Source: Arab News
Security & Justice
Lebanon’s Border Villages Face Renewed Devastation Amid Israeli Withdrawal
The Israeli army withdrew from the southern Lebanese village of Bani Hayyan on Friday morning, two days after entering the area in the Marjayoun district. According to local reports, Israeli forces demolished multiple homes as they retreated.
Friday, December 20, 2024
Interview Set to Shed Light on Mossad’s Decade-Long Covert Operation Against Hezbollah
In a highly anticipated episode of CBS’s 60 Minutes, recently retired Mossad agents provide unprecedented insights into a decade-long covert operation targeting Hezbollah. The agents, whose identities remain concealed with masks and altered voices, share with journalist Lesley Stahl the intricate details of their mission to sabotage Hezbollah’s communications network.
Friday, December 20, 2024
Opinion
Lebanon After the Assads
The United States has important equities in Lebanon, including a desire for a generally friendly government’s economic and political stability; security cooperation; long-standing relations with the large Christian community in Lebanon and Lebanese diaspora in the United States; and ultimately peace between Israel and Lebanon within a broader regional settlement. Achieving these objectives will require navigating a tumultuous period in the country’s history following a war between Hezbollah and Israel that has devastated a large part of the country, exacerbating Lebanon’s already challenging economic conditions. But perhaps the most important dynamic will be how a likely Sunni-dominated state of uncertain composition in Syria will differ in its intentions toward Lebanon from the previous Alawite-led minoritarian Assad regime.
Thursday, December 19, 2024
Europe’s Syrian Dilemma
The news of the sudden and unexpected demise of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria has met a mixed response in Europe. The jubilation that a murderous dictator and close ally of Russia and Iran has fallen is not just good for the Syrian people but serves as a morale booster for Eastern Europeans wondering whether Russia can be defeated
Wednesday, December 18, 2024
Sports
Cristiano Ronaldo Unveils New Private Jet Worth $73 Million
Cristiano Ronaldo, one of the richest global athletes, has unveiled his upgraded private jet reportedly worth $73 million. With its top-notch design, exceptional speed and range of 7500 nautical miles, the Gulfstream G650 is among the fastest jets in the world.
Monday, December 16, 2024
Guardiola Accepts Man City May Need to Sign More Players to Cope with Schedule
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola believes he will need a bigger squad to handle soccer’s ever-expanding fixture schedule.
Saturday, December 14, 2024
Thursday 1 September 2022 11:56:24
UN Security Council Votes Unanimously to Renew Peacekeeping Force in Lebanon
The UN Security Council on Wednesday voted unanimously in favor of a resolution to renew the mandate of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon for another year.
The provisional agenda was the situation in the Middle East, with the council considering a draft resolution submitted by France to renew the mandate. The unanimous vote in favor of UNSC resolution 2650 followed a month of negotiations.
The US said it welcomed the renewal of UNIFIL’s mandate, and thanked France for its “constructive engagement.”
The force can now operate in Lebanon until Aug. 31, 2023, retaining its core mandate and tasks, as set out most recently in resolution 2591 of Aug. 30, 2021.
The US said it was grateful for the international community’s logistical support to Lebanon and its military.
It said the resolution will ensure that UNIFIL can act independently and conduct “announced and unannounced patrols,” noting an “important reminder that UNIFIL peacekeepers are blocked with increasing frequency from conducting their tasks.”
The US said it was concerned about blocks to UNIFIL access by a group called Green Without Borders, which was “heightening tensions in the area.”
This suggests, the US added, that this “so-called environmental group was acting on Hezbollah’s behalf.”
Washington’s representative said ensuring UNIFIL’s peacekeepers are able to move freely is vital for mitigating risks to UN personnel and assets.
The UAE said it “strongly welcomes the renewal, noting the request for renewal from the government of Lebanon.”
The Emirati representative said UNIFIL had a “vital role” in supporting Lebanon, and thanked countries that have contributed troops and police.
During the protracted negotiations surrounding the UNIFIL mandate, the UAE and the UK said stronger language was needed to condemn the presence of weapons outside Lebanese state control, specifically in the south.
After the vote, the UAE said it “particularly welcomed strengthened language” surrounding condemnation of the maintenance of weapons by armed groups “outside the state’s control.”
It added that the maintenance of weapons by these armed groups is a major threat to Lebanese sovereignty, and that it is “vitally important” for UNIFIL to carry out its operations to reduce these threats and enhance the country’s independence and territorial integrity.
