MAWLAWI MEETS NEW US AMBASSADOR ON ACQUAINTANCE VISIT


Caretaker Minister of Interior and Municipalities, Judge Bassam Mawlawi, received, at his ministry office on Monday, the new U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon, Lisa A. Johnson, who came on an acquaintance visit upon assuming her new diplomatic mission in the country.

Discussions reportedly touched on the situation in Lebanon and the region, and the importance of accelerating the election of a President of the Republic.

Talks also touched on the Lebanese-American bilateral relations.

Source: National News Agency – Lebanon

MIKATI HOLDS KEY MEETINGS WITH GRAND SERIAL VISITORS


Caretaker Prime Minister, Najib Mikati, on Monday held a meeting with Caretaker Minister of Youth and Sports, George Kallas, at the Grand Serail.

Following the meeting, Kallas stated, “The precision of the regional situation, coupled with the wars in Gaza and southern Lebanon, necessitates balanced and steadfast national positions represented by political realism. This should be guided by a dual commitment to peace, ending war, and triumph for justice, all while emphasizing the urgency of completing the constitutional institutions by electing a president as soon as possible. This is to avoid being forced into coexisting with the potential serious vacuum that could threaten Lebanon’s entity.”

‘During the meeting, Prime Minister Mikati reached out to the president of the Football Association, Hashim Haidar, expressing his support for the Lebanese team facing Tajikistan today to qualify for the Round of 16. The call was welcomed by the Lebanese team and administrators,’ Kallas added.

‘We also discussed the i
ssue of sports facility rehabilitation, and Prime Minister Mikati provided directives regarding my visit to Dubai to participate in the Youth Governments Conference. He expressed the desire for him to address the Lebanese youth directly, assuring positive outcomes in this regard,’ Kallas concluded.

Additionally, Prime Minister Mikati met with retired Brigadier General Shamel Roukoz, heading a delegation of retired officers.

He also met with Acting General Director of Lebanon’s General Security, Brigadier General Elias Al-Baisari, with whom he discussed the security situation in the country.

Furthermore, the Prime Minister received Lebanese University President, Bassam Badran, with whom he addressed university matters.

Source: National News Agency – Lebanon

DEFENSE MINISTER BROACHES DEVELOPMENTS WITH UN”S WRONECKA


Caretaker Minister of National Defense, Maurice Sleem, on Monday met at his office in Yarzeh, with United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Joanna Wronecka.

Discussions during the meeting reportedly touched on the general situation in the country, especially the situation of the military institution and developments on the southern Lebanese border.

Wronecka affirmed “the United Nations’ continued commitment to assist Lebanon in all fields, especially supporting the Lebanese army and strengthening cooperation and coordination between army units and UNIFIL forces.”

Wronecka also briefed the Minister on the efforts made by the United Nations to reduce the escalation.

In turn, Minister Sleem highly appreciated the positions of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, regarding the conflict in the region and his efforts to reduce the escalation.

Sleem stressed, “The international community must strive to stop the conflict and bloodshed in Gaza and find a lasting and just solution
in the region.”

Source: National News Agency – Lebanon

BERRI MEETS WITH “TASHNAG” PARTY SECRETARY-GENERAL


House Speaker, Nabih Berri, on Monday held a meeting at the Second Presidency headquarters in Ain el-Tineh with the Secretary-General of the “Tashnag” Party, Deputy Hagop Pakradounian.

The discussions covered a wide range of topics, including the current political landscape, legislative affairs, and general developments.

Source: National News Agency – Lebanon

PARLIAMENT WEBSITE FROZEN FOLLOWING HACKING ATTEMPT


The Media Department at the House of Parliament in Beirut’s Nejmeh Square issued the following statement: ‘After the Parliament’s website was subjected to a hacking attempt, the technical body supervising the management and protection of the site froze it and is working to address the matter.’

