BEIRUT: Former Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri announced on Friday, the 20th anniversary of the assassination of his father Rafic Hariri, also a former PM, the “return of the Future Movement to political activity in all upcoming milestones and events.”
This comes after a three-year suspension of his political engagement and that of his party.
Hariri affirmed that the party, founded by his late father, “will continue, rooted in adherence to the Taif Constitution, state-building, reconstruction, and institutional development. We ask for nothing but a normal state where no weapons exist outside the authority of the state.”
Speaking before crowds that had gathered since the morning from Beirut, Bekaa, and the north, waving Lebanese flags in Martyrs’ Square in downtown Beirut and chanting his name, Hariri stated: “The supporters of Rafic Hariri remain here, and your voices will be heard in every upcoming national milestone. Everything comes in its own time.”
In what politicians have described as a “responsible, non-provocative, and unifying speech,” Hariri emphasized: “We now have a president, a government, and new hope, which was expressed in the inaugural speech and the statement of Prime Minister Nawaf Salam. This is a golden opportunity, and our decision is to support it and reject any attempt to circumvent it.”
Addressing the residents of the south, Bekaa, and Beirut’s southern suburbs — who suffered the brunt of the Israeli war against Hezbollah — Hariri said: “You are partners in this opportunity, and without you, it cannot be realized. You must break the previous impression that you are a force of obstruction, domination, and arms. You are partners in building bridges with Arab brothers and in reconstruction. You are key partners in restoring the legitimacy of the state, which alone — through its army, security forces, and institutions — can protect all Lebanese citizens.”
Hariri added: “Demanding a normal state means a state where weapons are exclusively in the hands of the national army and legitimate security forces, where the economy is free, productive, and provides jobs and a dignified life for all Lebanese. It means a state where the judiciary is independent, laws are upheld, freedoms are protected, and justice is served for the martyrs, the wounded, and those affected by the Beirut port explosion.”
He praised citizens who opened their homes to those forced to flee their communities.
“From the south to the Bekaa, from Beirut to its southern suburbs, we honor all those we have lost. The same unity that carried us through conflict must now heal the unified Lebanese body and drive our reconstruction,” he said, calling for a coordinated effort to rebuild affected areas.
“We fully back the presidency and government in their efforts to build a functioning state,” Hariri said, emphasizing the importance of restoring Lebanon’s regional role and maintaining healthy relationships with both Arab nations and the international community.
Hariri expressed strong support for state institutions and the Lebanese army, particularly in their efforts to implement UN Resolution 1701 and ensure complete Israeli withdrawal from occupied villages.
“Twenty years ago, you demanded justice and, through your determination, removed Bashar Assad’s criminal regime from Lebanon. Now after 20 years, and before that, 30 years of sectarian rule, suffering, injustice, murder, imprisonment, torture, and brutality, the heroic Syrian people have risen and expelled this criminal from Syria. Perhaps this marks not just the beginning of justice, but its ultimate triumph.”
Hariri stressed: “We stand firmly with the Syrian people’s aspirations and their right to self-determination. Our vision is clear: a stable, rebuilt Syria engaging with Lebanon as an equal partner, where both nations’ sovereignty and independence are fully respected.”
Addressing regional issues, Hariri reaffirmed his commitment to Palestinian rights and the two-state solution.
He criticized Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s approach saying that “the problem with Netanyahu is his evasion of responsibility and peace in favor of war.”
He warned against attempts to resolve the conflict at the expense of neighboring Arab states including Egypt, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia.
President Joseph Aoun paid tribute to Rafic Hariri, calling him “a statesman par excellence.” He highlighted that “his political stance played a crucial role in strengthening national unity, safeguarding civil peace, and implementing the National Reconciliation Document endorsed by the Taif Conference.”
The ceremony, held near Hariri’s tomb, drew tens of thousands of Lebanese, including supporters of the Future Movement.
The event coincided with Israeli warplanes flying over Beirut and its southern suburbs.
Meanwhile, the Lebanese and Iranian foreign ministries worked to facilitate the return of Lebanese passengers from Tehran after Lebanese authorities denied a plane from the Iranian capital permission to land at Beirut airport under Israeli pressure.
