by dw.com — Jennifer Holleis, Razan Salman — Crises-hit Lebanon has started this year with a tough first week. This Tuesday, the exchange rate hit another all-time low with 30,000 Lebanese pounds worth just $1 on the black market. Officially, the pound is pegged to the dollar, but the fixed rate has effectively become meaningless in the country’s protracted economic crisis. Also, a heated spat between Hezbollah’s Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah and Saudi King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud Salman has once more ignited diplomatic tensions between Lebanon and its ally Saudi Arabia. On Monday, Nasrallah had called King Salman a terrorist in a televised speech marking the occasion of the second anniversary of the assassination of the Iranian Commander Qassem Suleimani. Prior to this, King Salman had called on the Lebanese to “to end the terrorist Hezbollah control” of Lebanon. Lebanon’s Prime Minister Najib Mikati was quick to issue a statement, which not only sought to limit the diplomatic damage, but also showed the growing impatience with the Iran-backed militia and political heavyweight Hezbollah.

War in Yemen divides

“Nasrallah’s comments do neither represent the Lebanese government nor the majority of Lebanese,” Mikati said. He added that “while we call for Hezbollah to be part of Lebanon’s diverse affiliation, its leadership is in opposition to this trend with positions that first harm the Lebanese and secondly Lebanon’s relations with its brother. For God’s sake, have mercy on Lebanon and the Lebanese, and stop the hateful sectarian and political rhetoric.” Mikati is not the only one who has started to increase pressure on the powerful Shiite Hezbollah. Also, President Michel Aoun has become more open in his discomfort. Last week, he criticized Hezbollah for harming relations with Gulf countries by “interfering in matters that do not concern us,” referring to Saudi and Hezbollah being on opposite sides in the war in Yemen — a constant bone of contention between the two sides. Aoun’s warning is all the more significant as his Maronite Christian Party, the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM), is part of the “March 8 Alliance” with Hezbollah. Furthermore, the Lebanese are increasingly worried about Hezbollah’s rhetoric regarding the Gulf states.

By NAJIA HOUSSARI — arabnews.com — BEIRUT: General Labor Union President Bechara Al-Asmar has warned against “a certain catastrophe, since hospitalization is now accessible to the wealthy only.” At a press conference on Friday, he commented on the multitude of crises facing the Lebanese, including “the ongoing madness in the dollar exchange rate, insane increases in fuel prices, electricity bill, the removal of medicine subsidies and the loss of the depositors’ savings as a result of bank circulations — viewed as organized robbery.” He warned that “the draft budget included a provision for raising the customs dollar, which would raise the prices of goods by 30 percent, and raise all taxes and duties.” He added: “This is unacceptable because it entails the removal of subsidies on everything in exchange for nothing, which is surrendering to the IMF conditions without any supervision.”

The fresh warning came as the ruling elite attempted to resolve its many conflicts that are blocking political and administrative progress. President Michel Aoun has signed a decree calling on parliament to hold an extraordinary session starting from Monday and ending on March 21. This will restore the parliamentary immunity of the ministers charged for the crime of the Beirut port blast, including current MPs, one of whom had an arrest warrant issued for him in absentia and that has not yet been executed. The parliamentary session sets the stage for the transfer of power from a judicial investigator to a parliamentary body for the prosecution of ministers and deputies allegedly to blame for the explosion. Lawyer and activist Hassan Bazzi said that “the key parties to the settlements are Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, Prime Minister Najib Mikati and President Michel Aoun.” This follows the intense political discord between Aoun and Berri that reached its peak last week.

by arabnews.com — LONDON: Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to Lebanon said relations with Lebanon were too deep to be affected by “irresponsible and absurd statements.” Waleed Bukhari said the Lebanese Iran-backed Hezbollah’s terrorist activities and regional military behavior threatened Arab national security in a statement to AFP. His comments came two days after Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati said criticism of the Kingdom by the leader of the Hezbollah group did not serve the national interest or represent the country’s official stance.

The comments also followed a rift in relations between Lebanon and Gulf countries after a number of countries withdrew their ambassadors from Beirut in October and November in protest over statements made by then-information minister George Kordahi that were critical of the Kingdom’s role in the Yemen war. “Riyadh hopes that the political parties will give priority to the supreme interest of Lebanon… and end Hezbollah’s terrorist hegemony over every aspect of the state,” Bukhari said. He added that Hezbollah’s terrorist insistence to impose its control disrupts peace in Lebanon and called on the Lebanese government to stop its activities that are affecting the Kingdom and the Gulf region, Al Arabiya reported.

