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The National
4 days ago
- Business
- The National
Back to square one: Lebanon's local elections have taken the country in the wrong direction
Lebanon recently finished the last round of its municipal elections, and the message was not reassuring. Lists backed by the country's sectarian political parties were largely victorious. This anticipates a period of continued polarisation at a time when Lebanon needs to be unified around a project to benefit from the changing dynamics in the Middle East. Writing in the US-based International Policy Digest, Mohammad Fheili, executive in residence at the American University of Beirut, expressed a more general mood in Lebanon about where the country was going. Commenting on US President Donald Trump's recent tour of the Middle East, Mr Fheili noted that 'Lebanon [was] conspicuously absent from the conversation. Lebanon wasn't simply left off the agenda. It seems to have vanished from it altogether'. The mood among leading parties inside Lebanon seems blithely detached from the broader shifts in the region. The main Christian political party, the Lebanese Forces, took pride in its victories in the towns of Jounieh and Zahleh, while doing well in other Christian bastions. For the party's leader, Samir Geagea, this bodes well for parliamentary elections next year, when the Lebanese Forces hope to form an even larger bloc than the one they have today. Of particular urgency for Mr Geagea is not only to marginalise the Free Patriotic Movement led by Gebran Bassil, but also to push back against any potential electoral challenge by candidates supported by President Joseph Aoun, whom Mr Geagea quietly regards as a rival. Candidates backed by Hezbollah and the allied Amal Movement did well in the south and in the Baalbek-Hermel regions, but that was expected. Following the recent military defeat of Hezbollah by Israel, it was not likely that voters would oppose the party, displaying divisions that would only compound the Shiite community's setbacks because of the war. Similarly, in other areas, candidates backed by the political class did well. This was less visible in the Sunni community, given that Saad Hariri, once the dominant communal representative, failed to engage with the elections. However, renewed Saudi interest in Lebanon, albeit limited, and the downfall of the Assad government in Syria have helped revive a community that had often felt sidelined during the years of Hezbollah's hegemony. Yet if the elections were largely interpreted in domestic political terms by the sectarian political parties, Mr Fheili's doubts were reaffirmed when it comes to the region. A fragmented country, led by self-interested political parties focused on short-term gains to secure communal ascendancy, is hardly one optimally prepared for regional transformations. There may be exceptions to this. As my colleague Maha Yahya of Carnegie has noted, Mr Trump's decision to lift sanctions on Syria may have positive repercussions on Lebanon's banking lobby, which has systematically blocked financial reforms, fearing that banks may be forced to bear the greatest burden of losses from the financial collapse of 2019-2020. Today, if reconstruction resumes in Syria, Lebanon's banking sector anticipates playing a major role in the process. However, this can happen only if it agrees to a restructuring, allowing banks to refloat themselves. Until now, there has been resistance in the sector, both because there has been no agreement over who – banks, the state, or the central bank – would cover the largest share of losses and because restructuring may eliminate several banks. The reality is that many nations appear to have lost patience with Lebanon, which over the years has thwarted numerous efforts to reform its economy. The country is a graveyard for new approaches, as it remains under the thumb of political, financial and commercial cartels that unfailingly shoot down most ideas aiming to break a debilitating stalemate. Yet the message in Mr Trump's visit to the region was fairly evident. He seeks a world in which economic relations and self-interest prevail, but also, it seems, one in which China, Russia and the US have their spheres of influence. If that's his vision, the Middle East will remain an area of competition between the US and China, which implies that the countries of the region have much to gain by positioning themselves between rival superpowers. Yet Lebanon, once the quintessential middle-man country, is devoid of ideas, and is struggling with a geopolitical situation that is catastrophic. Israel's regional strategy has shifted to one of enhancing its security by fragmenting its Arab neighbours, and acting, or planning to act, with impunity inside their territories. This could be fatal for Lebanon. In light of this, Lebanon must press forward in its dialogue with Hezbollah to secure the group's disarmament. Only then will it be able to free the south of Israel's occupation and normalise the situation enough to think strategically about its regional place. This would reassure outside countries that it is progressing enough for them to provide vital foreign investment. But even that may not be enough if Lebanon doesn't overcome its incapacitating sectarian factionalism. Unless this happens and the Lebanese come together to shape a common vision for the future, the country will remain an afterthought – a place bleeding its youth to the advantage of more vibrant societies. Like a dried flower, it will be both beautiful and dead.
