Lebanon

FAO Assesses Damage to Lebanon’s Agricultural Sector
FAO Assesses Damage to Lebanon’s Agricultural Sector

Lebanon’s Caretaker Agriculture Minister Abbas Hajj Hassan met on Monday with a delegation from the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), led by Ambassador Veronica Quattrola. The meeting focused on key issues concerning Lebanon’s agricultural sector, especially assessing the damage caused by Israeli bombings on agricultural ...

The New Middle East: A Struggle Between Two Visions
Op-edThe New Middle East: A Struggle Between Two Visions

Over the past 80 years, the Middle East has consistently defied the predictions of analysts and commentators. The impulsive decisions of individual autocrats, and the complex interplay of geopolitics, wealth, religion, and great-power rivalry have made the region uniquely vulnerable to rapid and often catastrophic upheavals. We can cite countless ...

Fayad Says Sanctions on Petroleum and Energy Derivatives Will Be Lifted
Fayad Says Sanctions on Petroleum and Energy Derivatives Will Be Lifted

Caretaker Minister of Energy Walid Fayad said on Monday that “sanctions on the trade of petroleum and energy derivatives will be lifted.” Fayad made this statement following a meeting with the US Ambassador to Lebanon, Lisa Johnson. The minister reiterated that “the funds allocated for fuel purchases were limited,” but were secured ...

Tensions and Military Deployment in South Lebanon Ahead of Ceasefire Expiry
Tensions and Military Deployment in South Lebanon Ahead of Ceasefire Expiry

Search and rescue teams from the Lebanese Civil Defense recovered five bodies on Monday in the town of Khiam, the General Directorate of Civil Defense announced in a statement. Four bodies were found in the Jalahiya neighborhood, while another was recovered in the eastern neighborhood of al-Faour. The remains have been transferred to Marjayoun ...

Tug of War Ahead of Government Formation to Address Upcoming Challenges
SpotlightTug of War Ahead of Government Formation to Address Upcoming Challenges

The process of forming the first government under the new presidential term remains focused on defining the qualifications and criteria for appointing ministers. While it is acknowledged that ministers cannot be entirely detached from political considerations—even if they are not directly affiliated with parties—the challenge lies in balancing ...

The Deferred Normalization
AnalysisThe Deferred Normalization

The election of a president and the nomination of a new prime minister in Lebanon were good omens, but the process of political normalization doesn’t seem to be moving in the right direction. The ongoing negotiations in Gaza about the release of Israeli hostages and the swap of Palestinian prisoners are stumbling as well. The smooth transition ...

Dispute with Iran: The Issues at Stake
EditorialDispute with Iran: The Issues at Stake

There are none so deaf as those who will not hear, and none so blind as those who will not see. These adages resonate particularly well when reflecting on the “puppet masters” in both Tehran and the southern suburbs of Beirut, especially in the aftermath of significant geopolitical shifts that have reverberated throughout the Middle East in ...

Lebanese Army Deploys in Bint Jbeil as Israeli Violations of Ceasefire Continue
Lebanese Army Deploys in Bint Jbeil as Israeli Violations of Ceasefire Continue

The Lebanese Army began deploying in the city of Bint Jbeil on Sunday, stationing at roads to prevent travel to towns still occupied by the Israeli army, namely Yaroun, Maroun al-Ras, and Aitaroun. Motorized reinforcements were sent to Bint Jbeil as part of the army’s redeployment plan in the border area.   Meanwhile, Israeli ...

Audi Hopes for a Government Committed to the Country's Recovery
Audi Hopes for a Government Committed to the Country's Recovery

The Greek Orthodox Metropolitan of Beirut, Elias Audi, expressed hope for the formation of a new government that works “in harmony, knowledge and seriousness” to guide the country through its ongoing crises and into “the realms of true freedom, democracy, equality, citizenship and development.” Audi emphasized the importance of gratitude ...

Patriarch Rai Stresses Positive Neutrality as Key to Lebanon’s Stability
Patriarch Rai Stresses Positive Neutrality as Key to Lebanon’s Stability

Maronite Patriarch Bechara Rai highlighted in his Sunday sermon that neutrality does not signify weakness. He stressed that positive neutrality is a necessity for Lebanon, rooted in the National Pact and the principle that Lebanon should neither serve as a base nor a haven for conflict. Rai mentioned the optimism of many Lebanese, who feel ...

Guterres Advocates for Amplifying Women’s Voices in Lebanon's Recovery
Guterres Advocates for Amplifying Women’s Voices in Lebanon's Recovery

UN Secretary-General António Guterres emphasized the need to amplify women's voices in the process of reconstruction and political transformation in Lebanon. As part of his visit to Beirut on Saturday, he met with 20 women's rights activists, feminist organizations and young women peace builders, at a dialogue session organized by UN ...

US and EU to Provide $179 Million to Support the Lebanese Army
US and EU to Provide $179 Million to Support the Lebanese Army

The United States and the European Union announced additional aid packages on Saturday to support Lebanon’s army and internal security forces at the conclusion of an international donor meeting. The US State Department allocated $117 million following a virtual donor meeting "with partners and allies to discuss the essential security ...