Lebanon

BEIRUT, Sept 19 (NNN-NNA) – Gas stations in Lebanon held, on Wednesday, a nationwide strike, as they were forced to pay higher rates, when exchanging Lebanese pounds into U.S. dollars.

“We are losing money because we buy fuel from our suppliers by paying in U.S. dollars, while we sell it at Lebanese pounds,” Sami Brax, head of the Syndicates of Gas Station Owners, was quoted as saying.

BEIRUT, Sept 18 (NNN-NNA) – A Lebanese judge issued an arrest warrant, against a Lebanese-American, who admitted that he had worked for Israel.

Najat Abu Shakra, Lebanon’s military investigative judge, decided to postpone the questioning of Amer al-Fakhoury, former chief of an Israel-linked prison in Lebanon, awaiting an approval from Lebanon’s Bar Association, for a U.S. lawyer to defend him.

BEIRUT, Sept 17 (NNN-NNA) – Lebanese President, Michel Aoun, called for a stronger commitment to the Palestinian cause and warned about Israel’s “conspiracy” plans in the region, Lebanese presidency’s website, said.

“Israel believes that, circumstances are very suitable now to implement its plans in Arab countries, such as the ‘Deal of the Century,’ in light of fragmentation among Arab countries,” Aoun said.

16 Sep 2019; MEMO: Lebanese security agencies have revealed that more than 230 agents working for Israel moved to Lebanon over the past four months, Lebanese newspaper Al-Diyar reported yesterday.

The agents, according to the newspaper, held American passports and are in contact with the American embassy.

BEIRUT (AP) — Unknown warplanes targeted overnight an arms depot and posts of Iranian-backed militias in eastern Syria, near the Iraqi border, killing at least 18 fighters, Syrian opposition activists said Monday.

The strikes come amid rising tensions in the Middle East and the crisis between Iran and the U.S. in the wake of the collapsing nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers.

An official with an Iranian-backed militia in Iraq blamed Israel for the airstrikes that hit in the eastern Syrian town of Boukamal. There was no immediate comment from Israel.

7 Sep 2019; MEMO: Lebanese President, Michel Aoun, warned on Friday that Israel would bear the consequences of any attack on his country, declaring that “any attack on the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country will be met with legitimate self-defence, and Israel will bear all of its resulting consequences.”

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Lebanon’s President Michel Aoun warned on Friday that Israel would bear the consequences of any attack, days after a flare-up at the border between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah.

The frontier between the two countries has remained calm since Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah traded fire on Sunday.

BEIRUT (Reuters) - France’s president is satisfied with Lebanon’s progress on starting an infrastructure investment program, the Lebanese Prime Minister’s office said on Friday, a day after a French envoy criticized the speed at which Lebanon is reforming its economy.

Foreign governments and donor institutions last year pledged $11 billion in financing to Lebanon for a 12-year infrastructure investment program at the “Cedre” conference in Paris, on condition that it carries out reforms.

BEIRUT, Sept 5 (NNN-NNA) – Lebanese Prime Minister, Saad Hariri, denied allegations about Hezbollah being in control of the government.

“Hezbollah does not manage the government. It is only a political party that has a stake in parliament. I am the one who manages the government,” Hariri said.

Hariri, however, noted that, Hezbollah is capable of igniting a war for regional purposes, adding that, he is not responsible for Hezbollah’s activities.

2 September 2019; AFP: An escalation between Israel and Hezbollah has ended after a brief exchange of fire, but tensions remained high along the Lebanese border Monday after a series of accusations from the two enemies.

Burnt fields could be seen in the border area and a new military checkpoint was set up outside the Israeli community of Avivim.