Daily Mail
20-05-2025
- Daily Mail
Haunting final moments of an Aussie teen tragically killed in a freak paragliding incident while holidaying in Lebanon
The final moments of an Aussie boy killed while holidaying in Lebanon with his family have emerged. Western Sydney teen Hussein Mearbany, 16, was paragliding over the coastal town of Sahel Aalma near the nation's capital Beirut on May 10 when tragedy struck. It's understood that Hussein slipped from the paragliding harness mid-flight and plunged 300 metres to the ground. Harrowing footage of the ill-fated journey showed Hussein strapped in front of the instructor as they ran off the edge of a cliff. Early reports suggest the harness may not have been properly secured. The paragliding instructor allegedly fled the scene following the incident, local media reported. The owner of the the paragliding company, which operates out of nearby Jounieh, has since been arrested. Hussein's shattered family spoke to Al Arabiya Lebanon, calling for authorities to take action against those responsible for his death. The teen had been holidaying in Lebanon with his mother and siblings when his life was cut short. The family was just two weeks into the trip. His father made the mercy dash to Lebanon following the tragedy, where Hussein has been laid to rest. 'When his father heard the news, he flew from Sydney to Lebanon to see him,' Hussein's cousin Sam Merbani told 'The day they leave Lebanon is going to be the hardest day of their life.' His heartbroken family are due to return to Australia this week. News of the Guildford teen's death has sparked an outpouring of grief back home. '(He) went to Lebanon for a holiday — full of dreams, excitement, and the energy of youth. Like many young men, he wanted to feel the adrenaline of flying, so he went hang gliding off the mountain peaks of Lebanon,' an online tribute read. 'What was meant to be a moment of thrill became his final moment. The paragliding operators are understood to have fled the scene following the deatjh 'May Allah grant his family patience and reunite them with him in the highest levels of Jannah. 'And as for us — still breathing, still planning, still distracted — take this as a wake-up call. The only promise in life is death.' The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade confirmed consular assistance is being provided to the family of an Australian who died in Lebanon. 'We send our deepest condolences to their family at this difficult time,' a spokesperson said. 'Owing to our privacy obligations we are unable to provide further comment.' The incident comes two months after a grandfather was killed in a hang gliding incident in southern Brazil. Ricardo Stecanella, 52, was taking off from a mountain in Timbé do Sul, Santa Catarina on Sunday, before tragedy struck. Terrifying video showed Stecanella gliding towards his left for about 20 seconds and before making a sharp right turn. The wings then suddenly closed, causing Stecanella to drop 656 feet to the ground.
Al Bawaba
13-05-2025
- Al Bawaba
Video shows moment a young man falling to death while paragliding
Published May 13th, 2025 - 07:15 GMT ALBAWABA - The death of young Lebanese man Hussein M.R. while paragliding in the Jounieh area of Mount Lebanon is still being investigated, local media reported. Lebanese authorities are still tracking down the paraglider captain who led the scene after the incident, in an attempt to arrest him. The Lebanese judiciary has issued a ban on paragliding in Jounieh, sealing off the runway with red wax. The young man, born in 2008, is originally from the Al-Minya area and has an Australian citizen. He died last Saturday afternoon after falling from a parachute. A video was posted on social media reportedly showing the moment when Hussein M.R. fell from the parachute to his death in the Jounieh area. The victim's uncle confirmed to Alarabiya that his relative "was not properly strapped in while paragliding, and that the flight attendants did not take his excess weight into account, which demonstrates lax enforcement of public safety regulations." © 2000 - 2025 Al Bawaba (
LBCI
10-05-2025
- LBCI
Man in his thirties dies in paragliding accident over Jounieh
A man in his thirties died Saturday after falling while paragliding over the coastal city of Jounieh, according to local reports. Ambulances rushed to the scene following the incident. The body remained at the site as forensic teams were dispatched to conduct an investigation.
