AMMAN: Lebanon's top Christian cleric, Bechara Boutros Al-Rai, on Sunday accused unidentified politicians of using their power to obstruct a resumption of cabinet meetings after a two-month gap, saying they were serving foreign interests.
Lebanon's cabinet, which is focused on re-starting talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to unlock much needed foreign aid, has not met since Oct. 12 amid a row over a probe into last year's deadly Beirut port blast.
The Aug. 4 2020 Beirut port blast, caused by a large amount of ammonium nitrate stored unsafely for years, killed over 200 people but more than a year on no one has been held accountable.
Heavily-armed Shiite group Hezbollah and its allies have pushed to remove the lead investigator of the explosion, accusing him of political bias.
Without naming any political faction, the patriarch said in a Sunday sermon: "We reject completely disrupting holding the council of ministers in breach of the constitution through the power of influence and intent to disrupt to serve outside and suspect goals against the interests of the state and people."
Rai, who has been sharply critical of Hezbollah, also blasted politicians he said were behind obstructing the judicial investigation into the explosion and efforts to hold officials to account for suspected negligence.
Lebanon is battling an economic meltdown that poses the worst threat to its stability since the 1975-1990 civil war.
Rai said a draft capital control law proposed by the government that was sent to parliament would sacrifice millions of dollars of depositors' money to save indebted banks.
"What increases the worries of Lebanese is that the state is trying to sacrifice their deposits for its interests and that of banks," he added.
The patriarch traditionally wields influence in Lebanon as head of the Maronite church, a group from which the president must be drawn under a sectarian power-sharing system.
Lebanon’s top patriarch says cabinet should reconvene
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Lebanon’s top patriarch says cabinet should reconvene
- Lebanon is battling an economic meltdown that poses the worst threat to its stability since the 1975-1990 civil war
Zindani govt begins reshaping security leadership
- US backing for the Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council’s efforts
ADEN: Yemen’s government under Prime Minister Shaya Al-Zindani has begun implementing a series of decisions to restructure the leadership of the security services, in a move seen as a significant step toward reorganizing state institutions in the temporary capital, Aden.
It comes amid renewed US support for the Presidential Leadership Council’s efforts to bolster stability, combat terrorism and safeguard international maritime routes.
The chairman of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council, Rashad Al-Alimi, issued two presidential decrees appointing Brig. Gen. Abdulsalam Qaid Abdulqawi Al-Jamali as commander of the Special Security Forces and Brig. Gen. Abdulsalam Abdulrab Ahmed Al-Omari as head of the Civil Defense Authority, with both officers promoted to the rank of major general.
The decisions are part of a broader Yemeni effort to rebuild the leadership structure of security institutions, while strengthening the state’s capacity to enforce security and stability in liberated areas amid the country’s multiple security challenges.
Alongside the presidential decrees, Yemeni Interior Minister Ibrahim Haidan issued a series of leadership changes within Aden’s security services, including the reassignment of several security officials, as part of a plan aimed at improving operational efficiency and strengthening coordination among units.
The decisions included reassigning Brig. Gen. Jalal Al-Rubaie from his post as commander of the National Security Forces to lead the Special Security Forces in Aden, as well as appointing Brig. Gen. Mohammed Abdo Al-Subeihi as deputy director general of Aden Police and assistant for security affairs.
The appointments also included Brig. Gen. Jalal Fadl Al-Qutaibi as assistant director general of Aden Police for human resources and financial affairs; Brig. Gen. Mohammed Khaled Haidara Al-Turki as assistant director general for operations; Brig. Gen. Hassan Mohsen Saleh Al-Omari as director of the Criminal Investigation Department, with Col. Fouad Mohammed Ali appointed as his deputy; and Lt. Col. Mayas Haidara Al-Jaadani as director of the Anti-Narcotics Department.
The Yemeni Ministry of Interior said the measures are intended to reorganize field operations, raise security readiness levels, accelerate response time to threats and improve institutional discipline within security agencies. It believes the changes will help consolidate stability in the temporary capital of Aden and improve security and service performance in the city.
Yemeni-American Partnership
The government’s steps coincided with a meeting between Al-Alimi and US Ambassador to Yemen Steven H. Fagin, during which they reviewed the latest developments at the local level.
The two sides also discussed the US and international support required to strengthen Yemen’s capacity to confront security and terrorist threats, protect vital facilities and secure international shipping lanes, noting that this is an issue of regional and global priority amid escalating tensions
According to an official media source, Al-Alimi reiterated his appreciation of the Yemeni-American partnership and praised Washington’s role in supporting the implementation of resolutions to prohibit the smuggling of Iranian arms to the Houthi militia, drying up their funding sources and curbing destabilizing operations.
Al-Alimi highlighted the importance of reinforcing joint deterrence against regional threats, including the need to strictly enforce international sanctions and to pursue financing, smuggling and arms networks, in support of the government’s efforts to extend state control across all Yemeni territory.
He added that the security of the Red Sea and Bab Al-Mandab Strait is a global concern that requires broad international coordination.
Al-Alimi said that the Yemeni government is exerting efforts to normalize economic and service conditions, and to implement plans designed to integrate forces and unify security and military decision-making processes. He added that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia supported these efforts, as it has played a pivotal role in advancing stability and rebuilding state institutions.
