A Bundle Of English Reports, News and Editorials For March 03-04/2020 Addressing the On Going Mass Demonstrations & Sit In-ins In Iranian Occupied Lebanon in its 139th Day
Compiled By: Elias Bejjani
March 04/2020
Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on March 03-04/2020
Lebanon’s Iranian Cancerous Occupation and The Required Solutions/Elias Bejjani/March 03/2020
Focus/Dr.Walid Phares/Face Book/March 03/2020
Indecisive Iranian Stance over French Calls to Help Lebanon
President Aoun discusses with Industry minister ways to support industrialists
Hasan Says Lebanon Hospitals Ready to Contain Coronavirus
Woman ‘Heals’ as Lebanon Says No Coronavirus Cases Recorded Today
Araji on Coronavirus: Lebanon in Containment Stage
Evacuation of Real Estate Court in Nabatieh over Coronavirus suspicion
Lebanon prosecutor grills bankers over flight of billions of dollars
Lebanese Embassy in Rome Advises Nationals to Avoid Travel to Lebanon
Protests Near Swiss Embassy Demand Refund of ‘Stolen’ Public Money
Report: Lebanon’s Banks Say Ready to Cooperate on Rescheduling Debt
Diab chairs meeting for waste management committee, receives Consultative Gathering MPs
Mustaqbal Slams ‘Politicized’ Response to Planes from Virus-Hit Iran
Jumblat Calls for Closing ‘All’ Crossings over Virus
‘Strong Lebanon’ bloc calls for national approach to financial crisis
Akar, interlocutors tackle general situation
Ministry of Health: First diagnosed case in Lebanon have tested negative for coronavirus
Sheikh Akl meets with Ambassador of Pakistan
Army chief meets Indian ambassador
Media and Telecom committee discusses Information Ministry’s future plan
Information Minister, Chinese Ambassador discuss media ties, Coronavirus updates
Media uses during Lebanon’s October 17 revolution
Lebanon’s economic collapse spells doom for Mideast Christians
David J. Malloy, Gregory Mansour and Abdallah Elias Zaidan/The New York Post/March 03/2020
Dr.Walid Phares’s Comments Of the Piece published by The New York Post
Lebanon crisis: How the US can bypass Hezbollah and help the people/Bilal Saab/The National/March 03/2020
The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on March 03-04/2020
Lebanon’s Iranian Cancerous Occupation and The Required Solutions
سرطان الإحتلال الإيراني للبنان والحلول الدولية المطلوبة
Elias Bejjani/March 03/2020
Lebanon’s current problem is the cancerous Hezbollah’s Iranian Occupation that is systematic, and since 1982 has been covertly and overtly devouring Lebanon and everything that is Lebanese in all domains and on all levels.
The Solution is through the UN declaring Lebanon a rogue-failed country and the strict implementation of the three UN Resolutions addressing Lebanon’s
ongoing dilemma of occupation:
The Armistice agreement
The 1559 UN Resolution
The 1701UN Resolution.
All other approaches, no matter what, will only serve the occupying Mullah’s vicious scheme of destroying Lebanon and strengthening its ironic, terrorist grip on the Lebanese.
All Pro-Lebanon’s Freedom demonstrations in any country in the Diaspora that are carried on by the Lebanese MUST call for this only International solution.
Meanwhile, yes, Lebanon and the Lebanese are facing very serious crises, hardships and problems in all life sectors; e.g., poverty, unemployment, corruption, drug trafficking, money laundering, politicization of the judiciary, electricity shortage, a scandalous disarray in trash collection, lack of health benefits, education, and numerous social services … and the list goes on and on.
BUT, non of these hardships in any way or at any time will be solved as long as the terrorist Iranian Hezbollah remains occupying the country and terrorizing its people. At the same time, the majority of Lebanese officials, politicians and political parties are actually the enemies of both Lebanon and its citizens.
In this context, President Michael Aoun, His son-in-law, the FM, Jobran Bassil, Amin Gymael and his son Sami, PM, Saad Hariri, Druze leader Walid Jumblat, House Speaker Nabih Berri, Lebanese Forces Party leader Samir Geagea, Slieman Frangea and many other politicians, as well as numerous topnotch clergymen from all denominations are all cut from the same garment of oligarchic, narcissism, trojanism, greed, and feudalism in their mentality and education.
They all, with no sense of patriotism, have succumbed to the Hezbollah’s Iranian savage occupation.
They all and each from his status and based on his capacity and influence, have traded Lebanon’s independence, freedom, decision making process and sovereignty with mere personal power and financial gains.
In reality, they have sold their country to the occupier, Hezbollah, and with no shame have accepted the status of Dhimmitudes, puppets, tools, trumpets, cymbals and mouthpieces for the terrorist occupier. They betrayed, and still betraying, the country and their own people.
In this realm, the Lebanese demonstrators who are loudly shouting the Slogan, “All of them” are 100% right and are righteously witnessing for the truth because all of the above political and official prominent figures are practically mere merchants with numbed consciences.
All Of Them definitely means all of them.
It is worth mentioning that the Lebanese constitution is ideal for the nature of the multi-cultural and multi-religious denominational composition of the mosaic of diversified Lebanese society.
