25 Jul 2025 15:50 PM Watch: George Abdallah Arrives in Beirut to a Warm Welcome
Upon his arrival, Georges Abdallah stated: "It is a disgrace to history that Arabs stand by and watch the suffering of the people of Palestine and Gaza."
He added: "We bow forever before the blood of the martyrs of the resistance, they are the foundational base of any idea of liberation in the world."
He said that "Israel is witnessing the final chapter of its influence, and the resistance and Palestine must continue until Israel is defeated."
He stressed: "As long as the resistance exists, there will be a homeland to return to, and the resistance remains strong thanks to the martyrs who have forged a river of steadfast blood.
Watch the attached video for more.
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L'Orient-Le Jour
26-07-2025
- L'Orient-Le Jour
Lebanon mourns the loss of Ziad Rahbani, a pillar of the cultural scene
In messages filled with both sadness and pride, several Lebanese officials and public figures paid tribute to the memory of one of the country's greatest cultural pillars, artist Ziad Rahbani, who passed away this Saturday morning at the age of 69 after an exceptional career spanning several decades. Transcending political divisions and affiliations, Lebanon mourns the loss of this free voice who touched consciences through his committed art, sharp humor, and unwavering support for the most vulnerable. In a statement published on X, President Joseph Aoun expressed his sorrow following the death of the musician and composer. 'Ziad Rahbani was not just an artist, but a true intellectual and cultural figure in his own right. More than that, he was a living conscience, a rebellious voice against injustice, a faithful mirror of the oppressed and marginalized,' he emphasized. He also recalled that Rahbani 'wrote the people's pain.' 'Through his socially engaged theater and his richly creative music — ranging from classical to jazz to oriental music — he offered a unique artistic vision, opening new windows for Lebanese cultural expression and reaching universality with brilliance,' he added. The head of state offered his condolences to Fairuz, the mother of the deceased and widow of Assi Rahbani, himself also a great artist. 'Our hearts are with her in this painful ordeal, sharing the sorrow of losing someone who was much more than just a support to her,' he wrote in a message. He concluded by assuring that 'Ziad's exceptional works will remain alive in the memory of the Lebanese and Arabs, and will continue to inspire generations to come, reminding them that art can be a form of resistance, that words can carry commitment.' A voice 'faithful to justice' For his part, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said that 'with the passing of Ziad Rahbani, Lebanon has lost an exceptionally creative artist and a free voice who remained true to the values of justice and dignity.' 'Ziad embodied a deep commitment to both human and national causes,' he added. He also emphasized that 'on stage, through music and words, Ziad said what many didn't dare say, touching the hopes and sorrows of the Lebanese for decades. Through his sharp frankness, he planted a new awareness in the national cultural memory.' Culture Minister Ghassan Salameh also mourned Ziad Rahbani's death. 'We feared this day, knowing his health was deteriorating and that his desire for treatment was fading. Plans to treat him in Lebanon or abroad had become irrelevant, as Ziad no longer had the will to imagine the treatment and operations required,' he wrote on X. 'We love you 'unconditionally',' wrote MP Michel Moawad on X, quoting the lyrics of one of Ziad Rahbani's famous songs. The president of Parliament, Nabih Berry, also paid tribute to the artist, stating that 'Lebanon without Ziad is a sad melody and broken words. A black curtain falls on a Rahbani chapter, human, cultural, artistic and national, that does not die.' Member of Parliament Pierre Bou Assi, part of the Lebanese Forces (LF) parliamentary bloc 'The Strong Republic,' also mourned the artist's death. 'Ziad Rahbani is gone. Every heart in Lebanon is grieving today,' he wrote on X. 'What will our tomorrow be like without Ziad? Who will still surprise us with an immortal work […]? Who will make us laugh at our own reflection in his mirror?' he went on to ask. Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) leader Gebran Bassil also paid tribute to Ziad Rahbani, writing on X: 'May your soul rest in peace, son of Fayrouz and Assi. Your melodies will remain alive and will not accept silence — just as you refused to submit.' Former Prime Minister Najib Mikati described the passing of 'the creative artist Ziad Rahbani' as 'a great loss for art in Lebanon and the Arab world,' noting that 'his memory will live on through the remarkable works he created — works that became a unique artistic model for many.' Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri likewise stated that 'Lebanon has lost a global artistic and musical figure.' MP Marwan Hamadeh mourned 'the loss of one of the major figures of a golden era, when revolution embraced Lebanese creativity without distorting or suppressing it.' For his part, Hagop Pakradounian — MP and Secretary-General of the Armenian Tashnag Party — paid tribute to the late artist, saying that Rahbani's 'spirit of resistance and patriotism will live on forever in the streets of Lebanon.' Minister of Information Paul Morcos emphasized that 'with the death of artist Ziad Rahbani, Lebanon and the world have lost a pillar of creative, pioneering and exceptional Lebanese art.' Marada leader Sleiman Frangié stated that 'today, Lebanon loses a genius who dedicated his life, his art, his music, his theater, and his critique to the homeland that defined him.' MP Paula Yaacoubian said that 'Ziad was not simply an artist — he was the mirror of a broken country and the voice of those who had none.' Many artists also mourned his passing. 'A genius from my country has gone. A respectful tribute to your creativity,' wrote Majida al Roumi, paying homage to his 'rebellious' spirit. 'Ziad the genius is gone, Ziad the creative is gone. Your works will remain eternal, and your great art will live on in hearts and minds across generations,' lamented Syrian singer Georges Wassouf. 'Why do I feel like everything is lost, like Lebanon is empty?' wondered actress Carmen Lebbos. Finally, singer Elissa stressed that Ziad Rahbani 'was not an ordinary artist. Nor was he an ordinary person. His musical and artistic genius is unique, and today, with his loss, Lebanon loses an essential part of itself and a large part of its collective memory.' In a statement released in the afternoon, the administration of Fouad Khoury Hospital in Hamra confirmed that Ziad Rahbani passed away on Saturday morning at 9:00 a.m. 'The family was immediately informed. Fate has willed that this exceptional artist, who left his mark on the history of Lebanese art, theater, and music, should leave us,' the statement said. The National Conservatory also paid tribute to Ziad Rahbani. Its president, Hiba Kawas, described his passing as an 'irreplaceable national loss.' After studying at College Notre-Dame de Jamhour, run by Jesuit fathers, Ziad Rahbani, born in 1956, launched his artistic career in the early 1970s with the play 'Sahriye' (e vening), which was followed by several other plays offering sharp critiques of Lebanese society. He also composed a number of hit songs for Fairouz. Ziad Rahbani was known for his communist political views and his offbeat humor, which made him an icon of the Lebanese cultural and artistic scene.
Ya Libnan
25-07-2025
- Ya Libnan
After more than 40 years in jail in France, Lebanese militant Georges Abdallah returns home
Lebanese pro-Palestinian militant Georges Abdallah speaks to supporters upon his arrival at Beirut's Rafic Hariri International Airport in Beirut, Lebanon, Friday, July 25, 2025. He is a hero for some but not for others © Hussein Malla, AP After more than four decades behind bars in France, Georges Ibrahim Abdallah – the Lebanese leftist militant imprisoned since 1984 – landed in Beirut after leaving his prison early Friday. His release, authorised by a Paris appeals court July 17 on the condition that he leave France immediately, brings to a close one of the longest political detentions in modern European history. Pro-Palestinian Lebanese militant Georges Ibrahim Abdallah arrived in Beirut Friday following his release after more than 40 years in detention in France. Upon his arrival, he was transferred into Lebanese custody. For his supporters, Abdallah's release brings long-overdue justice. For others, his name is simply reminiscent of a distant and complex chapter in history. But his return has symbolic weight in his country of origin. 