By Mustafa Abu Sneineh — middleeasteye.net — Lebanese banks have voted unanimously to close their doors following a wave of hold-ups by angry depositors, who have been prevented from accessing their cash since September. Bank employees said on Friday that they would close indefinitely but that they would meet the urgent fiscal needs of individuals […]

سجعان قزي

@AzziSejean

المفاوضاتُ الجاريةُ لانتخابِ رئيسٍ جديدٍ للجُمهوريّةِ كَشفَت مرّةً أخرى عدمَ استيعاب غالبيّةِ الأطرافِ اللبنانيّةِ والدُوليّةِ بُعدَ الأزمةِ اللبنانيّةِ الحاليّةِ ولا عُمقَ القضيّةِ اللبنانيّةِ التاريخيّة. وحتّى لو اسْتوعَبتها، فليست مستعدِّةً لدفعِ ثمنِ الحلِّ الصحيح. والوفودُ الأجنبيّةُ التي أُرسِلت لحلِّ أزمةِ لبنان في ربعِ الساعةِ الأخيرِ، وهي لَـم تَحُّلها في ربعِ قرنٍ، تأتي هنا في مُهمّاتِ تَدرّجٍ، خصوصًا أنّها لم تَنجح في حلِّ أزَماتِ بلدانِها ولا أزمَاتِ بلدانٍ أخرى. وفي إطارِ مُهمّات التَدرُّج، زُوِّدَت بأسماء بمرشَّحين “جينيريك” لرئاسةِ الجُمهوريّةِ كأنَّ لدينا، مثلَ الدواءِ، نَدرةُ مرشَّحين أُصَلاء (براند). و”مِنَ الجينيريك جُوْد”.

إذا كان اهتمامُ الدولِ الغربيّةِ بلبنان ناتجًا عن تراكمِ أزَماتِه ودُنوِّ استحقاقاتِه الدستوريّةِ والسياسيّة، فهو نابعٌ أيضًا عن قرارٍ أميركيٍّ/أوروبيٍّ بمحاولةِ “تصفيةِ” القضايا الإقليميّةِ بعدما تَفاقَمت حربُ روسيا على أوكرانيا، وتكاد تتحوّلُ مواجهةً متعددةَ الأوجُهِ بين روسيا من جِهةٍ والاتّحادِ الأوروبيِّ والحلفِ الأطلسيِّ من جِهةٍ أخرى. وباستثناءِ المعركةِ العسكريّةِ المباشَرة، والتهديدِ بالسلاحِ النوويّ، المواجهةُ بين روسيا والغرب مفتوحةٌ اقتصاديًّا وماليًّا وتجاريًّا وغازيًّا، ومرشحّةٌ لأن تَتطوّرَ في المرحلةِ المقبلة ما لم يَحدُث تغييرٌ طارئ في روسيا، حيث نقمةُ الشعبِ الروسيِّ على الرئيس فلاديمير بوتين تزدادُ.

إن إقدامَ روسيا بوتين على التهديدِ باستعمالِ السلاحِ النوويِّ، بمنأى عن جِدّيتِه أو مناورتِه، سيَدفع الدولَ المشاركِةَ في مؤتمر ڤيينا حولَ الـمَلفِّ النوويِّ الإيرانيِّ إلى أن تكونَ أكثرَ تشددًّا في شروطِها لئلّا يصبحَ التهديدُ بالنوويِّ عادةً لا نعرف متى “تَنقُش”.

  by reuters  and arabnews — BEIRUT: Lebanon has submitted to the US a list of changes it would like to see in a proposal on how to delineate a contested maritime border with Israel, a top Lebanese official said on Tuesday. US envoy Amos Hochstein has shuttled between Lebanon and Israel since 2020 to […]

by zawya.com — Beirut: Overlooking the Beirut Marina and the Mediterranean Sea, InterContinental Phoenicia Beirut is known as “La Grande Dame” of the Lebanese capital’s hospitality scene. The hotel, which has played host to guests as diverse as silver screen legends Brigitte Bardot and Marlon Brando, to today’s top musicians including David Guetta and Alicia Keys, was forced to close its doors following the explosion of August 4th, 2020. For two years it has been unable to welcome guests, who had previously enjoyed its wide-ranging facilities, just steps away from the city’s seafront Corniche. Now, following extensive repair work, the hotel is preparing to re-open on October 3rd, 2022. The hotel will host visitors to the city who can enjoy its indoor and outdoor pools, full-service spa and gym and be spoilt for choice with its delectable array of restaurants & bars.

