Home - el Khazen Family Prince of Maronites : Lebanese Families Keserwan Lebanon

Charities in Lebanon warn that people are starving and help during Ramadan will be limited

Details

By NAJIA HOUSSARI -- arabnews.com -- BEIRUT: Officials from charitable organizations and imams at mosques in Lebanon have raised concerns about their reduced ability during Ramadan this year to help the growing number of people going hungry, as a result of the effects of the financial crisis in the country. They said costs have risen sharply in the past year, fewer people are volunteering and donations from “capable people” are in decline because the “conditions of benefactors have changed.” The economic crisis has created harsh living conditions for many, as a result of which the number of families in need of assistance has increased. Meanwhile, the amount of donations received during Ramadan by charities and other groups that provide assistance is expected to fall, which will affect their ability to provide daily iftar meals for the growing numbers of people who are struggling.

FASTFACT

Faten Mneimneh from the Islamic Charitable Guidance and Reform Association told Arab News that because of the financial constraints and fewer volunteers the quality of iftar meals will be lower and less varied during Ramadan this year, at a time when growing numbers of people are going hungry. Such a meal traditionally includes a fattoush salad and a plate of rice and meat. Last year the cost of a single meal was about 50,000-60,000 Lebanese pounds, which is about $33-$40 based on the official exchange rate of about 1,500 pounds to the dollar.

Lebanon seen not enacting IMF reforms before election

Details

by gulf-times.com -- Lebanon won’t be able to deliver many if any reforms sought by the IMF as conditions for a funding deal before an election in May, two lawmakers said, meaning months could go by without action as that vote may well be followed by political limbo. The International Monetary Fund announced the draft funding deal on Thursday, but said its board would not decide on whether to approve it until Beirut enacts a batch of reforms including measures which ruling factions have long failed to deliver. An IMF agreement is widely seen as the only way for Lebanon to start emerging from what the World Bank has described as one of the world’s worst ever financial collapses — and the deepest crisis since Lebanon’s 1975-90 civil war.

Many analysts have expressed renewed doubt that Lebanon’s fractious parties can deliver reforms they have long been unwilling or unable to agree to, even as Lebanese leaders have hailed the IMF deal and vowed to make it succeed. The parliamentary election is seen as another complicating factor. After the vote, a new government must be formed, a process that usually takes many months during which the outgoing cabinet acts as caretaker and cannot take major decisions. Nicolas Nahhas, a lawmaker and adviser to Prime Minister Najib Mikati, noted there were only a few weeks left before the election and MPs were busy campaigning. “This wasn’t meant to be done in a few weeks and nobody serious would say it should be done in that time frame,” he said of the reforms. “The agreement is a kind of benchmark of what should come after elections. So, after elections, parliament will start studying quickly these actions and then we shall see how we go forward.”

Lebanon banking sector crumbles amid a deepening economic crisis

Details

By Mona Alami -- arabnews.com -- RIYADH: The recent Lebanese court order restricting lenders from moving money abroad is the fallout of deep rot long building in the banking sector. This comes on the back of the country’s mounting debt amidst the deteriorating economic condition – the crisis that many blame on Lebanon’s corrupt political class and the government which defaulted on repaying the debts to banks. On March 24, Lebanese judge Ghada Aoun ordered the Lebanese customs administration to prevent six Lebanese banks from sending money abroad. The banks targeted were Bank of Beirut, Bank Audi, Creditbank, Bankmed, SGBL and Blom Bank. “Lebanese banks are technically broke, but until this moment, they aren’t legally so,” said economist Roy Badaro in an interview with Arab News. He explained that the word ‘illiquid’ might be more appropriate as no one really knows about banks’ possible undeclared assets. In addition, no Lebanese bank has so far officially declared bankruptcy. Badaro said banks are in denial of their situation. “Their main issue is that they were lured by the unhealthy profits offered by the government to finance its debt. Meanwhile, they abstained from financing the economy,” he pointed out.