The governing disasters that have been targeting and hitting Lebanon since the early seventies has nothing to do with the great and ideal covenantal (unwritten pact) constitution, but with the foreign occupations and the oligarchic Lebanese corrupted officials and politicians.
My fellow patriotic and God fearing Lebanese from all religious denominations and all walks of life in both Lebanon and the Diaspora, stand tall and steadfast like our cedars. Do not lose faith or give up on hope, and never ever forget that our beloved, country, Lebanon is holy.
Yes, Lebanon is holy and has been blessed by Almighty God since he created man and woman and put them on earth.
Pray for our oppressed and occupied country and that Almighty God shall always guard, protect and defend it through His saints and angels.
Focusركزوا على دور حزب الله في لبنان
Dr.Walid Phares/Face Book/March 03/2020
What Hezbollah does or doesn’t in Syria, what battle they fight there or not, is a matter for the Syrians to address. Lebanese should focus like a laser on Hezbollah role in Lebanon, and more particularly on ensuring a space from where Hezbollah should evacuate, until it is it time to implement UNSCR 1559.
Even the minimum to achieve in Lebanon, is huge. So, people should focus on the minimum feasible and pull it out. Because in my view, the minimum is feasible if free Lebanese pull together. And more importantly, let those who want to achieve the minimum do their job, and those who blame the whole world for their miseries, take their time blaming. For time is not an endless commodity…
Indecisive Iranian Stance over French Calls to Help Lebanon
Beirut – Khalil Fleihan/Asharq Al-Awsat/Tuesday, 3 March, 2020
France held talks with Iran to help Lebanon overcome its economic crisis, however, Tehran said it was assessing the current situation in the country, without giving any clear response over the matter, diplomatic sources in Paris told Asharq Al-Awsat. France is also holding talks with several Arab countries to pave the way for Lebanese Prime Minister Hassan Diab to visit them after Paris heard that some of these states did not welcome the new government, considering that pro-Iranian parties were behind its formation, according to the same sources.Earlier, talks between Lebanese Foreign Minister Nassif Hitti and his French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian discussed ways that France could help Lebanon exit its current economic crisis. During the talks, Le Drian assured that his country would not allow Lebanon’s economy to collapse, however, he also stressed the need to carry out the required reforms, especially regarding the electricity and corruption issues. As for the French message to the Lebanese people, it called on them to do everything possible to prevent provocative and violent acts to safeguard the citizens’ right to demonstrate peacefully.
President Aoun discusses with Industry minister ways to support industrialists
NNA/March 03/2020
President Michel Aoun met Industry Minister, Imad Hoballah, today at Baabda Palace.
Minister Hobbalah briefed the President about contacts which he had made with the Central Bank Governor, which aimed to encourage industrialists and maintain the work of factories. Hobbalah also thanked President Aoun for his continuous support and efforts, for the industry.
Minister Hoballah’s Statement: “I had the honor to meet with His Excellency, the President. The meeting was positive, as expected. His Excellency is well-known for his supportive stances for the industry and industrialists. We discussed the industrial file, and I briefed the President on developments related to the industrial sector, especially regarding liquidity from hard currencies for industrialists, for purchasing the raw materials required for factories to operate, and maintain the function of their machinery. Even if we were surprised by a slight interruption in some place. To remove any confusion about this issue, the amount allocated for transfer abroad, which is worth One Hundred Million Dollars, is no gift, loan or advance payment. It is only a little push to boost the wheel of industry. It is from the funds of industrialists, which are frozen in banks. This constitutes an opportunity for industrialists to purchase raw materials. This is a positive first step, because the annual need is close to 3 Billion Dollars, which is way more than a Hundred Million Dollars. His Excellency affirms that these funds are an economic and social safety valve. If factories are stopped, the dependence on the outside increases, the import increases, the transfer and smuggling of funds increases. Trade, industry, agriculture and retail stores are negatively affected, hence unemployment and poverty increase.
The time has come for machines to spin in factories, and operate the economic cycle, and secure their integration. I hope that banks will stop seizing funds in what resembles a quarantine, or preventive detention. The issue is not similar to Corona epidemic, neither a check without balance. The Central and private banks should liberate depositors’ money. Wrong policies to pay the high interest have brought us here, to what we are currently undergoing. From here, we start with a workshop to rebuild trust between the ordinary depositor, the investor and the bank, and thus with the state and officials.
I briefed the President on some of the procedures which are being done in our Ministry, most important of which is facilitating the grant of industrial licenses and dispensing with some deadly bureaucratic procedures in terms of working as a group with different ministries to reduce the time needed for industrialists to issue licenses.
We also discussed the importance of supporting industrialists and working with several institutions such as IDAL, and the importance of activating the role of economic attaches in Lebanese embassies abroad. This grave crises requires their efforts and a network of relations between Lebanese industrialists, foreign markets and expatriate forces. We also discussed the possibility of securing the state’s commons for farmers’ benefit, at nominal prices to encourage agriculture in various Lebanese regions.
We also tackled the issue of medicine and its manufacture in Lebanon, and His Excellency encouraged us to proceed with this project as soon as possible”.
