This is Beirut

Hakim Calls for Urgent Reforms to Restore Trust and Protect Depositors

This is Beirut, 11/11 10:40 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Banks International Monetary Fund Alain Hakim lebanon

Lebanon’s financial and economic situation is going through an unprecedented crisis “that requires decisive measures to restore confidence and protect depositors’ funds, while clarifying the responsibilities of the State.” These are the words of Alain Hakim, former Minister of Economy, summarizing the depth of the country’s economic ...

Sebastian Gorka’s Visit and Lebanon’s Financial Crossroads

This is Beirut, 10/11 19:35 - Reading : 6 minute(s)

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The Senior Director for Counterterrorism Sebastian Gorka’s visit to Lebanon over the past two days has added an unexpected but timely dimension to the country’s search for economic and political stability. His meetings with local officials and policy advisors reportedly centered on policies to cut off ...

The Association of Banks in Lebanon Warn of “Systemic Crisis”

This is Beirut, 10/11 14:30 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

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The economic collapse is systemic and cannot be resolved without the state assuming its share of responsibility, the Association of Banks in Lebanon (ABL) warned in its latest monthly report for October 2025. The statement directly challenges the government’s draft “financial gap” law, which omits any reference to a systemic crisis, a move ...

Disarmament in Lebanon’s Interest Amid Mounting International Pressure

Bassam Abou Zeid, 08/11 15:30 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

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According to an official Lebanese source, the process of placing all weapons exclusively under state authority is first and foremost a Lebanese initiative — not an Israeli, American, or broader international demand. Any delay or suspension of this process, the source warned, would have negative repercussions solely for Lebanon and its ...

Raed Khoury: Eliminating Banks and Deposits Would Be a “Catastrophe”

Nadia Hallak, 08/11 09:00 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

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As the financial collapse continues and losses keep mounting with no clear plan yet for their distribution, attention is once again turning to the stalled negotiations between the Lebanese government and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), amid conflicting official approaches on how to address the crisis and restructure the banking sector. The ...

Bsat: IMF Seeks to Impose Losses on Banks... Say Goodbye to Deposits!

This is Beirut, 07/11 15:45 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

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Lebanese Economy and Trade Minister Amer Bsat made several key statements during his appearance on the television program “Sar El Waet.” He addressed multiple sensitive issues, including the financial-gap law, bank restructuring, and negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Bsat emphasized that it is not possible to commit to ...

When Samir Hammoud Sacrifices Depositors to Please the IMF

This is Beirut, 07/11 15:20 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

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Negotiation skills refer to the capacities and methods used by an individual when engaging in discussions with another party in order to reach an agreement that satisfies both sides, without sacrificing the rights or interests of either. Key negotiation skills include planning, managing expectations, persuasion, problem-solving, decision-making, ...

Writing Off Banks’ Capital Wipes Out Deposits

This is Beirut, 06/11 18:20 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

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The Governor of the Central Bank of Lebanon, Karim Souhaid, clarified the situation by declaring that Lebanon’s crisis is not purely a financial one but rather a systemic crisis in which the banking sector has become a victim. This is what Souhaid stated clearly during the parliamentary session dedicated to discussing the 2025 budget draft, ...

Gold: Sell or Buy More?

Liliane Mokbel, 06/11 10:00 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

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For years, gold was seen as a safe haven, more a way to store wealth than a true investment. Holding physical gold has traditionally been considered a long-term hedge against inflation. But the surge in the price of the yellow metal in 2025 has shaken that belief. With a rise of more than sixty percent since the start of the year, gold can no ...

The IMF and Lebanon: Debts? Which Debts?

Marc Saikali, 06/11 08:00 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

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When it comes to the IMF, one thing stands out above all: a consistent pattern of bad advice. Governments change, wars erupt, and yet this venerable institution remains glued to its Excel spreadsheets, always heeded by Lebanese ministers, especially the finance minister. The International Monetary Fund, the self-proclaimed savior of struggling ...

Where Were You, Samir Hammoud?

This is Beirut, 05/11 16:35 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Lebanon Banks Economy

High-level banking sources were surprised by comments made by the senior adviser to the Minister of Finance, Yassine Jaber, to the “Al-Markaziya” outlet regarding depositors’ accounts. According to Samir Hammoud’s statement, “If there are irregularities in depositors’ accounts, there are also irregularities in banks’ ...

Yitzhak Rabin: Oslo Accords Architect Assassinated 30 Years Ago

Élie-Joe Kamel, 04/11 21:15 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

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On November 4, 1995, in Tel Aviv, three gunshots ended the life of former Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, plunging the nation into shock. On what was then Kings of Israel Square, now Rabin Square, the architect of the Oslo peace process fell, struck by the bullets of an ultranationalist Israeli Jew. The assassin, Yigal Amir, a far-right ...

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