Source: National News Agency – Lebanon

(*) JUMBLATT IN AIN EL-TINEH


Former Minister and President of the Progressive Socialist Party, Walid Jumblatt, arrived shortly at Ain El-Tineh Palace to meet with the Speaker of the House, Nabih Berri.

Source: National News Agency – Lebanon

BERRI REVIEWS GENERAL SITUATION WITH JUMBLATT


Speaker of the House, Nabih Berri, received this evening at Ain al-Tineh Palace former Progressive Socialist Party Chief Walid Jumblatt, in the presence of former Minister Ghazi al-Aridi.

The general situation in the country and the latest political and field developments topped their discussions, especially in light of Israel’s continued aggression against the Gaza Strip and South Lebanon.

Source: National News Agency – Lebanon

MAWLAWI CONFERS WITH QATARI COUNTERPART IN DOHA ON WAYS OF STRENGTHENING BILATERAL COOPERATION


Caretaker Minister of Interior and Municipalities, Judge Bassam Mawlawi, met today in Doha with the Minister of Municipality in the State of Qatar, Abdullah bin Hamad bin Abdullah Al-Attiyah.

Talks during the meeting touched on enhancing bilateral cooperation between the State of Qatar and the Lebanese Republic in areas of common interest, particularly municipal affairs.

Source: National News Agency – Lebanon

BEYOND SECTARIANISM: GRAND MUFTI’S CALL FOR INCLUSIVE GOVERNANCE


The Grand Mufti, Sheikh Ahmad Kabalan, considered that “national partnership implies a presidential settlement commensurate with the interests of all sects, not just one sect, and in line with the sovereignty war waged by the resistance.”

In a statement, he said, “Because we reside in the depths of the national crisis, and because the issue of the nation is a matter of conscience, humanity, and sentiment, it is required that we affirm the title of national partnership at the expense of the game and the tendency of national gambling, especially as the country is in a state of war and contact with the reality of the region threatened with its largest explosion in history.”

He stated: “This national partnership assumes convergence and should be governed by the spirit of one family, not the game of ambushes and the manipulation of votes amid international rooms adept at playing the game of national massacres and having significant influence in the Lebanese interior.”

Sheikh Kabalan added, “Here, we draw atten
tion to the fact that the President is the head of the state of national partnership, not the head of a sect, and the parliament is required to confirm national covenant away from the traps of Washington and its agents and its risks in the Lebanese interior.”

“The Parliament Speaker is the custodian of national partnership, not a merchant of the nation or a broker of goods, and his national duty is to carry out all necessary national interests, including legislating necessity and protecting national decisions and constitutional positions,” he continued.

Furthermore, he said: “For those concerned: legislating necessity is a debt owed to God and the nation, and betraying the nation is a betrayal of faith and conscience. The country is exposed, loyalties are exposed, and the attitude that does not consider national partnership is very exposed.”

He emphasized that “The national partnership is a constitutional necessity for Lebanon, and it implies a presidential settlement commensurate with the interests of all
sects, not just one sect, and in line with the sovereignty war waged by the resistance on the southern front, and without that, it is a denial of the greatest national sacrifices ever.

Source: National News Agency – Lebanon

RAHI CALLS ON MPS TO ELECT A PRESIDENT


Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Mar Bechara Boutros Al-Rahi pointed out that ‘opening the House of Representatives and electing a President of the Republic is the first duty imposed on the MPs,’ considering that refraining from doing so as a betrayal against the people who elected you.

Al-Rahi added in his Sunday sermon, addressing the MPs: ‘Do your duty to elect a president until we emerge from the state of disintegration of state institutions, most notably your parliament, which has lost the right to legislate, and the government, which has lost its powers.’

He also said: ‘By returning to the constitution, the dispute will disappear, the boycott will end, and the threats at the expense of national partnership and equality will stop.’

Source: National News Agency – Lebanon

DERIAN CONCLUDES HIS VISIT TO QATAR


Mufti of the Lebanese Republic, Sheikh Abdul Latif Derian, concluded his visit to the State of Qatar by meeting with the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Qatar Charity, Sheikh Hamad bin Nasser Al Thani.