Youssef Rajji, Lebanon’s foreign minister, said on Friday that “the Lebanese and Iranian ministries are in communication through the Lebanese ambassador in Tehran to ensure the return of the Lebanese citizens to Beirut.”
On the same day, all roads leading to Beirut airport were reopened following the army’s intervention, ending hours of protests on Thursday night.
Hundreds of Hezbollah supporters had taken to the streets, setting tires ablaze in protest and accusing “the Lebanese state of yielding to Israeli and American demands.”
Avichai Adraee, spokesperson for the Israeli army, posted a claim alleging that “the Quds Force and Hezbollah are using Beirut airport to smuggle funds intended for arming Hezbollah on civilian planes.”
Following a directive from the Ministry of Transport and Public Works, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation at Beirut airport informed Tehran airport that it would temporarily refrain from receiving the Iranian aircraft.
In a statement, the directorate explained that additional security measures would be implemented to ensure the safety of Beirut airport, Lebanese airspace, and passengers, in coordination with airport security authorities.
These measures align with international aviation standards, but their full implementation would require additional time for certain airlines to comply.
Consequently, flight schedules — including those from Iran — have been temporarily adjusted until Feb. 18.
A political source linked the incident to intelligence suggesting that the plane was carrying funds for Hezbollah, raising security concerns.
Given the airport’s heightened surveillance, authorities have taken precautionary measures to mitigate any potential risks.
Hezbollah, through its deputy Ibrahim Al-Moussawi, accused Israel of repeatedly violating Lebanese sovereignty with US complicity.
He urged the state to stand firm against Israeli threats, regardless of the circumstances.
On Jan. 3, an Iranian plane was searched after an Iranian diplomat on board refused to comply with security procedures.
However, the Iranian Embassy later clarified that the funds in the diplomat’s possession were intended for the embassy’s operational expenses.
Hariri returns to politics, backs PM Salam, calls for unity
https://arab.news/mcsc4
Hariri returns to politics, backs PM Salam, calls for unity
- This comes after a three-year suspension of his political engagement and that of his party
- Hariri affirmed that the party, founded by his late father, “will continue, rooted in adherence to the Taif Constitution, state-building, reconstruction, and institutional development”
Police arrest 400 in Istanbul: lawyers group
There was no immediate comment on the detentions from city authorities
ISTNABUL: Police arrested more than 400 people in Istanbul on Thursday, with parts of Turkiye’s biggest city paralyzed in a bid to prevent May Day demonstrations, a lawyers group said.
On Wednesday city authorities closed metro, bus and ferry services in the metropolis and arrested 100 people who were allegedly planning to protest in the city’s central Taksim Square, where demonstrations have been banned since 2013.
This year’s May Day comes as the government is embroiled in a showdown with the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CPH), following the detention of its presidential candidate Ekrem Imamoglu.
Imamoglu, who is Istanbul’s mayor, is the biggest political rival of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
“The number of arrests that have been reported to us exceeds 400,” the Istanbul branch of the CHD lawyers group wrote on X on Thursday.
There was no immediate comment on the detentions from city authorities.
AFP journalists witnessed several dozen people arrested in neighborhoods on the European side of the city.
Several thousand people assembled in sanctioned protests called by labor unions on the Asian side of the city, according to local media and an AFP journalist.
On Wednesday, rights group Amnesty International urged Turkiye to lift the ban on demonstrations in Taksim.
“The restrictions on May Day celebrations in Taksim Square are based on entirely spurious security and public order grounds and... must be urgently lifted,” said Dinushika Dissanayake, an Amnesty’s specialist on Europe.
As happens every year, the square has been sealed off with metal barriers for several days, with a heavy police presence.
Turkiye stresses opposition to decentralization in Syria
- Ankara sees decentralization demands by Syria’s Kurds as a threat because of what it says are their cross-border links to Kurdish militants in Türkiye
- “Turkiye does not accept any initiative that targets Syria’s territorial integrity,” a Turkish Foreign Ministry source said
ANKARA: Türkiye rejects any plans that undermine the central government in Syrian Arab Republic or threaten its sovereignty and territorial integrity, Turkish sources said, responding to demands from Kurds for Syria to adopt a decentralized system of government.
