
Handover ceremony at Ministry of Industry: Joe Issa Khoury says industrial cities anchor people to their land
In a speech during the handover ceremony between him and former Industry Minister George Bouchikian, Khoury said that "industry is essential for securing jobs and generating foreign currency through exports, but it is also crucial because it roots people in their land, reduces emigration, and ensures balanced growth and sustainable development, especially if we establish industrial cities in various regions."
He added, "This ministry is vital on several levels, particularly because it contributes to Lebanon's economic growth and food security. Its role is also fundamental in reducing the trade deficit. We will also work to strengthen the 'Made in Lebanon' slogan, which has become a symbol and a prominent brand for marketing Lebanon's name both domestically and internationally."
Khoury emphasized that this slogan is synonymous with quality and helps with exports and opening new markets through continued reliance on standards and adopting specifications, highlighting that this is achieved through persistent work with Libnor and the Industrial Research Institute.
For his part, Bouchikian noted that "we worked as a cohesive team, with our focus on serving the citizen first, growing the economy, and developing industry. We adopted modern methods and helped the national productive sector emerge from the constraints imposed on it. We strengthened confidence in it in both the local and international markets."
He added, "In return, industrialists responded to us and met us halfway. They worked on investment, expansion, and outreach, taking risks during the war and overcoming the aggression. They chose to stay in Lebanon, holding on to the land, their industrial heritage, and their workers. They dedicated their lives and made significant sacrifices in the factories and workshops, accompanying the first, second, and third generations."

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Ya Libnan
7 hours ago
- Ya Libnan
After more than 40 years in jail in France, Lebanese militant Georges Abdallah returns home
Lebanese pro-Palestinian militant Georges Abdallah speaks to supporters upon his arrival at Beirut's Rafic Hariri International Airport in Beirut, Lebanon, Friday, July 25, 2025. He is a hero for some but not for others © Hussein Malla, AP After more than four decades behind bars in France, Georges Ibrahim Abdallah – the Lebanese leftist militant imprisoned since 1984 – landed in Beirut after leaving his prison early Friday. His release, authorised by a Paris appeals court July 17 on the condition that he leave France immediately, brings to a close one of the longest political detentions in modern European history. Pro-Palestinian Lebanese militant Georges Ibrahim Abdallah arrived in Beirut Friday following his release after more than 40 years in detention in France. Upon his arrival, he was transferred into Lebanese custody. For his supporters, Abdallah's release brings long-overdue justice. For others, his name is simply reminiscent of a distant and complex chapter in history. But his return has symbolic weight in his country of origin. 'This moment isn't about sentimentality – it's about the long wait, 40 years of it. It's about resilience in the face of delays, appeals, discrimination. This is not a time for nostalgia, but rather a culmination of time and justice,' said his brother, Robert Abdallah. Abdallah was convicted and sentenced to life in prison in 1987 for the assassinations of US military attaché Charles Robert Ray and Israeli diplomat Yacov Barsimantov. While he has always denied direct involvement, Abdallah never distanced himself from the resistance movement he co-founded, the Lebanese Armed Revolutionary Factions, a Marxist group aligned with Palestinian and pan-Arab causes that also sought to evict foreign forces – notably Israel – from Lebanese soil. Despite multiple court rulings over the years recommending his release, Abdallah remained in prison due to political pressure – particularly from the United States and Israel. He ultimately served four decades in France's Lannemezan prison, steadfastly refusing to express remorse. Although he completed the minimum sentence in 1999 he remained behind bars, multiple requests for parole having been denied . Preparations to welcome him have been under way ever since, according to Catherine Daher, a journalist and activist for Lebanon's National Campaign to Free Georges Abdallah. 'We can say that preparations to welcome comrade Georges have been ongoing since 1999, when his sentence officially ended,' Daher said. 'Since then, we've faced repeated release orders – in 2003, 2013 and 2024 – that were blocked for political reasons,' she said, making him 'the longest-held political prisoner in Europe'. Now, at 74, Abdallah returns to his hometown of Qoubaiyat in northern Lebanon – not just as a free man resuming civilian life, but as a deeply symbolic figure. Daher said plans are under way for a series of public events upon his return to Lebanon. 