Latest news with #Aoun
Nahar Net
3 hours ago
- Politics
- Nahar Net
Aoun holds security meeting on camps disarmament after 'excellent' talks with Berri
by Naharnet Newsdesk 30 May 2025, 15:19 President Joseph Aoun held Friday a security meeting with the Minister of Defense, the Army Commander, and the Intelligence chief over the disarmament of Palestinian camps in Lebanon, which will start in mid-June in three Beirut camps. Aoun and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri had met earlier Friday at the Baabda Palace, in talks described by Berri as "excellent." A joint Lebanese-Palestinian committee met for the first time last week following an accord between Lebanese and Palestinian leaders on disarming Palestinian camps as Lebanon seeks to impose its authority on all its territory. The Lebanese and Palestinian sides agreed on starting a plan to remove weapons from the camps, beginning mid-June in the Beirut camps, and other camps will follow. Lebanon hosts about 222,000 Palestinian refugees, according to the United Nations agency UNRWA, many living in 12 overcrowded official camps. Most are descendants of Palestinians who fled or were expelled from their land during the creation of Israel in 1948.
Nahar Net
a day ago
- Politics
- Nahar Net
Geagea says Hezbollah's Qassem seems to be 'on another planet'
by Naharnet Newsdesk 29 May 2025, 14:36 Hezbollah leader Sheikh Naim Qassem seems "as if he's on another planet" to Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea who criticized Qassem's "unrealistic" statements, in an interview with LBCI on Wednesday night. Geagea said foreign countries will not help Lebanon or deal with the Lebanese state as long as Hezbollah is keeping its "illegal" arms. "There will be no reconstruction, no financial rescue — all of that is now suspended, frozen, and paralyzed, until Hezbollah disarms. No one will want to deal with the state in such a situation." Geagea praised Prime Minister Nawaf Salam's stance on Hezbollah's arms but urged President Joseph Aoun to set a deadline for the disarmament of the group. "Salam's stances are very clear but Aoun's dialogue can not be indefinitely open. A timeframe is needed, decisive decisions are needed, although no one wants conflict," he said. Aoun and Hezbollah have been exchanging messages and the president met with a delegation from Hezbollah's parliamentary bloc on Monday. Aoun has long stressed that disarming Hezbollah should happen through a calm dialogue warning against the use of force or dealing hastily with the matter. Hezbollah's leader said the group will not discuss giving up its remaining weapons until Israel withdraws from the five border points it occupies in southern Lebanon and stops its airstrikes. "We have completely adhered" to the ceasefire agreement, Qassem said, adding: "Don't ask us for anything else from now on. Let Israel withdraw, stop its aggression, release the prisoners and fulfill all obligations under the agreement. After that, we will discuss each new development." Geagea responded that Hezbollah has no right to impose conditions and sarcastically added that the group failed to liberate Lebanese land through the use of force. "Can Hezbollah make Israel withdraw by force? Than why hasn't it done that?" Hezbollah was left badly weakened by more than a year of hostilities with Israel, beginning with the group's campaign of rocket fire at its arch-foe in support of Gaza, and culminating in a major Israeli bombing campaign and ground incursion into Lebanon. "We need to implement the ceasefire deal. A Peace treaty with Israel is not our priority now," Geagea said, amid talks about a possible normalization of ties with Israel. Israel's ambassador to the U.S. had said earlier this month that Syria and Lebanon could join the Abraham Accords and normalize relations with Israel even before Saudi Arabia. "I am very optimistic about the potential of an Abraham Accord with Syria and Lebanon," Ambassador Yechiel Leiter said.
