For years now, Lebanon's state power provider has struggled to provide more than handful of hours of electricity each day. (Credit: AFP file)
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Electricité du Liban employees are expected back at work today after the Energy Ministry on Saturday succeeded in sufficiently mollifying them to end a three-day strike. The ministry also late last week extended the deadline for applications to obtain offshore hydrocarbon exploration rights and began hiring for a power sector regulatory body. EDL workers on Saturday announced the suspension of their strike three days after its launch, following a “commitment” to improved salaries and an “intervention” ensuring the payment of workers’ dues from the caretaker energy minister and the EDL director general. Meanwhile, the Energy Ministry on Friday gave potential applicants seeking licenses to explore eight offshore oil and gas blocks an additional six months to bid, setting the deadline to June 30, 2023. While the recent conclusion of indirect negotiations over Lebanon’s southern maritime border with Israel augured a gas-related boon for the country in crisis, applications in this round of licensing have been scarce.
Prosecutors on Friday arrested and questioned actress Stephanie Saliba over alleged theft of public funds and money laundering in collusion with central bank chief Riad Salameh, releasing her later the same day. Financial Prosecutor Judge Ali Ibrahim ordered Saliba’s release after her questioning by Mount Lebanon Public Prosecutor Ghada Aoun, who had previously issued a search warrant against Saliba. Saliba stoked controversy recently when she entered Lebanon unimpeded despite the search warrant against her. General Security, explained Saliba’s entry, saying in a statement they “turned to the financial prosecutor Ali Ibrahim, who asked [General Security] to release Saliba, seize her Lebanese passport and refer her to the Financial Prosecutor's Office within the next 48 hours.” The French judiciary earlier this month indicted Anna Kosakova, another Salameh affiliate under legal pressure for suspected financial crimes. Meanwhile, Salameh is the subject of five European investigations and one Lebanese case.
Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati held a series of meetings over the weekend in an effort to ensure cooperation between Lebanon and Gulf countries, China and Iraq. Mikati “affirmed the commitment of the Lebanese government to take all measures not to offend the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and all Arab countries” after renewed calls from Gulf countries for Lebanon to elect a president and enact reforms. A Kuwaiti initiative and a series of diplomatic efforts from Lebanese officials in April 2022 ended a diplomatic crisis between Lebanon and Gulf countries sparked by comments on Saudi Arabia’s intervention in Yemen from Lebanon’s then-Information Minister George Kurdahi that were broadcast in Oct. 2021. However, Saudi Arabia continues to level criticism at Lebanon, calling on authorities there to curb drug smuggling and Hezbollah’s activity. The comments came in the context of a Saudi-organized summit welcoming Chinese President Xi Jinping. During a Saturday meeting, Jinping expressed interest in “developing economic and social cooperation with Lebanon,” while Mikati encouraged Chinese investment and “the opening of Chinese markets to Lebanese crafts.” Mikati’s Iraqi counterpart, for his part, agreed to “hold a meeting of the Lebanese-Iraqi High Joint Committee in Beirut soon” during his next visit.
Israel on Saturday launched “sudden military exercises” near the Lebanese border, which are expected to continue today and tomorrow, an Israeli army spokesperson tweeted. The border region “will witness active movements” estimated to involve 12,000 soldiers, including “5,000 reservists who have been called up by exceptional orders,” Arabic-speaking Israeli army spokesperson Avichay Adraee announced on Twitter. In September, Israeli forces conducted military exercises close to the Lebanese border. In 2006, Israel and Hezbollah engaged in a 34-day war. Israeli forces launched air, sea and land raids into Lebanon, while Hezbollah fired thousands of rockets at cities and towns across the border. According to Human Rights Watch, the war resulted in 1,109 deaths in Lebanon. The vast majority of the victims were civilians. Another 4,399 people in Lebanon were injured. Hezbollah's attack on Israel resulted in the deaths of 43 Israeli civilians and 12 Israeli soldiers, as well as hundreds of injured Israeli civilians.
In case you missed it, here's our must-read story from over the weekend: “Salah Honein is officially a candidate for president”
Compiled by Abbas Mahfouz