Two Lebanese television guests engaged in a violent brawl last weekend as a debate raged about the Islamic State decapitation of one of their cousins.
Bashar Assad supporter and former Syrian MP Ahmad Shalash appeared on political talk show ‘Bel Moubashar’ with Sunni Islamist leader Bilal Daqmaq but the two quickly came to blows.
Rawad Daher, host of the show began the debate segment by extending his condolences to Shalash and his family for their tragic and gruesome loss.
He then asked Daqmaq, a staunch critic of the Assad regime, if he wished to follow suit, which is when the trouble began.
"I extend my condolences to the Syrian people for anyone killed..." replied Daqmaq before Shalash cuts him off by saying, "Brother, he asked you a straight question: Are you extending me condolences or not?”
“It’s none of your business,” Daqmaq rebuffed, as cited by Memri TV who translated the exchange.
The tense exchange quickly descended into a brawl with curses, insults, fists and glasses of water flying. Video of the fight was uploaded to the official OTV YouTube channel on Monday.
Shalash grabs Daqmaq in a clinch before punching him in the face and dragging him to the ground.
Daher was soaked with a glass of water for trying to break up the fist fight and a TV screen was smashed in the wrestling match.
Duqmaq stormed off the set but Shalash stayed on the show and used the opportunity to deride the absent sheikh.