Türkiye backed rebels against former President Bashar Assad for years and is seen as the closest foreign ally of Syria’s new Islamist leaders, vowing to help them rebuild and stabilize a country devastated by 14 years of war.
Ankara sees decentralization demands by Syria’s Kurds as a threat because of what it says are their cross-border links to Kurdish militants in Türkiye, while it looks to end a decades-old conflict with the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militia.
Rival Syrian Kurdish parties, including the dominant Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in the northeast, agreed at a meeting on Saturday on a common political vision for the country’s Kurdish minority and decentralization, a call rejected by Syria’s leadership.
Turkish sources elaborated on comments by President Tayyip Erdogan, who said on Wednesday that decentralization demands in Syria were “nothing more than a raw dream.”
“Turkiye does not accept any initiative that targets Syria’s territorial integrity, that will damage its sovereignty, or that allows weapons to be carried by others not in the Syrian central authority,” a Turkish Foreign Ministry source said.
Türkiye, a NATO member, views the US-backed SDF as a terrorist organization.
Ankara welcomed a March deal between the SDF and Damascus to merge Kurdish-led governing bodies and security forces with the central government, but said it must also ensure the dismantling of the YPG militia spearheading the SDF, and of the SDF’s chain of command.
PROVIDING ‘SPACE’
The source said Türkiye had provided “the necessary space” for Damascus to address Türkiye’s concerns over Kurdish militants in Syria. Ankara has previously warned of military action if its concerns are not alleviated.
A Turkish defense ministry source said on Wednesday that demands for autonomy could harm Syria’s sovereignty and regional stability.
“We cannot consent to the disintegration of Syria’s territorial integrity and the deterioration of its unitary structure under any guise,” the source told a briefing in Ankara.
“We are against autonomous region and/or decentralized rhetoric or activities, just as is the new Syrian administration.”
Late on Wednesday, Turkish Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Oncu Keceli said all regional countries must contribute to Syria’s security and stability, calling on Israel to halt “its air strikes that harm the unity and integrity of Syria.”
Israel has been mounting air strikes inside Syria, which Türkiye has called an unacceptable provocation to harm Syria’s unity in the post-Assad era. Ankara has been a fierce critic of Israel since it launched the Gaza war.
Ankara also wants all Western sanctions imposed on Syria to be fully lifted and for US troops stationed in the northeast to withdraw.
Paramilitary shelling hits Sudan’s presidential palace: army source
- RSF used “long-range artillery” launched from their holdout position in Al-Salha
- They targeted the army’s General Command headquarters in central Khartoum
KHARTOUM: Sudan’s presidential palace in central Khartoum was shelled by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces on Thursday, a military source said, the second such attack on the capital in a week.
The RSF, at war with the army for two years, used “long-range artillery” launched from their holdout position in Al-Salha, located south of Khartoum’s twin city of Omdurman, the source told AFP on condition of anonymity.
There were no immediate reports of casualties.
On Saturday, the RSF targeted the army’s General Command headquarters in central Khartoum, also using long-range artillery fire, according to a military source.
The attacks come weeks after the army pushed the RSF out of central Khartoum, which the paramilitary had swept through early in the war.
In a major military offensive in March, army forces regained control of the presidential palace, the airport and other strategic areas in the capital.
But the RSF still clings to its last pockets of control in southern and western Omdurman.
Since April 2023, the war in Sudan has killed tens of thousands, uprooted 13 million and created the world’s largest hunger and displacement crises.
The conflict has effectively divided the country in two with the army holding the center, east and north while the RSF controls nearly all of Darfur and parts of the south.
Tunisia leader’s opponents, supporters stage rival rallies in sharp political split
- The anti-Saied demonstration reflects growing concerns among human rights groups that the birthplace of the Arab Spring is sliding toward one-man rule
TUNIS: Opponents of Tunisian President Kais Saied protested on the streets of Tunis on Thursday, accusing him of using the judiciary and police to suppress critics, while his supporters held a counter-rally, highlighting a deepening political divide.
