Cabinet briefed on army advances in the South

BEIRUT — A Cabinet meeting started Thursday shortly after 3 p.m. at the presidential palace in Baabda, during which the government is set to be briefed by the Lebanese Army on advances in its disarmament operations in southern Lebanon.

The meeting takes place as the Israeli army strikes south Lebanon, following a series of warnings concerning several villages located north and south of the Litani, and a day after a meeting of the "mechanism," the truce monitoring committee, held for the first time with civil representatives from both Lebanon and Israel.

This monthly report delivered by the army to the Cabinet aims to update on the troop’s progress in this mission, assigned by the authorities to restore the state's monopoly over weapons, in accordance with a decision made on Aug. 5 and 7.

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While Hezbollah affiliated ministers protested this decision by walking out of meetings, they have remained present at all sessions dedicated to these reports.

The Cabinet meeting began shortly after a sidebar between President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, as the Israeli army issued evacuation orders twice ahead of bombardments against southern villages, namely Jbaa, north of the Litani, Mahrouneh (Sour district), Majdal, and Braasheet (Bint Jbeil).

During the last Cabinet meeting devoted to an army report on disarmament, Israel also lashed out at South Lebanon after similar evacuation orders, striking five villages.

Among other items on the agenda, the government is to consider a request from the Finance Ministry to withdraw a draft law on Lebanon’s contribution to the International Monetary Fund, the presentation of a draft decree for the creation of a National Fund for the management and investment of assets pending restitution or returned following judicial decisions in corruption cases.

A request from the Energy Minister to demand payment of public institutions’ electricity bills in "fresh" dollars, a presentation on reconstruction work at the Arida and Abboudieh border crossings in North Lebanon destroyed in the last war by Israeli strikes, and a request from the Environment Ministry concerning the Jdeideh landfill.