A Bundle Of English Reports, News and Editorials For January 29/2020 Addressing the On Going Mass Demonstrations & Sit In-ins In Iranian Occupied Lebanon in its 104th Day

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A Bundle Of English Reports, News and Editorials For January 28-29/2020 Addressing the On Going Mass Demonstrations & Sit In-ins In Iranian Occupied Lebanon in its 104th Day
Compiled By: Elias Bejjani
January 29/2020

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on January 28-29/2020
Lebanese 2020 budget passes despite concerns from civil society and protesters
Parliament Approves 2020 State Budget with 49 Votes
Lebanon’s parliament passes 2020 budget as protests continue
Hariri on Budget Session: Mustaqbal Won’t Boycott or Obstruct Institutions
Diab Chairs Policy Meeting, Says Budget Approval Sends Positive Signal
Jumblat: Budget Approval Better than Vacuum, Extrabudgetary Spending
Sayyed at Parliament: This is Not Jamil al-Sayyed’s Govt.
President receives Ministers Akar and Najm, discusses ministries’ work
Rahi tackles developments with Kataeb chief
Several Lawmakers Boycott Budget Session
Injuries, Arrests as Beirut Protesters Seek to Disrupt Budget Session
Lebanon’s bonds fall as debt restructuring decision looms
Heavy security in Beirut as parliament convenes on budget
Diab Says Won’t Obstruct Budget Prepared by Previous Cabinet
Top global banking agency proposes an IMF bailout/TK Maloy/Annahar/January 27/2020
US Holds Back from Sanctioning Non-Shiite Lebanese Officials after Hale Intervenes/Mohammed Choucair/Asharq/ Al Awsat/January 27/2020
Lebanon: What Distinguishes Today/Hazem Saghieh/Asharq Al Awsat/January 27/2020
Where Failure Is More Dangerous Than Coronavirus/Ghassan Charbel/Asharq Al Awsat/January 27/2020

Details Of The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorial published on January 28-29/2020
Exposure Of Iran’s Big Lie Of Liberation & Resistance
In fact the Trump-Netanyahu official announcement of the “Deal of the Century”, is a golden opportunity for Iran and Hezbollah to destroy Israel, if indeed their goal is to liberate … but because the emblem of liberation is a lie, nothing will happen. Hezbollah and Iran were and still using and abusing the liberation cause to serve their own Iranization, terrorism and expansionism hostile-Evil agenda

Aoun follows up on financial situation with Wazni, receives invitation to St. Maroun mass
NNA/Tuesday, 28 January 2020
President of the Republic, General Michel Aoun, on Tuesday continued his follow-up to the work of ministries, and plans to activate them. In this context, President Aoun received Finance Minister, Ghazi Wazni, and deliberated with him the financial condition, and his ministry’s work plan.
Wazni briefed President Aoun on the results of meetings with officials at the World Bank, and the International Monetary Fund, who emphasized support for Lebanon, and assistance where needed.
The President met with former Minister, Gaby Leon, and discussed with him the general condition in the country, the needs of Zahle region, and the measures adopted after the increase in theft incidents in Zahle.
President Aoun met the Patron of the Maronite Diocese of Beirut, Archbishop Paul Abdel Sater, accompanied by Monsignor, Ignatius Al-Asmar, Father Raymond Kassis, and Father Salim Makhlouf.
Bishop Abdel Sater extended an invitation to the President, to attend the Mass organized by the Archdiocese, for the occasion of St. Maroon’s Day, on Sunday 9th of February, in St. Maroon’s Church Gemayzeh.—Presidency Press Office

Demonstrators Rally to Prevent ISF from Dismantling Beirut Protest Camp

Naharnet/January 28/2020
Anti-government demonstrators on Tuesday flocked to Martyrs Square in downtown Beirut to assist their comrades in re-blocking roads reopened by security forces. The roads that go through the protest camp had been closed by security forces since the first days of the October 17 uprising.
Some of the protesters arrived in a convoy from Zouk Mikail to help their comrades at the square. Security forces had removed the metallic barriers and reopened the road from An-Nahar newspaper’s building towards the Mohammed al-Amin Mosque. Protesters rejected the move and re-blocked the road with their bodies and returned the metal barriers to their place. They also parked a car in the middle of the street, waving Lebanese flags and chanting revolutionary slogans. The protesters decried that security forces were trying to dismantle their protest camp. The National News Agency meanwhile said that security forces have not removed any tent from the square. Later in the day, Interior Minister Mohammed Fahmi issued a statement denying that he has ordered the removal of the protest camp and noting that the removal of metal barriers was aimed at “facilitating the flow of traffic.” He also emphasized on “the freedom of peaceful assembly and expression,” describing it as “a right enshrined in the constitution and applicable laws.”