The reopening of the hotel is a crucial milestone in the renaissance of the Lebanese tourism industry – an emblem of luxury hospitality in the capital, opening doors to a world of fascination where great things happen – sometimes the very best moments in life. InterContinental Phoenicia Beirut is ideally situated in the centre of Beirut, just steps from the Corniche for guests to enjoy the view of Zaitunay Bay. The hotel is a short 10-minute drive from trendy Monot Street and Rafic Hariri International Airport, ideal for those looking for serenity without being too far removed from the hustle and bustle. Manrique Rodriguez – General Manager quote said, “Beirut has successfully revived its tourism scene through sheer optimism and determination, since the devastation of August 2020. The reopening of this iconic hotel in such an exciting and dynamic city tells the world that Beirut is back firmly on the tourism hotspot map in the Middle East. We’re excited to give visitors a base, in the ideal location to explore and relax in luxury, at the InterContinental Phoenicia Beirut, experiencing all that the Lebanese capital has to offer.”

by AP – By Josef Federman - Israel’s prime minister on Sunday welcomed a U.S. proposal for setting the maritime border with Lebanon, saying the American plan for resolving a long-running dispute between the neighboring countries would lift Israel’s economy and boost regional security. Prime Minister Yair Lapid said the proposal was delivered over the weekend to both Israel and Lebanon. While he said it was still being studied, he said the plan would strengthen Israel’s northern areas near the Lebanese border, allow Israel to produce additional natural gas and deliver new revenues to the national coffers. “This is a deal that strengthens Israel’s security and Israel’s economy,” Lapid told his Cabinet. He also said Israel would not oppose the development of “an additional Lebanese gas field” straddling the maritime border, as long as Israel receives “the share we deserve.” He said this would weaken Lebanon’s dependence on Iran, restrain the Hezbollah militant group and promote regional stability. He said the deal was being reviewed by legal and defense officials before it is to be voted upon by the government. Israeli media said a vote could take place Thursday.

On Saturday, the proposal was also delivered to Lebanese leaders. Israeli opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu, under whom the negotiations began in 2020 and who is hoping to return to power in November elections, said he opposed the emerging deal and wouldn’t be bound by it if reelected. Lapid, the country’s caretaker premier, is hoping to fend off Netanyahu in the polls. “Lapid has no mandate to give sovereign territory and sovereign assets that belong to all of us to an enemy state,” Netanyahu said.

Lebanon and Israel have been officially at war since Israel’s creation in 1948 and both countries claim some 860 square kilometers (330 square miles) of the Mediterranean Sea. Amos Hochstein, a senior adviser for energy security at the U.S. State Department who has been mediating between the two neighbors, last visited Beirut in September, where he expressed optimism after meeting with Lebanon’s leaders. Lebanon’s parliament speaker, Nabi Berri, said in an interview with the London-based Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper Saturday the proposal “in principle meets the Lebanese demands.”

BEIRUT  (Reuters) – Lebanon’s parliament speaker said a draft, U.S.-brokered deal demarcating a disputed maritime border with Israel was “positive” but must be studied before a final reply is given, according to comments distributed by his office. Earlier on Saturday the Lebanese presidency said Beirut had received a letter from U.S. mediator Amos Hochstein regarding proposals for the maritime boundary demarcation between Lebanon and Israel, enemy states with a history of conflict. Hochstein has been shuttling between Lebanon and Israel in an effort to seal a deal that would pave the way for offshore energy exploration and defuse one potential source of conflict between Israel and the Iran-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah. In a tweet, the U.S. embassy in Beirut said Ambassador Dorothy Shea had met President Michel Aoun, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and Prime Minister Najib Mikati “to provide the U.S proposal for a final agreement on the maritime boundary line”.

Lebanon’s Berri sees draft maritime deal as ‘positive’

Berri, a Hezbollah ally and one of Lebanon’s most influential politicians, told Asharq al-Awsat newspaper the draft of the final agreement was “positive”, according a statement circulated by his office. Berri considered that the draft “meets in principle the Lebanese demands” which reject the maritime boundary deal having any impact on the land border between the two countries, it said. Berri noted however that the agreement was 10 pages and in English and “would require study before the final response to it is given”.

NNA – Maronite Patriarch, Cardinal Bechara Boutros al-Rahi, hoped Saturday for having a new president of the republic, a new government and restoring the beauty and good reputation of Lebanon. His words came during his visit today to the “Badr Hassoun” environmental village, accompanied by the Caretaker Minister of Economy Amin Salam, where they laid […]

by english.alaraby.co.uk — Rodayna Raydan — For decades, paying two electricity bills in Lebanon has been the norm: one for state-provided electricity and another for a subscription to a private electricity generator. Since 2019, Lebanon has been facing a severe financial crisis that the World Bank has called one of the worst in modern history. The country’s already struggling electricity sector has felt the impact of the economic downturn, and has become notoriously dysfunctional. Today, residents of Beirut only receive two to three hours of state electricity per day. A few years ago, many would rely instead on private electricity generators. But with rising inflation, many were forced to reprioritize needs, laying aside their generator subscriptions. Instead, solar panels now dot rooftops, parking lots, and balconies, allowing for a return to normalcy.

“The soaring demand for solar installations, according to Khoury, explains where the country could potentially be heading in terms of renewable and clean energy” “Lebanese are increasingly turning to the sun to meet electricity needs, and solar power has become a must to secure a supply of sustainable electricity,” Ramzi Salmen, an environmental engineer, told The New Arab. “The positive environmental outcome is the production of clean, renewable, and emission-free power,” Salmen emphasised. According to the IMF, electricity accounts for almost half of Lebanon’s USD 85 billion of public debt. The government has been subsidising Electricite du Liban, the national electric company, for years, accumulating to USD 35 billion.

