As the country endured economic crisis and a devastating war, lawmakers failed 12 times to pick a head of state. They have now settled on Joseph Aoun, the leader of the military.
Author: Euan Ward
With Stakes High, Lebanese Lawmakers to Try Again to Choose a President
Despite pressure by the United States and others to elect a president in order to receive financial support, a consensus candidate has yet to emerge who can clearly end Lebanon’s political gridlock.
U.S. Envoy Says Israel Will Withdraw From Southern Lebanon
With the deadline looming for the terms of a fragile cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah to be met, an American diplomat on Monday said “much progress” had been made recently.
Syrians in Christian Neighborhoods Protest After Christmas Tree Is Burned
The protests in Damascus broke out after footage circulated online of an artificial Christmas tree on fire in a mostly Christian town as masked men stand around it.
Top Arab Diplomats Visit Syria to Build Ties With New Leadership
Ministers from Jordan and Qatar were among the first high-ranking Arab diplomats to meet with the leader of the rebel coalition that toppled the Syrian regime two weeks ago.
Syria’s Rebel Leader Vows to Disband Armed Factions
The leader of the rebel coalition that swept to power last week said that fighters would be brought under the defense ministry’s authority. It was not immediately clear how that would be achieved.
Israel Carries Out Heavy Strikes on Syria’s Coast, Monitor Says
Overnight strikes targeted former army positions, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a war monitor. Israel has said it aims to keep military equipment away from extremists.
Who Is Massad Boulos, the Lebanese American Tycoon and Trump Adviser?
President-elect Donald J. Trump has selected Mr. Boulos, the businessman and father-in-law of Mr. Trump’s daughter, as a senior adviser on Arab and Middle Eastern affairs.
Lebanese Residents of Baalbek Return to a Bombed-Out City
Tens of thousands of people who had fled the city of Baalbek returned to bombed-out restaurants, flattened apartment buildings and many of the dead still buried under the rubble.
Israeli Strikes Threaten Lebanon’s Archaeological Treasures
The country is home to thousands of years’ worth of antiquities. Some have already been damaged or destroyed in the war, alarming the conservationists trying to protect them.