Kubis Talks 1701 with Hitti, Urges Govt. to ‘Listen to People’

Naharnet/January 28/2020
U.N. Special Coordinator for Lebanon Jan Kubis on Tuesday held talks with Lebanon’s new Foreign Minister Nassif Hitti.
“We had a focused discussion on a number of areas and fields related to the work of the United Nations in the country. We talked about the UNSCR 1701 and other related resolutions and their implementation, including the forthcoming report of the Secretary-General on the implementation of UNSCR 1701, and a discussion of the Security Council on this that is due in March,” Kubis said after the meeting. He added: “We also talked about other areas and facets of the work of the United Nations in the country and the region, and about how we can support Lebanon and its people.”
“I have brought to the attention of His Excellency the Minister the message of the Secretary-General in his statement after the announcement of the formation of the government, including how important it is to listen to the voices of the people and try to work on addressing their pressing needs, and also how important it is to follow on the basic obligations of Lebanon related to the respective resolutions of the Security Council, including with regards to the disassociation policy and related issues,” Kubis went on to say.
He also described the talks as “a very professional discussion,” adding that he looks forward to working with the minister.

Hitti welcomes five foreign diplomats; UK confirms willingness to help Lebanon out of economic crisis
NNA/Tuesday, 28 January 2020
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants, Dr. Nassif Hitti, on Tuesday received a call from UK Secretary of State for Middle East and North Africa Affairs, Dr. Andrew Morrison, who congratulated him on assuming his new position and wished him success in his duties, especially amid the prevailing difficult circumstances. Morrison expressed the UK’s readiness to help Lebanon out of the economic crisis. The pair also discussed the situation in the Middle East and its impact on Lebanon.
On the other hand, Minister Hitti welcomed United Nations Special Coordinator in Lebanon, Jan Kubis, who said in the wake of the meeting that talks with the Minister touched on different issues, especially those related to the work of the United Nations in Lebanon, and the means by which the international organization can support the Lebanese government and people.
“I have reiterated to the Minister the content of the United Nations Secretary-General’s post-cabinet formation statement, which stressed the importance of listening to people’s demands, adherence to basic pledges, implementation of international resolutions, and Lebanon’s adoption of the self-distancing policy,” Kubis said, stressing the importance of fully adhering to International Security Council’s Resolution 1701.
Separately, Hitti met with British Ambassador to Lebanon, Chris Rampling, who said on emerging that talks with the Minister touched on the internal Lebanese situation, as well as the government’s next move.
“We touched on regional issues of concern to both countries. We hope that cooperation will continue in the future,” Rampling added.
Hitti later received Spanish Ambassador to Lebanon, José Maria Ferré, who said in the wake of the meeting that talks with the Minister touched on the existing bilateral ties between Lebanon and Spain.
“We welcome the approval of the budget, which is an important step. We hope that additional steps will be taken by the new Lebanese government in order to carry out the necessary reforms, as well as to meet the aspirations of the people,” Ferre said.
“We’ve discussed ways to cooperate in several bilateral fields, especially in the Spanish language, which is the most prevalent among Lebanese expatriates, as well as our country’s participation in the international forces in south Lebanon,” the Spanish diplomat added.
The Foreign Minister also met with Turkish Ambassador to Lebanon, Hakan Shakeel, with whom he discussed bilateral relations.
Among Hitti’s visitors had also been Japanese Ambassador to Lebanon, Okubo Takeshi. He then met with Italian Ambassador to Lebanon, Massimo Marotti, who paid him a farewell visit marking the end of his diplomatic mission in Lebanon.

British Minister Tells Hitti UK Ready to Help Lebanon Economically
Naharnet/January 28/2020
British Secretary of State for Middle East Affairs Andrew Morrison on Tuesday held phone talks with Lebanon’s new Foreign Minister Nassif Hitti.
“He congratulated him on his new post and wished him success in his missions amid these difficult circumstances, expressing the United Kingdom’s readiness to help Lebanon overcome its economic crisis,” Lebanon’s National News Agency said. Hitti and Morrison also discussed the situations in the Middle East and their impact on Lebanon. Separately, Hitti held meetings on Tuesday with the U.N. special coordinator for Lebanon and the ambassadors of Britain, Spain, Turkey, Japan and Italy.

Diab chairs fifth meeting of ministerial statement drafting committee
NNA/Tuesday, 28 January 2020
Prime Minister, Dr. Hassan Diab, chaired this evening at the Grand Serail the fifth meeting by the committee tasked to draft the ministerial statement. Attending the meeting had been Vice Prime Minister, National Defense Minister Zeina Akar, and Ministers Damianos Kattar, Nassif Hitti, Ghazi Wazni, Raoul Neemeh, Imad Huballah, Ramzi Moucharafieh, Talal Hawat, Marie-Claude Najm, Dr Manal Abdel Samad, Vartine Ohanian, as well as Judge Mahmoud Makieh as Cabinet Secretary General Judge Mahmoud Makieh, Presidency Director General Antoine Choucair, and PM’s Advisor Khodr Taleb. On the other hand, Premier Diab received this evening State Prosecutor, Judge Ghassan Oueidat, in the presence of Cabinet Secretary General Judge Mahmoud Makieh.

