The plaque of an obelisk paying tribute to former Syrian President Hafez al-Assad in Beirut's southern suburbs. (Credit: Archive photo X/@akhbaralyawm)
An obelisk in Beirut’s southern suburbs honors Hafez al-Assad, the former Syrian president and father of Bashar al-Assad, in the names of Rafic Hariri and Elias Hrawi. The monument, located on an avenue also named after the late Syrian president, has stood since its inauguration on Nov. 15, 1998. It was erected with the approval of both the Prime Minister and President at the time, during a period when Lebanon was under Damascus' tutelage.However, following the historic fall of the Assad regime on Dec. 8, 2024, calls are growing across Lebanon for the renaming of sites named after the former Syrian regime. On Dec. 20, Hadi Abou al-Hosn, a deputy from the Progressive Socialist Party (PSP), announced that the stretch of road once known as "Hafez al-Assad Avenue" — passing through Mdeirej, Hammana, and Bzebdin in the Upper Metn (Baabda...
An obelisk in Beirut’s southern suburbs honors Hafez al-Assad, the former Syrian president and father of Bashar al-Assad, in the names of Rafic Hariri and Elias Hrawi. The monument, located on an avenue also named after the late Syrian president, has stood since its inauguration on Nov. 15, 1998. It was erected with the approval of both the Prime Minister and President at the time, during a period when Lebanon was under Damascus' tutelage.However, following the historic fall of the Assad regime on Dec. 8, 2024, calls are growing across Lebanon for the renaming of sites named after the former Syrian regime. On Dec. 20, Hadi Abou al-Hosn, a deputy from the Progressive Socialist Party (PSP), announced that the stretch of road once known as "Hafez al-Assad Avenue" — passing through Mdeirej, Hammana, and Bzebdin in the Upper Metn...