Questions and Answers: Responding to a question, Hoballah explained that “The required amount, today, is around 3 Billion Dollars, while the Hundred Million is a simple dose which contributes in a slight way, to the launch of the industrial wheel. We have been promised, by the Governor of Central Bank, to secure larger amounts ranging between 300 to 600 Million US Dollars, during the next month if possible. This is his promise, and we are working with his Excellency the President and the Prime Minister, through their full support, to secure greater funds.
We thank them because without this support we wouldn’t be able to get this amount at the moment”.—Presidency Press Office
Hasan Says Lebanon Hospitals Ready to Contain Coronavirus
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/March 03/2020
Lebanon’s health minister said Tuesday hospitals were ready to deal with any further spread of the novel coronavirus in the country, where 13 cases have been recorded with no deaths. Hamad Hasan said the cases had all either returned from an affected country or were transmitted through “close contact” with a family member or neighbor — not “local transmission.”All 13 people suffering from the COVID-19 illness are being treated at Beirut’s Rafik Hariri state hospital, where 140 beds have been designated to isolate and monitor suspected cases, he added. Hasan said measures had also been taken beyond Beirut, naming eight cities across the country where hospital wards had been put aside as Lebanon works to contain the virus nationwide. “We have designated 20 to 40 beds in each facility to follow any unexpected developments as part of a precautionary plan,” he said. They include a monitoring area for patients suspected of having caught the coronavirus along with one or two quarantine units, he said. In what he described as a “positive sign,” Hassan said the country’s first case, a 45-year-old woman who had tested positive for the virus after visiting Qom in virus-hit Iran, had now tested negative. “A second laboratory test will be conducted tomorrow, and she will be discharged and sent home if the negative result is confirmed,” his ministry said earlier in a statement. That showed that “there’s no need for hysterical panic,” Hasan said. On Friday, Lebanon said it would deny entry to non-resident foreigners arriving from China, South Korea, Iran and Italy. Schools, universities and other educational institutions have been closed until March 8. Globally, more than 92,000 people have been infected and more than 3,100 killed since the virus first emerged in China’s Hubei province late last year. Of those, the coronavirus has claimed 77 lives in Iran, where thousands of Lebanese Shiite Muslims head each year to visit religious shrines.
Woman ‘Heals’ as Lebanon Says No Coronavirus Cases Recorded Today
Naharnet/March 03/2020
Lebanon’s first coronavirus patient tested negative for the virus on Tuesday as lab tests conducted for all suspected cases over the past 24 hours also indicated that they are not infected, the Health Ministry said. The Ministry added in a statement that the test will be repeated Wednesday for the country’s first patient and that she will be discharged from hospital should she anew test negative. The patient has been identified as 45-year-old Taghrid Saqr. She had arrived on a plane from virus-hit Iran on February 20. The number of recorded cases had surged to 13 on Monday as three more people tested positive for the virus. The Lebanese Red Cross meanwhile transferred a man showing severe flu symptoms from Akkar’s al-Sahleh to the Rafik Hariri University Hospital in Beirut for coronavirus testing, the National News Agency said. Moreover, Justice Minister Marie-Claude Najm and the Higher Judicial Council ordered the suspension of sessions at all courts and judicial departments from March 4 until March 6 in order to equip justice palaces with anti-coronavirus precaution tools.
Araji on Coronavirus: Lebanon in Containment Stage
Naharnet/March 03/2020
Lawmaker Assem Araji on Tuesday lauded the medical team efforts at the Rafik Hariri University Hospital, saying they are “the front medical defense line in the country,” against the coronavirus disease. Araji, who spoke to reporters after the Health, Labor, and Social Affairs Parliamentary Committee’s meeting, said a department has been initiated at the RHUH to treat coronavirus cases. He said 12 isolation rooms will be prepared. “13 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Lebanon, all of whom have arrived to Lebanon from abroad,” said the lawmaker, noting that despite the fact that Lebanon was still in the containment stage (which involves spotting cases quickly) some government hospitals must be prepared to receive coronavirus cases in case of an outbreak. Araji also confirmed that the coronavirus diagnostic testing was only approved at Rafic Hariri Hospital — not in laboratories, and that it was free of charge.
Evacuation of Real Estate Court in Nabatieh over Coronavirus suspicion
NNA/March 03/2020
Upon the request of President of the appeal courts in south Lebanon, Judge Asaad Gideon, the Real Estate Court Hall in Nabatieh was evacuated on Tuesday after one of the Internal Security Forces members fell unconscious and registered a rise in temperature.
Accordingly, Gideon contacted the mayor of Nabatieh and requested immediate sterilization of the hall’s different departments in order to preserve public safety.