Diab Orders Probe after Old Building Collapses in Ashrafieh
Naharnet/January 28/2020
Prime Minister Hassan Diab followed up until the first hours of dawn on the issue of the collapse of the Merhej building in Ashrafieh to confirm that no casualties were recorded and inquire about the safety of the area’s residents, the National News Agency said.
The collapse of the old and uninhabited three-story building at around 1:00 am caused no casualties but damaged a number of parked cars as debris blocked the street. The ground floor houses an operating bakery.
“Crews from the Internal Security Forces and the Beirut Fire Brigade arrived on the scene to secure public safety due to the presence of gas canisters in the bakery,” NNA said. Engineering teams from Beirut Municipality meanwhile removed the debris and reopened the road. Diab had made a series of phone calls with Interior Minister Mohammed Diab, who in turn tasked the relevant security agencies with conducting the necessary investigations and determining the causes behind the building’s collapse. He also called High Relief Commission chief Maj. Gen. Mohammed Kheir to inquire about the damage extent, asking him to carry out an inspection ahead of taking further measures. Culture and Agriculture Minister Abbas Mortada later visited the site in Ashrafieh, where he noted that “negligence of traditional buildings is unacceptable” and called for referring the file to the judiciary.

Fahmy’s media office denies security decision to break up sit-in in Beirut DT tonight
NNA/Tuesday, 28 January 2020
The Media Office of Minister of Interior Mohamed Fahmy issued a statement denying what is being said on social media of a security decision issued by the minister to break the sit-in in Beirut downtown tonight, indicating that the removal of iron barriers at the entrances to the Martyrs Square aimed at facilitating traffic in the capital. “The Minister affirms the freedom to demonstrate peacefully and express opinion, which is a right guaranteed by the constitution and the laws in force,” the statement read.

Bkirki Summit Urges Int’l Aid, Says Give Govt. a Chance
Naharnet/January 28/2020
An emergency Christian spiritual summit was held Tuesday in Bkirki at an invitation from Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi with the aim of “discussing the dangerous situations that Lebanon has been going through for more than three months.”
Expressing relief that the new government comprises “ministers who have expertise,” the religious leaders called on the government to “gain the confidence of the Lebanese people, especially its young men and women who have staged a peaceful uprising.”
They also urged it to win the confidence of the international community and donors. “The fathers stress the need for quick efforts to combat corruption, recover the stolen funds and rein in the continued waste of public money,” they said in a statement. Emphasizing on the “right to peaceful protest,” the conferees strongly condemned “hooliganism on the streets and squares, especially in the capital Beirut,” saying they fear that the protest movement “might deviate from its noble goals.”Urging protesters to “act wisely” and “give the government a chance to shoulders its responsibilities,” the Christian leaders appealed to the international community and the Arab countries to “assist Lebanon in economic, financial and developmental reform so that Lebanon can regain its tolerant and peaceful role.”They also called on Lebanese expats to help their homeland at all levels.

Emir of Kuwait Wishes Diab Success in His Missions
Naharnet/January 28/2020
Comment1W460Prime Minister Hassan Diab on Tuesday received a congratulatory cable from Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmed al-Sabah, Lebanon’s National News Agency said. The emir congratulated Diab on the formation of the new government and wished him “success in fulfilling the hopes and aspirations of the brotherly Lebanese people,” NNA said.
Kuwait’s ruler also hailed “the good and firm relations between the State of Kuwait and brotherly Lebanon.”

Wazni, Salameh discuss monetary situation in Lebanon
NNA/Tuesday, 28 January 2020
Finance Minister, Ghazi Wazni, on Tuesday discussed the country’s monetary, financial, and banking situation with Central Bank Governor, Riad Salameh.

Person Reportedly Crosses from Lebanon into Israel
Naharnet/January 28/2020
The Lebanese Army and U.N. peacekeepers went on alert Tuesday evening in the outskirts of the southern border town of Yarin after a person reportedly crossed from Lebanon into Israel, MTV reported. “According to preliminary reports, the person is not Lebanese,” the TV network said. “He entered from the area of al-Aramsheh neighbourhood in Yarin’s outskirts,” MTV added.

