by lb.usembassy.gov -- Ambassador Dorothy Shea joined Rear Admiral Curtis Renshaw and Chief of Defense Joseph Aoun to commemorate the conclusion of the Resolute Union 2021 Joint Military Exercise. Conducted May 17-28 in Lebanon and in the Eastern Mediterranean, the event is designed to enhance interoperability and fortify military-to-military relations between the U.S. Navy and the LAF, provide training between the U.S. Navy and regional partners, facilitate the future advancement of the Resolute series, maintain warfighting readiness, and demonstrate the U.S. Navy’s commitment to regional maritime security.

Following are Ambassador Shea’s remarks as prepared for delivery:

Good afternoon. Thank you for joining us today to commemorate the culmination of Resolute Union 21, the U.S. military’s largest annual exercise with the Lebanese Armed Forces. In particular, I want to thank Rear Admiral Curtis Renshaw, Deputy Commander of U.S. Naval Forces Central Command, and General Joseph Aoun, Commander of the Lebanese Armed Forces, for their strong support for the U.S.-Lebanese security partnership. This year, it is a distinct pleasure to welcome the participation of our colleagues from the Jordanian Armed Forces. In particular, I’d like to thank Major General Huneiti, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Colonel al-Jarrah, Head of the Jordanian Navy, for joining us today. Last but certainly not least, I’d like to thank the many U.S., Lebanese, and Jordanian military personnel who invested countless hours in planning and executing Resolute Union. Congratulations on the completion of another successful exercise!

by middleeasteye.net -- The Lebanese composer Samir Sfeir was released on Thursday from detention in Saudi Arabia and arrived in Lebanon's capital, Beirut. Sfeir, a celebrated musician and composer, had spent a month and a half in a Saudi prison after he was arrested over his political opinions and tweets regarding Saudi Arabia. His whereabouts remained unclear until 28 April, when Lebanon's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants tried to ask Saudi authorities about him and the reasons for his detention. Sfeir said on Thursday that he was for detained in solitary confinement for his “political opinions” for 50 days, and only saw his three interrogators.

Speaking at Beirut airport on Thursday, he said that he made “a mistake” in the way he criticised Saudi Arabia and expressed his support for Lebanese President Michel Aoun and Hassan Nasrallah, leader of the Hezbollah movement. “I thank God, maybe he wanted this to happen to me, to bring me back to my consciousness,” Sfeir said in an interview with Al-Jadeed TV. “I don't say that my opinions are wrong, but I say that the way I defended and interpreted my opinions is wrong." He vowed to focus on music and leave politics to politicians, apologising to Lebanese pop stars for his past criticisms. He also thanked Saudi Arabia "for bringing me back to consciousness". Lebanese media reported that Sfeir was questioned about his political tweets criticising Saudi Arabia and mocking its war against Yemen, which has so far resulted in 233,000 deaths, according to a United Nations report. Sfeir is well-known for his ties to Aoun's Free Patriotic Movement party. He has been living in Saudi Arabia permanently for the past nine months and has visited Riyadh frequently in the past five years.

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الفِلسطينيّون يعلنون الانتصار، وإسرائيلُ تَضُمُّ أراضيَ فِلسطينيّةً جديدةً، وتُدمّرُ، كلّما اقتَضَت الحاجة، الرُقعةَ الباقيةَ تحت سلطةِ الفِلسطينيّين. تمنّيتُ العكسَ، فيُعلنُ الفِلسطينيّون ذاتَ مرّةٍ الخَسارةَ ويَستعيدون هُم أرضًا ومساحةَ وجود. أورشليم، رمزُ فلسطين ورمزُنا، أمْسَت عاصمةً موحَّدةً لدولةِ إسرائيل. بقدْر ما كان شعبُ فِلسطين بحاجةٍ إلى تلك الفورةِ الوطنيّةِ التي تَفجَّرت بعدَ "حربِ غزة" (من 10 إلى 21 أيار الجاري)، لم يكن بحاجةٍ إلى حربِ غزّة. البعضُ يظنُّ أنَّ تعديلَ مسارِ المفاوضاتِ الفلسطينيّةِ/الإسرائيليّةِ ما كان ممكنًا من دون غزّة، لكنَّ الرئيسَ الأميركيَّ جو بايدن كان قد أعلنَ العودةَ إلى "حلِّ الدولتين" قبلَ حربِ غزّة.

الخَشيةُ اليومَ من أن تَحذوَ حماس حَذْوَ إسرائيل وترفضَ العودةَ إلى حلِّ الدولتين، وتنقلَ صِراعَها مع إسرائيل حولَ الأرضِ إلى صراعٍ داخليّ مع الشرعيّةِ الفِلسطينيّةِ في رام الله حولَ السلطة. إنَّ حساباتِ حماس مختلفةٌ عن حساباتِ السلطةِ الفِلسطينيّة. الأخيرةُ تَحمِلُ مشروعًا فِلسطينيًّا ـــ عربيًّا، بينما تَحمِلُ الأولى مشروعًا فِلسطينيًّا ـــ إيرانيًّا.

في لبنانَ نعيش تجربةً مماثلةً إِذ رَفضَ حزبُ الله، منذ سنةِ 2000، توظيفَ المقاومةِ والتحريرِ في حلِّ الدولةِ الواحدة، الدولةِ اللبنانيّةِ، وتَصرّفَ كأنّه اعتمَد حلَّ الدولتين: دولةِ لبنان ودولتِه. لا بل وظّفَ بعد التحريرِ قُدراتِه العسكريّةَ في سوريا والعراق واليمن، ورَبطَ، بالتنسيقِ مع إيران، مصيرَ لبنانَ بأسرِه، من سنةِ 2006 إلى اليوم، بحروب الـمِنطقة. هكذا بقي التحريرُ فِعلًا جَنوبيًّا تَنقُصه التغطيةُ الوطنيّة، وبَقيت المقاومةُ حالةً مستقلّةً تتحدّى الدولةَ اللبنانيّةَ وأصدقاءَها. وإذا كانت بيئةُ حزبِ الله تشعرُ بالأمنِ والكرامة في الجنوب ـــ وهي على حقٍّ ـــ فاللبنانيّون فَقدوا الشعورَ بالأمنِ والاستقرارِ والازدهارِ، وبالسيادةِ والاستقلالِ ووِحدةِ الدولة. هذه العناصرُ الوطنيّةُ لا تتعايشُ مع سلاحِ حزبِ الله ومشروعِ إيران، ولا مع أيِّ سلاحٍ آخَر ومشروعٍ آخَر خارجَ مشروعِ لبنان.

by catholicnewsagency.com — Catholicos-Patriarch Gregory Peter XX Gabroyan, leader of the Armenian Catholic Church, died on Tuesday at the age of 86. …