Latest news with #ArabMediaForum
Ya Libnan
2 days ago
- Politics
- Ya Libnan
‘We want Israel out yesterday, not tomorrow:' Lebanon's PM urges US to pressure Israel to withdraw troops
Israel's military occupation in parts of southern Lebanon is undermining Beirut's attempts to restore sovereignty over a nation reeling from decades of conflict, the country's prime minister has told CNN. Lebanon's Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said he would like to see the current United States administration put pressure on Israel to withdraw from five locations in southern Lebanon. A US-mediated agreement in November last year paused months of fighting between the Israeli military and Hezbollah, the powerful Iran-backed militant group that operates in Lebanon. Israel has significantly weakened Hezbollah over the past year, killing much of its top leadership and severely degrading its power through mass airstrikes. 'Israel's presence is politically counterproductive. It's undermining my government…we want Israel out yesterday, not tomorrow.'Salam The prime minister said Lebanon has been honoring its commitments to the November agreement and that the Lebanese military is 'consolidating control' over the south of the country and its borders. Hezbollah is committed to an agreement that affirms that the Lebanese military is the only authority allowed to bear arms, Salam said Wednesday. However, 'Israel has not honored its commitments,' he added. The 'Israeli presence in Lebanon is a red line for everyone. This is not a red line for Hezbollah alone,' he told CNN's Becky Anderson in Dubai, where he's attending the Arab Media Forum and meeting Emirati leadership. 'Israel's argument is as follows… they need to be in these five points in order to have a better monitoring of the situation in southern Lebanon… but we are not in World War One…we are in the age of satellite imagery, of drones with cameras. They have balloons monitoring the region, let alone a network of spies operating on the ground,' Salam said. 'Israel's presence is politically counterproductive. It's undermining my government…we want Israel out yesterday, not tomorrow.' Despite agreeing to withdraw from Lebanese territory as part of the US-mediated agreement, Israel has said that the Lebanese army has yet to take control of a region with Hezbollah presence. Israeli defense minister, Israel Katz, said in March that the Israeli military would remain in these five points 'indefinitely, to protect the residents of the north – regardless of any future negotiations.' Along with the United States, France and the United Nations are monitoring the ceasefire. 'I'm sure they can testify that Lebanon has been honoring its commitments while Israel has not honored its commitments,' Salam said on the mediating countries. Salam, who rose to prominence after presiding over the International Court of Justice during South Africa's genocide case against Israel, was designated Lebanon's prime minister in January in a surprise move that was seen as a blow to Hezbollah and its allies. Widely seen as a reformist, the prime minister declared specific priorities for his mandate, including ending institutional corruption and regaining sovereignty over his country by disarming Hezbollah and Palestinian factions. 'The goal… is that the state should have exclusive monopoly over arms, over all its territory,' he said in the interview. (CNN)
Gulf Today
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Gulf Today
World needs ambition like Sheikh Mohammed's, says Piers Morgan
Dubai's scale of evolution, transformation and dynamism is contagious, said renowned British broadcaster and media personality Piers Morgan, while praising the bold vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, and Ruler of Dubai. Recalling the construction of the Burj Khalifa, Morgan noted that when the tower was just 40% complete, Sheikh Mohammed instructed it be pushed to become the tallest building in the world. "That's the level of ambition the rest of the world needs. Be bigger, better and higher in everything we do,' he said. Piers Morgan speaks during the session at the Arab Media Summit in Dubai. From admiration for Dubai's amazing growth to a hard-hitting critique of global media challenges, Morgan's session at the Arab Media Summit with Mina Al Oraibi, Editor-in-Chief of The National, on Wednesday, touched upon ambition, truth, controversy, and the future of journalism. He was speaking on the third and final day of the Summit organised by the Dubai Press Club. The session addressed controversies around his coverage of the Gaza conflict "I'm not here to take sides, I'm here for 'The Truth,' Morgan emphasised. Responding to Al Oraibi's point about his rising influence in the Middle East, Morgan cited his viral debate with comedian Bassem Youssef, which garnered over 22 million views. "That moment showed us the world was watching,' he said, recounting how the two later met in Los Angeles for an extensive discussion that helped him understand the region's complex history. Sheikha Latifa and Dr Anwar Gargash with Piers Morgan during the Arab Media Forum in Dubai. He clarified that he is not a reactionary. "I change my views when the facts change. My job is not to take sides, it's to stand with 'The Truth;' not your truth or my truth, but 'The Truth',' he explained. He warned of a rising tide of misinformation, citing a recent UK case where a woman was jailed over a now-deleted social media post. "She apologised, yet she's serving two years. That's baffling. Where do we draw the line?' "Free speech must be protected,' he said, "but it must not be confused with fake news. Facts are sacred. Agree on the facts; then debate your opinions.' While Morgan admitted he still enjoys reading print newspapers, he was blunt about their future: "No one under 35 is consuming traditional media. They get their news from TikTok and X. That's the reality.'' Emphasising the importance of credibility in the age of AI, when social media gives News, he said, "Let everyone be a journalist, but for trained professionals, individual credibility is important.' Asked why he doesn't shy away from controversy, Morgan was candid: "I love controversy! It makes people watch me. But never on false promises. I am the voice of common sense. That's what most people relate to.' He cautioned against overestimating noise on social media: "Only 20% of people are on X, and it's 8% of them making the noise. That doesn't represent reality.' When asked about the future of media, Morgan responded, "Legacy media is in the dark ages. Look at where youngsters are today; they are on phones, laptops, YouTube. That's the future.' As the session closed, Al-Oraibi emphasised the importance of responsible journalism in shaping informed societies, while Morgan reiterated that in a world full of noise, truth still matters, and real ambition can reshape the world.
