Israël

Political and Security Implications of the Ceasefire

The date of November 26 marked a turning point in the war that has lasted over a year between Hezbollah and Israel. On Tuesday evening, a ceasefire was declared in Lebanon, that took effect early Wednesday morning. While the agreement between the warring parties represents a significant step toward managing the tensions that have plagued the ...

UNIFIL Welcomes Ceasefire, Adjusts Operations for Lasting Peace

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) welcomed the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, acknowledging the “new situation” and emphasizing its readiness to support both Lebanon and Israel in this phase. In a statement released on Wednesday, UNIFIL confirmed that it would continue performing its mandated tasks and had already ...

Ashrafieh Residents: Caught Between Hope, Exhaustion, and Disillusionment

At 9:30 AM this Wednesday in Beirut, the sky is gray, but Madeleine’s smile, spotted at Sassine Square in the heart of Ashrafieh, is infectious. Madeleine, in her seventies, was in her car asking for directions to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. I take the opportunity to ask her about the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, which officially ...

Lebanese Army Reinforces its Presence South of the Litani River

The Lebanese Army began reinforcing its presence South of the Litani River on Wednesday, as part of its bid to extend state authority in coordination with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). This move is in line with Lebanon's commitment to implement UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which stipulates bolstering the Lebanese ...

Shall We Start the Same Over and Over Again? 

The entry into force of the ceasefire was marked by… celebratory gunfire and the distribution of Hezbollah flags in the southern suburb of Beirut. Some Lebanese have a rather astounding tendency to learn nothing from the country’s tragedies. Some 3,700 dead, $10 billion in damages, and yet… celebratory gunfire! The poor Jean-Yves Le Drian, ...

Reinsurers Reluctant Toward Lebanese Insurance Companies Over Conflict

Reinsurers are hesitant to renew reinsurance contracts with Lebanese insurance companies — an expected approach in view of the conflict sparked by Hezbollah’s front against Israel. As the year-end approaches, most annual reinsurance agreements for the 40 insurance companies operating in Lebanon are set to expire. Negotiations have been ...

Iran Welcomes End of Israel 'Aggression' in Lebanon

Iran welcomed the end of Israel's military operations in Lebanon, after a ceasefire came into force on Wednesday between Israel and Hezbollah. Hailing the news of the end of Israel's "aggression against Lebanon", foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei in a statement stressed Iran's "firm support for the Lebanese government, nation and ...

Local Responses on the Announcement of the Ceasefire

Hours after US President Joe Biden announced a proposal to end the “devastating” conflict, which has killed thousands of people over the course of nearly 14 months of cross-border fighting, the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah went into effect. Many local positions were issued after the truce, which started at 4 AM on ...

Editorial-Comprehensive and Strengthened Ceasefire Under Resolution 1701

A keen observer, closely following the Middle Eastern conflict, once noted during the Lebanese war that Arab regimes were always “a truce behind.” In other words, at every critical turn in the regional crisis, they often accepted conditions or succumbed to situations they had rejected just a few years earlier. This unfortunate reality applies ...

Now That the War Is Over... Who Owes Us an Apology?

We stayed silent for hours, days and months. We endured destruction, displacement and the sight of our homeland being devastated and betrayed. We bore the arrogance of some of you, the empty rhetoric of false (divine) victories and even your pride in our suffering. But now that the war has ended, it is time for you to listen, to apologize and to ...