Kanaan after bloc meeting: We adhered to competency in government lineup, anti-corruption laws before end of February
NNA/Tuesday, 28 January 2020
The “Strong Lebanon” parliamentary bloc held its periodic meeting this Tuesday under the chairmanship of former Minister Gebran Bassil, whereby conferees maintained that the only criterion adopted when choosing the ministers to represent their political camp in the new government was competence. Speaking on behalf of the bloc, MP Ibrahim Kanaan said “we are ready for cooperation, support and accountability. Our priority as a bloc is to rescue, achieve and help our people and the country out of the current financial and economic impasse.””Having established austerity, started significant structural reform, and took measures to comfort people, it was imperative to approve the budget on its constitutional deadline, for the first time since the 1990s, so that Lebanon can start [its journey] with the new government with a budget — in light of the current crisis,” Kanaan affirmed. “We also discussed the laws submitted by the bloc, related to the entire system of fighting corruption, from recovering looted money, to lifting bank secrecy, lifting immunities, the illicit enrichment law, and the special investigation commission, all of which are laws demanded by the Lebanese people. We submitted those a while ago, and they will be the subject of discussion and approval in a sub-committee to start holding meetings in the next couple of days and implementing these laws before the end of February,” MP Kanaan added. “This type of work is what leads to practical and serious results in terms of public finances, through the bailout plan that we will cooperate to achieve, and the advanced laws and legislation to combat corruption. What is required is to ditch populism and rejection simply for the purpose of rejection,” he said, pushing for integration between the State and the civil society that wants to achieve change and truly desires to get out of the status quo, “unlike the segment that rejects absolutely everything, without allowing for the possibility of achieving anything.”

Othman welcomes Ambassador of Australia, Head of ICRC delegation
NNA/Tuesday, 28 January 2020
Director General of the Internal Security Forces, Major General Imad Othman, received on Tuesday the Australian Ambassador to Lebanon, Rebekah Grindlay, accompanied by the second secretary at the embassy, Angus Minns, on a visit that touched on relations between the two countries and ways of bolstering ties. Discussions also featured high on the overall situation in the country. Othman then met Head of the ICRC delegation in Lebanon, accompanied by a delegation, with talks touching on cooperation prospects between the Internal Security Forces and the International Red Cross.

Makhzoumi tackles overall situation with Rampling
NNA/Tuesday, 28 January 2020
“National Dialogue” Party head, MP Fouad Makhzoumi, welcomed on Tuesday in his office in Downtown Beirut British Ambassador to Lebanon, Chris Rampling, accompanied by new UK Deputy Ambassador Alyson King. Discussions reportedly touched on the general situation in Lebanon and the broad region. On emerging, MP Makhzoumi underlined the importance of relations between Lebanon and Britain, hailing “its permanent support to Lebanon in the various domains.” Makhzoumi also called for “benefiting from Britain’s economic expertise, especially during these difficult circumstances the country is enduring.”

Minister of Information discusses means to revamp MoI with heads of divisions

NNA/Tuesday, 28 January 2020
Information Minister, Dr. Manal Abdel Samad Najad, on Tuesday held a meeting with heads of the Information Ministry’s departments in presence of General Director, Dr. Hassan Falha, who gave her a briefing on the progress of the Ministry’s work. Discussions featured high on a plan to revitalize the ministry’s work in its different departments, as well as on the importance of cooperation and positive interaction so as to bolster media creativity in line with future challenges — most particularly in the field of digital media. The meeting also reviewed the best means to strengthen and develop the work of local media so as to keep pace with regional and international progress. In addition, the minister inspected the directorates and departments of the ministry, giving employees instructions to develop their work skill and to ensure accuracy, reliability, and objectivity.
She also emphasized the national role played by the Ministry of Information.

Jumblatt tackles developments with US Ambassador
NNA/Tuesday, 28 January 2020
Progressive Socialist Party leader, Walid Jumblatt, on Tuesday met at his Clemenceau residence with US Ambassador to Lebanon, Elizabeth Richard, with whom he discussed general developments.

Lebanese newspapers’ headlines for Tuesday, January 28, 2020
NNA/Tuesday, 28 January 2020
ANNAHAR: State budget: Record violations and government is held hostage
ASHARQ-AL-AWSAT: Lebanese Parliament endorses 2020 state budget amid key blocs’ boycott and opposition
Future bloc secures quorum
ASHARQ: Army passes budget
AL-JOUMHOURIA: Christian summit in Bkekri today
THE DAILY STAR:
Parliament endorses 2020 budget in record session
Trump to unveil ‘peace plan’
Thousands flee northwest Syria
Gulf states seen shrugging off new Lebanese govt
Budget alone won’t attract foreign funds