Sustainable electricity experts say that the Lebanese government needs to build new power plants, shut down inefficient old ones, and utilise renewable energy to provide 24-hour electricity at lower costs, reducing public spending and debt and increasing productivity. This, in turn, would generate “green jobs” in the renewable energy sector and contribute to economic growth. “People are switching to solar for two main reasons: one is the security of the power supply as it is one of the most convenient options, but also because it is the cheapest source of electricity now compared to conventional energy sources that use diesel fuel,” Pierre Khoury, president of the Lebanese Centre for Energy Conservation (LCEC), told The New Arab.

by naharnet — MP Paula Yacoubian of the Change parliamentary bloc has accused the other opposition forces of “turning against the understanding” that both groupings were reportedly working on in a bid to agree on a single candidate for the presidential election. “Is there a figure that is more sovereign than (ex-MP) Salah Honein? Why […]

سجعان قزي

@AzziSejean

لكي نَتمكّنَ من انتخابِ رئيسِ جُمهوريّةٍ لا يُشكِّلُ تحديًّا لأحدٍ يجب أن نختارَ مبدئيًّا رئيسًا من خارجِ المشروعَين السياسيّين اللذين يَشطُران لبنان ويُقسّمانِه عَمُوديًّا وأفْقيًّا. إذ أيُّ مرشَّحٍ حياديِّ يَملِكُ الشَجاعةَ والقُدرةَ على حكمِ الدولةِ اللبنانيّةِ ما لم يَتمّ التوافقُ عليه بين المشروعَين اللذين لا يلتقيان دون هزيمةِ أحدهما؟ في المنطقِ ذاتِه: “المرشَّحُ الحياديُّ” هو مرشَّحُ تحدٍ أيضًا، بحيثُ سيَعتَبره أركانُ المشروعَين تحدّيًا لهم ونُكْرانًا لصِفاتِـهم التمثيليّة. وإذا ما تراجعَ الرئيسُ الجديدُ عن موقعِه الحياديِّ والتَحَق بأحد المشروعين صار فريقًا، فهل يستطيعُ أن يَحكمَ البلادَ ضِدَّ المشروعِ الفارسيِّ/السوريِّ ذي الامتدادِ اللبنانيّ، أو ضِدَّ المشروعِ الخليجيٍّ/الأميركيِّ ذي الامتداد اللبناني كذلك؟ في هذه الحالةِ لا يعودُ هناك فرقٌ بين مرشَّحِ التحدي المختارِ أصلًا من أحدِ المشروعَين ومرشَّحِ “اللاتحدّي” الـمُنضوي لاحقًا إلى أحدِ المشروعَين.

الّذين يُطالبون، عن حسنِ نيّةٍ، برئيسٍ لا يُشكِّلُ بالمطلقِ تَحدّيًا لأحدٍ، يراهنون على بقاءِ الرئيسِ الجديد خارجَ المحاورِ وفوقَها ليكونَ عَرّابَ المصالحةِ الوطنيّةِ أكثرَ من رئيسِ الجمهوريّة. لكنَّ حَسَنيَّ النيّةِ فاتَهم أنْ لا مصالحةَ لبنانيّةً قبلَ مصالحةِ محاورِ الشرقِ الأوسط، أو بموازاتِها، أو قبل انسحابِ اللبنانيّين من المحاورِ الإقليميّةِ، أو حسمِ موازينِ القوى في ضوءِ نظامٍ عالَميٍّ يبحث عن استقرار بعدما أخْفقَ نظامُ ما بعدَ سقوطِ جِدارِ برلين (09 تشرين الثاني 1989). وما يُثيرُ المخاوفَ هو أنْ تؤثّــرَ تعقيداتُ الـمِنطـقةِ وحروبُـها وتسوياتُـها على الوضعِ اللبناني، لاسيّما أنها في مرحلةٍ جديدةٍ بدأت بارتباكِ مفاوضاتِ ڤيينا حولَ الـمَلفِ النوويّ الإيرانيِّ، بتَعثّرِ الهجومِ الروسيِّ في أوكرانيا وتهديدِ بوتين “باستعمالِ السلاحِ النوويِّ لحمايةِ شعبه”، بانتصارِ اليمينِ القوميِّ في إيطاليا، بزعزعةِ الوِحدةِ الأوروبيّةِ، بالانتفاضةِ النِسويّةِ الإيرانيّةِ ضد تَعسّفِ النظامِ بخاصةٍ ضّدَ المرأةِ هذه المرّة، بالاضطراباتِ المتجدّدةِ في العراق، باستدارةِ تركيا نحو إسرائيل وسوريا، بانتشار همجيّةِ طالبان في أفغانستان، وبنجاحِ التطبيعِ العربيِّ/الإسرائيليّ. لقد باتت مصالحةُ اليهودِ والمسلِمين سهلةً أكثرَ من مصالحةِ المسلمِين الفرس والمسلمِين العرب.