'His welcome will include state officials, political leaders, his family, and the national campaign that fought for his release – as well as student groups, media figures, trade unionists, human rights advocates, cultural voices, and activists from France and beyond who played a key role in keeping up the pressure,' she said. One of the first political forces to welcome his release was the Lebanese Communist Party, which hailed Abdallah as a principled 'resistance fighter' who refused to compromise even after four decades behind bars. Hezbollah described Abdallah as a 'hero of resistance' and 'a symbol for every prisoner, fighter and honourable person who raised the banner of dignity in the face of tyrants'. Hezbollah was a newly emergent group at the time of his arrest in 1984. But other major parties have stayed quiet. The Lebanese Forces and Kataeb, two prominent Christian factions with roots in Lebanon's civil war era, have not issued any public comment. 'It's understandable that many Lebanese political factions – especially Christian parties like the Kataeb and Lebanese Forces – have not issued any public statement welcoming Georges Abdallah's return,' said political and social psychologist Ramzi Abou Ismail. 'Although he is a Christian by background, Abdallah never embodied the in-group identity typically promoted by these parties.' 'His alignment with Palestinian armed factions during the civil war, and his rejection of sectarian politics, positioned him as a challenge to the identity they claimed – that of protectors of the Christian community,' he added. Charbel Jabbour, head of communications for the Lebanese Forces, said Abdallah's release symbolically helps close the chapter on Lebanon's civil conflict. 'The war era is over – completely over. Abdallah served his sentence and is being released,' he told FRANCE 24. 'The civil war chapter must be permanently closed. Anything else is unacceptable.' Outside of ideological and political circles, Abdallah's return has generated limited buzz among Lebanon's younger population. For many, his name is unfamiliar – a symbol of a different era, eclipsed by today's crises: economic collapse, political gridlock and mass emigration. Still, his face now adorns posters and social media feeds once again, and he is often depicted not as a militant but as a man who stood by his convictions – regardless of the consequences. 'He's a hero for some, yes. But to others he is not, and to many he is from a time they never lived through,' said one historian, who requested anonymity.


L'Orient-Le Jour
8 hours ago
- L'Orient-Le Jour
Joint committee between government, public sector representatives established
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Nahar Net
9 hours ago
- Nahar Net
Salam says reassured by Macron's 'commitment to assisting Lebanon'
by Naharnet Newsdesk 10 hours Prime Minister Nawaf Salam held talks Thursday in Paris with French President Emmanuel Macron after which he thanked France for "its continued support for Lebanon and its security, sovereignty and prosperity." "I return to Beirut reassured by French President Emmanuel Macron's commitment to assisting Lebanon, renewing UNIFIL's mandate, and strengthening our bilateral relations, particularly in the areas of security, economy, education and culture," Salam added, in a post on the X platform. This was Salam's first official visit to Paris since assuming office. During the meeting, Salam outlined the challenges facing Lebanon, affirming "the government's commitment to continuing its hard work to implement the required reforms, restore local and international confidence, and extend state authority throughout Lebanese territory," his office said. For his part, the French president praised "the Lebanese government's determination to move forward with the reform process." He reiterated "France's steadfast support for Lebanon's sovereignty, stability and prosperity, and for the efforts of the Lebanese authorities to revive the economy and reform institutions." Macron also said that his country "is preparing to organize an international conference to support Lebanon in Paris, in parallel with reaching an agreement with the International Monetary Fund, following the approval of key reform laws, particularly in the banking and judicial sectors." In this context, the French president informed the Prime Minister that his country "will contribute €75 million to the World Bank's Lebanon Emergency Assistance Project (LEAP), to support the reconstruction of areas affected by the (Israeli) aggression." The two sides also stressed "the importance of renewing the mandate of UNIFIL and strengthening the ceasefire monitoring mechanism,' while jointly emphasizing the need for 'Israel's complete withdrawal from Lebanese territory and the cessation of all violations, and for strengthening the capabilities of the Lebanese Army to enhance its exclusive role in possessing weapons and extending state authority." In the judicial field, the French side expressed its readiness "to provide technical and financial support for judicial reform, by dispatching an expert to the Lebanese Ministry of Justice and launching cooperation between the French National School of the Judiciary and the Institute for Judicial Studies in Lebanon." France also reaffirmed its readiness "to support Lebanese-Syrian cooperation to control the common border and provide the necessary technical support for its demarcation, capitalizing on its available historical archives."