Failure of Diab’s government would be catastrophic for Lebanon
Osama Al-Sharif/Arab News/January 28/2020
After more than 100 days of protests that have crossed sectarian and party lines, Lebanon has a new government under Sunni technocrat Hassan Diab. But it is not the government that protesters wanted. In fact, the 20-member Cabinet reflects the hegemony of the so-called March 8 Alliance and the axis of resistance — a coalition of Hezbollah, Amal and the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM). Hezbollah had the final say over the composition of the Cabinet and can, through controlling a third of loyalist ministers, veto unwanted policies.
Diab was never embraced by the protesters, who wanted an independent Cabinet that would draft a new election law and call for early elections. They also wanted to oust President Michel Aoun, who is a key ally of Hezbollah. Mass anti-government protests had forced Prime Minister Saad Hariri to resign last October. Protesters wanted to end the decades-old control of the political elite over the country’s institutions and resources. No one was to be spared as protesters denounced the sectarian system that had concentrated power in the hands of the few and resulted in blatant corruption, massive foreign debt, unemployment and poverty.
Violent protests broke out last week as the new government sought to present the 2020 budget to Parliament, even before winning a vote of confidence or presenting its program. With key political players like Hariri’s Future Movement, Samir Geagea’s Lebanese Forces and Walid Jumblatt’s Progressive Socialist Party sidelined, Diab’s government will have a tough time passing laws and launching its reform program. In fact, Diab is already running out of time as the country may soon default on bond payments. He has just a few weeks to convince key creditors like France and the US to provide much-needed funding to rescue the country’s ailing economy. Between $5 billion and $20 billion is needed to save Lebanon’s banks, which have been forced to restrict the ability of clients to withdraw their money, particularly in US dollars.
For the International Monetary Fund to step in, it needs Washington’s approval — something that is unlikely to happen for now. Only France appears to be willing to deal with Diab’s government, while the US views it as Hezbollah’s own. In fact, one wonders why Hezbollah has chosen to alienate its rivals and back a one-shade Cabinet that will certainly be rejected by Washington. The role played by discredited pro-Syria politician Jamil Al-Sayyed in the formation of the government has alarmed Lebanese politicians and ordinary citizens alike.
One explanation as to why Hezbollah has chosen to take a leading role in the new government lies in the fact that Lebanon has become another arena in the open US-Iran showdown. It goes without saying that Hezbollah’s main concern is not the immediate stability of Lebanon, but serving Iran’s regional agenda. Aoun’s only interest seems to be to stay as president, no matter the cost, and his controversial son-in-law Gebran Bassil, who heads the FPM, is bent on remaining a central figure in the Lebanese political landscape.
One threat that Hezbollah’s gambit may bring about is heightened sectarian tensions, as Sunnis and Druze, in particular, feel increasingly alienated. Does Hezbollah’s Hassan Nasrallah, now given additional responsibilities by Tehran following the killing of Qassem Soleimani, understand that the failure of Diab’s government would mean the collapse of Lebanon’s economy? More important is the fact that Diab’s failure will be pinned directly on Hezbollah and its allies, dragging the Shiite party to the forefront, when in the past it was satisfied to take a back seat and control from the shadows.
One wonders why Hezbollah has chosen to back a one-shade Cabinet that will certainly be rejected by Washington.
For the US — despite statements that it would want to see genuine reforms adopted as fast as possible in order for it to be convinced to offer credit — political priorities will affect its intentions. The showdown with Iran has reached new levels and Washington is hoping that the strangulation of the Iranian economy will unleash popular protests that will either force Tehran to negotiate a new nuclear deal or bring about the collapse of the regime. Putting pressure on Iran’s proxies in Iraq and Lebanon is part of that strategy.
Time is not on Diab’s side and his efforts to launch genuine reforms will be opposed by the elite political class that has a lot to lose. His failure and possible departure would be catastrophic for Lebanon. Hezbollah may be hoping that, if that happens, it can lure Hariri back to take over. But it forgets one thing: Lebanon, after Oct. 17 and the start of the protests, is a different country. The protesters are not going home anytime soon and their grievances will only increase as the political impasse lingers.
*Osama Al-Sharif is a journalist and political commentator based in Amman. Twitter: @plato010