سجعان قزي

@AzziSejean

تعودُ إليَّ صورةُ يَسوع على الصليبِ وقد عَطِش إلى نُقطةِ ماءٍ، فتَقدّمَ جُنديٌّ يهوديٌّ “وأخَذَ إسْفَنجةً ومَلأها خَلًّا وجَعلَها على قَصَبةٍ وسَقاه” ليزيدَ مرارةَ عذاباتِه. المسؤولون ـــ وأيُّ مسؤولين! ـــ عِوضَ أن يُهْدوا الشعبَ اللبنانيَّ المعذَّبَ والعَطشانَ نُقطةَ ماءٍ في مَطلَعِ السنةِ الجديدةِ، قَصَفوه بوابلِ الإطلالاتِ البُكائيّةِ، والخِطاباتِ العَدائيّةِ، والمؤتمراتِ المتأخِّرةِ، والتصاريحِ الـمُلفَّقةِ، والسِجالاتِ المضَلِّلة غيرَ عابئين بمعاناتِه. بِـمَ نَصِفُ هذا التصَرّفَ؟ قِلّةُ مسؤوليّةٍ؟ قِلَّةُ وطنيّةٍ؟ قِلّةُ حياءٍ؟ قِلّةُ ذوقٍ؟ قِلّةُ إحْساسٍ؟ قِلّةُ مبالاةٍ؟ قِلّةُ شَفَقةٍ؟ هذا فائضٌ من كلِّ ذلك. أهلُ الفيلقِ لا يَعتبرُون اللبنانيّين مجموعةً بشريّةً تَتمتّعُ بمشاعرَ، بل مجموعةَ أحْجارٍ جامدةٍ يَتراشقون بها. أهلُ الفيلقِ، حتّى لو اخْتلفوا في ما بينهم، سُرعان ما يتّفِقون ما أن يَشعروا بأنَّ اختلافاتِهم تُعرِّضُ أمنَ منظومتِهم. وهذا ما حصلَ أمس حين تَبادلوا ــــ مبدئيًّا ـــ انعقادَ مجلسِ الوزراءِ بفتحِ دورةٍ استثنائيّةٍ للمجلسِ النيابي.

بين نهايةِ 2021 وبدايةِ 2022، كان الشعبُ المتعَبُ يَخترعُ الآمالَ ويَختلِقُ الرجاءَ، حتّى أنّه زوّرَ الأفراحَ وضَحِكَ على نفسِه بحثًا عن هِدنةٍ نفسيّةٍ. لكنَّ فيلَقَ السلطةِ أعادَه إلى سجنِ السنواتِ الخمسِ المنصرِمةِ، وأكّدَ له أنَّ السادسةَ لن تكونَ اسْتثناء، و”أنتَ في جُهنّمٍ وفي جُهنّم ستَبقى”. وَدِدْتُ لو أنَّ أحدَ أركانِ الفيلَق حَدَّثَ الناسَ عن الناس. أخَبرَهم عن تَصوُّرِه للسنةِ المقبِلة، عن المستقبلِ والمصير، عن كيفيّةِ الخروجِ من الأزْمةِ، عن مصيرِ أموالِـهم المسروقة، عن مصالحةِ الدولةِ مع الناسِ لا عن حوارٍ عقيمٍ بين أهلِ الفيلق. وَدِدتُ لو جالَ رئيسُ الجُمهوريّةِ في المناطقِ وحاورَ اللبنانيّين مثلما فَعلَ الرئيسُ الفرنسيُّ، إيمانويل ماكرون، سنةَ 2020 بعد تظاهراتِ “القمصان الصفراء”.

هذه الأيّام تَنتشرُ عبارةُ “الكرامة” بين أهلِ السلطةِ ويَتذرّعون بها ليَرفُضوا جميعَ الحلولِ والتسوياتِ بين اللبنانيّين، وبين اللبنانيّين ودولِ العربِ والعالم. يَتحدّثون عن الكرامةِ وهم الّذين انتهكوا كرامةَ اللبنانيّين ورأسَهم العالي. يتحدّثون عن الكرامةِ وهم تَنازلوا عن كراماتِهم أمامَ وُلاتِهم وأوليائِهم وولاءاتِهم. وفاقدُ الشيءِ لا يُعطيه. قد تَغفِرُ الشعوبُ أخطاءَ حكّامِها وزعمائِها لكنّها لا تَغفِر لمن انتهَكَ كرامتَها الشخصيّةَ والجماعيّة. ولا أرى اللبنانيّين يَشُذّون عن هذه القاعدةِ، هُم الّذين لاذُوا فُرادى وجَماعاتٍ إلى جبالِ لبنان من أجلِ الحرّيةِ والكرامة.

BEIRUT, (Reuters) – Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati said Wednesday he will convene the Cabinet within days for the first time in nearly three months, potentially ending a standoff that has paralysed the government during a financial crisis. “We will convene Cabinet as soon as it receives the (2022) budget,” Mikati said following a meeting […]

Abbas Ibrahim head of Lebanon General Security 

by Joseph Haboush, Al Arabiya English — The head of Lebanon’s General Security may have landed himself and his country in hot water after intervening in a US lawsuit that initially accused Iran of ordering the detainment and detention of a Lebanese-American citizen. The family of Amer Fakhoury, who had worked with an Israeli-backed militia in southern Lebanon until 2000, is now suing Lebanon, the General Security and its chief, Abbas Ibrahim, who is known for negotiating prisoner swaps and freeing captives, including US citizens. For the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app. Fakhoury worked as a senior warden at the notorious Khiam Prison in south Lebanon, run by the Israeli-backed South Lebanon Army (SLA), before Israel ended its 18-year occupation in 2000. His family says he worked at the prison but never had contact with inmates and did not torture prisoners. Despite being accused by Lebanese officials of torturing prisoners during his time with the SLA, Fakhoury’s lawyer said he was given assurances that he could enter Lebanon after nearly 20 years. He reportedly met with Lebanon’s president, Michel Aoun, during a visit to Boston before traveling to Lebanon. According to a lawsuit by the family, Fakhoury was also in contact with a member of Aoun’s presidential office.

