Joseph Aoun

Syrian Shelling on Lebanese Border Towns Causes Several Injuries

After a calm night, residents of the Lebanese border town of Jarmash woke up on Saturday to the sounds of Katyusha rockets and mortar shells fired from the Syrian side. A barrage of 50 shells rained down on several towns in Jurud al-Hermel during the early morning hours, escalating tensions along the border. The Lebanese Red Cross has so far ...

Ortagus: Hezbollah Should Not Be Part of the Government

Morgan Ortagus, the US Deputy Special Envoy to the Middle East, said that Hezbollah should not be part of the new Lebanese government that Prime Minister-designate Nawaf Salam is trying to  form. “Hezbollah has been defeated by Israel, and we are grateful for that,” Ortagus said after meeting with President Joseph Aoun at Baabda ...

Meeting Between President J. Aoun and Ortagus: Striving for Lasting Stability and a Hezbollah-Free Lebanon

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun held a meeting in Baabda with Morgan Ortagus, the US Deputy Special Envoy for the Middle East, to discuss key issues of security, stability and cooperation between Lebanon and the United States. President Aoun stressed that stability in southern Lebanon is closely tied to the completion of Israel's withdrawal ...

Pope Francis Sends a Message of Solidarity to President Joseph Aoun

Pope Francis sent a message to Lebanese President Joseph Aoun through the Apostolic Nuncio to Lebanon, Archbishop Paolo Borgia. In his message, the Pope expressed his spiritual closeness to “the dear Lebanese people.” He reaffirmed his solidarity with Lebanon, emphasizing, “I pray to God to preserve the Lebanese people, this treasure of ...

Government Formation Stalled Over Shiite Representation

The government formation appeared imminent on Thursday amid a flurry of visitors to Baabda’s Presidential Palace. Prime Minister-designate Nawaf Salam visited Baabda, where he met with President Joseph Aoun. Shortly after, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri joined them for a trilateral meeting. Meanwhile, government secretary-general Mahmoud ...

The President at the Forefront of Expanded Decentralization

Expanded administrative decentralization is a contentious issue in Lebanon, periodically resurfacing and sparking heated debates among political factions. President Joseph Aoun has revived the issue of expanded decentralization, viewing it as a means to promote balanced development, address disparities in marginalized regions and strengthen ...

Government Formation: Berri Blocks Progress

The trilateral meeting between Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and Prime Minister-designate Nawaf Salam concluded this Thursday afternoon after an hour and a half of discussions. According to MTV, Berri's insistence on appointing a fifth Shiite minister hindered the government formation process. Diplomatic sources ...

Aoun Receives Credentials of Four Ambassadors

President Joseph Aoun officially received the credentials of four ambassadors to Lebanon on Wednesday, marking the first such diplomatic procedure since his election. The ambassadors presenting their credentials included Herve Magro (France), Sheikh Saud bin Abdulrahman Faisal Thani al-Thani (Qatar), Maria Hadjitheodosiou (Cyprus) and Despina ...

Aoun Urges French Support for Israeli Withdrawal from South Lebanon

President Joseph Aoun has called on France to support the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from South Lebanon and to pressure Israel to stop violating the November 27 ceasefire agreement. During a meeting with French Ambassador to Lebanon Hervé Magro and Vice-Chairman of the Ceasefire Supervisory Committee General Guillaume Ponchin, Aoun ...

Qatari Prime Minister Calls for Implementation of Resolution 1701

Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani, emphasized on Tuesday the necessity of implementing UN Resolution 1701 “to restore Lebanon’s sovereignty.” Speaking at a press conference following his meeting with President Joseph Aoun at the Presidential Palace, Bin Abdulrahman ...

Government Lineup Nears Completion Amid Political Tensions and External Pressure

After 22 days of intense negotiations, Judge Nawaf Salam’s efforts to form Lebanon’s new government, following his designation on January 13, are entering their final stages. Despite political challenges and conflicting demands from various factions, the announcement of the first government under General Joseph Aoun’s reformist mandate is ...

Ahmad Hariri Paves Way for Saad Hariri’s Return on February 14

With just two weeks away from the 20th anniversary of the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafic Hariri, preparations are gaining momentum for the anticipated return of his son, ex-PM Saad Hariri, to Beirut. Ahmad Hariri, Secretary General of the Future Movement, has been actively laying the groundwork for his leader’s political ...