BEIRUT: Lebanon’s parliament will meet on January 9 to elect a new president, seeking to end more than two years without a head of state, official media reported Thursday, a day after an Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire began.
The official National News Agency also reported that parliament on Thursday extended the mandate of army chief Joseph Aoun, himself floated as a potential presidential contender.
“Speaker Nabih Berri called a parliament session to elect a president of the republic on January 9,” the NNA reported.
Lebanon has been without a president since Michel Aoun’s term ended in October 2022, with neither of the two main blocs — the Iran-backed Hezbollah and its opponents — having the majority required to elect one, and unable to reach a consensus.
The NNA also said Thursday that “parliament approved the extension of the mandate of General Joseph Aoun for one year.”
Lawmakers had already extended his term last year, as he had been set to retire on January 10, 2024.
Part of Thursday’s parliament session was attended by French special envoy Jean-Yves Le Drian, who arrived a day earlier for talks with senior Lebanese officials.
A statement from speaker Berri’s office said he and Le Drian on Thursday “discussed the general situation, political developments and the presidential issue.”
A French diplomat told AFP on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive matters that Le Drian came to Lebanon to “relaunch the issue of the presidency and the need for reforms.”
By convention, the presidency goes to a Maronite Christian, the premiership is reserved for a Sunni Muslim and the post of parliamentary speaker goes to a Shiite Muslim.
On Wednesday after the ceasefire between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah came into effect, Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati said: “I hope this will be a new page for Lebanon. I hope the coming days will lead to the election of a president.”
Berri, who led ceasefire talks on behalf of ally Hezbollah, also called Wednesday for the country to “quickly elect a president.”
Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem said in a speech earlier this month that after the war, Hezbollah would “bring an effective contribution to the election of a president.”
Lebanon MPs seek end to leadership vacuum with January presidency vote
https://arab.news/rc3vu
Lebanon MPs seek end to leadership vacuum with January presidency vote
- “Speaker Nabih Berri called a parliament session to elect a president of the republic on January 9,” the NNA reported
- Lebanon has been without a president since Michel Aoun’s term ended in October 2022
1,965 Israeli violations recorded against Palestinians in February
- Head of Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission condemns attacks as a continuation of ‘terror’ against Palestinians
- Violations included assaults, uprooting trees, burning fields and preventing olive pickers from accessing their lands
LONDON: Israeli forces and settlers carried out 1,965 attacks across Palestinian towns in the occupied West Bank in February, according to a report by the Palestinian Authority.
Muayyad Shaaban, head of the Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission, condemned the attacks as a continuation of the “terror” against the Palestinian people, their land and property.
The commission documented 1,454 attacks by Israeli forces and 511 by settlers, most of which were concentrated in the governorates of Hebron with 421 attacks, followed by Nablus with 340, Ramallah and Al-Bireh with 320, and East Jerusalem with 210 attacks.
Violations have included direct beatings of Palestinians, uprooting trees, burning fields, and preventing olive pickers from accessing their lands.
Israeli forces have seized land and demolished homes and agricultural facilities under the pretext of “security,” which has enabled settlers to expand their settlements, according to Wafa news agency.
Shaaban said: “What is taking place represents an organized methodology aimed at emptying the land of its owners and imposing an integrated racist colonial system.”
Israeli settlers have poisoned and uprooted a total of 1,314 trees, including 1,054 olive trees, in the areas of Ramallah, Bethlehem, Hebron, Nablus and Tulkarm. The olive groves have been a lifeline for Palestinians in the West Bank, with an estimated 80,000 to 100,000 families relying on the olive harvest for their livelihoods, according to the UN Human Rights Council.
In February, Israeli forces demolished 122 structures belonging to Palestinians, including 56 inhabited homes, nine uninhabited homes, 34 agricultural facilities and 18 sources of livelihood. More than one-third of these demolitions took place in Jerusalem, totaling 46 structures.