Lebanon needs a long-term plans for its economy
The National/January 28/2020
The country passed a budget for this year that fails to take into account its financial crisis
One week ago, the Lebanese saw the arrival of prime minister Hassan Diab in the Grand Serail. Yesterday, they witnessed his first day in action. Mr Diab oversaw the passing of a new Lebanese budget in a half-empty Parliament building surrounded by angry protesters.
The budget vote was boycotted by most western-leaning parties, such as Lebanese Forces and Kataib, as well as former and current members of government, except for Mr Diab. It was difficult to avoid attaching any symbolism to the image of Mr Diab, alone amid rows of empty seats. In his solitude, he was defending a budget that his own Cabinet did not draft, and that was championed most eagerly by Hezbollah and its allies – the very political extremists from whom Mr Diab’s appointment was meant to represent a departure.
Lebanon’s new budget was designed by its previous government – that of prime minister Saad Hariri, who resigned in October, just before the country was hit with the full force of a financial crisis that risks throwing the Lebanese pound into freefall. The currency has already lost half of its value on the black market. Meanwhile, banks have imposed draconian capital controls on foreign currency withdrawals in the absence of any official guidelines from the Central Bank. The budget passed yesterday fails to address any of those problems.
The original draft was dated and drawn up in haste just before Mr Hariri left office. It simply listed the total sums of money allocated to 30 ministries, 10 of which, in Mr Diab’s new cabinet, no longer exist. Mr Diab’s iteration is an adaptation containing unrealistic projections of revenue and expenditure, and no plan for the country’s economic crisis.
Mr Hariri’s own Future Movement was among the parties to vote against the budget their leader helped to draft. The MPs who did cast a vote had to summon a certain amount of determination to do so; the entrance to parliament was blocked for a time by protesters, who shouted that their representatives in parliament no longer serve the very people they are supposed to represent. MPs are seen by Lebanon’s cross-religious protest movement as the perpetrators of a sectarian political elite, breaking faith with the population and eroding the population’s faith in the pound.
Mr Diab and his Cabinet do not belong to any party. They were ushered into government by Hezbollah and its allies in an attempt to appease the protest movement. But this tokenistic move is only drawing further rage. Furthermore, a government that is truly hamstrung from breaking with Hezbollah’s paradigm has little chance of attracting the foreign financial assistance that Lebanon so desperately needs.
Mr Hariri’s own Future Movement was among the parties to vote against the budget their leader helped to draft
Mr Diab has vowed to tackle Lebanon’s woes head-on with a “national rescue” cabinet, and announced that his first diplomatic visit will be to some of Lebanon’s traditional donors and allies in the Gulf. The country’s finance minister is also set to meet with a senior official at the International Monetary Fund. But, as donors have long pointed out to successive Lebanese governments, securing funds requires serious initiatives to get the economy back on track. It also means that Mr Diab must gain the trust of international institutions and friendly countries that Lebanon has failed before. At the 2018 Cedre conference for economic development, international donors including France and Saudi Arabia pledged $11 billion to Lebanon, conditional on sweeping reforms. These reforms have yet to materialise.
Mr Diab and his Cabinet now have a chance to make things right for Lebanon. But passing a budget without a long-term vision for the country’s embattled economy, and little support in the street as well as in Parliament, is an underwhelming achievement and will not be sufficient enough to secure the economy. Lebanon’s new cabinet would do well to remember that currencies are not the only things that operate on the basis of popular faith. Governments do, too.

