Latest news with #non-Lebanese
Lebanese Army
14-07-2025
- Lebanese Army
Arrest of Individuals in the Town of Btebiat
Sunday, 13 July 2025 The LAF Command - Directorate of Orientation issued the following statement: A LAF unit supported by a patrol from the Directorate of Intelligence, carried out a raid in the town of Btebiat – Upper Matn and arrested eight Lebanese citizens in addition to two non-Lebanese individuals for possession of firearms and a quantity of ammunition. Preliminary investigations revealed that they are not affiliated with any terrorist organizations. The seized items were handed over, and an investigation was initiated with the arrestees under the supervision of the competent judicial authority.
Al-Ahram Weekly
11-07-2025
- Politics
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Lebanon at a crossroads
Negotiations to resolve the tensions between Lebanon and Israel are ongoing despite continuing Israeli incursions into Lebanese territory. Last Monday, US Envoy Thomas Barrack held a press conference in Beirut following his meeting with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, during which he received a response to the US proposal to resolve the crisis between Lebanon and Israel. 'We are at a very important moment for Lebanon and the entire region. This is an opportunity that everyone must seize, and no one is better than the Lebanese at making use of opportunities,' Barrack said. 'The time has come. The region is changing very rapidly.' He praised the Lebanese response, saying that 'I am very grateful for the Lebanese response to the points we discussed. It was a responsible response that takes many issues into account. We are working on a plan that requires serious dialogue, and we have made great progress which I am satisfied with, but we must address all the details to reach an actual solution.' According to Lebanese sources, the US proposal, whose content has not been officially disclosed, includes several provisions, among them the surrender of Hizbullah's heavy weaponry, specifically missiles and offensive drones. Light and medium arms are considered a domestic Lebanese matter. This disarmament is to be completed within six months or by the end of November. The withdrawal of weapons from all other armed factions, whether Lebanese or non-Lebanese, is also required. Lebanon is expected to present a detailed implementation mechanism outlining the disarmament plan. The Lebanese state is not only facing challenges from Hizbullah, but also numerous Israeli violations involving incursions into Lebanese territory. Israeli forces repeatedly advance and then withdraw again, at times leaving behind barriers or destroying infrastructure. These actions often necessitate the intervention of the Lebanese Army in coordination with United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) forces. On the night of 26 May, an Israeli infantry force infiltrated Lebanese territory east of the southern town of Meiss El-Jabal and crossing the border by 100 metres. The force advanced into the town, deployed in an open area, and used flashlights. It was accompanied by two bulldozers near the border. The incursion was the first of its kind this year and since the cessation of military operations between Israel and Hizbullah south of the Litani River. The Israeli Army did not comment on the incursion, prompting the Lebanese Army to arrive at the site of the breach. The Lebanese Army stated on X that it had 'discovered and dismantled an Israeli espionage device camouflaged and equipped with a camera in the outskirts of Blida – Marjayoun,' adding that it had 'removed two earthen barriers erected by Israeli forces in Blida and Mays Al-Jabal – Marjayoun.' On the following day, another Israeli infantry force penetrated Lebanese territory, this time consisting of two tanks, a bulldozer, and several soldiers in Bir Shuaib – Blida. The purpose was probably to deploy a larger force with tanks to intimidate the Lebanese Army. However, the latter responded decisively, which made the Israeli force retreat. 'A unit of the Lebanese Army, in coordination with UNIFIL, removed several earth barriers and reopened roads in the outskirts of Adaisseh – Marjayoun that had been blocked by Israeli forces,' the Lebanese Army said. 'During the operation, Israeli troops accompanied by a tank attempted to obstruct the Lebanese Army's work but failed to stop the mission.' The Lebanese Army has handled the recent Israeli incursions into Lebanese territory with professionalism and in accordance with the international disarmament agreement south of the Litani River. The Wall Street Journal reported that 'US and Israeli officials say they have been pleasantly surprised by the progress, which has been critical in maintaining the fragile truce struck in November. The question now is whether the Lebanese state can complete the task in the south and extend its efforts to the rest of the country.' According to the Israeli Alma Research Centre, in the period between 21 and 27 May, 21 Israeli strikes were conducted in Lebanon (18 in