Ya Libnan
2 days ago
- Politics
- Ya Libnan
There is no better time to disarm Hezbollah
File : Hezbollah top commanders that were killed in its last war with Israel by David Schenker With the group and its Iranian patrons at their weakest point in decades, Beirut has a real opportunity to restore its sovereignty, but waiting for another futile 'national dialogue' may close that window Last week, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun announced that Beirut would not forcibly disarm the Iran-backed Shiite militia Hezbollah as part of its effort to gain a state monopoly on weapons. Instead, Aoun said Hezbollah would be convinced to give up its arms on its own, through dialogue and negotiations. Moreover, the president suggested the militia's troops could then be integrated into the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF). This approach, which avoids a potentially bloody face-off, will be unacceptable to both the US and Israel, and will ultimately undermine the hopeful progress Lebanon has made toward reasserting its sovereignty. Undoubtedly, President Aoun is in a difficult position. In the November 2024 ceasefire that ended the Hezbollah-Israel war, the Lebanese government agreed to implement United Nations Security Council Resolutions 1701 and 1559, which require the disarmament of all militias in the country. For its part, Hezbollah agreed to move its military hardware and personnel to the area above the Litani River, but it has rejected demilitarization elsewhere. Since the ceasefire was signed in December, the LAF has largely fulfilled its obligations to seize the militia's weapons and dismantle Hezbollah's infrastructure along the frontier with Israel. Lacking sufficient numbers of troops and concerned about sparking a resumption of its sectarian civil war, however, Beirut has baulked at going after Hezbollah's arsenal north of the Litani. Meanwhile, consistent with the terms of the ceasefire, Israel continues to target Hezbollah assets and personnel throughout the state. Default Approach To square the circle while avoiding a seemingly inevitable confrontation with Hezbollah, Aoun has defaulted to Lebanon's perennial preferred method of dealing with uncomfortable and insoluble problems: national dialogue. Aoun is calling for a 'bilateral dialogue' with Hezbollah to reach an agreement on the organization's disarmament. Since 2005, Hezbollah has periodically engaged with the Lebanese government and political factions in dialogues focused on designing a 'national defense strategy.' These discussions proved sterile, largely because Hezbollah always refused to discuss ceding its weapons but also because the organization routinely murdered Lebanese critics who had the temerity to suggest that Hezbollah surrender its arms. Accordingly, until 2025, successive Lebanese governments accepted and legitimated, in their ministerial statements, the militia's possession of weapons and 'resistance.' For example, in 2010, Hezbollah participated in several rounds of talks. But Hezbollah maintained its position, and negotiations, unsurprisingly, made no progress. In 2012, then-President Michel Suleiman advocated for placing Hezbollah's arms under the authority of the LAF, but the group swiftly rejected it. In 2016, President Michel Aoun endorsed Hezbollah's arms as 'complementary' to the LAF. After years of futile efforts, in 2018, negotiations finally broke down after the militia deployed to Syria to defend the Assad regime against a popular revolt. Now, Hezbollah says it is again willing to participate in a dialogue. According to Hezbollah MP Ihab Hamadeh, this dialogue would focus on establishing a 'defensive strategy' that would have to 'convince' the Lebanese that the state could defend the country from Israel. Militia officials have said they could agree to disarm if Israel withdraws from Lebanon—a reference to five hilltop locations Israel continues to occupy in Lebanon—and ends its targeting of Hezbollah. But that position has since been contradicted by the organization's current leader, Naim Qassem, who said on 19 April that 'no one will be allowed to remove the weapons of the resistance.' In any event, these officials say the dialogue will not occur until after the parliamentary elections in 2026, currently slated for May. Delay Tactic As in previous failed national dialogues, it appears that Hezbollah is once again embracing talks as a delay tactic . The United States and Israel, as well as many critics of Hezbollah in Lebanon, understand that after sustaining so many losses in its war of choice in support of Hamas, the militia is looking to buy time to regroup and reconstitute. For his part, President Aoun is seeking to avoid a direct confrontation with Hezbollah, but he is under pressure. US Deputy Special Envoy for the Middle East Morgan Ortagus continues to press Aoun and the Lebanese government to fulfil their ceasefire obligations vis-a-vis Hezbollah. As Ortagus recently reiterated to the Lebanese network LBCI, 'that includes disarming Hezbollah and all militias .' Aoun's National Dialogue initiative and his trial balloon suggestion of incorporating Hezbollah fighters into the LAF were a well-intentioned effort to cajole Hezbollah into concessions the group is loath to make. To be sure, conscripting the militia into the LAF was the unstated policy vision for Hezbollah during the Clinton Administration. Yet Aoun clearly understands this approach won't fly with Trump's Washington. Indeed, immediately after floating the idea, Aoun clarified that absorbing Hezbollah into the LAF would not resemble the structure of Iraq's Popular Mobilisation Forces, known as the Hashd al Shaaby , into the Iraqi military. The Hashd—another Iranian-backed militia force—operates separately and outside the control of the Iraqi government. In the case of Hezbollah, Aoun said, militia members would not be permitted to operate as an independent unit like the Hashd, but would instead be recruited into the military as individuals. Despite Aoun's assurances, the approach—in which Hezbollah loyalists would receive military training and continue to possess weapons—is unlikely to