Why is Lebanon’s Gebran Bassil so controversial?
Timour Azhari/Al Jazeera/January 28/2020
Bassil, 49, has seen his fortunes shift since mass protests against corruption and nepotism erupted last year.
Beirut, Lebanon – A colourful mix of insults and allegations of nepotism, racism and corruption is how an average Lebanese protester would describe the country’s former Minister of Foreign Affairs Gebran Bassil.
He is not alone. Lebanon’s entire ruling class has been targeted by protesters who took to the streets more than 100 days ago to demand an end to corruption and sectarian politics.
Bassil is one of the newer politicians on the bloc, having come to power after the country’s 15-year civil war.
But he quickly rose to be a symbol of the cynical sectarian politics and mismanagement that have dominated the post-war era, critics say.
Protesters point to his last 10 years in the government where he moved through the telecommunication, energy and foreign ministries and assumed leadership of one of the country’s biggest parties, the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM).
Lebanon has some of the highest telecommunications costs in the world, and the FPM has held the energy portfolio for a decade while the country remains without uninterrupted electricity supply.
Still, Bassil enjoys unwavering support from his Christian base, who see him as a shrewd hard worker and a protector of their rights.
MP Mario Aoun, a member of Bassil’s FPM parliamentary bloc, told Al Jazeera that Bassil was being “targeted because of his successes”.
Insults from the crowd
When the protests against Lebanon’s corrupt ruling elite broke out more than three months ago, crude chants were aimed at Bassil’s mother. So severe were the insults that Bassil, in his first address after more than two weeks of uncharacteristic silence, apologised to his mother.
“I’m so sorry that you were attacked because of me and it wasn’t your fault. You taught me to love Lebanon,” he said, addressing her in front of crowds of supporters at an organised rally on the outskirts of the capital, Beirut.
Before the protests, Bassil was widely expected to remain a top minister in government for a long time and was thought to be a serious contender for the presidency, a post currently held by his 84-year-old father-in-law, Michel Aoun.
However, he was not named as a minister in Prime Minister Hassan Diab’s new government announced earlier this week.
He was forced to go back on his initial demand to retain a cabinet post and instead name people not directly affiliated with his party.
Bassil’s most recent trouble came when Lebanese people found out he had been invited to speak on a panel about the return of Arab unrest at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
Before the interview on Thursday, 40,000 Lebanese people signed a petition saying he no longer represents them.
CNBC reporter Hadley Gamble asked Bassil how he arrived at the forum on a ministerial salary of about $5,000. Bassil responded that it had been offered to him, rather than paid for by the Lebanese treasury.
Family rule
Bassil’s political career began in earnest after he married one of Aoun’s three daughters, Chantelle, in 1999. This is not unusual in a country where many politicians inherit their posts or marry into power.
He first stood for elections with the FPM in 2005, failing to win a seat in his hometown of Batroun.
He lost again four years later, leading many in Lebanon to joke that he was not even welcome in his own town. But he finally managed to win a seat in his third election bid in 2018.
Despite the presence of other popular figures in the FPM, Aoun had handed Bassil the party’s reigns in 2015 over fears that leadership elections could sow division.
“You really feel like he’s that spoilt kid, because he’s the president’s son-in-law,” Nidal Ayoub, an activist who has led chants on the streets throughout Lebanon’s uprising, told Al Jazeera.
Family politics also plays a large role in the party Bassil leads. Three of the FPM bloc’s 24 members – Salim, Mario and Alain – are all relatives of the president, and, by extension, Bassil.
Chamel Roukoz, one of Aoun’s in-laws, is also an FPM member of parliament, though his relationship with Bassil is frayed over what Roukoz has previously put down to their “different ways of doing things”.
Al Jazeera was unable to reach Bassil for comment while Roukoz and a former brother-in-law of Bassil declined to comment.
Charbel Nahhas, a two-time FPM minister who broke away from the party in 2012, told Al Jazeera that Bassil had been troubled by the impression among his peers that he was in his position because of nepotism. This, Nahhas said, translated into an overbearing approach to politics that led Bassil into chronic conflicts with other parties.
“He’s a hyperactive person. He works on all the files and learns, which is a rare thing to find among politicians in Lebanon,” Nahhas said. “Because he was so hyperactive, he would easily antagonise even those who are with him.”
Bassil has, over the years, led the FPM into public spats with most of the country’s major political parties, who have accused him of engaging in corruption, monopolising top-level appointments and violating the delicate power-sharing agreement that ended the civil war in 1990.
As an ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Bassil also sought to normalise ties with Damascus despite half the country’s political parties opposing the move.
Rhetoric on refugees
During a portion dedicated to Syrian refugee policy at a party event in 2017, Bassil told FPM supporters that, “Yes, we are Lebanese racists, but we know how to be Arab in our belonging, global in our [diaspora] and strong in our openness”.
There are just less than a million Syrian refugees registered with the United Nations in Lebanon, though Lebanese officials including Bassil have said the number is much higher.
“The Syrians have one place to go: Back to their country,” Bassil said during that same event. It is the rhetoric like this that has led many to accuse Bassil of incitement against refugees.
As the leader of the country’s largest Christian party, Bassil has also repeatedly held up government work, including vital appointments, citing Christian representation.
This includes his years-long refusal to sign off on the appointment of forest rangers because most of them are Shia Muslims.
Is Bassil’s career over?
In a recent four-hour interview with Lebanese broadcaster Al Jadeed, Bassil said all the pressure and insults he was facing would only make his resolve stronger.
There were calls to boycott the interview. The interviewers repeatedly alleged he was involved in corruption, as Bassil was forced to defend himself throughout.
It was a far cry from past white-glove treatment by local media, such as a glowing 2018 documentary by another local broadcaster about Bassil titled “The Man Who Doesn’t Sleep”, where he was portrayed as a hard-working family man.
But it is unlikely that Bassil’s career is over. He still heads the biggest party in the Parliament and, importantly, enjoys Hezbollah’s backing.
“I don’t think those leading this campaign against him will be able to win – he’s cunning and clear-headed and on a path, a struggle till the end,” Mario Aoun, the MP, said.
Nahhas, however, believes Bassil will be brought down by the impending collapse of the country.
Lebanon is mired in an economic and financial crisis that new Finance Minister Ghazi Wazni said earlier this week was the worst in its history.
“If the whole system wasn’t falling then he [Bassil] could digest it – lets not forget that the logic of these Zuama (sectarian leaders’) is built on constant fighting and conflict and even if there are 10,000 deaths on both sides, they can reconcile and become national heroes again,” he said.
“But the system is falling apart, and this is what threatens them all.”