The media office at Dar al-Fatwa stated that Sheikh Hamad Al Thani was briefed by Mufti Derian on the religious and national tasks carried out by Dar al-Fatwa and its affiliated institutions, and the support it needs for the religious and administrative apparatus, and assistance in implementing some projects, most notably the Imam al-Shafi’i Mosque in Beirut.

Mufti Derian rejoiced at the good news of Qatari officials in their permanent support for Lebanon and the Lebanese, and for the Fatwa House, which is their first concern, and the Islamic and national guarantee that the House constitutes through its pioneering role in preserving Islam and national unity and work to advance the state and its institutions.

Source: National News Agency – Lebanon

GEMAYEL ON HEZBOLLAH’S TACTICS: WEAKNESS OF ARGUMENTS AND LOGIC OF CANCELLATION


The leader of the Kataeb Party, MP Samy Gemayel, confirmed to the Kuwaiti newspaper “Al-Seyassah” that the threats he receives are public and traceable, and their source can be identified.

He stated that these threats are clear in their source, not hidden, noting that they are accustomed to such matters and “deal with a cancellation team that uses violence as a means in politics to eliminate others.”

He emphasized that “Hezbollah resorts to threatening sovereign figures because its argument is weak, and when a person’s argument is weak, they resort to the logic of cancellation, which is the weapon of the weak.

Gemayel pointed out that the possibility of the return of assassinations exists, citing the assassination of Lokman Slim over two years ago, indicating that assassinations have not stopped.

He stated that Hezbollah is obstructing the presidential process because it couldn’t impose its candidate, and it will continue to obstruct as long as there is opposition from the parliament to its candidate, si
milar to what happened with Michel Aoun.

Gemayel argued that the presidential process remains obstructed until the Lebanese are subjected to Hezbollah’s will, hoping that no one will succumb to this will.

Moreover, he mentioned that Lebanon has seen the price it paid for such a submission, hoping it will not happen again.

He added that the opposition is cohesive on this matter, with no intention of backing down, and no one succumbs to the imposition logic practiced by Hezbollah.

In response to a question, Gemayel stated, “We reject the election of Sleiman Frangieh because he does not represent our political line and is an ally of Hezbollah. His arrival would mean that the latter would impose control over the presidency, turning the state and presidency into a front to defend its weapons and performance.”

He continued: “Therefore, we do not want the Lebanese state to be a shield for Hezbollah to use in fortifying itself at the expense of the state, law, and constitution.”

In addition, he considered the p
ossibility of Hezbollah dragging Lebanon into an open war with Israel as possible, but at present, this intention does not exist within the party due to other considerations.

Hezbollah does not want to jeopardize its military, social, and political system, and it does not want to sacrifice the position of strength it has built-in Lebanon for the sake of Gaza.

He noted that there is an attempt by Iran to isolate Lebanon from its Arab surroundings, allowing Tehran to control it more through Hezbollah, and they are trying to resist this plan.

Gemayel emphasized that Lebanon has historical relationships with all Arab countries, and some friendships have lasted for decades, and Lebanon should not abandon them. The Arabs, too, should not abandon Lebanon because, in the past, it has been the refuge and meeting place for all Arab peoples.

Gemayel said: ” Lebanon is where they express their opinions and engage in dialogue.” Therefore, he believes no one should sacrifice this tormented homeland that needs its frien
ds and support.

He mentioned, “We had previously warned against a deal at the expense of Lebanon, expressing concern that during the dialogue between Hezbollah and Israel, an agreement might be reached at the expense of Lebanese sovereignty.”

“Hezbollah could take Lebanon as a prize for its withdrawal from the south, securing Israel’s safety. This is what we fear and caution the entire world about because, if it happens, Lebanon, which has always been a beacon for the Arab world, would be sacrificed,” he continued.

Source: National News Agency – Lebanon