Egypt Independent
3 days ago
- Politics
- Egypt Independent
‘We want Israel out yesterday, not tomorrow:' Lebanon's leader urges US to pressure Israel to withdraw troops
Dubai, UAE CNN — Israel's military occupation in parts of southern Lebanon is undermining Beirut's attempts to restore sovereignty over a nation reeling from decades of conflict, the country's prime minister has told CNN. Lebanon's Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said he would like to see the current United States administration put pressure on Israel to withdraw from five locations in southern Lebanon. A US-mediated agreement in November last year paused months of fighting between the Israeli military and Hezbollah, the powerful Iran-backed militant group that operates in Lebanon. Israel has significantly weakened Hezbollah over the past year, killing much of its top leadership and severely degrading its power through mass airstrikes. The prime minister said Lebanon has been honoring its commitments to the November agreement and that the Lebanese military is 'consolidating control' over the south of the country and its borders. Hezbollah is committed to an agreement that affirms that the Lebanese military is the only authority allowed to bear arms, Salam said Wednesday. However, 'Israel has not honored its commitments,' he added. The 'Israeli presence in Lebanon is a red line for everyone. This is not a red line for Hezbollah alone,' he told CNN's Becky Anderson in Dubai, where he's attending the Arab Media Forum and meeting Emirati leadership. 'Israel's argument is as follows… they need to be in these five points in order to have a better monitoring of the situation in southern Lebanon… but we are not in World War One…we are in the age of satellite imagery, of drones with cameras. They have balloons monitoring the region, let alone a network of spies operating on the ground,' Salam said. 'Israel's presence is politically counterproductive. It's undermining my government…we want Israel out yesterday, not tomorrow.' Despite agreeing to withdraw from Lebanese territory as part of the US-mediated agreement, Israel has said that the Lebanese army has yet to take control of a region with Hezbollah presence. Israeli defense minister, Israel Katz, said in March that the Israeli military would remain in these five points 'indefinitely, to protect the residents of the north – regardless of any future negotiations.' Along with the United States, France and the United Nations are monitoring the ceasefire. 'I'm sure they can testify that Lebanon has been honoring its commitments while Israel has not honored its commitments,' Salam said on the mediating countries. Salam, who rose to prominence after presiding over the International Court of Justice during South Africa's genocide case against Israel, was designated Lebanon's prime minister in January in a surprise move that was seen as a blow to Hezbollah and its allies. Widely seen as a reformist, the prime minister declared specific priorities for his mandate, including ending institutional corruption and regaining sovereignty over his country by disarming Hezbollah and Palestinian factions. 'The goal… is that the state should have exclusive monopoly over arms, over all its territory,' he said in the interview.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
‘We want Israel out yesterday, not tomorrow:' Lebanon's leader urges US to pressure Israel to withdraw troops
Israel's military occupation in parts of southern Lebanon is undermining Beirut's attempts to restore sovereignty over a nation reeling from decades of conflict, the country's prime minister has told CNN. Lebanon's Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said he would like to see the current United States administration put pressure on Israel to withdraw from five locations in southern Lebanon. A US-mediated agreement in November last year paused months of fighting between the Israeli military and Hezbollah, the powerful Iran-backed militant group that operates in Lebanon. Israel has significantly weakened Hezbollah over the past year, killing much of its top leadership and severely degrading its power through mass airstrikes. The prime minister said Lebanon has been honoring its commitments to the November agreement and that the Lebanese military is 'consolidating control' over the south of the country and its borders. Hezbollah is committed to an agreement that affirms that the Lebanese military is the only authority allowed to bear arms, Salam said Wednesday. However, 'Israel has not honored its commitments,' he added. The 'Israeli presence in Lebanon is a red line for everyone. This is not a red line for Hezbollah alone,' he told CNN's Becky Anderson in Dubai, where he's attending the Arab Media Forum and meeting Emirati leadership. 