This is Beirut - middle east

Peace vs. Normalization: Distinct Paths, Diverging Logics in ME Diplomacy

Mario Chartouni, 02/06 20:05 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Middle East United Arab Emirates Bahrain Hezbollah Israel

From the peace treaties signed between Israel and certain Arab States – most notably Egypt in 1979 and Jordan in 1994 – to the wave of diplomatic normalizations initiated in 2020 with the Abraham Accords, two concepts have consistently shaped discussions about regional diplomacy: peace agreements and normalization. Although these terms are ...

Qatar, Egypt Say Will Intensify Efforts to Resume Gaza Truce Talks

This is Beirut, 01/06 22:25 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Palestine USA Hamas Israel Middle East

Qatar and Egypt announced on Sunday plans to step up efforts for Gaza truce negotiations, as the Palestinian militant group Hamas said it was prepared to "immediately" hold a fresh round of talks. "Qatar and Egypt, in coordination with the United States of America, affirm their intention to intensify efforts to overcome the obstacles facing the ...

From Jerusalem to Beirut, a Unique Journal: Proche-Orient Chrétien

Fady Noun, 01/06 11:30 - Reading : 6 minute(s)

Pope Francis Israel Lebanese University Middle East Palestine

“The Middle East is a powder keg that has exploded! At this moment, the damage cannot be measured, and the future seems more uncertain than ever. The excess of violence and the prevailing chaos leave us perplexed and challenge both political and religious authorities. International interference suggests a plan to reconfigure the region — but ...

US Special Envoy for Syria Meets Shareh in Damascus

This is Beirut, 29/05 19:26 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Damascus USA Barbara Leaf Donald Trump Middle East

The US Special Envoy for Syria, Thomas Barrack, arrived in Damascus on Thursday, according to Syria’s official news agency SANA, marking a new stage in the normalization of relations between the two countries following the fall of Bashar al-Assad. He is currently meeting Syrian interim President Ahmad al-Shareh. Barrack, who also serves as the ...

Lebanon Inaugurates EU-Funded Juvenile Rehabilitation Center

This is Beirut, 28/05 19:20 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

European Union Internal Security Forces Middle East United Nations Ahmad Hajjar Lebanon

In a significant step toward juvenile justice reform, Lebanese officials and international partners inaugurated a new rehabilitation center for juvenile offenders in Warwar on Wednesday. The facility, funded by the European Union (EU), promises to provide a humane, rehabilitative alternative to traditional detention for youth in conflict with the ...

Lebanon Secures Spot Among Arab Billion-Dollar Companies

This is Beirut, 26/05 11:50 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Banks Gulf Kuwait Middle East Saudi Arabia Lebanon

The Arab world’s economy is undergoing a rapid transformation, fueled by the rise of financial markets and robust growth in the technology, energy and finance sectors. According to data compiled by Forbes Middle East, more than 280 companies across the region now boast a market valuation exceeding $1 billion. At the forefront of this ...

Touch Signs Roaming Deal with Zain Omantel

This is Beirut, 26/05 11:35 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Bahrain Europe Gulf Kuwait Middle East Touch

Mobile operator Touch announced on Monday a new regional partnership through the signing of a roaming agreement with Zain Omantel International (ZOI), a major telecommunications alliance in the Middle East. According to a company press release, the agreement will allow Zain and Omantel subscribers from eight countries – Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, ...

Lebanon Faces Eight-Month Deadline to Tackle Illegal Weapons

This is Beirut, 25/05 12:45 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Fatah Hamas Hezbollah Middle East Palestine Lebanon Hezbollah

Citing high-ranking political and security sources, Kuwaiti daily Al-Anbaa reported that Lebanon has been given an eight-month deadline to address the long-standing issue of illegal weapons on its soil and to assert full state authority across the country. During this period, international economic aid and reconstruction support will reportedly be ...

Tom Barrack Appointed US Special Envoy for Syria

This is Beirut, 23/05 19:05 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Turkey Donald Trump Gulf Middle East United States Tom Barrack

The Trump administration announced on Friday the appointment of Tom Barrack, the current US ambassador to Turkey and a longtime ally of the president, as the new Special Envoy for Syria. The announcement marks a significant shift in US engagement in the Middle East following the fall of the Assad regime. Barrack is a billionaire real estate ...

Iran Says 'Fundamental Differences' Remain With U.S. Ahead of Nuclear Talks

This is Beirut, 22/05 23:15 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Israel Middle East Tehran United States Washington

Iran warned it would hold the United States responsible if Israel attacks its nuclear facilities, but President Donald Trump's administration voiced optimism for a peaceful solution Thursday before new talks. Trump spoke about his diplomacy on Iran with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the White House said, in a telephone call ...

EU Reaffirms Support for Lebanon’s Reform Efforts During Visit to Grand Serail

This is Beirut, 22/05 13:15 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

European Union Middle East

The European Union has reiterated its support for Lebanon’s reform process during a visit to the Grand Serail in Beirut by Stefano Sannino, Director-General for the Middle East and North Africa at the European Commission. Speaking Thursday after his meeting with Prime Minister Najib Mikati, Sannino reaffirmed the EU’s commitment to its ...

Mullahs Wearing Sombreros: Hezbollah in Latin America

Mario Chartouni, 21/05 18:45 - Reading : 5 minute(s)

Hezbollah Europe Middle East Tehran United States

The so-called “tri-border area,” at the junction of Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay, has long attracted tourists, notably thanks to the famous Iguaçu Falls. But behind this idyllic setting lies a much more troubling reality: this region is also a strategic hub for transnational criminal networks, including Hezbollah. Washington, which is ...

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