This is Beirut - Nawaf Salam

Government Formation: Berri Blocks Progress

Chelsea Al Arif, 2025-02-06 14:45 - Reading : less than a minute

Lebanon Hezbollah Nawaf Salam Joseph Aoun

The trilateral meeting between Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and Prime Minister-designate Nawaf Salam concluded this Thursday afternoon after an hour and a half of discussions. According to MTV, Berri's insistence on appointing a fifth Shiite minister hindered the government formation process. Diplomatic sources ...

The Golden Pager and the Irony of Espionage in the Middle East

Salam El Zaatari, 2025-02-06 09:00 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Nawaf Salam Benjamin Netanyahu Donald Trump USA Hezbollah

History is often written in treaties. Sometimes, it’s forged in war. And sometimes, apparently, it’s written in golden pagers. Yes, you read that correctly. In a moment that blended Middle Eastern geopolitics with the aesthetics of a 1990s tech museum, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gifted US President Donald Trump a golden pager, ...

Nawaf Salam Commits to Building a Reform Government Devoid of Internal Gridlock

This is Beirut, 2025-02-05 21:15 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Lebanon Nawaf Salam cabinet

Prime Minister-designate Nawaf Salam vowed on Wednesday to form a reformist government that will operate without internal gridlock, pledging transparency and unity as Lebanon faces pressing national challenges. Speaking at a press conference at Baabda Palace following his meeting with President General Joseph Aoun, Salam outlined his strategy for ...

Israel Says to Boycott UN Rights Body over 'Anti-Semitism'

This is Beirut, 2025-02-05 21:05 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Nawaf Salam Gideon Saar UNHRC

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar on Wednesday accused the UN Human Rights Council of anti-Semitism as he announced Israel would boycott of the United Nations body. "This body has focused on attacking a democratic country and propagating anti-Semitism, instead of promoting human rights," Saar said in a post on X. The minister cited Israel ...

Trump Wants US to Take Over Gaza and Rebuild it

This is Beirut, 2025-02-05 13:43 - Reading : 6 minute(s)

Nawaf Salam Donald Trump United States Gaza Benjamin Netanyahu

President Donald Trump revealed an extraordinary plan Tuesday for the United States to take over the Gaza Strip, resettle Palestinians in other countries – seemingly whether they wanted to leave or not – and turn the territory into "the Riviera of the Middle East." Trump made the stunning proposal to audible gasps during a ...

Iran's Khamenei names Hezbollah leader as Lebanon 'representative'

This is Beirut, 2025-02-05 11:25 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Nawaf Salam Hezbollah USA Naïm Qassem

Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has named Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem as his "representative" in Lebanon, Iranian media reported Wednesday. "The leader of the revolution, in a decree, introduced Sheikh Naim Qassem, secretary general of Hezbollah, as his representative in Lebanon," Tasnim news agency said. Tasnim carried a copy of ...

Saudi Arabia Says no Israel Normalization Without Palestinian State

This is Beirut, 2025-02-05 09:40 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Nawaf Salam Saudi Arabia Donald Trump Benjamin Netanyahu

Saudi Arabia said Wednesday it will not formalize ties with Israel unless a Palestinian state is established, after Israel's prime minister remarked that he thought normalisation with the Gulf kingdom was "going to happen". "Saudi Arabia will continue its relentless efforts to establish an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its ...

Lebanon Reconnects with the World: Airlines Resuming Flights

Christiane Tager, 2025-02-05 09:00 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Nawaf Salam Middle East Beirut International Airport Hezbollah 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 ...

To What Extent Does Nawaf Salam Adopt a Common Criteria?

Johnny Kortbawi, 2025-02-05 08:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Nawaf Salam Hezbollah Government

A quick assessment of the current situation shows that among the majority of MPs who nominated Nawaf Salam to form the new government, only a few remain satisfied with the prime minister-designate’s performance. So far, Salam has managed to infuriate most of those who were on his side, while satisfying his opponents, particularly Amal and ...

Erdogan Hails Syria Leader's 'Strong Commitment' to Fighting Terror

This is Beirut, 2025-02-04 21:21 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Nawaf Salam Turkey Ahmad al-Sharaa Recep Tayyip Erdogan Syria

Turkey's Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday hailed Syria's Ahmed al-Sharaa for his "strong commitment" to fighting terror as the newly installed interim president made his first visit to Turkey. Sharaa flew to Ankara from Saudi Arabia where he had sought Riyadh's support to fund Syria's reconstruction and revive its economy after 13 years of civil ...

Mapping Forces in South Lebanon

Rayan Chami, 2025-02-04 19:12 - Reading : less than a minute

Nawaf Salam Hezbollah Lebanese Army South Lebanon

South Lebanon remains a focal point of tension, with Israeli forces holding positions along the border, Hezbollah active across strategic areas, and the Lebanese Army bolstering its presence. With the ceasefire deadline extended till February 18, the region faces heightened uncertainty, underscoring the fragile security situation and the potential ...

Who Is Morgan Ortagus, Trump's Envoy Expected in Beirut on Thursday?

Élie-Joe Kamel, 2025-02-04 14:35 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Nawaf Salam Lebanon Morgan Ortagus Donald Trump Israël Ceasefire

On January 3, 2025, US President Donald Trump appointed Morgan Ortagus as Deputy Special Envoy for Peace in the Middle East. Ortagus, who served as spokesperson for the US State Department during Trump’s first term (2017-2021), will be part of the team headed by Steve Witkoff, a close friend and trusted confidant of Trump. Morgan Ortagus, ...

Nawaf Salam