Lebanon prosecutor grills bankers over flight of billions of dollars
The New Arab/March 03/2020
Lebanon is currently facing its worst economic crisis since its civil war .A Lebanese prosecutor on Monday grilled bankers about the flight of around $2 billion in the past months despite strict banking restrictions in the crisis-hit country, judicial sources said. Banks have since September imposed increasingly tight limits on dollar withdrawals and transfers abroad as part of measures to tackle a severe liquidity crisis. But bankers stand accused of sending millions of dollars abroad despite those limitations enacted since mass anti-government protests erupted on 17 October. Lebanese banking association head Salim Sfeir, as well as representatives from 14 banks, appeared before financial prosecutor Ali Ibrahim, the sources said. They testified “over the transfer abroad of 2.3 billion dollars during the two months since the start of the popular uprising”, they said. They were questioned over “the causes of the transfers abroad of the money of bank owners, which reduced liquidity in the internal financial markets”. They were also asked why other depositors were unable to make transfers abroad for trade or to pay tuition fees. Bankers were asked to justify “the inability of depositors to withdraw from their US dollar accounts… while that restriction did not apply to the powerful”. Lebanon is currently facing its worst economic crisis since its 1975-1990 civil war. The value of the Lebanese pound has plummeted on the black market, prices have risen, and many businesses have been forced to slash salaries, dismiss staff or close. Lebanon is one of the most indebted countries in the world, with a public debt equivalent to 150 percent of its GDP. The country is now under pressure to pay a $1.2 billion Eurobond maturity on 9 March. Economists warn payment on time would eat away at plummeting foreign currency reserves, while bankers say a default would damage Lebanon’s reputation with lenders. Bank of America Merill Lynch in a November report estimated that around 50 percent of Eurobonds were held by local banks, while the central bank had around 11 percent. Foreign investors owned the remainder, or around 39 percent, it said. But these figures may have changed, with local media reporting that local banks have recently sold a chunk of their Eurobonds to foreign lenders. The judicial sources said those summoned on Monday were also asked about those sales, but they did not provide further details on their answers. Representatives of other banks are to be called in later this week.
Lebanese Embassy in Rome Advises Nationals to Avoid Travel to Lebanon
Naharnet/March 03/2020
The Lebanese Embassy in Rome called in a statement on all Lebanese nationals in Italy to exercise caution and follow the general precaution guidelines facing the widespread of COVID-19 disease, the National News Agency reported on Tuesday. NNA said the embassy advised Lebanese residing in Italy to avoid travel to Lebanon at the present time “except when absolutely necessary,” in order to avoid the transmission of the virus, which can be deadly to their families, especially the elderly, and those with low immunity. The statement also emphasized that it was advisable to undergo Coronavirus diagnostic testing before traveling to Lebanon if possible. The embassy finally stated that the medical system in Italy was one of the most important medical systems ever. “Dealing with the Coronavirus in Italy has proven to be highly professional as successful treatments have exceeded 90 percent.
Protests Near Swiss Embassy Demand Refund of ‘Stolen’ Public Money
Naharnet/March 03/2020
Lebanese protesters and several MPs staged a sit-in near the Swiss embassy in Beirut demanding the refund of capital flight transferred abroad after the October 17 uprising, as Lebanon grapples with a liquidity crisis unprecedented in its history. They gathered in front of the embassy before meeting with Swiss Ambassador to Lebanon, Monika Schmutz Kirgِz, to deliver a petition they had signed to recover looted state funds. The petition has been signed by the following MPs: Shamil Roukoz, Jean Talouzian, George Oqaiis, Marwan Hamadeh, Fouad Makhzoumi, Michel Moawad, Paula Yaqoubian, Sami Gemayel, Elias Hanaksh, and Nadim Gemayel. The protesters say the names of individuals who transferred funds abroad must be revealed which would greatly assist to “topple the banks cartel.”“Shall concerned parties abroad reveal the names of those who transfered funds, it would be a great step in toppling the banks cartel,” they say. The protesters said: “We are counting on the Supreme Judicial Council, which is trying to accomplish the appointments away from political quotas. Shall courts fail to play their role in protecting the rights of depositors, then the people’s courts must be established.” On Monday, Lebanese prosecutor grilled bankers over more than 2 billion dollars in capital flight in past months despite strict banking restrictions in the crisis-hit country. Banks have since September imposed increasingly tight limits on dollar withdrawals and transfers abroad as part of measures to tackle a severe liquidity crisis. But bankers stand accused of having sent millions of dollars abroad despite those limitations since mass anti-government protests erupted on October 17.
Report: Lebanon’s Banks Say Ready to Cooperate on Rescheduling Debt
Naharnet/March 03/2020
Lebanon’s banks on Tuesday expressed readiness to cooperate with the government in order to reschedule the state’s debt, a media report said. “But they called on the government to negotiate with the foreign firms,” LBCI TV reported. “The banks believe that it is better to negotiate with the foreign parties instead of not paying,” the TV network added. A delegation from the Association of Banks in Lebanon meanwhile held talks with Prime Minister Hassan Diab at the Grand Serail, after which it announced that ABL backs whichever decision that might be taken by the government. Diab had met with Speaker Nabih Berri in Ain el-Tineh ahead of his talks with the ABL delegation. The premier had announced Monday that Lebanon’s final decision on whether or not to pay a $1.2 billion Eurobond debt that matures on March 9 would be taken Friday or Saturday. “The decision will preserve the rights of small and medium depositors as well as Lebanon’s interest,” Diab said. Lebanon is currently facing its worst economic crisis since its 1975-1990 civil war. The value of the Lebanese pound has plummeted on the black market, prices have risen, and many businesses have been forced to slash salaries, dismiss staff or close. Lebanon is one of the most indebted countries in the world, with a public debt equivalent to 150 percent of its GDP. The country is now under pressure to pay a $1.2 billion Eurobond maturity on March 9. Economists warn payment on time would eat away at plummeting foreign currency reserves, while bankers say a default would damage Lebanon’s reputation with lenders. Bank of America Merill Lynch in a November report estimated that around 50 percent of Eurobonds were held by local banks, while the central bank had around 11 percent. Foreign investors owned the remainder, or around 39 percent, it said. But these figures may have changed, with local media reporting that local banks have recently sold a chunk of their Eurobonds to foreign lenders.
