About 2,000 former military personnel attempted to prevent the Cabinet from meeting to approve a new budget law that affects their pensions Meanwhile, the Cabinet appointed Gen. Hassan Awde as the army’s new chief of staff, promoting him to the rank of major general BEIRUT: Protests on Thursday by retired soldiers over a reduction in the value of their pension escalated into a confrontation with Lebanese army forces, including the Commando Regiment, near the Gran Serail, the offices of the prime minister. The army used tear gas when the protesters tried to break through a fence at the government headquarters, resulting in a stampede in which two soldiers were injured. About 2,000 retired military personnel had gathered at Riad Al-Solh Square in downtown Beirut in an attempt to prevent a Cabinet meeting to approve a budget law for managing state affairs that would affect their pensions. Retired Brig. Gen. George Nader said there was “no time limit” for the protests and they would continue as long as required to prevent the quorum needed for the Cabinet session to take place. Some ministers began to arrive for the meeting before 7 a.m. in an attempt to avoid the protesters. Interior Minister Bassam Mawlawi sought the protection of security forces, while another minister arrived unnoticed on a delivery worker’s motorcycle. The retired soldiers managed to surround the communications minister to prevent him from reaching the Grand Serail but others took less obvious routes. After a delay of more than an hour the Cabinet managed to convene, much to the anger of the protesters. Tensions rose between the security forces and the protesters, who waved Lebanese flags, army banners and placards detailing their demands. Some set fire to tires in the square and others attempted to breach barbed wire gates. Some succeeded in getting through and moving toward the Grand Serail. Nader, the protester, said of the politicians: “We are dealing with individuals who lack the slightest shred of responsibility. We will only obtain our rights through force, and whoever feels pain first will lose. We will not feel pain nor will we lose.” Another retiree said: “They are insulting our dignity. They want to humiliate us. My pension is not more than the equivalent of $100. How can I and my family live on this amount? They have no conscience or honor.” A fellow protester added: “I served my country for more than 25 years and what was the result? They do not listen to our pain or see the humiliation we are experiencing. They are all liars. Why are we being confronted by all these military forces? Send them to the south where there is a bigger need for them.” The retired soldiers say that the 2024 budget approved by the parliament at the end of January is not fair to them. With Lebanon mired in a long-running economic crisis, during which the currency has lost about 95 percent of its value, they say that the maximum pension is barely worth the equivalent of $200, which falls far short of what is needed to cover the most basic household bills, never mind food, medicine and other essentials. Financial incentives provided by the state to public-sector employees during the economic crisis will lose even more of their value as a result of the increases in taxes and other charges as a result of the latest budget, on top of the currency crash and high inflation. Retired military personnel say they should be granted special status compared with other public-sector workers and receive better pension increases that ensure they can maintain a minimum standard of living. Military service cannot be compared to service in the civilian sector, they argue. Prime Minister Najib Mikati said he was aware “of the current reality and social situation of retirees.” He added: “We are trying to allocate the available funds to the public sector, and active and retired military personnel. However, this was not originally on the Cabinet agenda and we are bound by an expenditure ceiling that we cannot exceed. “Within this ceiling, some ministers have requested reviewing the possibility of achieving more fairness in the required distributions. Therefore an exceptional session will be held next Saturday to discuss this issue in particular.” Meanwhile, the Cabinet appointed Gen. Hassan Awde as the army’s new chief of staff, promoting him to the rank of major general. He will replace Gen. Joseph Aoun, whose term has ended. Mikati said: “This is an essential matter in the current circumstances Lebanon is going through.” Israeli warplanes flew over Beirut on Thursday and as far as the city of Hermel in the northern Bekaa Valley. On the southern front, along Lebanon’s border with Israel, escalating Israeli military operations continued to target border villages and towns. Hezbollah said it attacked the Israeli Branit Barracks with a missile and also targeted “the headquarters of the 769th Eastern Brigade of the 91st Galilee Division in the Kiryat Shmona Barracks.” The group later said it struck a “radar site in the occupied Lebanese Shebaa Farms.” The Israeli army’s radio service reported that “an officer and two soldiers were injured in Hezbollah"s targeting of Kiryat Shmona Barracks.”