The former Secretary-General of the High Relief Committee, General Mohammad Kheir. (Credit: NNA)
Rumors have been confirmed regarding the resignation of General Mohammad Kheir from his role as secretary-general of the Higher Relief Committee (HRC) amid the ongoing displacement crisis in which hundreds of thousands of people were forced to flee their homes as a result of the war between Israel and Hezbollah.
"A chapter has closed," Kheir told L’Orient Today on Wednesday, declining to answer further questions and referring inquiries to the office of outgoing Prime Minister Najib Mikati, to which the HRC reports.
When asked about the matter, Mikati's adviser, Fares Gemayel, confirmed Kheir's resignation, describing it as a "routine administrative procedure." Speaking to L’Orient Today, he assured that the position has already been filled and emphasized that the Prime Minister’s Office has no further comment beyond its official statement, which notes that "the resignation was submitted voluntarily," primarily because "General Kheir had already served many years in this role." Gemayel also declined to answer additional questions.
An interview involved?
General Kheir’s resignation came shortly after his appearance on a talk show on the local MTV channel. The senior official faced journalist Riad Tawk, who had recently exposed a scandal involving aid sent from abroad to NGOs assisting displaced persons. Tawk claimed that the HRC was taking a portion — "at least 20 percent" — of this aid for redistribution.
The war between Israel and Hezbollah, which saw a dramatic escalation from September until the cease-fire on Nov. 27, led to the mass displacement of over 1.2 million people, according to estimates. People fled under the bombs from southern Lebanon, the Bekaa region, and the southern suburbs of Beirut to the capital and the north.
Many found themselves in dire conditions, relying heavily on the efforts of local and international NGOs to survive. A significant number have since returned to their homes following the end of hostilities.
Speaking to L’Orient-Le Jour, Riad Tawk alleged that "a portion of the aid sent from abroad to NGOs was redirected to political parties through the HRC, particularly to the Shiite alliance in Beirut and certain MPs in northern Lebanon."
"According to our investigations, the issue began when NGOs approached the HRC for assistance in clearing aid through customs under its authority, as it was the only way to avoid waiting months for the necessary approvals," the journalist said.
He added: "In exchange for its collaboration, the HRC demanded that a certain portion of the aid be handed over, under the pretext of redistributing it directly to the displaced. This request might be understandable in a context of war and emergency. However, General Kheir never explained the mechanisms or criteria used for this distribution. When confronted by me on television, he ran out of arguments and eventually admitted that the prime minister was aware of this practice. I believe this admission is what led the prime minister to request his resignation."
For Tawk, even though there hasn’t been full accountability, "this resignation remains a rare occurrence in Lebanese administration and represents a victory for investigative journalism as we practice it."
According to the Corruption Perceptions Index developed by the NGO Transparency International, Lebanon ranked 150th out of 180 countries globally in 2023.
