Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Sunday, Oct 01, 2023

Lebanon PM condemns Hezbollah military maneuver

Lebanon PM condemns Hezbollah military maneuver

Lebanon Prime Minister Najib Mikati has condemned a military exercise by Hezbollah that used live ammunition, warning against any action that “undermines the authority and sovereignty of the state.”
His remarks came in response to a question from US Special Coordinator for Lebanon Joanna Wronecka regarding the Hezbollah maneuver, which was held on Sunday in southern Lebanon.

The exercise included demonstrations of heavy weapons, missiles and drones.

Mikati said: “The issue of Hezbollah’s weapons specifically is linked to a reality that requires a comprehensive national consensus, and it must be a priority for the upcoming phase.”

He added that the government is focused on maintaining security throughout Lebanon and deterring actions that threaten stability.

Mikati also highlighted the cooperation between the Lebanese army and UNIFIL within the UN Mission’s operational area, emphasizing Lebanon’s commitment to Resolution 1701.

He called on the UN Security Council to establish a permanent ceasefire in the south and pressure Israel to halt its violations of Lebanese sovereignty.

Wronecka said in a statement: “What matters to us is the stability of Lebanon, and we always encourage the prompt election of a new president to support Lebanon and its people.”

Hezbollah’s military maneuver — conducted ahead of the anniversary of the liberation of southern Lebanon from Israeli occupation — took place within a military camp belonging to the party in the Aaramta area, north of the Litani River, outside the UNIFIL operational zone.

The maneuver sparked outrage among Hezbollah’s opponents and raised questions about the group’s objectives, particularly as it took place the day after the conclusion of the Arab League Summit in Jeddah.

Attendance at the maneuver was open to Lebanese and foreign journalists, though communication in the area was banned to prevent unauthorized filming and broadcasting.

Samir Geagea, head of the Lebanese Forces Party, strongly condemned the exercise, saying he “completely rejected” the maneuver.

He added that the Hezbollah exercise undermined efforts by the Lebanese public, who are “working day and night to rebuild their state and regain Arab and international confidence in the country.”

Geagea said that Hezbollah’s actions demonstrate its indifference to developments in the region, as the party is maintaining the same strategy it has deployed for two decades.

He described the maneuver as a “reckless act” that would only harm Lebanon and undermine the aspirations of its people for the establishment of a genuine state, while also negatively impacting recent progress in the Arab region, ultimately benefiting only Israel.

In a joint statement, the National Council to End the Iranian Occupation in Lebanon and the Lady of the Mountain Gathering said that the maneuver appeared to sideline the role of the Lebanese Army and Resolution 1701.

The exercise came less than a month after a visit by Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian to the south, where he declared that Iran, through Hezbollah, is active on the Israeli border, the statement added.

The two groups warned that Hezbollah’s intentions were to send a message, both domestically and internationally, that it was leveraging the rapid changes in the region to solidify its dominance within Lebanon, particularly in the presidential battle.

The exercise was designed to intimidate potential new leaders, the statement said.

Despite the attention surrounding the Hezbollah maneuver, the case of Central Bank Gov. Riad Salameh — who is facing legal action in Europe — remains the subject of significant scrutiny.

On Monday, the First Investigative Judge in Beirut, Charbel Abou Samra, appointed two units within the Internal Security Forces in Beirut and Mount Lebanon to notify Raja Salameh, the governor’s brother, and Marianne Hoayek, his assistant, of their scheduled interrogations in a Paris court on May 31 and June 13, respectively.

Salameh did not appear before the Paris court on the previously scheduled session on May 16 due to his unavailability for notification, as required by Lebanese law.

Consequently, the French judiciary issued an arrest warrant for Salameh through an Interpol red notice, which was delivered to Lebanon last Friday.

Former Attorney General Hatem Madi told Arab News that the French judiciary’s memorandum does not have any legal effect in Lebanon.

He added that it is impossible to execute an international arrest warrant against a Lebanese citizen and extradite them to France.

“However, if a Lebanese citizen is under suspicion, they should be questioned and a lawsuit must be filed against them in Lebanon,” he said.

Madi said that the non-execution of the international warrant does not mean that Salameh has escaped justice.

Reformist MP Elias Jarada criticized the handling of Salameh’s judicial case by some Lebanese judges, accusing them of negligence and contributing to the French judiciary’s action.