Southern Lebanon and three in the Beqaa), along with six eliminations of Hizbullah operatives It said that Hizbullah operatives continue to be active and present in Southern Lebanon despite statements by the Lebanese government saying that it has taken control of about 90 per cent of sites south of the Litani River. The political and military leadership in Lebanon is at one in its commitment to preserving the country's sovereignty against Hizbullah's reckless actions and Israeli expansionist provocations. Israel currently controls five fixed positions in the south of the country, primarily on strategic hills that provide radar coverage and tactical advantages in case of an attack. This occupation lacks legal justification and constitutes a violation of Lebanese territory. Hizbullah, meanwhile, refuses to disarm or integrate into the state, leading both sides to exploit the ongoing conflict to legitimise their presence in Lebanon. Earlier this week, Hizbullah's current leader, Naim Qassem, stated during a televised speech marking the religious occasion of Ashura that 'this threat will not lead us to surrender. We are not the ones who should be told to soften our stance. The aggressor should be told to stop. We are not the ones who should be told to lay down our arms.' He thus linked Hizbullah's disarmament to Israel's withdrawal. Armed Hizbullah members were seen during Ashura celebrations in the Zoqaq Al-Blat area of Beirut. The Lebanese Army has been handling both sides with professionalism and seriousness, but it remains small in number and lacks equipment. It urgently needs support and reinforcement, so that Lebanon can once again become one of the most beautiful countries in the Eastern Mediterranean. * A version of this article appears in print in the 10 July, 2025 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
Nahar Net
27-06-2025
- Politics
- Nahar Net
Jumblat says PSP handed over arms, calls other parties to follow suit
by Naharnet Newsdesk 27 June 2025, 11:49 Former Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat said the PSP has handed over its "light and medium" arms to the state three weeks ago, urging all other parties to do the same. Jumblat called Thursday on all Lebanese and non-Lebanese parties to hand over their arms, saying that "a new chapter has been opened in the Middle East". He added that it is not by attacking Hezbollah with statements that disarmament must be done, a hint that other parties must disarm as well in a message to Hezbollah instead of attacking the group.
MTV Lebanon
26-06-2025
- Politics
- MTV Lebanon
26 Jun 2025 18:22 PM Jumblatt: Weapons must be in hands of state alone
Former Progressive Socialist Party Chief Walid Jumblatt stressed in a press conference that "weapons must be in the hands of the state alone," adding that "if any Lebanese or non-Lebanese parties possess weapons, they must hand them over in an appropriate manner to the state." He said: "I informed President Aoun that there were weapons in a location in Al Mukhtara, and I asked the relevant authorities to handle the matter, and they were handed over three weeks ago or weapons came gradually after the events of May 7, 2008, during the tension between Hezbollah and the Progressive Socialist Party." Jumblatt went on: "I worked to centrally assemble weapons, including light and medium weapons, which were handed over to the state. Today, a new page is being opened in the Middle East. The weapon of future generations is memory, so we must pass on the memory of heroism and resistance against Israel and its agents..." "In today's round, Israel and the West, in alliance with America, were victorious. Nothing lasts forever," he noted. "We must strengthen the army and internal security forces and focus on the fact that we still have an Israeli occupation and bulldozed and destroyed villages. It is imperative to implement Resolution 1701," Jumblatt asserted. He added: "My message regarding the surrender of weapons is for everyone." Jumblatt also considered that "Palestinians in Lebanon must be given full rights, regardless of nationality."
L'Orient-Le Jour
02-05-2025
- Business
- L'Orient-Le Jour
Meager wages, scant paid leave, unfair dismissals: The state of labor rights in Lebanon
BEIRUT — On the patio of a popular Lebanese restaurant chain, Tony* is busy serving customers. The young man has a bandage on his arm and limps from table to table, with an apparently injured leg. The thirty-year-old doesn't dwell on details when asked why he isn't on sick leave: "I asked not to work today and it was refused," he says simply. No customer can ignore that the waiter is in pain; when one table needs moving, its occupants insist that they, not him, lift and reposition it. The situation raises questions about employers' apparent disrespect for the Labor Code and the lack of protection for employees like Tony, whether Lebanese or foreign. Many foreign workers are governed by the kafala system, a labor system specifically for non-Lebanese that does not provide for a minimum wage or a limit on working hours. Read more...
