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LBCI
5 days ago
- Politics
- LBCI
Israel tests boundaries in Lebanon with new ground incursions and offenses
Report by Wissam Nasrallah, English adaptation by Laetithia Harb The Israeli military has acknowledged conducting a recent ground incursion into southern Lebanon, citing the need for "targeted operations" to destroy weapons and prevent Hezbollah from regrouping in the area. According to Israel's army, the operation focused on a site in the Jabal Blat region that allegedly housed weapons depots and Hezbollah firing posts, as well as hidden arms in the area of Labbouneh. These were the objectives Israeli forces claimed to have destroyed during the raid. However, both Jabal Blat and Labbouneh are among five Lebanese locations Israel has occupied ahead of the current ceasefire agreement took effect. The weapons seen in the published photos are the kind more commonly associated with family disputes in Lebanon. The Israeli army's deployment of two separate brigades to seize a Kalashnikov and a B7 in a territory it has already occupied for months is being seen less as a military achievement and more as a calculated show of force — a message that it can operate whenever and however, it chooses. This is not the first time Israel has violated Lebanese territory since the ceasefire. Previously, the Israeli army entered the town of Meiss El Jabal, where it dug trenches and set up barriers. In Houla, they demolished a home and posted a sign warning residents not to allow Hezbollah to use their properties. Through repeated incursions and violations, Israel is attempting to establish a new reality on the ground, testing the limits of its freedom to maneuver inside Lebanese territory — and Hezbollah's patience along with it.
LBCI
03-07-2025
- Politics
- LBCI
Expat seats in limbo as Lebanon heads toward 2026 elections
Report by Maroun Nassif, English adaptation by Laetithia Harb In 2017, ahead of the 2018 parliamentary elections, Lebanon's parliament passed a new electoral law—Law No. 44/2017. Among its provisions was the creation of a new electoral district, District 16, allocating six parliamentary seats to Lebanese citizens residing abroad. These seats were to be divided evenly among Christian and Muslim sects: one each for Maronites, Orthodox, and Catholics, and one each for Sunnis, Shiites, and Druze. To delay the implementation of the measure, parliament explicitly stated that the expat seats would not apply to the 2018 elections but would instead come into effect in 2022—a five-year delay that many critics now describe as a calculated stalling tactic. Then, in 2021, just months before the 2022 elections, parliament convened once again to amend the law. This time, lawmakers suspended the application of key articles—particularly Articles 112 and 122—effectively shelving the expat seats for another round of elections. Instead, Lebanese citizens abroad were allowed to vote for candidates in their original home districts. As Lebanon approaches the 2026 elections, the same scenario is unfolding again. Critics argue that the so-called six expat seats have become an empty promise, repeatedly used to placate diaspora demands while avoiding actual implementation. Eight years after the law's passage, successive governments—formed by the same political blocs that dominate parliament—have yet to issue the necessary executive decrees to operationalize the overseas seats. These include critical details such as candidacy conditions, voting procedures, and how expatriate MPs would physically attend committee meetings and legislative sessions. According to Lebanon's constitution, MPs cannot delegate attendance or voting duties. Eight years after the law's passage, successive governments—formed by the same political blocs that dominate parliament—have yet to issue the executive decrees needed to activate the six overseas seats. These decrees would define candidacy requirements, voting mechanisms, and how expatriate MPs would attend committee meetings and legislative sessions. According to Lebanon's constitution, lawmakers are not allowed to delegate their attendance or voting rights. What hasn't been done in eight years is unlikely to be accomplished just months before the 2026 elections. And even beyond the expat seats, other key electoral reforms—such as biometric voting cards and the creation of 'megacenters' that would allow people to vote outside their home districts—remain unaddressed.