Diab chairs meeting for waste management committee, receives Consultative Gathering MPs
NNA/March 03/2020
The ministerial committee tasked with solving Lebanon’s waste management dossier on Tuesday held a meeting at the Grand Serail chaired by Prime Minister Hassan Diab, with Ministers of Defense, Interior, Environment, Health, Public Works and Transport, Industry, and Agriculture partaking in the session.
Minister of Environment, Damianos Kattar, later said that attendees tackled the development of a roadmap aiming at solving the waste crisis, adding in this context that a follow-up meeting will be held next week. Separately, the Prime Minister met with members of the Consultative Gathering bloc: MPs Faisal Karami, Abdul Rahim Mrad, Adnan Traboulsi, Kassem Hashem and Walid Sukkarieh, as well as former Minister Hassan Mrad, in the presence of Minister of Telecommunications, Talal Hawat. Discussions featured high on the recent local developments. Speaking after the meeting, Karami expressed the bloc’s full support to Diab’s Cabinet. ——Grand Serail Press Office
Mustaqbal Slams ‘Politicized’ Response to Planes from Virus-Hit Iran
Naharnet/March 03/2020
Al-Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc on Tuesday criticized what it described as “a major flaw in the measures that accompanied the arrival of the Iranian planes from the cities of Mashhad and Qom to Beirut,” amid the major outbreak of the COVID-19 coronavirus in Iran.
“The spread of the disease and the confirmation of new cases against which there had been warnings expose a major flaw in the measures that accompanied the arrival of the Iranian planes from the cities of Mashhad and Qom to Beirut from the very first day,” the bloc said in a statement issued after its weekly meeting. “The pandemic has been dealt with lightly and with political backgrounds that are not compatible with the least public safety requirements,” it lamented. The bloc said Lebanese authorities should have “established an airlift to transfer the Lebanese seeking to return home and no to leave things to the chaos which resulted in the spread of the infection from travelers who were not quarantined or who did not abide by the requirements of proper isolation.”Accordingly, al-Mustaqbal called for “a decision that would spare the Lebanese the risk of the coronavirus” whether the threat is coming from “Iran or any other state in the world.”Lebanon has so far confirmed thirteen coronavirus cases. The Health Ministry said the country’s first coronavirus patient – a Lebanese woman who arrived from Iran — tested negative for the virus on Tuesday as lab tests conducted for all suspected cases over the past 24 hours also indicated that they are not infected.
Jumblat Calls for Closing ‘All’ Crossings over Virus
Naharnet/March 03/2020
Progressive Socialist Party leader ex-MP Walid Jumblat on Tuesday said Lebanon must shut down all crossings into the country to prevent further spread of the coronavirus disease. “All crossings of death be it land, sea and air crossings into Lebanon must be closed,” said Jumblat in a tweet, stressing the necessity to set various quarantine centers for patients to receive care to facilitate treatment. “Quarantine centers must be distributed to facilitate treatment,” he said. Lebanon, which recorded 13 cases of the COVID-19 disease, receives cases at Beirut’s state Rafik Hariri University Hospital. Officials have been weighing the possibility of setting quarantine centers in Lebanon’s five constituencies. Lebanon on Monday barred a Syrian bus from entering the country after suspecting that a girl on it is infected with the COVID-19 coronavirus, as an Iranian plane carrying 178 passengers landed at Beirut’s Rafik Hariri International Airport.
‘Strong Lebanon’ bloc calls for national approach to financial crisis
NNA/March 03/2020
The “Strong Lebanon” parliamentary bloc on Tuesday highlighted the necessity to approach the current financial situation in the country within a national framework considering its impact on the entire Lebanese people as well on Lebanon’s future for years to come. The bloc, which convened in a weekly meeting, called to government for technical follow-up on the financial issue, stressing on the obligation to protect the money of depositors and the finances of the state. On the large money transfers abroad, the bloc indicated that it would follow up on this affair through the official and legal channels to unveil the truth. On a different note, the bloc invited those taking aim at the electricity plan to provide alternatives.
Akar, interlocutors tackle general situation
NNA/March 03/2020
Vice Prime Minister, National Defense Minister Zeina Akar Adra, received this Tuesday in her office at the Ministry the Ambassador of Uruguay to Lebanon, Luis Ricardo Nario Fagundez, with talks reportedly touching on the bilateral relations between the two countries.
Minister Akar then met with the ambassadors of Canada Emmanuelle Lamoureux, Switzerland Monica Schmutz Kirgoz, and Norway Leni Stenseth. Talks reportedly touched on the Country’s general situation in light of current challenges. On the other hand, Akar welcomed in her office UN Assistant Secretary-General for Middle East, Asia and the Pacific in the Departments of Political and Peace building Affairs and Peace Operations, Khaled Khiari, and Head of the UNIFIL mission, General Commander Stefano del Col, accompanied by a delegation. Al Khiari confirmed the UN’s continued support to Lebanon. The work of UNIFIL in south Lebanon featured high on their talks. Among the Minister’s itinerant visitors for today had been Baalbek-Hermel Governor Bachir Khodor, with the general situation topping their discussions.
