Before Implementing Taif’s Mere Formalities...
Johnny Kortbawi 11/03 11:15 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam is determined to implement the Taif Agreement. His commitment to this accord is not new as Taif marked a clear transition between war and peace in Lebanon and provided various political factions with guarantees in governance. Salam has consistently expressed his support for Taif—not just after being appointed Prime ...
Beirut Municipality and the Struggle for Survival
Johnny Kortbawi 07/03 11:45 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Next May, Beirut is set to face its fifth municipal election since the war—assuming the elections take place. All signs indicate that they will, given the firm insistence of the President and the government. After the Beirut Municipal elections in 1998 and 2004, which were made possible with the support of late Prime Minister Rafic Hariri ...
Zelensky, the Antihero
Johnny Kortbawi 04/03 11:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Volodymyr Zelensky Donald Trump Emmanuel Macron Middle East Ukraine
The debate between US President Donald Trump and his vice president on one side and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on the other is far from customary in diplomatic norms or political traditions. But isn’t Trump a unique figure, unlike anything we have seen in past years, or even decades, in terms of his approach to politics? Trump sat ...
Lebanese Civil War: Fiftieth Anniversary
Johnny Kortbawi 28/02 09:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Lebanon Hassan Nasrallah Hezbollah
Lebanon is preparing to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the Lebanese Civil War, which opened wide the gates of hell on Lebanon and the Lebanese. The war did not end when the shells and rockets stopped with the entry of the Syrian army into Lebanon and the storming of the Baabda Palace to end Michel Aoun's illegitimate rule. The war ended ...
The Numbers Game in Politics
Johnny Kortbawi 25/02 10:30 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Hassan Nasrallah Hezbollah Numbers
Lebanese people have a deep fascination with numbers of all kinds. They compete in elections and vote counts, then spend months analyzing the results to determine who holds the largest share and the broadest representation. In parliament, influence is measured by who secured the most preferential votes. Even protests become contests over who can ...
Abolition of Political Sectarianism: Is It the Right Time?
Johnny Kortbawi 21/02 09:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Hezbollah sectarianism Taif Agreement Lebanon
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam’s call for the abolition of political sectarianism and the formation of a national commission for this purpose can be understood in light of his secularist stance and his well-known legal and political background. If anyone has the right to push for this socio-political shift in Lebanon, it is Nawaf Salam. However, it ...
How Hezbollah Set the Shiite Community Back 40 Years
Johnny Kortbawi 18/02 10:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Hassan Nasrallah Hezbollah Israel Palestine
Hezbollah still considers itself victorious. On the day of Nasrallah’s funeral, the group is preparing for a massive public display to prove that it remains strong. However, it has yet to realize that this is no longer the case. It signed a humiliating ceasefire agreement that completely eliminates its weapons, both north and south of the Litani ...
The War Ended Today
Johnny Kortbawi 14/02 08:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Lebanon is preparing to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the outbreak of the civil war, which started on April 13, 1975, and lasted for more than 15 years. The actual date of the war’s end, October 13, 1990, was not the end of the crisis. The end of the war means three parallel things. The first is the withdrawal of weapons from all ...
The Many Interpretations of Morgan Ortagus’ Missile
Johnny Kortbawi 11/02 13:20 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
Donald Trump Hezbollah Israel Morgan Ortagus
Morgan Ortagus landed in Lebanon like a missile. One must set aside the sexist remarks that were little more than admiration of her beauty, and the crude jokes along the lines of “do as you please, beautiful”—the kind of comments we thought belonged to a bygone era, only to realize that they remain deeply ingrained in the Lebanese ...
The Wand and the Magic Ring
Johnny Kortbawi 08/02 08:00 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
Donald Trump Hezbollah Israel Middle East Morgan Ortagus
The ring on the finger of the new U.S. deputy envoy to the Middle East Morgan Ortagus was given more attention than it deserved, but its symbolism was far greater than what Lebanon could endure. Opponents did not differentiate between it being a religious symbol—perhaps because Judaism in Lebanon is often associated with Zionism, which led ...
To What Extent Does Nawaf Salam Adopt a Common Criteria?
