BEIRUT: Lebanese Prime Minister-designate Saad Al-Hariri said he hoped to finalize a new national unity government on Friday after more than seven months of political wrangling.
By the early evening, there was still no sign of an announcement. Lebanese politicians have indicated a government deal is close but have yet to declare a final agreement.
“Cross your fingers, don’t jinx me. I’m trying to work very hard to finalize today the government, Inshallah (God Willing). There are still some things to be done but I think we should be able to finalize,” Hariri told a Beirut business conference.
“God willing we will finish today.”
Efforts to form the government have been obstructed by conflicting demands for cabinet seats that must be parcelled out in line with a sectarian power-sharing system.
“We don’t know the circumstances that have not yielded the government today,” said Qassem Hashem, one of six pro-Hezbollah MPs who have together demanded a cabinet post, in the latest standoff blocking a deal.
“We leave matters up to the coming hours,” he said in TV comments on Friday evening, adding that talks would continue.
Heavily indebted and suffering from a stagnant economy, Lebanon is in dire need of an administration that can set about long-stalled reforms to put public debt on a sustainable footing.
Hariri said everyone was committed to reforms and said the government would try to bring down the subsidy it pays on energy by about $600 million in 2019.
Lebanon has the third largest debt-to-GDP ratio in the world.
Hariri also said a second round of bidding for Lebanese off-shore energy exploration should be open in February or March, adding that BP “is interested and the Americans are interested.”
Lebanon’s first round of exploration began in May after authorities approved an exploration plan submitted by a consortium of France’s Total, Italy’s Eni and Russia’s Novatek.
Lebanon’s Hariri hopes government will be finalised on Friday
Lebanon’s Hariri hopes government will be finalised on Friday
- Lebanese politicians have indicated a government deal is close but have to announce a final agreement
- Lebanon has the third largest debt-to-GDP ratio in the world
Jordan pledges continued support for Lebanon’s efforts to preserve security, stability, sovereignty
- President Joseph Aoun holds talks with King Abdullah in Amman, thanks him for Jordanian support of Lebanese army
BEIRUT: During talks in Amman on Tuesday with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, King Abdullah of Jordan reaffirmed his country’s “support to Lebanon in its efforts to preserve its security, stability, sovereignty and territorial unity.”
The two leaders also emphasized “the importance of preserving security and stability in Syria, which will help facilitate the voluntary and safe return of Syrian refugees” to their home country.
Aoun praised Jordan for the role it has played, under the leadership of King Abdullah, “in standing with Lebanon and its people, and providing support to the Lebanese army.”
He also highlighted the importance of “enhancing security and defense cooperation between both countries, particularly in the field of combating terrorism and smuggling.”
In a joint statement, King Abdullah and Aoun stressed “the need to immediately reinstate the ceasefire in Gaza, and ensure adequate humanitarian aid reaches all areas” of the territory. They rejected any plans to displace Palestinians, and urged Arab states and the wider international community to step up efforts to reach a just and comprehensive resolution to the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians, based on a two-state solution.
The king also warned of “the danger of the unprecedented escalations and violence targeting Palestinians in the West Bank, and Muslim and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem.”
More broadly, the two leaders said it was important to maintaining coordination and consultation on all issues of mutual interest.
UN peacekeepers say troops attacked by individuals in south Lebanon
- UN Interim Forces in Lebanon sits on a five-member committee to supervise the ceasefire between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah
- Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said he 'strongly condemns the repeated attacks' on UNIFIL forces in south Lebanon
BEIRUT: United Nations peacekeepers said rock-throwing individuals confronted them during a patrol on Tuesday in south Lebanon, calling repeated targeting of their troops “unacceptable.”
The UN Interim Forces in Lebanon (UNIFIL), deployed since 1978 to separate Lebanon and Israel, sits on a five-member committee to supervise the ceasefire between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah.
In a statement, UNIFIL said peacekeepers conducting “a planned patrol” coordinated with the Lebanese army were “confronted by a group of individuals in civilian clothing in the vicinity of Hallusiyat Al-Tahta, in southern Lebanon.”
“The group attempted to obstruct the patrol using aggressive means, including throwing stones at the peacekeepers,” the statement read, adding that “one peacekeeper was struck” but no injuries were reported.
The situation was defused when the Lebanese army intervened, allowing the peacekeeping force to continue its patrol.
“It is unacceptable that UNIFIL peacekeepers continue to be targeted,” the statement added.
UNIFIL spokesman Andrea Tenenti told AFP a Finnish soldier was slapped during the confrontation.
A witness, who requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the situation, said an altercation ensued between locals and the Lebanese army, who were searching for the man who slapped the peacekeeper.
One man opposing the army was injured and hospitalized, the witness said.
In a statement, Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said he “strongly condemns the repeated attacks” on UNIFIL forces and called for the attackers to be stopped and held accountable.
There have been several confrontations between people in south Lebanon, where Hezbollah holds sway, and UN peacekeepers in recent weeks.
Confrontations are typically defused by the Lebanese army and rarely escalate.
In December 2022, an Irish peacekeeper was killed in a shooting at a UN armored vehicle in the south. Hezbollah surrendered a man accused of the crime, but he was released around a year later.
The November ceasefire agreement, which sought to end over a year of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah, states that only Lebanese troops and UN peacekeepers may be deployed in the country’s south.