Ministry of Health: First diagnosed case in Lebanon have tested negative for coronavirus
NNA/March 03/2020
The Ministry of Public Health announced in a statement on Tuesday that the first case that was diagnosed with coronavirus in Lebanon had tested negative for the disease. The statement added that the patient would be retested tomorrow. It also indicated that all suspected cases over the last 24 hours had tested negative for coronavirus.
Sheikh Akl meets with Ambassador of Pakistan
NNA/March 03/2020
Druze Sheikh Akl, Naim Hassan, on Tuesday met at the House of the Druze Community in Beirut, Ambassador of Pakistan to Lebanon, Najeeb Durrani, with whom he discussed the bilateral relations and the means to strengthen joint cooperation between the two sides.
Ambassador Durrani extended an invitation to Sheikh Akl to visit Pakistan, as per a statement by the Druze Community House. Sheikh Akl welcomed the ambassador of Pakistan, hailing all efforts aimed at establishing peace in the whole world, especially among Muslims, and rejecting all forms of discrimination, violence and reprisal, statement added. The senior Sheikh also stressed that “the Druze community has always been and will always remain with the “open” Islam and against terrorism, as per statement. Speaking in the wake of the meeting, Ambassador Durrani said the visit was an occasion to exchange views related to the Druze community, in particular, and Islam, in general, and Pakistan’s role for the sake of achieving peace.
Army chief meets Indian ambassador
NNA/March 03/2020
Army Commander, Joseph Aoun, on Tuesday received at his Yarzeh office the Indian Ambassador to Lebanon, Shail Ajaz Khan, accompanied by the Indian Military Attaché Surya Pratap Singh Rawat. Discussions reportedly touched on cooperation relations between the armies of both countries.
Media and Telecom committee discusses Information Ministry’s future plan
NNA/March 03/2020
The House committee of Media and Telecommunications convened at the Parliament on Tuesday under the chairmanship of MP Hussein Hajj Hassan, in the presence of Minister of Information, Manal Abdel Samad. The committee reportedly discussed the Information Ministry’s future media plan. MP Hajj Hassan is scheduled to hold a press conference at 10:00 am tomorrow (Wednesday) to tackle this project.
Information Minister, Chinese Ambassador discuss media ties, Coronavirus updates
NNA/March 03/2020
Minister of Information, Dr. Manal Abdel Samad Najd, on Tuesday welcomed at her ministerial office Chinese Ambassador to Lebanon, Wang Kejian, with whom she discussed media relations, as well as the novel Coronavirus outbreak. For his part, the Chinese diplomat briefed Minister Abdel Samad on the latest Coronavirus developments in China, sharing with her some positive attempts to control the virus, and the possibility of treating it. “We discussed the role of the media in times of crisis, and the need to publish true and accurate news. We also touched on the substantial role of the media in communication between the government and the people, in coordination with various state apparatuses,” the Chinese diplomat explained. The meeting had also been an occasion to broach the fruitful media cooperation between Lebanon and China. “I assured Minister Abdel Samad that the Chinese side is ready for more cooperation, whether with the Ministry of Information or with the informal media, because this cooperation is very beneficial for both Lebanon and China,” Kejian added.
Media uses during Lebanon’s October 17 revolution
Annahar/March 03/2020
Television stations were revealed to be the most trusted source of news for the Lebanese population, followed by WhatsApp and Facebook respectively.
BEIRUT: The Institute of Media Research and Training (IMRT) at the Lebanese American University (LAU) unveiled Monday a study on media use and trust during the October 17 revolution as part of the School of Arts and Sciences’ seminar series launch.
The study, executed at a time when protests gripped the country, aimed to explore which media platforms the Lebanese public sought for at the time, as well as the main media platforms they used to share news about the protests.
“This study measures selective exposure during protests. When studies abroad study selective exposure, they don’t apply to us; they don’t have protests going on, an economic collapse, closures, a war next door or diseases ravaging their countries,” said Jad Melki, Ph.D. Director of IMRT and Chairperson of the Department of Communication Arts. “These are very unique situations that make our study unique.”
The study surveyed 1000 participants and unveiled multiple patterns. Television stations were revealed to be the most trusted source of news for the Lebanese population, followed by WhatsApp and Facebook respectively. Amongst the TV channels, Al-Jadeed and LBCI were found to be the most followed and trusted, followed by MTV. The least trusted news channels included OTV, al-Manar, and NBN. “The survey was distributed to all the different Lebanese governorates in a balanced manner to represent the Lebanese population,” said Claudia Kozman, Ph.D., Research Director at IMRT and Assistant Professor of journalism at LAU, noting that they used the random stratified sampling procedure. The same survey conducted in Lebanon was sent to countries such as Chile, France, Iraq, Hong Kong and Iran.
“This study is part of a big study being done all over the world, which we started in Lebanon,” explained Kozman. “This is a base for comparative research, which would help the theory we are testing; selective exposure and the psychological theory behind it, which is cognitive dissonance.”