Liquidity crisis

As the Lebanese government is embroiled in massive corruption charges, the state has amassed over a $90 billion debt that it is no more capable of paying, which in turn affected the liquidity of banks. The banking sector responded to the asset freeze with a two-day strike on March 21 and 22. This might be repeated if more pressure is placed on the banking sector, warned a banking source on condition of anonymity Judge Aoun is a close ally of President Michel Aoun, who is demanding a forensic audit of the Lebanese central bank, in the wake of Lebanon’s default on over a $90 billion debt as a fallout of state mismanagement and corruption. Ironically, Aoun’s party has been in power for the past decade and exclusively handled the electricity portfolio. Experts believe the latter accounts for over 40 percent of the debt. Industry observers tracking the development fear the banking sector’s insolvency crisis that has been triggered by the state’s failure to meet its debt payments is expected to worsen with time. The sector will further unravel, with banks having to shut down possibly.

Maronite Bishops express joy for Pope Francis' visit to Lebanon

Details

By Deborah Castellano Lubov -- vaticannews.com -- The Maronite Bishops of Lebanon have "expressed their joy at the news of Pope Francis' visit to Lebanon," reported Fides on Wednesday. Following an encounter in the Lebanese city of Bkerke, home of the Patriarchal See of the Maronite Catholic Church, the bishops issued a statement, "asking God to bless the Pope, and to carry out all Pope Francis' desires for the good of Lebanon and of all Lebanese people." Following the Pope's recent meeting with the President of Lebanon, Michel Aoun, in the Vatican on 22 March, the Lebanese President tweeted regarding a possibile trip of the Holy Father to his nation in June.

Widely-anticipated papal visit

Subsequently, the Director of the Holy See Press Office, Matteo Bruni, issued a brief statement to journalists, noting the papal visit "is a possibility that is being studied.” As the country has suffered years of political, economic and social crises, the Pope has expressed numerous times in recent years his intention to visit. In the Middle East, Lebanon is the country with the greatest percentage of Christians, constituting more than a third of the population. The nation also has the greatest number of Catholics in the region, belonging primarily to the Maronite Catholic rite, along with other Eastern Catholic rites.

Saudi and Kuwait announces return of ambassador to Lebanon

Details

by aljazeera.com -- Saudi Arabia announced on Thursday that it was sending an ambassador to Lebanon for the first time since a row broke out with Beirut last year over the Riyadh-led military intervention in Yemen. The foreign ministry “announces the return of the ambassador … to the sisterly Republic of Lebanon”, read a statement carried by state media. The ambassador is returning in response to calls by “moderate” Lebanese political forces, the foreign ministry said, and after remarks by Prime Minister Najib Mikati regarding “ending all political, military and security activities” that affect Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states.

A diplomatic crisis erupted last October after then-Information Minister George Kordahi was quoted criticising Saudi Arabia’s role in Yemen, where a grinding war has produced what the United Nations describes as the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. Kordahi, who has since resigned, said in a television interview that the Houthi rebels fighting Yemen’s internationally-recognised government were “defending themselves … against an external aggression”. He said “homes, villages, funerals and weddings were being bombed” by the Saudi-led coalition, and called the war in Yemen “futile”. The Houthis are backed by Saudi’s regional rival Iran, which has significant influence in Lebanon, where it backs the powerful Shia movement Hezbollah. In response to Kordahi’s remarks, Riyadh recalled its ambassador and ordered Lebanon’s envoy to leave the kingdom. Riyadh’s Gulf allies the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Kuwait followed suit, expelling Lebanese envoys.

Kuwait also announced Thursday the return of its ambassador to Beirut following the Saudi decision. The diplomatic row, which has also seen Saudi Arabia ban the imports of Lebanese goods, was a blow to a country already in the grip of crippling political and economic crises.

