سجعان قزي

وزير سابق

@AzziSejean

يستطيعُ حزبُ الله أو أيُّ حزبٍ آخَر أن يطالبَ بتعديلِ دستورِ لبنان. هذا حقٌّ شرعيٌّ لأيِّ مواطنٍ أو جماعة. نحن أيضًا لدينا ملاحظاتٌ على الدستورِ، إذ نُطالب بإدخالِ مبدأِ الحيادِ عليه. لكن ما هو غيرُ مسموحٍ لنا ولحزبِ الله أن نَعملَ على تغييرِ المجتمعِ اللبنانيّ. قبلَ أن يكونَ لبنانُ دولةً وكِيانًا كان مجتمعًا؛ وهذا ما ساعَدَنا على الصمودِ قبلَ نشوءِ دولةِ لبنانَ الكبير وبعدَ نشوئِها. هو المجتمعُ، لا الدولةُ، ما أتاح للبنانيّي الجبلِ مواجهةَ الاحتلالَين الـمَمْلوكيّ والعُثماني. وهو المجتمعُ، لا الدولةُ، ما مَكَّنَ لبنانيّي السيادةِ والاستقلالِ والتحريرِ من مواجهةِ الاحتلالَين السوريّ والإسرائيليّ. وهو المجتمعُ، لا الدولةُ، الذي حافظَ سنةَ 1975 ـــ وما بعدَها ـــ على لبنان رغمَ انقسامِ مؤسّساتِ الدولةِ الدستوريّةِ والأمنيّةِ والعسكريّة. وكان مجتمعُنا الوطنيُّ يَملِكُ قضيّةً مُثلَّثةَ الأضلع: أمنٌ، حريّةٌ، وحضارة.

طوالَ ثلاثينَ سنةً أمضاها في مرابعِ لبنان، غَيّرَ الاحتلالُ السوريُّ الطبقةَ السياسيّةَ الاستقلاليّةَ، وفرَضَ مجموعةً تابعةً له وتركَها خلْفَه وديعةً تُرَفْرِف. لكنّه لم يبالِ كثيرًا بتغييرِ المجتمعِ اللبنانيّ، لا بل فُتِنَ السوريّون، ضبّاطًا وسُيّاحًا، في حياةِ بعضِ اللبنانيّين وزاغوا وتَغلْغلوا في الليالي واقتَبسوا جوانبَ سطحيّةً نَقلوها إلى الشام. إلّا أنَّ ما خالَطَه السوريّون آنذاك ما كان المجتمعَ اللبنانيَّ الصامِد، بل مجتمعَ أوراقِ تسهيلِ المرور...

by Farrah Berrou -- eater.com -- The modern nation of Lebanon might be only 100 years old, but the wine trade here has been around for more than 5,000 years, thanks to a longitudinal coastline that runs the entire length of the country. Ancient Phoenicians shared amphorae with bustling port cities across the Mediterranean and shipped wine and other goods to the rest of the stops on their route, from Alexandria, Egypt, to Cádiz, Spain. Today’s Lebanese wine industry is small — its total production would barely match the output of one boutique winery in Italy — but mighty. Its growth really hit its stride in the early 2000s after the end of the 15-year civil war, and the country’s numerous vineyards now produce grapes for close to 80 official and unofficial local wineries. With Syria to the east and Israel/Palestine to the south, Lebanon’s limited square footage for wine production is often split into four or five distinct appellations and further segmented into varying microclimates clustered across the Bekaa Valley, where the majority of grapes are harvested.

Contrary to the grainy, yellow filter deployed by Hollywood, Lebanon is not made up of sand dunes. What it does have are mountain ranges cresting at nearly 10,000 feet above sea level, a valley floor at 3,000 feet, a natural water table, predominantly limestone soils, and 300 days of sunshine each year. The overall weather and topography are ideal for the kind of diverse, low-intervention grape-growing that makes for truly great wine. The irony in this overview is the enduring need for it to be included here in the first place — or in any piece of writing on the subject of Lebanese wine.

by reuters — A Lebanese music composer close to the president’s party is believed to be detained in Saudi Arabia for unknown …

BY EDWARD GABRIEL, OPINION CONTRIBUTOR -- TheHIll — In a last-ditch effort to wake up Lebanon’s political leadership, Undersecretary of State David Hale recently visited Lebanon to underscore the urgent need for a reform-minded government before the country becomes a fully failed state. Upon his departure, he said, “(The Lebanese are) suffering because (their) leaders have failed to meet their responsibility to put the country’s interests first and to address the mounting socio-economic problems … but it’s not too late.” Unfortunately, Hale’s plea appears to have fallen on deaf ears. Joblessness, lack of access to basic health care, and inability to feed their families are factors that continue to erode the lives of hundreds of thousands of Lebanese citizens. Lebanon’s leaders apparently cannot be convinced to quit their sectarian and self-serving bickering over an economic rescue plan or a new government. Although Hale said it’s not too late to form a government capable of addressing the citizenry’s needs, it is becoming increasingly evident that the country could face financial collapse within weeks. Now is the time for the Biden administration to switch gears to protect U.S. interests in Lebanon. Three immediate actions would be wise:

First, it is imperative that the U.S., along with the French and others, outline a plan that assures the Lebanese people that the world has not forgotten them and is prepared to assist them, the International Monetary Fund, and other partners with a recovery program — once an effective government is put in place.