Also unveiling the study were the Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences Cathia Jenainati, and editor of Al Adab journal, Samah Idriss. “Throughout this semester, there will be multiple research seminars that are open to the public,” Jenainati said. “What we are hoping to do is not only get people to hear what we have to say, but also welcome feedback on our research and ways in which the community wants us to undertake it in a local and regional context.”
The research was funded by LAU’s School of Arts and Sciences (SoAS) and the Office of Graduate Studies and Research (GSR).
Lebanon’s economic collapse spells doom for Mideast Christians
David J. Malloy, Gregory Mansour and Abdallah Elias Zaidan/The New York Post/March 03/2020
Last month, the US Senate confirmed America’s new ambassador to Lebanon, Dorothy Shea. She will need all the help she can get. Although the ambassador is well-respected for her regional expertise, she is dealing with a country on the verge of economic “implosion,” according to the World Bank, and one mired in formidable humanitarian and security challenges. Lebanon’s Christian community, the largest in the Middle East (excluding Egypt), is at risk.
She should have the help of a special envoy who can bolster and broaden her outreach.
Ambassador Shea takes up her post just as that small Mediterranean country is poised to hit rock bottom in a downward economic spiral brought on by entrenched governmental mismanagement. For years, the government has failed to meet international goals for reducing deficit spending. It even passed up generous aid by Cedre, a multilateral donors’ conference for Lebanon, rather than adopt reforms.
March 9 marks the first of several deadlines over the next quarter, when Beirut is obligated to repay billions of dollars in Eurobonds. A sovereign default, which seems likely, could result in the collapse of Lebanon’s banking system, wiping out depositors’ savings and bankrupting businesses and government services.
The United Nations’ top official in Lebanon warns that thousands of Lebanese could be driven out by economic despair. Many Christians are not waiting for the state to fail, according to Lebanese sources. The exodus has already begun.
All 18 of the country’s religious communities are feeling economic pain. Forty percent of the population is living in poverty, according to the government’s own statistics, and that number could soon reach 50 to 70 percent.
Lebanon’s hundreds of Christian charities are depleting their reserves to serve the needy, irrespective of religion. Hunger is now reported in all parts of Lebanon, as some are no longer able to provide the basic needs for their families. In some places, schoolchildren tell teachers, they haven’t eaten in days. Nationwide, there are critical shortages of medicine, and hospitals are curtailing treatments and have ended nonessential surgeries.
Meanwhile, unprecedented protests, drawn from all of Lebanon’s religious groups, have been going on for four months. While these protests are mostly peaceful, as unemployment increases, violence undoubtedly will too. As we write, there are media reports of protesters’ tents being targeted in drive-by shootings. There is a risk of complete chaos if the state fails.
Christians in the region have been leaving their native countries in strides. Will Lebanon’s faithful be the next ancient Church to face a mass exodus?
As original citizens of Lebanon, Christians play an essential role there. The late Pope St. John Paul II noted the unique conviviality between Christians and Muslims there. “Lebanon,” he said, “is more than a country; it is a message.” For example, Lebanon is the only Middle Eastern country where Christians fill high-level positions in government, including the presidency.
Over the last century, the country has been a haven for several Catholic and Orthodox patriarchs and untold numbers of persecuted Christians. Without a secure Christian presence in Lebanon, we fear, the region’s remnant Christian communities would lose heart and leave. A continuous, 2,000-year history of Christians in the region known as the Cradle of Christianity could end in this generation.
A mass Christian exodus from the Middle East would be a catastrophe
To help avert these looming catastrophes, the new ambassador will have to quickly address Lebanon’s fiscal crisis, before its damaged economy reaches the point of no return. She will need to take into account the US government’s continuing concerns about the influence in the government of Hezbollah, which has been designated a terrorist group by the US since 1997 and is barred from receiving US aid.
Other immediate challenges are presented by the political demands of the protesters, the dire need for humanitarian aid and the necessity of establishing a stable economic footing for Lebanon going forward. For all these reasons, we urge President Trump to appoint a special envoy to Lebanon to help Shea.
This envoy should be an American friend of Lebanon, empowered to report to the highest levels of the US government, work with countries of good will to support Lebanon and have strong personal connections to the Lebanese, including those within the diaspora.
The envoy’s urgent tasks should be to loosen the grip of any corrupt politician by identifying specific officials to target for Global Magnitsky Act and other personalized sanctions, help build a consensus among the reformists and recruit entrepreneurs and investors internationally who can help restore Lebanon as a sovereign and prosperous democracy.
To do less risks a massive humanitarian crisis, potential conflict and a defeat for Lebanon’s unique religious pluralism. It would jeopardize priority US security interests — and all that is most noble and good in Lebanon.
*Most Rev. David J. Malloy, bishop of Rockford, is chairman of the International Justice and Peace Committee of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Most Rev. Gregory Mansour is bishop of the Eparchy of Saint Maron of Brooklyn. Most Rev. Abdallah Elias Zaidan is bishop of the Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon of Los Angeles.
Dr.Walid Phares’s Comments Of The Above Piece From The New York Post
March 03/2020/Face Book/March 03/2020
Great wishes, but the urgency is a piece of freedom
Good piece, good recommendations. But 30 or 15 years late. At best 6 months late. In my view, any new step is better than the current situation in Lebanon and I applaud the Bishops who authored this article for their initiative.