Poverty set to deepen with Lebanon’s economic crisis
Michal Kranz/Al Jazeera/January 28/2020
Fear of what the future may hold is palpable, as economic crisis deepens and living standards plummet rapidly.
Beirut, Lebanon – Like many people in Lebanon, Mohammad Ibrahim, a butcher in Beirut’s Aicha Bakkar area, has endured months of financial hardship.
And he sees nothing but more pain on the horizon.
Since nationwide protests broke out in October with thousands railing against government corruption and economic mismanagement, even Ibrahim’s most loyal customers have cut their purchases by roughly half.
“The work is arriving at a rate of 50 percent, because those who have money are losing it,” he told Al Jazeera.
Those losses stem from a host of related factors. Plummeting confidence in the country’s banking sector has fed inflation, sending prices soaring. As faith in the economy falters, businesses close shop or lay off staff, throwing more and more people out of work.
Sara Daouk, a 34-year-old human resources professional in Beirut, said she received her pay cheque for November nearly a month late due to the banking crisis. Now, the mother of two is worried her company might slash salaries and cut back hours in the coming months, biting deeper into her income at a time when she can least afford it.
“The middle class will become wiped out,” Daouk told Al Jazeera. “Where they will go, I don’t know.”
As the country’s economic and political crisis deepens, it has fuelled fears that poverty levels will spike across Lebanon. And though some analysts believe the country can turn its financial fortunes around in the long-run, others are warning that violent demonstrations are likely to grow as living standards plummet.
Protests continue as poverty beckons
After being formally tasked with forming a government to address the economic crisis and the social unrest spawned in its wake, Prime Minister Hassan Diab announced a new cabinet on January 21.
But people continue to rail against the government’s inability to act with the urgency many feel the crisis demands.
Earlier this month, protesters targeted financial institutions in a “week of rage” over government inaction and foot-dragging that had lasted for nearly three months.
On January 18 and 19, anti-government demonstrators in the capital Beirut clashed with security forces in some of the most violent confrontations since demonstrations broke out last October.
“People [are becoming] more poor, so they [are becoming] more angry,” Hady Ezzeddin, a protester who clashed with security forces on January 18, told Al Jazeera. “I don’t blame people, I blame the authorities that they didn’t give any solution to solve the situation.”
“People have no choice,” he added. “Unfortunately it will become more violent.”
On January 21 protesters hit the streets again to vent their distrust in the newly formed cabinet, which many believe maintains the power of the country’s traditional party blocs.
All the while, fear of what the future holds is palpable on the nation’s streets.
The Lebanese pound has been pegged to the United States dollar for 22 years. Officially, 1500 Lebanese pounds can buy $1. On black market exchanges, it now takes 2000 Lebanese pounds to buy one greenback.
“If you factor in the increase in prices, [people’s] purchasing power has dwindled by 90 percent,” Sami Nader, the director of the Levant Institute for Strategic Affairs, told Al Jazeera.
Compounding that pain is a sudden loss of income. Research company InfoPro estimates more than 160,000 workers were either temporarily or indefinitely laid off between mid-October and the end of November.
Many Lebanese are moving closer to the brink of poverty.
The World Bank warned in November that if confidence was not restored in Lebanon’s economy, the poverty rate could rise to roughly half the population from about one-third in 2018. Youth unemployment – already high, could also see an even steeper rise.
“Thinking that the level of poverty may grow up to 50 percent is something very logical, and it may grow even higher,” Adib Nehme, the former United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia told Al Jazeera.
Nehme says that although the absolute poverty rate will remain higher in Lebanon’s north and in the Bekaa Valley, historically less depressed areas like Beirut and parts of Mount Lebanon will see a more noticeable increase, potentially bringing them to a poverty rate of 40 percent.
Uncertain future
“From the start, we in Lebanon had a high rate of poverty,” Osama, a young man who works at a shisha shop, told Al Jazeera at a protest against Diab’s nomination in Beirut.
“Now, if the lira continues to rise, and we don’t bring it down, I don’t know what we will do.”
Tripoli, Lebanon’s second-largest and poorest major city, provides a window into what life in Lebanon may look like if Nehme and the World Bank’s estimates come to pass.
Fifty-three percent of working-age people in Tripoli were unemployed in 2017 according to the World Bank, and 77 percent were “deprived” in terms of economic status, according to a 2015 United Nations study.
“We don’t have homes, or any jobs, or anything,” Bassem, an anti-government protester in Tripoli’s Nour Square, told Al Jazeera last month. “I have children who want to eat
“In Tripoli, the situation is already dire for the last few years, and it’s worsening,” Mustafa Allouch, a former parliamentarian from Tripoli with former Prime Minister Saad Hariri’s Future Movement party, told Al Jazeera. “Tripoli will probably suffer the most.”
Nehme predicts the poverty rate in Tripoli may soon reach 80 percent and that nationwide participation in Lebanon’s protests will likely increase in the coming weeks and months as access to basic goods and services falls. He even sees this in places where parties like Hezbollah have tried to control dissent through violent crackdowns, with mixed success.
Wadih Akl, a member of the political bureau of the Free Patriotic Movement – one of a handful of parties that backed Diab during consultations – told Al Jazeera that the battle against mounting poverty begins with recovering funds lost to corruption and facilitating the return of refugees to Syria – a controversial measure in Lebanese politics.
The path out of the crisis will also likely require a rescue plan, including reforms to unlock aid from abroad and possibly a bailout from the International Monetary Fund.
But with so many members of the new government hand-picked by traditional political parties, some see little hope for meaningful change.
“The same system is in place,” said Nader. “The system that was responsible for the crisis.”