Joseph Aoun

Skeptical of Israeli Withdrawal on Deadline, President Aoun Reaffirms Army’s Security Role

President Joseph Aoun on Monday reiterated the Lebanese Army’s responsibility for securing the country’s borders, emphasizing its full readiness for accountability. Addressing the issue of Hezbollah’s weapons, Aoun stated that any resolution must be discussed among the Lebanese. President Aoun voiced concern that Israeli troops may not ...

Beirut International Airport Turmoil: The Hidden Side of the Iceberg

For those who remained skeptical, reluctant to acknowledge the reality before them, the past few days should have dispelled any lingering doubt. Hezbollah has once again provided undeniable proof that its political agenda and modus operandi stand in stark opposition to the construction of a unified, sovereign state. More than ever, the Lebanese ...

Saad Hariri's Comeback: A Turning Point for the Sunni Community?

Saad Hariri was greeted with a massive crowd at Martyrs' Square on Friday, February 14. His return, eagerly awaited by his supporters, came more than three years after his withdrawal from the Lebanese political scene. In fact, much of the Sunni community has been feeling sidelined and underrepresented in recent years. For former Minister Rashid ...

President Aoun Vows to Hold Attackers of UN Peacekeepers Accountable

President Joseph Aoun vowed on Saturday to punish the perpetrators of an attack on a United Nations peacekeeping convoy a day earlier that wounded the force's outgoing deputy commander. Aoun "condemned the attack... and emphasized that the attackers will receive their punishment," the presidency said in a statement on X. "Security forces will ...

Hariri Returns to Lebanon, Holds Key Meetings: “Hear Me on Friday”

Ahead of the 20th anniversary of his father’s assassination on February 14, former Prime Minister and Future Movement leader Saad Hariri held a series of high-profile political meetings on Wednesday. Hariri, who arrived in Beirut on Tuesday evening, met with President Joseph Aoun at Baabda Palace, where he congratulated him on his election and ...

Former Prime Ministers Express Support for New Government

Former Prime Ministers Najib Mikati, Tammam Salam and Fouad Siniora visited Baabda Palace on Wednesday, a day after the formation of a new government headed by their successor Nawaf Salam. Expressing his full support for the new Cabinet, Mikati said after the meeting that discussions with President Joseph Aoun centered on the security situation ...

Lebanon's New Government Ministers Take Office Amidst Calls for Reform

Several handover ceremonies took place on Wednesday between outgoing and incoming ministers, marking the second consecutive day of such events following the Cabinet meeting held in Baabda on Tuesday. Finance Minister Yassine Jaber emphasized the need for cooperation to accomplish the tasks essential for the country's recovery. During the morning ...

LaHood to This Is Beirut: Lebanon's New Political Path Is a Turning Point for Change in a Divided Nation

US Congressman Darin LaHood expressed a hopeful perspective on Lebanon, recognizing the complicated realities the country faces. He stressed the importance of future transformation and strategic planning, advocating for a proactive stance in addressing Lebanon's challenges. LaHood emerges as a voice of optimism. His recent remarks to This is ...

New Government Forms Ministerial Committee to Draft Policy Statement

Lebanon’s newly formed government established a ministerial committee tasked with drafting the policy statement, a crucial document that will determine whether Parliament grants confidence to the new cabinet. The five-member committee includes Deputy Prime Minister Tarek Mitri, Minister of Culture Ghassan Salameh, Minister of Finance Yassine ...

Council of Ministers Kicks Off Its Work at Baabda Palace

On February 11, 2025, the official photograph of Prime Minister Nawaf Salam's government, the first under President Joseph Aoun's term, was taken at Baabda Palace. The Council of Ministers, gathered for the first time at the Presidential Palace, launched their 'Reform and Rescue' mission, with a committee led by Prime Minister Salam formed to ...

Syrian Border Security Accuses Hezbollah of Sponsoring Smuggling Operations

Syrian Border Security forces have accused Hezbollah of sponsoring drug and arms smuggling along the Lebanese-Syrian border, claiming that the Lebanese militant group has facilitated the movement of illegal goods across the border. In an interview with SANA, Muayad al-Salameh, the commander of the Western Region of the Syrian Border Security ...

The End of Iranian Hegemony and the Chances of Normalization

Undoubtedly, the progressive dismantling of Iran‘s proxies raises the issue of normalization in the Near East at a time when the questions of civil concord, democratic political culture, and reformist elites are still controversial and have failed to inspire massive commitments within the respective civil societies, however elaborate and ...