
US High Commissioner Summons Lebanese Top Diplomat, Central Bank Governor and Other Officials to Embassy
US deputy envoy Morgan Ortagus summoned the Lebanese top diplomat and other ministers to attend a meeting at the embassy headquarters in Awkar.
Has the US diplomat become a high commissioner in Lebanon?
Observing the diplomatic norms sustains the national sovereignty of the countries. However, Ortagus summoned the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Ministers of Energy, Public Works, Economy and Industry, Administrative and Financial Development, and the new Governor of the Central Bank of Lebanon. She summoned them as if she were a high commissioner.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


MTV Lebanon
2 hours ago
- MTV Lebanon
Israel Knesset Rejects Vote on Dissolving Itself
Israel's parliament rejected early on Thursday a preliminary vote to dissolve itself, the Knesset said in a statement, after an agreement was reached regarding a dispute over conscription. The vote, which could have been a first step leading to an early election that polls show Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would lose, was rejected with 61 lawmakers opposing it to 53 supporting it. The Knesset consists of 120 seats, and the majority needed to pass the vote was 61 lawmakers. This gives Netanyahu's ruling coalition further time to resolve its worst political crisis yet and avoid a ballot, which would be Israel's first since the eruption of the war with Hamas in Gaza. Netanyahu has been pushing hard to resolve a deadlock in his coalition over a new military conscription bill, which has led to the present crisis. "I am pleased to announce that after long discussions we have reached agreements on the principles on which the draft law will be based," Knesset's Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee Yuli Edelstein said in a statement. Some religious parties in Netanyahu's coalition are seeking exemptions for ultra-Orthodox Jewish seminary students from military service that is mandatory in Israel, while other lawmakers want to scrap any such exemptions altogether. The exemptions have been a hot-button issue in Israel for years but have become particularly contentious during the war in Gaza, as Israel has suffered its highest battlefield casualties in decades and its stretched military is in need of more troops. Growing increasingly impatient with the political deadlock, ultra-Orthodox coalition factions have said they will vote with opposition parties in favour of dissolving the Knesset and bringing forward an election that is not due until late 2026. "It's more than ever urgent to replace Netanyahu's government and specifically this toxic and harmful government," said Labour's opposition lawmaker Merav Michaeli. "It's urgent to end the war in Gaza and to bring back all the hostages. It's urgent to start rebuilding and healing the state of Israel." Successive polls have predicted that Netanyahu's coalition would lose in an election, with Israelis still reeling over the security failure of Palestinian militant group Hamas' October 7 2023 attack and hostages still held in Gaza.


MTV Lebanon
12 hours ago
- MTV Lebanon
Geagea Slams Silence over UNIFIL Attacks, Demands Swift Government Action
Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea expressed deep concern over recent incidents targeting UNIFIL in southern Lebanon, questioning the absence of a clear stance from Lebanese authorities. In a statement, Geagea said, "If UNIFIL is overstepping its mandate, the Lebanese government should inform the force accordingly. But if it is not, as clearly defined in UN Security Council Resolution 1701 and its successive renewals, then the relevant authorities must not only intervene to halt confrontations but also detain and prosecute the assailants." Moreover, Geagea warned that portraying the state as a mere mediator between UN peacekeepers and those attacking them weakens state authority and perpetuates the perception that nothing has changed in Lebanon despite all recent upheavals. Geagea also called for swift arrests and firm legal action, saying it would signal the emergence of a functioning state in Lebanon.


MTV Lebanon
12 hours ago
- MTV Lebanon
Aoun reassures merchants: Reforms underway, no challenge is insurmountable
President of the Republic Joseph Aoun emphasized the state's firm commitment to implementing structural reforms, combating corruption, and reinforcing the rule of law during a meeting with a delegation from the Beirut Merchants Association. He underlined the central role of the judiciary in restoring confidence and confirmed that reform tracks have already begun. Addressing economic concerns, Aoun acknowledged the hardship faced by the commercial sector and broader population but stressed that recovery requires time and collective effort. 'The train is now on the right track,' he said, calling on all sectors — including the commercial — to contribute to national recovery. Moreover, the President praised the resilience of Lebanese merchants, urging solidarity and perseverance: 'There is no such thing as impossible. The road is difficult, but we can overcome it.' Aoun also highlighted progress in security, reaffirming the military's role in asserting state authority and efforts to resolve arms issues in Palestinian camps through coordination with President Mahmoud Abbas.