He was detained in Beirut in September 2019 and released the following March. But a travel ban was placed on him after a military judge appealed the decision. Nevertheless, he was flown out of the country following a movie-like operation from the US Embassy in Beirut. Fakhoury died just months after returning to the US. His family has accused Lebanon’s Iran-backed Hezbollah of being part of Tehran’s order to detain and torture Fakhoury. “The Iranians were hoping to pressure the Trump Administration to trade the captive American for a Hezbollah operative, Kassim Tajideen, a Lebanese national who was imprisoned in the US for his role in financing Hezbollah terrorist activities around the world,” a statement from Fakhoury’s family and lawyer said on Wednesday. As a result, Fakhoury’s family sued the government of Iran in a US federal court last year.

By Najia Houssari — arabnews.com — Nasrallah crossed the red line that Lebanon has drawn to preserve its relations with the Kingdom, and targeted hundreds of thousands of Lebanese working in the Gulf with his attack on the Kingdom. He accused “everyone who befriends Americans in Lebanon and the region of being a co-conspirator.” Aoun said on Tuesday that “the Lebanese people are keen on preserving Lebanon’s Arab and international relations, especially the ones with the Gulf states, with Saudi Arabia at the forefront.”

Mikati was quick to react to Nasrallah’s attack on the Kingdom, saying: “His statements do not represent the position of the Lebanese government and the vast majority of the Lebanese people. It is not in Lebanon’s interest to offend any Arab country, especially the Gulf states.” He added: “While we call for Hezbollah to be part of the diverse Lebanese nation and to demonstrate its affiliation to Lebanon, its leadership contradicts this direction with positions that harm the Lebanese and Lebanon’s relations with its fraternal countries.” Mikati asked everyone to “have mercy on this country, shield it from useless polemics and stop the hateful political and sectarian rhetoric.”

NNA – Former Prime Minister, Saad Hariri, on Tuesday addressed via twitter Hezbollah Secretary General, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, telling him that his “insistence on attacking Saudi Arabia and its leaders is a continuing attack on Lebanon, its role, and its people’s interests.” Hariri also reminded Nasrallah that Saudi Arabia has never threatened the Lebanese state […]

في حين يدعو رئيس الجمهورية إلى انعقاد هيئة الحوار الوطني ثم يؤيده رئيس مجلس النواب ورئيس مجلس الوزراء بالدعوة عينها. وفي حين يتفق رئيس الجمهورية مع رئيس الحكومة على رفض المس بالعلاقة مع دول الخليج وفي مقدمها المملكة العربية السعودية التي اعلنت بالامس استعدادها للحوار مع ايران، يهاجم امين عام “حزب الله” المملكة ويتهمها بالارهاب […]

By NAJIA HOUSSARI — arabnews.com — BEIRUT: The political aide of Lebanon’s parliament speaker on Monday attacked President Michel Aoun and the head of the Free Patriotic Movement, MP Gibran Bassil. MP Ali Hassan Khalil made the remarks in response to Sunday’s speech from Bassil, who threatened to break off the partnership with Hezbollah and asked the party to choose between an understanding with him or an alliance with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri. Berri’s move embarrassed FPM ally Hezbollah a few hours before the Monday evening speech from its secretary-general, Hassan Nasrallah. Hezbollah was keen to avoid commenting on Bassil’s press conference. Political observers were expecting that Nasrallah would not cut ties with Bassil as he was the “only Christian ally of Hezbollah” in Lebanon.

Khalil said at a surprise press conference at the Amal Movement headquarters that the presidency and its movement were “detached from reality” and trying to blame their failure and crises on others. He said Aoun’s and Bassil’s invitations to a national dialogue had “marketing and populist reasons” and accused the president’s political team of “disrupting” the state and decisions in the Cabinet in order to pass deals and decisions. Khalil said Aoun was the one who had turned the “principle of participation into a confiscation under the sectarian title and slogans of the movement.” He expressed his surprise at Bassil’s adherence to the “financial decentralization” proposal, saying the proposal “blasts the basis of the unified state, its responsibility for all its people and regions, and the principle of balanced development.” He further accused FPM ministers, who held the Ministry of Energy, of having ignored the law of the authority regulating the electricity sector for 12 years in order to remain in control of power and decisions, away from any oversight.