He claimed that there was a deliberate decision taken to prevent Salameh’s arrest among the political class that controls the judiciary, over fears that the former governor could implicate them in financial scandals.

Jarada said that the failure to notify Salameh of the May 16 session before French Judge Aude Buresi was “insulting.”

He called on the Lebanese judiciary to prosecute Salameh for the charges brought against him before the French judiciary, in compliance with the provisions of the Penal Code.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
Close
0:00
0:00
Paper straws found to contain long-lasting and potentially toxic chemicals - study
FTX's Bankman-Fried headed for jail after judge revokes bail
Blackrock gets half a trillion dollar deal to rebuild Ukraine
Steve Jobs' Son Launches Venture Capital Firm With $200 Million For Cancer Treatments
Israel: Unprecedented Civil Disobedience Looms as IDF Reservists Protest Judiciary Reform
Google reshuffles Assistant unit, lays off some staffers, to 'supercharge' products with A.I.
End of Viagra? FDA approved a gel against erectile dysfunction
UK sanctions Russians judges over dual British national Kara-Murza's trial
US restricts visa-free travel for Hungarian passport holders because of security concerns
America's First New Nuclear Reactor in Nearly Seven Years Begins Operations
Southeast Asia moves closer to economic unity with new regional payments system
Political leader from South Africa, Julius Malema, led violent racist chants at a massive rally on Saturday
Today Hunter Biden’s best friend and business associate, Devon Archer, testified that Joe Biden met in Georgetown with Russian Moscow Mayor's Wife Yelena Baturina who later paid Hunter Biden $3.5 million in so called “consulting fees”
'I am not your servant': IndiGo crew member, passenger get into row over airline meal
Singapore Carries Out First Execution of a Woman in Two Decades Amid Capital Punishment Debate
Spanish Citizenship Granted to Iranian chess player who removed hijab
US Senate Republican Mitch McConnell freezes up, leaves press conference
Speaker McCarthy says the United States House of Representatives is getting ready to impeach Joe Biden.
San Francisco car crash
This camera man is a genius
3D ad in front of Burj Khalifa
Next level gaming
BMW driver…
Google testing journalism AI. We are doing it already 2 years, and without Google biased propoganda and manipulated censorship
Unlike illegal imigrants coming by boats - US Citizens Will Need Visa To Travel To Europe in 2024
Musk announces Twitter name and logo change to X.com
The politician and the journalist lost control and started fighting on live broadcast.
The future of sports
Unveiling the Black Hole: The Mysterious Fate of EU's Aid to Ukraine
Farewell to a Music Titan: Tony Bennett, Renowned Jazz and Pop Vocalist, Passes Away at 96
Alarming Behavior Among Florida's Sharks Raises Concerns Over Possible Cocaine Exposure
Transgender Exclusion in Miss Italy Stirs Controversy Amidst Changing Global Beauty Pageant Landscape
Swedish Embassy in Baghdad Engulfed in Flames Amidst a Firestorm of Protests
TikTok Takes On Spotify And Apple, Launches Own Music Service
Global Trend: Using Anti-Fake News Laws as Censorship Tools - A Deep Dive into Tunisia's Scenario
Arresting Putin During South African Visit Would Equate to War Declaration, Asserts President Ramaphosa
Today, we're unveiling the splendor of one of Saudi Arabia's most exclusive and stunning retreats – the Jeddah Yacht Club
Hacktivist Collective Anonymous Launches 'Project Disclosure' to Unearth Information on UFOs and ETIs
Typo sends millions of US military emails to Russian ally Mali
Muslim Tycoon Asif Aziz Receives Approval for the Transformation of the iconic London Trocadero Landmark into Mosque
Server Arrested For Theft After Refusing To Pay A Table's $100 Restaurant Bill When They Dined & Dashed
The Changing Face of Europe: How Mass Migration is Reshaping the Political Landscape
China Urges EU to Clarify Strategic Partnership Amid Trade Tensions
Europe is boiling: Extreme Weather Conditions Prevail Across the Continent
Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu Hospitalized Due to Dehydration Amidst Summer Heatwave
Democracy not: EU's Digital Commissioner Considers Shutting Down Social Media Platforms Amid Social Unrest
Sarah Silverman and Renowned Authors Lodge Copyright Infringement Case Against OpenAI and Meta
Saudi Arabia Joins the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia
The Renowned Crown Prince Camel Festival Set to Return to Taif on Aug. 1
Why Do Tech Executives Support Kennedy Jr.?
×