Minister Sejaan Azzi: واحةٌ متجانسةٌ أو جُمهوريّةٌ متنافِرة

Details

سجعان قزي

@AzziSejean

إلى إيران كلُّ الاحترامِ وأقصى التوقِ إلى أفضلِ العَلاقات معها. لكنَّ إيران حَجَبت الكثيرَ الذي يَجمعُنا بها وأبْرزَت القليلَ الذي يُفرِّقُنا. توَغُّلُ القوميّةِ الفارسيّةِ في الحالةِ اللبنانيّةِ عَكّرَ الفكرةَ اللبنانيّةَ التاريخيّةَ وكَدّرَ انتماءَ لبنان إلى المحيطِ العربيّ. وما خَلا بيئةَ حزبِ الله اللصيقةَ، لا يَشعرُ اللبنانيّون بهذه القوميّةِ في وِجدانهم ولا يَعتبرون أنّها كانت يومًا جُزءًا من لبنانيّتِهم رغمَ جَلالِ بلادِ فارس عبرَ التاريخ. هذا الشعورُ شَملَ "الشيعيّةَ اللبنانيّةَ" التي كانت تُشكِّلُ أكثريّةَ المجتمعِ الشيعيِّ لغايةِ سيطرةِ حزبِ الله عليه، إذ نَقل علاقةَ الشيعةِ بإيرانِ من التواصلِ الدينيِّ الحرّ إلى التبعيّةِ القوميّةِ. إلا أنَّ لبنانَ انْتقلَ منذ عقودٍ من صراعِ العقائدِ القوميّةِ إلى صراعِ العصبيّاتِ المذهبيّة. وإذ أساءَ الصراعُ الأوّلُ إلى الولاءِ للبنان، فإنّه، بالمقابل، أغنى الحياةَ الفكريّةَ والثقافيّة. أما الصراعُ الثاني فأفْسدَ لبنانَ وأدْرجَه على لائحةِ التَصَحُّرِ الفكريِّ والثقافيِّ والانهيارِ الاقتصاديّ.

صِرنا، نحن اللبنانيّين، نَنتمي إلى قوميّاتِ الحنين. قوميّاتُنا المبتكَرةُ التي شاغَبَت على دولةِ القانون في لبنان، أمْسَت في مُتحَفِ الوِجدان. ومع ذلك لا نزالُ نُناغيها كأنّها حديثةُ الولادةِ وبدونِ أن نَتأكّدَ ما إذا كانت من لحمِنا ودمِنا أو اعتَنقناها بالتبنّي أو فُرِضَت علينا بالتسوياتِ أو صادَرتْنا بالشَهيّةِ والشُبهةِ. نُناظِرُ من أجل فينيقيا، والفينيقيّون غافِلون عنا. نقاتلُ من أجل العروبة، والعربُ ساهون عنّا. ونَهدِمُ وطنَنا من أجلِ بلادِ فارس والفُرسُ يَستخْدِمونَنا. و"اللبنانيّةُ" التي جَمعَتنا ووَحّدَتنا، وسَـمَت بنا إلى العُلى، وحَجَزت لنا مَقعدًا بين الأمم، نَتنكّرُ لها. نَتعلّقُ بالغائبين ونُهمِلُ لبنانَ الموجودَ أمامَ أعينِنا. نُحوِّل عمدًا البديهيّاتِ اللبنانيّةَ إشكاليّاتٍ. وعِوضَ أن نُضيفَ كلَّ سنةٍ حَجرًا على بُنيانِ لبنانَ لنُدعِّمَ أركانَه، نروح نَقتلِعُ كلَّ يومٍ حَجرًا منه حتى يَتهدَّم.

The Sea Ahead, the Lebanese film nominated at Cannes, premieres in Paris

Details

by kawa-news.com -- Lebanese director Ely Dagher produces his first feature film, The Sea Ahead, nominated for the 2021 Cannes Film Festival. Palme d'Or winner at the Cannes Film Festival in 2015 with his first short film Waves 98, the director embarks on a naturalistic and abstract portrait of his home country. And it is to be discovered in preview in Paris on April 12! After long research on the history of Lebanon, this film gives an account of the country, its inhabitants and the “textures” of Beirut. Facing the Sea is a true cinematographic work. The film follows the explosion of the port of Beirut on August 4, 2020 and leads its viewers to reflect on their relationship with the past and the transformation of their habits.

A film about memory and reconnecting with the past: The fiction deals with the theme of memory, around the story of Jana. After studying in Paris for four years, the young woman is suddenly forced to return to Beirut, her native country. She suddenly reconnects with a familiar life that plunges her into a form of dramatic nostalgia. The film offers an introspective look at Jana’s character, her resentment and a homesickness in which the audience may recognize itself.