advance the disarmament objective. Predictable Initiative Sadly, this initiative was predictable. On 8 October 2024—two months prior to the ceasefire and three months before Aoun was elected president—I anticipated this outcome in a paper published by the Washington Institute for Near East Policy . At the time, I wrote: 'To avoid antagonizing the group (Hezbollah) while placating the West, they may be tempted to finesse the resolution to 'incorporate' Hezbollah into the LAF. This would be unacceptable, however.' Seven months on, the idea remains problematic. Lebanon has committed itself to disarming all militias and establishing a state monopoly on weapons. This is the sine qua non if Lebanon hopes to become a sovereign and successful state. And it is for the first time possible because of Israeli military operations in October and November 2024 that degraded Hezbollah to an unprecedented extent. Incorporating Hezbollah into the LAF will preserve the militia's latent capabilities and undercut the army. Delaying efforts to disarm the militia via an interminable dialogue will provide the group with a reprieve from extreme pressure. With both Hezbollah and its Iranian patrons at their weakest point, Lebanon has a fleeting opportunity to restore its eroded sovereignty. Washington will continue to press Beirut to seize this opportunity, but the decision ultimately rests with President Aoun and the Lebanese government. No doubt, Hezbollah will try to delay its demilitarization in hopes of maintaining a residual capability, and should the government persist and broaden its efforts against the group, there could be violent clashes. Despite the risks, however, there will never be a more favorable time to disarm Hezbollah—with or without its consent—than now. David Schenker is the Taube Senior Fellow at The Washington Institute . He worked in the Department of Defense during the George W. Bush administration, and was nominated on April 9, 2018, to head the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs in the State Department . . He has written two books, Dancing with Saddam: The Strategic Tango of Jordanian–Iraqi Relations (2003) and Palestinian Democracy and Governance: An Appraisal of the Legislative Council (2000). ( The Washington Institute )
Shafaq News
2 days ago
- Business
- Shafaq News
President Aoun to revive Lebanon-Iraq relations: Focus on energy, debt and trade
Shafaq News/ Lebanese President Joseph Aoun's upcoming visit to Baghdad aims to revive ties with Iraq, focusing on energy cooperation, debt resolution, and economic partnership, according to political analyst George Al-Aqouri. 'Aoun will seek to expand the 2021 fuel deal, under which Iraq supplied Lebanon with one million tons of fuel oil annually,' Al-Aqouri told Shafaq News. Talks may also cover leasing natural gas and restarting the Kirkuk–Tripoli pipeline, currently halted by sanctions on Syria. Despite owing Iraq over $2 billion—including $1.2 billion from the fuel deal—Lebanon has paid only $118 million. Iraq has continued deliveries, which he described as 'a gesture of Arab solidarity.' The visit could also advance cooperation in agriculture, tourism, and infrastructure. With rising numbers of Iraqi tourists, Al-Aqouri urged both sides to ease travel and promote local trade for mutual benefit. On the political front, the analyst said both countries share a commitment to sovereignty and non-interference, noting, 'Lebanon is trying to reclaim full authority and block proxy influence,' he noted. Aoun's trip follows his absence from the Arab Summit in Baghdad, seen by some as a 'missed diplomatic opportunity.' The visit is now viewed as a step toward resolving outstanding issues and reestablishing coordination.
Nahar Net
2 days ago
- Business
- Nahar Net
UAE delegation inspects Beirut's port and airport
by Naharnet Newsdesk 28 May 2025, 11:49 An Emirati official said Wednesday that 'UAE's president is keen on granting Lebanon everything it wishes for,' during a visit by a UAE delegation to the Port of Beirut. 'The Lebanese citizen wants Lebanon to return to its strategic role and the president of the UAE is keen on granting Lebanon everything it wishes for,' the head of the delegation, Assistant Minister of Cabinet Affairs for Competitiveness and Knowledge Exchange Abdullah Nasser Lootah, said. The delegation also visited the Rafik Hariri International Airport and was accompanied by Public Works and Transport Minister Fayez Rasamny on both visits. The United Arab Emirates had in early May lifted a ban on its citizens traveling to Lebanon that was imposed during a diplomatic row in 2021. The decision was announced a day after President Joseph Aoun met with his UAE counterpart Mohamed bin Zayed in Abu Dhabi. "The two sides agreed to allow citizens to travel after taking necessary measures to facilitate movement between the two countries and putting in place appropriate mechanisms," a statement said. In 2021, the UAE imposed a travel ban on its citizens and withdrew diplomats from Beirut in solidarity with Saudi Arabia after a Lebanese minister criticized the Riyadh-led military intervention in Yemen. Lebanese citizens were not banned from traveling to the UAE, although some experienced difficulties obtaining visas. The Abu Dhabi Fund for Development, which supports infrastructure projects in developing countries, will send a delegation to Lebanon to study potential joint projects, the statement said. Ties between Beirut and Abu Dhabi soured in the past decade over Hezbollah's influence on Lebanon. But with the group weakened by its recent war with Israel, the UAE is the latest Gulf country to renew its interest in Lebanon. In March, Saudi Arabia said it would review "obstacles" to resuming Lebanese imports and ending a ban on its nationals visiting Lebanon. That announcement came after Aoun met Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh on his first trip abroad since taking office in January. Aoun, the preferred candidate of both Riyadh and Washington, was elected after the weakening of Hezbollah and the overthrow of the group's ally Bashar al-Assad in Syria shifted the balance of power in Lebanon.
