Lebanon's Presidency rejects ‘misleading' Israeli portrayal of President Aoun's Vatican encounter with Sheikh Muwafaq Tarif — statement
In a statement, the office clarified that while President Aoun was walking to his seat during Pope Leo XIV's inauguration mass at St. Peter's Square earlier in the day, a Druze cleric approached and greeted him.
The president did not know the individual, nor had they met before. It was later revealed that the man was Sheikh Muwafaq Tarif.
The statement accused the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation of deliberately sharing the image with a misleading caption for "suspicious purposes that fool no one."
'These types of manipulative tactics are well-known practices of Israeli media at international events,' the presidency added, stressing that such portrayals do not reflect Lebanon's official stance, nor that of President Aoun.
'There is no need to spread such falsehoods or serve the interests of the Israeli enemy,' the statement concluded.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
L'Orient-Le Jour
2 hours ago
- L'Orient-Le Jour
'No one wants to see Lebanon sink,' says Arab League deputy secretary-general from Baabda
Arab League Deputy Secretary-General Hossam Zaki said Thursday that 'no one wants to see Lebanon sink into a situation with undesirable consequences' after meeting President Joseph Aoun at Baabda Presidential Palace. He also voiced support for Lebanese authorities maintaining the state's monopoly on weapons. 'The purpose of this visit was to reaffirm the Arab League's support for the principle of state authority and the monopoly on weapons. We reiterated our respect for the framework set by the state for implementing this policy. We joined our voice to that of Lebanese leaders in asking the international community to pressure Israel to withdraw from Lebanese territory and implement the cease-fire. We also emphasized that U.S. mediation falls within this framework and that the mediator must focus on ensuring Israel complies with international resolutions,' Zaki said. He repeated that 'no one wants to see Lebanon sink into a situation with undesirable consequences' and expressed hope that 'wisdom will prevail and that a national vision in the interest of the country will be adopted, because the main goal is to restore stability and civil peace and to establish full state sovereignty.' Despite the truce, Israel continues strikes on southern Lebanon and, less frequently, on Hezbollah strongholds such as the Bekaa Valley and Beirut's southern suburbs. To try to end the attacks, U.S. envoy Tom Barrack has proposed a 'roadmap' for step-by-step measures between Beirut and Tel Aviv. Lebanon has taken a first step by officially accepting the plan and giving the army until the end of the year to disarm Hezbollah and other armed groups. In return, Israel is expected to gradually withdraw from positions it still holds in southern Lebanon and release Lebanese detainees from its prisons. The Lebanese government's adoption of the U.S. roadmap has been sharply criticized by Hezbollah, whose secretary-general, Naim Qassem, has warned of potential internal conflict.
Nahar Net
5 hours ago
- Nahar Net
Hezbollah vowed to keep things calm at least until August end, report says
by Naharnet Newsdesk 21 August 2025, 14:17 Hezbollah is not against a vote in Cabinet on disarming it, local MTV news channel said, adding that according to its sources, the group is against setting a timetable for its disarmament. Cabinet had tasked this month the army with developing a plan to disarm Hezbollah by year end and tackled a U.S. proposal that includes a timetable for Hezbollah's disarmament. The cabinet endorsed the introduction of the U.S. text, which lists 11 objectives including to "ensure the sustainability" of the ceasefire, and to phase out "the armed presence of all non-state actors, including Hezbollah" across all Lebanese territory. Hezbollah said it would not accept any timetable on handing over its weapons to the Lebanese state while Israeli strikes continue. MTV reported Wednesday that the Lebanese army and Hezbollah have been in contact and both want to avoid an internal conflict. It claimed that Hezbollah has vowed not to resort to street action and to keep things calm at least until the end of August. On the other hand, the relation between Hezbollah and President Joseph Aoun has been severed, MTV said.
LBCI
5 hours ago
- LBCI
Lebanon's FM meets German, Ukrainian Ambassadors, UN official to discuss UNIFIL renewal
Lebanese Foreign Minister Youssef Rajji met with German Ambassador Kurt Georg Stöckel-Stillfried to discuss Lebanon's push for a one-year extension of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). The ambassador expressed Germany's full support for Lebanon's position on the mandate and pledged cooperation with the Lebanese Army, particularly in maritime operations. Rajji also received Ukrainian Ambassador Roman Roman Goriainov to review bilateral relations and explore ways to enhance cooperation across various sectors. The Ukrainian envoy voiced his country's support for Lebanon's policy of ensuring all arms are under state control. In a separate meeting, Rajji was briefed by U.N. Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator Imran Riza on the work of U.N. agencies and humanitarian organizations in Lebanon, with a focus on the Syrian refugee response. Additionally, Rajji met with a delegation of Lebanese expatriate groups representing 19 communities worldwide. The group reaffirmed support for the Lebanese government's efforts to rebuild state institutions, implement reforms, and revive the economy. They emphasized the expatriate community's right to vote for all 128 parliamentary seats, rather than being limited to six, and offered assistance in organizing overseas voting for the next elections.
