An estimated 300,000 demonstrators rallied in Beirut Wednesday to mark the second anniversary of the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri. The rally came one day after a pair of bus bombings killed three people and wounded at least 20. We go to Lebanon to speak with columnist and author Rami Khouri. [includes rush transcript]

In Lebanon, tens of thousands of demonstrators rallied in Beirut Wednesday to mark the second anniversary of the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik al-Hairiri. The rally came one day after a pair of bus bombings killed three people and wounded at least 20. The crowd packed into Martyr’s square in Beirut’s city centre where Hariri is buried. Speaking from behind bulletproof glass, the former prime minister’s son, Saad Hariri, called for approval of a UN tribunal to try those suspected of killing his father.

Razor-wire, tanks and thousands of security forces separated the pro-government supporters from opposition groups just blocks away. The Hezbollah-led opposition has been holding daily sit-ins in front of parliament for months demanding the government’s resignation. The government hoped a large turnout for the rally would strengthen its position and put an end to its daily demonstrations. To enable a big attendance, it declared Wednesday a national holiday, closing schools, universities, banks and public institutions.

For more we are joined on the line from Beirut by Rami Khouri, editor-at-large of the Daily Star newspaper and an internationally syndicated political columnist and author. He is Director of the Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs at the American University of Beirut.

• Rami Khouri. Editor-at-large of the Beirut-based Daily Star newspaper and an internationally syndicated political columnist and author. He is Director of the Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs at the American University of Beirut.