The anti-Saied demonstration — the second opposition protest in a week — reflects growing concerns among human rights groups that the birthplace of the Arab Spring is sliding toward one-man rule.
Demonstrators on the capital’s main thoroughfare chanted slogans such as “Saied go away, you are dictator” and “The people want the fall of the regime,” a slogan reminiscent of the 2011 uprising that toppled former President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.
On the same street, Habib Bourguiba Avenue, Saied’s supporters rallied in his defense, chanting, “No to foreign interference” and “The people want Saied again.”
Riot police deployed in large numbers to separate the groups. No clashes were reported.
The demonstrations follow a months-long government crackdown on Saied’s critics, including the detention last week of prominent lawyer Ahmed Souab, a fierce critic of the president.
On Thursday the anti-Saeid protesters marched from the headquarters of the Administrative Court, where Souab had served as a judge before retiring and becoming a lawyer widely respected by all political parties.
They then joined other protesters in a square that is home to the headquarters of the powerful UGTT union, before heading toward Habib Bourguiba Avenue.
Souab’s arrest followed prison sentences handed down last week to opposition leaders on conspiracy charges, drawing criticism from France, Germany, and the United Nations.
Saied rejected the criticisms, calling it a blatant interference in Tunisia’s sovereignty.
The opposition accuses Saied of undermining the democracy won in the 2011 revolution, since he seized extra powers in 2021 when he shut down the elected parliament and moved to rule by decree before assuming authority over the judiciary.
They described his move as a coup, while Saied says it was legal and necessary to end chaos and rampant corruption.
The leaders of most political parties in Tunisia are in prison, including Abir Moussi, leader of the Free Constitutional Party, and Rached Ghannouchi, the head of Ennahda — two of Saied’s most prominent opponents.
The government says there is democracy in Tunisia. Saied says he will not be a dictator, but insists that what he calls a corrupt elite must be held accountable.
Turkiye says it remains committed to contested ‘Kanal Istanbul’ project
- The plan was shelved in recent years largely due to economic turmoil, lack of financing, and public opposition
- Critics have questioned the viability of a waterway running 45 km (28 miles) through marshland and farms on the western edge of Istanbul
ANKARA: Turkiye is determined to construct a canal project intended to relieve pressure on the busy Bosphorus Strait, when financing is secured, a government minister said on Thursday, despite widespread criticism over its possible environmental impact.
President Tayyip Erdogan laid the foundation of the canal in 2021, aiming to connect the Black Sea north of Istanbul to the Marmara Sea to the south and prevent accidents in the Bosphorus.
The initiative, described by Erdogan as his “crazy project” when he revealed it more than a decade ago, was estimated to cost some 75 billion lira ($1.95 billion).
Critics have questioned the viability of a waterway running 45 km (28 miles) through marshland and farms on the western edge of Istanbul, and say it will wreak environmental havoc, destroy a marine ecosystem and endanger some fresh water supply for the country’s biggest city.
The plan was shelved in recent years largely due to economic turmoil, lack of financing, and public opposition.
“We have not abandoned the Kanal Istanbul project. It is not on our agenda today, but when the day comes, the right financing is found, we will definitely do it,” Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu said.
He was speaking a day after Environment and Urbanization Minister Murat Kurum said the project was not, and had not been, on the government’s agenda for some time.
Uraloglu’s comments come amid a widening legal crackdown on opposition members of the Istanbul municipality, including senior personnel that the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) says were responsible for environmental matters among other issues. The CHP runs the municipality.
In March, a court jailed Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, from the CHP, as part of the months-long crackdown. The mayor is seen as Erdogan’s main political rival and leads him in some polls.
Imamoglu has denied all charges against him, while the CHP, other opposition parties and Western powers have said his arrest was a politicized move to eliminate a potential electoral threat to Erdogan, who has run the country for more than two decades.
His arrest has triggered mass protests and economic turmoil, but the government denies any influence over the judiciary.