'This moment isn't about sentimentality – it's about the long wait, 40 years of it. It's about resilience in the face of delays, appeals, discrimination. This is not a time for nostalgia, but rather a culmination of time and justice,' said his brother, Robert Abdallah. Abdallah was convicted and sentenced to life in prison in 1987 for the assassinations of US military attaché Charles Robert Ray and Israeli diplomat Yacov Barsimantov. While he has always denied direct involvement, Abdallah never distanced himself from the resistance movement he co-founded, the Lebanese Armed Revolutionary Factions, a Marxist group aligned with Palestinian and pan-Arab causes that also sought to evict foreign forces – notably Israel – from Lebanese soil. Despite multiple court rulings over the years recommending his release, Abdallah remained in prison due to political pressure – particularly from the United States and Israel. He ultimately served four decades in France's Lannemezan prison, steadfastly refusing to express remorse. Although he completed the minimum sentence in 1999 he remained behind bars, multiple requests for parole having been denied . Preparations to welcome him have been under way ever since, according to Catherine Daher, a journalist and activist for Lebanon's National Campaign to Free Georges Abdallah. 'We can say that preparations to welcome comrade Georges have been ongoing since 1999, when his sentence officially ended,' Daher said. 'Since then, we've faced repeated release orders – in 2003, 2013 and 2024 – that were blocked for political reasons,' she said, making him 'the longest-held political prisoner in Europe'. Now, at 74, Abdallah returns to his hometown of Qoubaiyat in northern Lebanon – not just as a free man resuming civilian life, but as a deeply symbolic figure. Daher said plans are under way for a series of public events upon his return to Lebanon. 'His welcome will include state officials, political leaders, his family, and the national campaign that fought for his release – as well as student groups, media figures, trade unionists, human rights advocates, cultural voices, and activists from France and beyond who played a key role in keeping up the pressure,' she said. One of the first political forces to welcome his release was the Lebanese Communist Party, which hailed Abdallah as a principled 'resistance fighter' who refused to compromise even after four decades behind bars. Hezbollah described Abdallah as a 'hero of resistance' and 'a symbol for every prisoner, fighter and honourable person who raised the banner of dignity in the face of tyrants'. Hezbollah was a newly emergent group at the time of his arrest in 1984. But other major parties have stayed quiet. The Lebanese Forces and Kataeb, two prominent Christian factions with roots in Lebanon's civil war era, have not issued any public comment. 'It's understandable that many Lebanese political factions – especially Christian parties like the Kataeb and Lebanese Forces – have not issued any public statement welcoming Georges Abdallah's return,' said political and social psychologist Ramzi Abou Ismail. 'Although he is a Christian by background, Abdallah never embodied the in-group identity typically promoted by these parties.' 'His alignment with Palestinian armed factions during the civil war, and his rejection of sectarian politics, positioned him as a challenge to the identity they claimed – that of protectors of the Christian community,' he added. Charbel Jabbour, head of communications for the Lebanese Forces, said Abdallah's release symbolically helps close the chapter on Lebanon's civil conflict. 'The war era is over – completely over. Abdallah served his sentence and is being released,' he told FRANCE 24. 'The civil war chapter must be permanently closed. Anything else is unacceptable.' Outside of ideological and political circles, Abdallah's return has generated limited buzz among Lebanon's younger population. For many, his name is unfamiliar – a symbol of a different era, eclipsed by today's crises: economic collapse, political gridlock and mass emigration. Still, his face now adorns posters and social media feeds once again, and he is often depicted not as a militant but as a man who stood by his convictions – regardless of the consequences. 'He's a hero for some, yes. But to others he is not, and to many he is from a time they never lived through,' said one historian, who requested anonymity.
MTV Lebanon
25-07-2025
- MTV Lebanon
25 Jul 2025 15:50 PM Watch: George Abdallah Arrives in Beirut to a Warm Welcome
Activist Georges Abdallah has arrived at Rafic Hariri International Airport, where a number of his supporters gathered outside to welcome him. Upon his arrival, Georges Abdallah stated: "It is a disgrace to history that Arabs stand by and watch the suffering of the people of Palestine and Gaza." He added: "We bow forever before the blood of the martyrs of the resistance, they are the foundational base of any idea of liberation in the world." He said that "Israel is witnessing the final chapter of its influence, and the resistance and Palestine must continue until Israel is defeated." He stressed: "As long as the resistance exists, there will be a homeland to return to, and the resistance remains strong thanks to the martyrs who have forged a river of steadfast blood. Watch the attached video for more.