However, from modest experience over 30 years and more, the immediate priority are not the medium and long term reforms in Lebanon, nor the needed fight against massive corruption. All that is part of the path to a new Lebanon.
The immediate need is a space where Lebanese can meet, rally, demonstrate, organize, think, and prepare for all the reforms and changes needed. A space free from militia, intimidation and terror. That is the basic condition to have a launching pad for anything else.
And that need a push by Lebanese and their friends worldwide to create a space of freedom inside Lebanon, where Hezbollah doesn’t have the ability to crush any movement. As simple as that. Short of this, there will be amazing articles, beautiful words, conferences, receptions and declarations in Washington and around the word, but nothing tangible in Lebanon. For what I’ve learned in my long experience is that there is no overnight magic solution, but a down to earth, realistic step by step path.
Lebanon crisis: How the US can bypass Hezbollah and help the people
Bilal Saab/The National/March 03/2020
The Americans can provide targeted economic assistance through an international fund while keeping the pressure on the political class to implement reforms
As Lebanon nears a breaking point due to its acute financial crisis, the Trump administration faces a policy dilemma: should it financially support a corrupt ruling faction that is allied with Hezbollah – Iran’s friend and Washington’s nemesis – or should it hold off on aid and watch the country fall apart?
Both options are problematic but there is a better alternative.
The US can prevent Lebanon’s collapse while keeping the pressure on Hezbollah and its allies to implement serious reforms. It can do this by co-ordinating with Gulf and European governments on modest, conditional and targeted economic assistance from which the more vulnerable members of Lebanese society would primarily benefit. Such aid, which would be deposited in an international fund, would provide food and medicine but also launch various small and medium-sized businesses that would be overseen strictly by local non-governmental organisations under the watchful eye of international bodies.
These immediately impactful local community development projects will not fix the economy, which suffers from a combination of structural maladies, but they will help those Lebanese who are most in need.
Supporters of Hezbollah hold photos of slain Iranian general Qassem Suleimani as they listen to a televised speech by Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in a southern suburb of the Lebanese capital Beirut. EPA
While limited, this is the best approach for Washington to take in the short term given that a more comprehensive solution – the Lebanese committing to a wholesale and credible reform programme – is not on the cards any time soon. That is because there are deep societal and political divisions in the country, as well as disagreements over the nature of the crisis and the way forward. Some people desire a new social contract that is not based on sectarianism, while others want to preserve the status quo and stick to reform.
Then there is Hezbollah, the dominant political force in the country that is opposed to meaningful change, thus blocking any road to recovery.
Any reform process that seeks to stem corruption and promote good governance would weaken Hezbollah’s cross-sectarian patronage system – and thus its grip over politics. It would also limit its access to arms and illegal sources of revenue reaching them through the Lebanese-Syrian borders, the national airport and its seaports. That is why, even though it has no problem with the International Monetary Fund providing technical advice to the Lebanese government, it has zero interest in any assistance package that would impose transparency and accountability measures.
As long as Hezbollah has the ability to veto any international reform package that it does not like, Lebanon as a whole is stuck in an economic rut and rapidly losing its balance.
To protect its interests in Lebanon and the region, Washington should therefore recognise these realities and try to work around them. While it might be eminently reasonable and understandable for the US to tie economic assistance – either directly or through the IMF – to Beirut’s implementation of structural reforms, it will not stave off state collapse.
Lebanon’s descent into chaos, which is only a matter of time in the absence of international assistance, is no laughing matter. It will also hurt US interests.
Let us start with Hezbollah. If the group presents problems for the US now, imagine how much worse those would be if Lebanon becomes a failed state. History offers useful lessons.
Hezbollah came into being in 1982 in the throes of a vicious civil war and an Israeli occupation. With every existential challenge that it has faced since, including its destructive confrontation with Israel in 2006 and the ongoing Syrian civil war that broke out in 2011, it has only grown stronger. Hezbollah stands to gain the most from anarchy in Lebanon because no local actor would be able to challenge its military supremacy and political dominance.
Should Hezbollah further spread its wings in Lebanon, it is likely to draw the opposition of Sunni extremists from all over the region. That is a recipe for a return of ISIS, which will use the country as a base for operations against US interests and its allies. It has done it in Syria and there is no reason why it would not be able to do it in Lebanon. Facing sectarian conflict, the Lebanese army would either take cover or disintegrate, prompting many in Washington to intensify their calls for terminating US military assistance. This in turn would invite further Russian involvement in Lebanon, with Moscow keen to do business with the Lebanese army through multiple offers of arms and money. In the context of great-power competition, this would amount to a setback for Washington.
Then there is Iran. If Hezbollah’s fortunes in Lebanon and the region improve, so will those of Iran. The Trump administration is doing everything it can to weaken Tehran and force it to come to the negotiating table. But if Iran is allowed to control Lebanon unchallenged, it will gain an important lifeline and thus be able to more effectively counter US policy.
Given their size and depth, none of Lebanon’s problems will be solved any time soon. The country as a whole requires much healing. But the US has every reason to maintain its strategic position in the country and the Eastern Mediterranean as well as helping its people confront their old sectarian demons and make the hard choices.
*Bilal Y Saab is senior fellow and director of the Defence and Security Programme at the Middle East Institute
