Ceasefire

Post-Ceasefire, 50% of Displaced Residents in Baalbeck-Hermel Returned Home

The proportion of displaced individuals who have returned to their homes in the Baalbeck-Hermel governorate has reached 50%, according to Governor Bachir Khodr on Wednesday afternoon. This percentage is a positive indicator, especially considering that less than 24 hours have passed since the ceasefire came into effect early Wednesday ...

A Bitter, Anxious and Determined Return to the Devastated Border Region

Barely had the ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel taken effect at 4 AM on Wednesday that thousands of displaced Lebanese set out, eager — or hoping — to return to their homes. The wait had been extremely long, and the impatience palpable. On the road home, a blend of anxiety, anticipation and hope hung in the air. What would they find upon ...

Political and Security Implications of the Ceasefire

The date of November 26 marked a turning point in the war that has lasted over a year between Hezbollah and Israel. On Tuesday evening, a ceasefire was declared in Lebanon, that took effect early Wednesday morning. While the agreement between the warring parties represents a significant step toward managing the tensions that have plagued the ...

UNIFIL Welcomes Ceasefire, Adjusts Operations for Lasting Peace

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) welcomed the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, acknowledging the “new situation” and emphasizing its readiness to support both Lebanon and Israel in this phase. In a statement released on Wednesday, UNIFIL confirmed that it would continue performing its mandated tasks and had already ...

Ashrafieh Residents: Caught Between Hope, Exhaustion, and Disillusionment

At 9:30 AM this Wednesday in Beirut, the sky is gray, but Madeleine’s smile, spotted at Sassine Square in the heart of Ashrafieh, is infectious. Madeleine, in her seventies, was in her car asking for directions to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. I take the opportunity to ask her about the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, which officially ...

Shall We Start the Same Over and Over Again? 

The entry into force of the ceasefire was marked by… celebratory gunfire and the distribution of Hezbollah flags in the southern suburb of Beirut. Some Lebanese have a rather astounding tendency to learn nothing from the country’s tragedies. Some 3,700 dead, $10 billion in damages, and yet… celebratory gunfire! The poor Jean-Yves Le Drian, ...

Local Responses on the Announcement of the Ceasefire

Hours after US President Joe Biden announced a proposal to end the “devastating” conflict, which has killed thousands of people over the course of nearly 14 months of cross-border fighting, the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah went into effect. Many local positions were issued after the truce, which started at 4 AM on ...

Editorial-Comprehensive and Strengthened Ceasefire Under Resolution 1701

A keen observer, closely following the Middle Eastern conflict, once noted during the Lebanese war that Arab regimes were always “a truce behind.” In other words, at every critical turn in the regional crisis, they often accepted conditions or succumbed to situations they had rejected just a few years earlier. This unfortunate reality applies ...

Cabinet Meeting: Mikati Reiterates the Government's Commitment to Resolution 1701

The ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon, announced on Tuesday night and taking effect at 4 AM on Wednesday, was the focal point of discussion during the Council of Ministers' meeting on Wednesday. Following the meeting, Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati announced at a press conference the beginning of "the reconstruction process" ...