Israel is supposed to have fully withdrawn its troops from Lebanon according to the deal, but has remained in five positions it deems strategic and has repeatedly bombed the country.
UK and allies sanction Israel ministers Ben-Gvir and Smotrich
- Measures see five countries break from Israel’s closest ally, the US
- Ben Gvir and Smotrich “have incited extremist violence and serious abuses of Palestinian human rights,” foreign ministers of five countries said in joint statement
LONDON: Britain and four allies joined forces Tuesday to sanction two Israeli ministers for “repeated incitements of violence” against Palestinians, upping their condemnation of Israel’s actions around the war in Gaza.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir will be banned from entering the UK and will have any assets in the country frozen, Britain’s foreign ministry said in a statement.
The announcement came in rare joint action alongside Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Norway and comes as the Israeli government faces growing international criticism over its conduct of the conflict with Hamas.
A UK government official said on condition of anonymity that Canada and Australia had also imposed sanctions, while Norway and New Zealand had implemented travel bans only.
The measures see the five countries break from Israel’s closest ally, the United States.
Ben Gvir and Smotrich “have incited extremist violence and serious abuses of Palestinian human rights,” the foreign ministers of the five countries said in a joint statement.
“These actions are not acceptable. This is why we have taken action now — to hold those responsible to account,” they added.
Smotrich and Ben Gvir are part of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s fragile ruling coalition.
Both have drawn criticism for their hard-line stance on the war in Gaza and comments about settlements in the occupied West Bank, the other Palestinian territory.
Smotrich, who lives in a West Bank settlement, has supported the expansion of settlements and has increasingly called for the territory’s annexation.
Last month, he said Gaza would be “entirely destroyed” and that civilians would “start to leave in great numbers to third countries.”
Ben Gvir has also called for Gazans to be resettled from the besieged territory.
UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy said the pair had used “horrendous extremist language” and that he would “encourage the Israeli government to disavow and condemn that language.”
Earlier, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said Israel had been informed by Britain of its sanctions decision, describing the move as “outrageous.”
The UK foreign ministry said in its statement that “extremist settlers have carried out over 1,900 attacks against Palestinian civilians since January last year.”
It said the five countries were “clear that the rising violence and intimidation by Israeli settlers against Palestinian communities in the West Bank must stop.”
“Measures today cannot be seen in isolation from events in Gaza where Israel must uphold international humanitarian law,” the foreign ministry said.
It added that the UK and its partners “support Israel’s security and will continue to work with the Israeli government to strive to achieve an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.”
“Hamas must release the hostages immediately, and there must be a path to a two-state solution with Hamas having no role in future governance,” it added.
The action comes after the British government suspended free-trade negotiations with Israel last month and summoned its ambassador over the conduct of the war.
It also announced financial restrictions and travel bans on several prominent settlers, as well as two illegal outposts and two organizations accused of backing violence against Palestinian communities.
Several areas south of Sudan capital at risk of famine, says World Food Programme
- Several areas south of the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, are at risk of famine, the World Food Programme
GENEVA, June 10 : Several areas south of the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, are at risk of famine, the World Food Programme said on Tuesday, with need on the ground outstripping resources amidst a funding shortfall.
“The level of hunger and destitution and desperation that was found (is) severe and confirmed the risk of famine in those areas,” Laurent Bukera, WFP Country Director in Sudan, told reporters in Geneva via video link from Port Sudan.
Abbas tells Macron he supports demilitarization of Hamas
PARIS: Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas has said that Hamas “must hand over its weapons” and called for the deployment of international forces to protect “the Palestinian people,” France announced on Tuesday.
In a letter addressed on Monday to French President Emmanuel Macron and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who this month will co-chair a conference on a two-state solution for Israel and the Palestinians, Abbas outlined the main steps that he thinks must be taken to end the war in Gaza and achieve peace in the Middle East.
“Hamas will no longer rule Gaza and must hand over its weapons and military capabilities to the Palestinian Security Forces,” wrote Abbas.
He said he was “ready to invite Arab and international forces to be deployed as part of a stabilization/protection mission with a (UN) Security Council mandate.”
The conference at UN headquarters later this month will aim to resurrect the idea of a two-state solution — Israel currently controls large parts of the Palestinian territories.
“We are ready to conclude within a clear and binding timeline, and with international support, supervision and guarantees, a peace agreement that ends the Israeli occupation and resolves all outstanding and final status issues,” Abbas wrote.
“Hamas has to immediately release all hostages and captives,” Abbas added.
In a statement, the Elysee Palace welcomed “concrete and unprecedented commitments, demonstrating a real willingness to move toward the implementation of the two-state solution.”
Macron has said he is “determined” to recognize a Palestinian state, but also set out several conditions, including the “demilitarization” of Hamas.
In his letter, Abbas reaffirmed his commitment to reform the Palestinian Authority and confirmed his intention to hold presidential and general elections “within a year” under international auspices.
“The Palestinian State should be the sole provider of security on its territory, but has no intention to be a militarised State.”
France has long championed a two-state solution, including after the October 7, 2023 attack by Palestinian militants Hamas on Israel.
But formal recognition by Paris of a Palestinian state would mark a major policy shift and risk antagonizing Israel, which insists that such moves by foreign states are premature.