'Israel's argument is as follows… they need to be in these five points in order to have a better monitoring of the situation in southern Lebanon… but we are not in World War One…we are in the age of satellite imagery, of drones with cameras. They have balloons monitoring the region, let alone a network of spies operating on the ground,' Salam said. 'Israel's presence is politically counterproductive. It's undermining my government…we want Israel out yesterday, not tomorrow.' Despite agreeing to withdraw from Lebanese territory as part of the US-mediated agreement, Israel has said that the Lebanese army has yet to take control of a region with Hezbollah presence. Israeli defense minister, Israel Katz, said in March that the Israeli military would remain in these five points 'indefinitely, to protect the residents of the north – regardless of any future negotiations.' Along with the United States, France and the United Nations are monitoring the ceasefire. 'I'm sure they can testify that Lebanon has been honoring its commitments while Israel has not honored its commitments,' Salam said on the mediating countries. Salam, who rose to prominence after presiding over the International Court of Justice during South Africa's genocide case against Israel, was designated Lebanon's prime minister in January in a surprise move that was seen as a blow to Hezbollah and its allies. Widely seen as a reformist, the prime minister declared specific priorities for his mandate, including ending institutional corruption and regaining sovereignty over his country by disarming Hezbollah and Palestinian factions. 'The goal… is that the state should have exclusive monopoly over arms, over all its territory,' he said in the interview.
CNN
3 days ago
- General
- CNN
‘We want Israel out yesterday, not tomorrow:' Lebanon's leader urges US to pressure Israel to withdraw troops
Israel's military occupation in parts of southern Lebanon is undermining Beirut's attempts to restore sovereignty over a nation reeling from decades of conflict, the country's prime minister has told CNN. Lebanon's Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said he would like to see the current United States administration put pressure on Israel to withdraw from five locations in southern Lebanon. A US-mediated agreement in November last year paused months of fighting between the Israeli military and Hezbollah, the powerful Iran-backed militant group that operates in Lebanon. Israel has significantly weakened Hezbollah over the past year, killing much of its top leadership and severely degrading its power through mass airstrikes. The prime minister said Lebanon has been honoring its commitments to the November agreement and that the Lebanese military is 'consolidating control' over the south of the country and its borders. Hezbollah is committed to an agreement that affirms that the Lebanese military is the only authority allowed to bear arms, Salam said Wednesday. However, 'Israel has not honored its commitments,' he added. The 'Israeli presence in Lebanon is a red line for everyone. This is not a red line for Hezbollah alone,' he told CNN's Becky Anderson in Dubai, where he's attending the Arab Media Forum and meeting Emirati leadership. 'Israel's argument is as follows… they need to be in these five points in order to have a better monitoring of the situation in southern Lebanon… but we are not in World War One…we are in the age of satellite imagery, of drones with cameras. They have balloons monitoring the region, let alone a network of spies operating on the ground,' Salam said. 'Israel's presence is politically counterproductive. It's undermining my government…we want Israel out yesterday, not tomorrow.' Despite agreeing to withdraw from Lebanese territory as part of the US-mediated agreement, Israel has said that the Lebanese army has yet to take control of a region with Hezbollah presence. Israeli defense minister, Israel Katz, said in March that the Israeli military would remain in these five points 'indefinitely, to protect the residents of the north – regardless of any future negotiations.' Along with the United States, France and the United Nations are monitoring the ceasefire. 'I'm sure they can testify that Lebanon has been honoring its commitments while Israel has not honored its commitments,' Salam said on the mediating countries. Salam, who rose to prominence after presiding over the International Court of Justice during South Africa's genocide case against Israel, was designated Lebanon's prime minister in January in a surprise move that was seen as a blow to Hezbollah and its allies. Widely seen as a reformist, the prime minister declared specific priorities for his mandate, including ending institutional corruption and regaining sovereignty over his country by disarming Hezbollah and Palestinian factions. 'The goal… is that the state should have exclusive monopoly over arms, over all its territory,' he said in the interview.
