Hezbollah

US Envoy Tom Barrack in Lebanon Amid Focus on Hezb Disarmament and UNIFIL Renewal

US envoy Tom Barrack met on Monday with Lebanon’s top officials, including President Joseph Aoun, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam. Two main topics were on the agenda: Hezbollah and the UNIFIL mandate, which expires at the end of August. Barrack also held talks with Army Commander General Rodolphe Haykal on security ...

Beirut Blast Victims' Families Reject Treason Allegations Against William Noun

The families of the Beirut Port explosion victims denounced on Monday “certain paid voices affiliated with parties that have already threatened and obstructed the investigation.” They accused these groups of targeting William Noun, brother of firefighter Joe Noun, who was killed in the August 4 blast, with allegations of “collaboration with ...

Barrack and Ortagus End Tour On a Hopeful Note for Lebanon

US envoy and ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack, accompanied by Deputy U.S. Special Envoy for the Middle East Morgan Ortagus, and U.S. Ambassador to Beirut Lisa Johnson on Monday held a series of meetings with Lebanese officials focused on Washington’s plan for disarming Hezbollah, following the government’s endorsement of the ...

Hezbollah’s Threats: A Misreading of Lebanon’s Real Fabric

In a country that truly upholds the rule of law, Hezbollah’s secretary-general, Sheikh Naim Qassem, would have faced prosecution for undermining national security, inciting sedition, and threatening civil peace. As the figurehead of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards’ outpost in Lebanon, he has reached new heights of recklessness, veering into ...

Terrorists' Brinkmanship

The riddled negotiations taking place in Lebanon and Gaza and the equivocations of the Syrian transition are quite compelling since they convey the ambiguities undermining political stability in these different environments. Nonetheless, they illustrate the difficulties of political transitioning in countries partially or totally controlled by ...

President Joseph Aoun: Hezbollah’s Weapons Are an Internal Matter for the State

The President of the Lebanese Republic, General Joseph Aoun, affirmed in an exclusive interview with Al-Arabiya channel on Sunday that “Iran is a friendly country, but on the basis of mutual respect and the preservation of sovereignty. It must be a friend to all components of the Lebanese society, not to one faction alone.” He stressed that ...

Barrack-Ortagus in Brief: Support for Government and Army, Conditions on UNIFIL Renewal

Early on Monday morning, US envoy Tom Barrack, accompanied by Morgan Ortagus, will meet with President Joseph Aoun to discuss two interlinked essential issues: the second phase of consolidating state control over all weapons, and the renewal of UNIFIL’s mandate in South Lebanon at the end of this month. According to official Lebanese sources, ...

Differences Between Paris and Washington Over UNIFIL’s Mandate

Al-Jadeed TV revealed on Saturday differences between the United States and France over the renewal of the mandate of the UNIFIL force operating in southern Lebanon. Washington wants a one-year renewal, which would be the last, while Paris wants a renewal without specifying a duration. Political sources told the channel that meetings held in ...

William Noun on Summons: Justice Doesn’t Scare Us, Charges Are Political

The Central Criminal Investigations Department has summoned activist William Noun for questioning after a complaint was filed against him on charges of inciting sectarian strife and violating the law on dealings with Israel. In an interview, William Noun expressed surprise at being summoned based on a lawsuit filed by lawyer Hassan Ibrahim, known ...

Geagea: Naim Qassem’s Speech Is Unacceptable

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea responded to Hezbollah’s leader and Secretary General Sheikh Naim Qassem’s latest speech, describing it as “unacceptable by all standards” and warning that it represents a direct threat to Lebanon’s government, parliament, and constitutional institutions. In a statement released on ...

Lebanon Reinforces Its Sovereignty as Hezbollah and Iranian Influence Decline

In recent months, the geopolitical landscape in Lebanon has undergone a notable shift as Iran's influence, particularly through its support of Hezbollah, faces growing scrutiny and challenge. The once seemingly unassailable grip that Tehran had over Lebanese affairs is being tested, as internal tensions rise and the Lebanese government seeks to ...

The Stages of Naim Qassem’s Grief

A clear separation is emerging between Naim Qassem and Hezbollah, or even between various factions within the party and its wider base of supporters, following the absence of a central figure like Hassan Nasrallah, which has undermined decision-making and centralized authority. Historically, Qassem played a secondary role within Hezbollah, ...