As Israeli and U.S. elections approach, Lebanon must confront its many contradictions. On the one hand, Hezbollah is increasingly hemmed in at home by U.S. sanctions and public discontent; on the other, officials are caught between international pressure and fears of internal unrest. Decisions are therefore often quickly followed by moves to soften their impact. According to sources close to Ain al-Tineh, this was the context for Monday’s meeting between one of the president’s advisers and the parliament speaker. Shortly afterward, the speaker declared that domestic stability remained the priority. More from Scarlett Saeed Khatibzadeh: For Iran, Lebanon remains a red line The presidential adviser’s visit to Ain al-Tineh followed a series of developments that strained relations between the authorities and Hezbollah. The seizure of...
As Israeli and U.S. elections approach, Lebanon must confront its many contradictions. On the one hand, Hezbollah is increasingly hemmed in at home by U.S. sanctions and public discontent; on the other, officials are caught between international pressure and fears of internal unrest. Decisions are therefore often quickly followed by moves to soften their impact. According to sources close to Ain al-Tineh, this was the context for Monday’s meeting between one of the president’s advisers and the parliament speaker. Shortly afterward, the speaker declared that domestic stability remained the priority. More from Scarlett Saeed Khatibzadeh: For Iran, Lebanon remains a red line The presidential adviser’s visit to Ain al-Tineh followed a series of developments that strained relations between the authorities and Hezbollah. The seizure...
7 p.m. recap: Katz threatens Beirut south suburbs; London seeks to protect Riyadh; Netanyahu discusses ‘eliminating’ Iran’s regime