Prime Minister Nawaf Salam on Sunday reaffirmed the Lebanese government’s commitment to uncovering the truth behind the deadly Beirut port explosion, vowing that no one would be above accountability. He also reiterated the government’s unwavering stance that weapons must be exclusively in the hands of the state.

Speaking during a joint panel at the National Library in Sanayeh to mark five years since the August 4, 2020, blast, Salam described the port explosion as a national wound, but also pointed to the unity that followed.

“Beirut is a grieving capital, but on August 5, youth from all regions rushed in to heal the wounds. It is a generation that wants a state,” he said.

The panel, held in the presence of Culture Minister Ghassan Salameh and Social Affairs Minister Hanine El Sayed, focused on the explosion’s ongoing repercussions. Salam insisted that justice in the blast case is not just a legal matter but a foundation for a future state built on rule of law.

“There can be no sovereignty without accountability, and no state of law without accountability,” Salam said. “There is no state without law, and no law without an independent judiciary. The culture of impunity has fueled collapse and crime, and it strikes at the heart of equality. It must be dismantled.”

He said fair trials are essential to justice and pointed to the newly passed Law on the Independence of the Judiciary as a turning point in Lebanon’s efforts to restore trust in its institutions.

“We must uncover the truth and hold those responsible accountable,” Salam declared. “Truth is the mother of justice, and justice restores reconciliation and confidence. No one is above the law.”

Salam also reaffirmed his government’s commitment to the ministerial policy statement, which pledges to build a free, sovereign and independent state that exerts full control over its territory with its own institutions.

“The decision to limit arms to the state is irreversible,” he said. “The power to decide war and peace shall rest with the state alone.”

Later in the day, on the eve of the fifth anniversary of the tragedy, Salam inaugurated “August 4 Victims Street” near the entrance to the Beirut port, where he delivered a firm message: “Hands off the judiciary. We will not compromise on justice.”

He again emphasized that accountability applies to all and said the government would fully cooperate with the judiciary in the ongoing investigation.