicious media outlets as incitement to kill us."

The Telegraph report 'ridiculous'

On his part, Lebanon's caretaker Minister of Public Works and Transport, Ali Hamieh, proclaimed, in a press conference, that "Beirut Airport has been subjected to disinformation for years," adding that instead of publishing a "ridiculous" and baseless report citing anonymous sources, the British daily "should have opted for checking in with the British Department of Transport, which conducted a field visit of the airport on January 22, 2024."

"This is the primary authority responsible for transportation matters at the airport," he stated.

Questioning the paper's credibility, Hamieh asked, "Is it conceivable that a reputable newspaper would change its sources within an hour?"

Additionally, the caretaker minister called on all media outlets and all ambassadors or their representatives to visit the airport tomorrow at 10:30 am for a tour of all airport facilities to make sure that the airport is strictly a civilian infrastructure and that no weapons are being smuggled through it.

"We have nothing to hide," he maintained.

Moreover, Hamieh informed the press, "We are in the process of filing a lawsuit against the newspaper and we will announce the details later."

Timing of Telegraph piece 'not innocent'

In a similar vein, Lebanon's caretaker Minister of Information, Zaid Makary, accused The Telegraph's article, in a post on X, of contradicting the principles and ethics of journalism and called on all media outlets not only to denounce the article but also to expose the goals behind its publication under today's circumstances.

طالعتنا صحيفة "التلغراف" البريطانية بمقال يفتقر إلى الصدقية تحت عنوان: "حزب الله يخزن صواريخ ومتفجرات في مطار لبنان الرئيسي، وفقاً لمبلغين".
من باب الحرص على أمن البلد وعلى سلامة المواطنين اللبنانيين والقاطنين فيه والوافدين اليه، وانطلاقاً من أن المقال ينافي مبادئ الصحافة…
— Ziad T. Makary (@ZiadMakary) June 23, 2024