Lebanon

Parliament Debates Security, Sovereignty and State Reforms

This is Beirut 15/07 20:40 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Lebanon Hezbollah United Nations Nabih Berri Samy Gemayel

Parliament reconvened on Tuesday afternoon to resume discussions on the government’s general policy agenda, following a break announced by Speaker Nabih Berri earlier in the day. The morning session had opened at 11 AM in the presence of Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, cabinet ministers and MPs. Although the session was largely calm and orderly, a ...

How Effective Is UNIFIL?

Mario Chartouni 15/07 16:40 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Nawaf Salam Lebanon Hezbollah UN Security Council UNIFIL

With its mandate set to expire on August 31, 2025, the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) is once again facing scrutiny over its effectiveness in fulfilling its mission. Enlarged under UN Security Council Resolution 1701 in 2006 to prevent the presence of armed groups south of the Litani River, UNIFIL has struggled to enforce its ...

WindowBDL Takes Action: Ban on Transactions with Al-Qard Al-Hassan & co.

This is Beirut 15/07 14:50 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Banks Banque du Liban Central Bank of Lebanon

The circular (No. 170) published by the Banque du Liban, accompanied by Basic Decision No. 13335, marks a decisive turning point in regulating the Lebanese financial sector. By formally banning banks and financial institutions from any relationship with unauthorized entities, particularly the association Al-Qard Al-Hassan, the Banque du Liban is ...

At least 12 killed in Israeli Airstrikes on Eastern Lebanon

This is Beirut 15/07 10:50 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Nawaf Salam Baalbeck Hezbollah

Israeli fighter jets launched a series of airstrikes on eastern Lebanon Tuesday. At least 12 people were killed and eight injured, Bachir Khodr, governor of the Baalbeck-Hermel region said on his X account. An afternoon strike targeted a machine used for drilling wells and a refugee tent in the area of Wadi Faara, in the district of Hermel, ...

Cannabis in Lebanon: Danger on Every Level or Real Opportunity?

Makram Haddad 15/07 10:30 - Reading : 5 minute(s)

Lebanon Baalbeck Cannabis

In the medical world, cannabis is no longer a taboo. Its derivatives, such as CBD or THC, are used in several countries to relieve chronic pain. A Plant with Proven Medical Virtues Medical cannabis is prescribed in many countries to relieve chronic pain resistant to standard treatments, notably in patients with cancer, HIV or neurological ...

Op-edHezbollah Is a State within the State, Not Only “Heavy and Medium” Weapons

Hussain Abdul-Hussain 15/07 10:20 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Nawaf Salam Lebanon Hezbollah Syria Iraq United States

In policy, simplicity is valuable; naiveté is catastrophic. Lebanon has by now diluted UNSCR 1701 from dismantling Hezbollah’s militia, arms production, and illicit funding to merely surrendering “heavy and medium” weapons, or as U.S. Envoy Tom Barrack frames it: Hezbollah must hand over weapons that threaten Israel. Such oversimplification ...

Op-edBarrack, Greater Syria and Lebanon’s Precarious Future

Johnny Kortbawi 15/07 09:30 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Nawaf Salam Lebanon Syria Hezbollah Middle East

It is remarkable how a single phrase—whether a diplomatic misstep or a calculated message—can ignite such a storm of debate and unease, both in Lebanon and abroad, especially at a moment when the specter of redrawn borders looms once again over the Middle East. Thomas Barrack’s recent remark ...

Barrack’s Third Visit: Lebanon at a Crossroads

Philippe Abi-Akl 15/07 08:30 - Reading : 5 minute(s)

Nawaf Salam Lebanon Hezbollah Thomas Barrack Nabih Berri Joseph Aoun

As US envoy Thomas Barrack prepares for a potential third visit to Beirut on July 28, Lebanon stands at a critical juncture. Barrack is expected to deliver Washington’s official response to Lebanon’s recent proposal—alongside the “miracle solution” he hinted at before his last departure. At the heart of Lebanon’s plan is a coordinated ...

Barrack: Hezbollah Must Hand Over Weapons That Threaten Israel

This is Beirut 14/07 22:25 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Nawaf Salam Lebanon Hezbollah United States Tom Barrack

Washington made clear on Monday, via its envoy Tom Barrack, that the disarmament of Hezbollah should focus specifically on “weapons that threaten Israel’s security.” Barrack stressed in a statement that the United States continues to classify Hezbollah as a terrorist organization and called on the Lebanese government to take the lead in ...

Joumblatt Asserts Commitment to Sovereignty and Praises LAF Efforts

This is Beirut 14/07 20:00 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Lebanon Lebanese Army United States Nabih Berry Syria Walid Joumblatt Nabih Berri

Former head of the Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) Walid Joumblatt emphasized on Monday that preserving the Lebanese state remains a shared priority with international partners, particularly the United States. “Our concern is the same as the American concern, to preserve Greater Lebanon,” Joumblatt said following a meeting with Parliament ...

President Aoun: Lebanon’s Territorial Unity and Sovereignty Are Sacred and Irrevocable

This is Beirut 14/07 16:05 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Lebanon United Nations Bahrain Banks Hezbollah Joseph Aoun

President Joseph Aoun reiterated on Monday that the unity and sovereignty of Lebanese territory are constitutional and non-negotiable principles, protected by the Lebanese Army and the will of the people. His remarks, made during economic and diplomatic meetings at Baabda Palace, came in direct response to recent statements by US envoy Tom ...

Joumblatt Calls for Calm in Sweida Under Government Authority

This is Beirut 14/07 15:35 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Walid Joumblatt Sweida Druze Syria violence de-escalation

As deadly clashes continue in Syria’s Druze-majority province of Sweida between Bedouin militias and armed Druze groups, former Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Joumblatt called on Monday for a political de-escalation under the authority of the Syrian government. In a statement to An-Nahar newspaper, Joumblatt expressed hope for “the ...