This is Beirut - Middle East

Egypt's Sisi Urges Gaza Reconstruction Without 'Displacing Palestinians'

This is Beirut, 11/02 13:05 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi urged on Tuesday the reconstruction of Gaza "without displacing Palestinians", after US President Donald Trump said he could "conceivably" halt aid to Egypt and Jordan if they refuse to take in Gazans. During a phone call with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, Sisi "stressed the necessity of starting ...

Egypt Calls for Urgent Arab Summit on Trump's Plan for Gaza

This is Beirut, 09/02 14:45 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Donald Trump Palestine Bahrain Israel Middle East

The head of Egyptian diplomacy, Badr Abdelatty, left for Washington on Sunday, where he is set to meet with senior officials from the Trump administration and members of Congress, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Cairo. The visit aims to "strengthen bilateral relations and the strategic partnership between Egypt and the United ...

Ortagus Reaffirms US Support for Lebanon’s Leadership and Reforms

This is Beirut, 08/02 13:55 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

USA Ain el-Tineh Israel Middle East United Nations

United States Deputy Special Envoy to the Middle East Morgan Ortagus reiterated Washington’s support for Lebanon’s current presidency and its incoming government during a visit to Beirut on Saturday. In a meeting with Prime Minister-designate Nawaf Salam, Ortagus affirmed US backing for his future government, highlighting his commitment to ...

The Wand and the Magic Ring

Johnny Kortbawi, 08/02 08:00 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Donald Trump Hezbollah Israel Middle East Morgan Ortagus

The ring on the finger of the new U.S. deputy envoy to the Middle East Morgan Ortagus was given more attention than it deserved, but its symbolism was far greater than what Lebanon could endure. Opponents did not differentiate between it being a religious symbol—perhaps because Judaism in Lebanon is often associated with Zionism, which led ...

Meeting Between President J. Aoun and Ortagus: Striving for Lasting Stability and a Hezbollah-Free Lebanon

Chelsea Al Arif, 07/02 13:20 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Hezbollah Joseph Aoun Israel Middle East Morgan Ortagus

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun held a meeting in Baabda with Morgan Ortagus, the US Deputy Special Envoy for the Middle East, to discuss key issues of security, stability and cooperation between Lebanon and the United States. President Aoun stressed that stability in southern Lebanon is closely tied to the completion of Israel's withdrawal ...

Lebanon Reconnects with the World: Airlines Resuming Flights

Christiane Tager, 05/02 09:00 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Middle East Beirut International Airport Hezbollah Israel Kuwait

From the onset of the escalating conflict between Hezbollah and Israel, all international airlines suspended their flights to Lebanon. Among them, major carriers such as Air France, Lufthansa and Turkish Airlines halted their routes to Beirut, citing security concerns for passengers and crew amid ongoing bombardments and the inability to guarantee ...

Who is Steve Witkoff, Trump’s Envoy to the Middle East

Sana Richa Choucair, 31/01 17:46 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Donald Trump Middle East Steve Witkoff Gaza

Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem on Wednesday to discuss the implementation of the hostage release agreement and ceasefire. Trump appointed the 67-year-old New Yorker to this role last November. Choosing a trusted businessman, specifically a major real estate investor ...

The Messiah Wars: How Israel and Iran's Visions Shape Middle Eastern Politics

Salam El Zaatari, 30/01 09:00 - Reading : 5 minute(s)

Israel Iran USA Middle East

In the high-stakes chess game of Middle Eastern politics, a hidden force drives both Israel and Iran toward an eerily similar endgame, an unshakable belief that history is hurtling toward a divinely orchestrated climax. On one side, Israel’s religious circles whisper about the long-awaited Messiah, a figure destined to restore their ancient ...

Syria's New Rulers Urge Russia to Fix Past Mistakes

This is Beirut, 29/01 15:15 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

US Secretary of State Damascus European Union Middle East Saudi Arabia

Syria's new leadership on Wednesday urged Moscow to "address past mistakes" during talks with visiting Russian officials -- the first since former president Bashar al-Assad, a Kremlin ally, was toppled last month. The visit came with Russia keen to secure the fate of two military bases in Syria and after Russian President Vladimir Putin denied ...

Syria: Senior Russian Officials In Damascus For The First Time Since The Fall Of Assad

This is Beirut, 29/01 06:10 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Damascus Volodymyr Zelensky Middle East Ukraine Vladimir Putin

Two senior Russian officials met new government leaders in Damascus on Tuesday, a first since the fall of the Kremlin's ally, ex-president Bashar al-Assad, in December. Moscow wants to keep its two major military bases in Syria. Quoted by the Russian press agencies, Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov said that he and his delegation had ...

Israel Ends All Relations with UNRWA, Citing Security Concerns

This is Beirut, 28/01 18:45 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Israel UN Security Council Hamas Middle East Palestine

Israel will cease all contact with the UN's Palestinian relief agency UNRWA and any other body acting on its behalf, its UN envoy said Tuesday, after repeatedly accusing the organization of undermining its security. UNRWA's offices and staff in Israel play a major role in the provision of healthcare and education to Palestinians, but ...

US Senate Confirms Pete Hegseth as Pentagon Chief

This is Beirut, 25/01 10:15 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

USA Donald Trump Republicans Middle East Palestine

The US Senate narrowly confirmed former Fox News co-host Pete Hegseth as Pentagon chief on Friday, despite allegations of alcohol abuse, sexual misconduct and other fears about his ability to lead the world's most powerful military. Three Republican senators voted against Donald Trump's pick as secretary of defense, resulting in a 50-50 tie that ...

Middle East