Johnny Kortbawi 05/02 08:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Nawaf Salam Hezbollah Government
A quick assessment of the current situation shows that among the majority of MPs who nominated Nawaf Salam to form the new government, only a few remain satisfied with the prime minister-designate’s performance. So far, Salam has managed to infuriate most of those who were on his side, while satisfying his opponents, particularly Amal and ...
The Demonization of Political Parties and Its Effects
Johnny Kortbawi 31/01 09:00 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
Lebanon Hezbollah Political Parties
There is a widespread misconception in Lebanon regarding political party life. Talking about political parties in politics is akin to referring to cancer as “that disease.” This perception stems from the association of political parties with war. Many parents, who believed that their children should pursue their education, viewed political ...
Victory in the Streets of Gemayzeh
Johnny Kortbawi 28/01 09:00 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
Hezbollah and its allies persistently deny the narrative that it uses its weapons domestically and tailors its political actions solely to serve its interests and safeguard its arsenal. Since entering the political arena in 2005, Hezbollah has maintained this stance, justifying its actions as efforts to safeguard Lebanon rather than ...
The Last Shot… Ending Amal-Hezbollah Grip on Finance Ministry
Johnny Kortbawi 24/01 17:20 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
Amal Hezbollah Lebanese Forces
The Ministry of Finance is not just a mere step in government formation. Speaker Nabih Berri has reopened the “Taif” files, reflecting on a past that no longer has anyone to endorse or oppose. The Ministry of Finance was indeed part of the Taif Agreement discussions, with a proposal to assign it to the Shiite community. However, this proposal ...
Is the Ministry of Finance the Best Option for the Shiite Duo?
Johnny Kortbawi 21/01 09:00 - Reading : 4 minute(s)
Lebanon Prime Minister President Government Hezbollah Amal
Forming the government will mark the third victory for the sovereign camp in Lebanon. The first was General Joseph Aoun’s election, which defied the wishes of the Amal-Hezbollah duo, who had steadfastly backed its own candidate for two years. In an attempt to create a false narrative of success, it even resorted to the “two-hour break” ...
The Reason Why Politics Can’t Be Dissociated from a Government
Johnny Kortbawi 17/01 12:20 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
One of the most pressing demands that emerged on the streets since the October 17 Revolution (Thawra) regarding government formation was the call for technocratic or specialist-led governments. The expectation was that each expert would head their respective ministry, ensuring effective management driven by specialization, rather than the ...
When Hezbollah Takes a Backseat...
Johnny Kortbawi 14/01 12:46 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Hezbollah Lebanon Government Cabinet Parliament
Hezbollah has been a central player in the political arena since 2005. It effectively replaced Syrian tutelage with its own presence in the Cabinet, starting with its participation in Najib Mikati's first government in April 2005. This marked the beginning of the party’s active and uninterrupted role in governance. More than once, Hezbollah ...
Are We Witnessing the Rise of Another Fouad Chehab?
Johnny Kortbawi 10/01 09:00 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
Lebanon Joseph Aoun Presidency
In Lebanon, history tends to repeat itself in times of crisis, seldom during moments of progress, as we have grown accustomed to hardship that we often forget the fleeting moments of light. However, one cannot help but notice the striking similarities between the newly elected President Joseph Aoun and one of the pillars of Lebanon's First ...
Hajj Safa... Threaten As You Will!
Johnny Kortbawi 07/01 10:45 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
The most telling sign of a shift in Lebanon's political landscape and the fading of Hezbollah’s longstanding aura of fear became evident following Wafiq Safa's remarks about the country's current state of affairs. This public appearance, his first since the airstrike targeting him during the war, marks the significant shift in the dynamics at ...
Electing a President vs. Agreeing on One!
Johnny Kortbawi 03/01 10:00 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
In the forthcoming session, Lebanon does not need to elect a president but rather to agree on one. This distinction is significant and critical, especially given the current circumstances. Electing a president could have been achieved before former President Michel Aoun left office, during successive and uninterrupted parliamentary sessions that ...
