This is Beirut

Amal and Hezbollah Oppose Mega Voting Center in Municipal Polls

This is Beirut, 15/03 18:00 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Amal Hezbollah Israel megacenter municipal elections

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri’s Amal Movement opposes the idea of setting up a megacenter where eligible voters can cast their ballot in the municipal elections, regardless of where they hail from, particularly in the war-devastated southern region. Thanks to megacenters, residents of southern villages can vote in the areas where they live, ...

Independent Arabiya Unveils US Congressional Bill Targeting Hezbollah and LAF

This is Beirut, 05/03 22:40 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Lebanese Army Hezbollah Amal US Congress Lebanon

Independent Arabiya has published details of a draft bill introduced to the US Congress by Republican Representative Greg Steube, aimed at pressuring the Lebanese government and military to curb Hezbollah’s influence. The proposed legislation, titled "Preventing Armed Groups from Engaging in Extremism Act," calls for stringent measures against ...

Amal MP’s Nephew Found Dead in Syria

This is Beirut, 11/02 15:35 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Amal Lebanese Army Lebanese Red Cross HTS Hermel

The body of Khodr Karam Zeaiter, nephew of Amal movement MP Ghazi Zeaiter, was discovered on Tuesday in Hanna Valley, inside Syrian territory near the eastern Lebanese caza of Hermel. Zeaiter’s body bore multiple bullet wounds. Zeaiter was kidnapped two days ago along with three other young men from his village, Blouza, on the outskirts of Homs ...

The Pressing Challenges and Deadlines Facing Salam’s Government

Philippe Abi-Akl, 11/02 08:00 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Amal Hezbollah Israel Nawaf Salam government US

Nawaf Salam’s cabinet is one of the fastest-formed governments in the past three decades. Just 26 days after Salam was tasked with forming a government—based on the criteria he set, chiefly excluding partisan ministers—and following his agreement with President Joseph Aoun, he successfully formed his cabinet, which includes competent ...

Government Lineup Nears Completion Amid Political Tensions and External Pressure

Philippe Abi-Akl, 04/02 09:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Joseph Aoun Amal Hezbollah Lebanese Forces Nawaf Salam Government

After 22 days of intense negotiations, Judge Nawaf Salam’s efforts to form Lebanon’s new government, following his designation on January 13, are entering their final stages. Despite political challenges and conflicting demands from various factions, the announcement of the first government under General Joseph Aoun’s reformist mandate is ...

Amal Movement Bans Provocative 'Motorcycle Rallies'

This is Beirut, 28/01 16:15 - Reading : less than a minute

Amal

The head of the Amal Movement’s executive body, Mustafa Fouani, issued a directive prohibiting party members from engaging in any provocative actions, particularly “motorcycle rallies,” that could disrupt public stability or “contradict the movement’s principles.” The circular, issued on Tuesday, emphasized the need to respect the ...

All Eyes on the Ministry of Finance

Natasha Metni Torbey, 27/01 22:00 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Amal Banks Central Bank of Lebanon Hezbollah International Monetary Fund

The exception is not the rule. This saying does not apply to Lebanon, where for over a decade, well after the signing of the Taif Agreement in 1989, the Amal-Hezbollah duo has persistently claimed—“de facto and de jure,” as they often assert—the Ministry of Finance, one of the most coveted portfolios in the country. The reasons behind ...

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 ...

Taif Agreement Carries No Provision of Monopoly on Ministerial Portfolios

Bassam Abou Zeid, 24/01 13:17 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Amal Hezbollah Taif agreement Finance Ministry government

For some in Lebanon, everything takes precedence over the law and the Constitution. Terms such as the National Pact, consensus, custom or even the “minutes of the Taif Agreement” are frequently misused to justify allocating the Ministry of Finance to the Shiite duo Amal-Hezbollah. This is not the first time the minutes of the Taif Agreement ...

Is a Fait Accompli Government on the Horizon?

Bassam Abou Zeid, 22/01 16:25 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Amal Hezbollah Joseph Aoun Nawaf Salam

Will Prime Minister-designate Nawaf Salam and President Joseph Aoun succeed in forming a government that aligns with their expectations and meets the needs of the Lebanese people, all while resisting political pressures, particularly from Amal and Hezbollah? Although this outcome cannot entirely be ruled out, there are warnings against its ...

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” ...

New Lebanon: The End of the ‘Resistance Axis’ Obstruction

Philippe Abi-Akl, 21/01 08:30 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Joseph Aoun Amal Emmanuel Macron Hezbollah Saudi Arabia

President Emmanuel Macron’s third visit to Lebanon since August 2020, dubbed “The Last Chance,” marks a turning point for the new president’s term. It came after repeated failures to resolve the crisis of electing a president. Macron visited Beirut shortly after General Joseph Aoun’s election as President and Nawaf Salam’s designation ...