The Century's Most Pivotal Year
Johnny Kortbawi 2024-12-31 09:00 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
Since Lebanon’s founding in 1920, no year has been as defining as the one we’ve just experienced. While our history is marked by critical turning points, this year eclipses them all. From the outbreak of the Civil War in 1975 to the 1982 departure of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and the assassination of Bachir Gemayel; from the ...
No Economic Solution from the Presidency
Johnny Kortbawi 2024-12-27 09:00 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
A growing narrative is emerging in private discussions among decision-makers in Lebanon – even if only at the surface level – that the new presidency will restore prosperity and usher in a renewed economic boom capable of resolving the current crisis. Those involved are counting on Gulf and European aid to open the door to improvement across ...
The Maronite Curse…
Johnny Kortbawi 2024-12-24 18:00 - Reading : 4 minute(s)
Europe Free Patriotic Movement Maronite Presidency election
During World War I, a remarkable event, known as the Christmas Truce, occurred on Christmas Eve. Along the Western Front in Europe, opposing soldiers, without an official ceasefire or wide public announcement, gathered to share a meal in the spirit of Christmas. This holiday has the power to inspire miracles, provided faith is present. As Jesus ...
Beirut's Humiliating Street Names
Johnny Kortbawi 2024-12-20 14:38 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Hezbollah Syria Beirut Streets Names
In Beirut, there is a specific mechanism for naming streets, involving the municipality and the Ministry of Interior, as well as third parties proposing names, provided they are approved by the concerned official authorities. Beirut’s streets carry various names, ranging from those of intellectuals and artists to individuals celebrated for ...
Those Who Bear Arms Are Not the New Faces of Revolution
Johnny Kortbawi 2024-12-17 10:30 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Hassan Nasrallah Hezbollah Revolution
The concept of counter-revolutions is far from novel. Throughout history, each revolution has been met with an opposing force determined to challenge the revolutionaries and regain lost ground. As political movements evolved alongside society, the nature of revolutions changed, increasingly relying on military coups, shifts in power dynamics and ...
Unless the Syrian Regime Is Involved…
Johnny Kortbawi 2024-12-13 18:24 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
The fall of the tyrannical regime in Damascus has unleashed decades of repressed anger – anger we’ve been holding on to for fifty years, as we endured Syria’s constant interference in Lebanese politics, along with the vile assaults that accompanied it at all levels. The Assad regime, with its allies, worked tirelessly to thwart the ...
What Unbearable Fate and Injustice Is This?
Johnny Kortbawi 2024-12-10 12:45 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
Syria Bashar al-Assad Prisoners Saadnaya
Bashar al-Assad has fled—escaped after securing his safety and future, carving out a quiet life in Russia—the country that has shielded him, defended him, and propped up his regime for more than 14 years. Following his disgraceful flight, prisoners emerged from the decay and injustice of his dungeons, standing tall and victorious, finally ...
Our Issue with Hezbollah and Its Finances
Johnny Kortbawi 2024-12-06 11:35 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
There is much to address regarding our frustration with Hezbollah and its economic and financial conduct. This frustration reached a peak yesterday with the remarks of its Deputy Secretary-General, Naim Qassem, as he outlined how aid is being distributed: a thousand dollars here, a hundred there—some for those affected in the South, and some for ...
The Middle East Turns the Page on 1967
Johnny Kortbawi 2024-12-03 12:00 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
Hezbollah Israel Palestine Saudi Arabia Camp David
The current developments in the region are a direct result of the political, social and economic repercussions stemming from a pivotal moment in the history of the region — the 1967 war. During this conflict, Nasser and the Arab states suffered significant territorial losses in Egypt and Jordan, with the capture of Jerusalem being the most ...
The Legalization of Surrender
Johnny Kortbawi 2024-11-29 11:30 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
Hezbollah Israel Ceasefire Surrender
We have become accustomed to victory cries, as victory is ultimately a matter of perspective. Yet, the jubilant cheers in the streets, whether amidst destruction or not, fail to capture the true geopolitical landscape. Hezbollah has, in effect, signed a total surrender agreement, irrespective of its public or private statements. By agreeing to ...