Lebanon has changed but the ruling political elite has not

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by Dr. Dania Koleilat Khatib -- arabnews.com -- Almost exactly a year after his resignation due to the popular protests in Lebanon, Saad Hariri is back to form a new government. President Michel Aoun last week designated him to form his fourth government. If there is anything one can conclude from this entire issue, it is that the Lebanese political class has not been influenced by the mass protests, that it will not change its behavior, and that the old guard still insists on the same sectarian-based power-sharing structure that has dragged the country into the abyss. The irony is that Hariri has promised a government of independent technocrats — but only, of course, as long as they are nominated by the sectarian political parties. Hezbollah is not showing any flexibility and is imposing its terms while pretending to comply with the French initiative. Hariri seems set to accept Hezbollah and its ally Amal’s demands; namely their control of the Ministry of Finance. In return, Hariri will probably name the Sunni ministers and Gebran Bassil the Christian ministers. In a nutshell, Lebanon will be back to square one. Hariri is trying to reset the situation to that of before Oct. 17, 2019, when the mass protests began. However, this is not possible because the people have changed and society has changed. Therefore, the proposed political structure no longer fits the collective Lebanese frame of mind. Hariri is also hoping that he will be able to stop the collapse of the political system by garnering international support. However, the international community is holding its ground: No aid until reforms are conducted. The current political elite cannot conduct reform because it thrives on corruption and profiteering. It was through corruption and profiteering that they were able to enrich themselves and build a base.

Every politician is taking over the denomination he represents and, in the name of that denomination, is taking over some government facilities. So you see him dealing with the government’s institutions and departments as if they belong to him or his political party. This means he allows himself to employ his followers in a department he controls, even if they do not have the required credentials, in order to retain their loyalty. The effrontery of the political system has reached the point where an applicant to a government post either needs to pay a sum to the politician who controls the department or get his blessing — “wasta” as they call it in Lebanese slang — in order to get the position. This system pushes the employee to look at the job as a “droit acquis” (acquired right). Those who have paid for it view it as an investment, therefore legitimizing the job as a form of return on their bribe. Those who got it because of a connection to the politician or their “wasta” know that they are above the system of accountability, so they take the job for granted and only come to work at the end of the month to get their pay. This is how corruption is spread across the different levels of the state. It is impossible to solve this problem unless measures are taken regarding the political helm — i.e., unless the current sectarian power-sharing system is changed.

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France recalls ambassador from Turkey after 'unacceptable' Erdogan comments

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by AFP -- France and its NATO ally are at loggerheads over a range of issues including maritime rights in the eastern Mediterranean, Libya, Syria and the escalating conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh. But Ankara has now been particularly incensed by a campaign championed by Macron to protect France's secular values against radical Islam, a debate given new impetus by the murder this month of a teacher who showed his class a cartoon of the prophet Mohammed. "What can one say about a head of state who treats millions of members from different faith groups this way: first of all, have mental checks," Erdogan said in a televised address in the central Anatolian city of Kayseri. "What's the problem of the individual called Macron with Islam and with the Muslims?" Erdogan asked. "Macron needs mental treatment," Erdogan added, while indicating he did not expect the French leader to win a new mandate in 2022 elections.

'No condolences' In a highly unusual move, a French presidential official said that the French ambassador to Turkey was being recalled from Ankara for consultations and would meet Macron to discuss the situation in the wake of Erdogan's outburst. "President Erdogan's comments are unacceptable. Excess and rudeness are not a method. We demand that Erdogan change the course of his policy because it is dangerous in every respect," the official told AFP. The Elysee official, who asked not to be named, also said that France had noted "the absence of messages of condolence and support" from the Turkish president after the beheading of teacher Samuel Paty outside Paris. The official also expressed concern over calls by Ankara for a boycott of French goods. Macron this month described Islam as a religion "in crisis" worldwide and said the government would present a bill in December to strengthen a 1905 law that officially separated church and state in France. He announced stricter oversight of schooling and better control over foreign funding of mosques.

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Massive fire breaks out in Lebanon, covering 70,000 meters

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BEIRUT, (Xinhua) -- A massive fire broke out on Friday after midnight in Lebanon's city of Jbeil and spread over an area of more than 70,000 meters, LBCI local TV channel reported. The fire reached not only houses but also a number of plastic agricultural tents. No casualties have been recorded. Lebanon's civil defense personnel from Jbeil, Batroun, Keserwan and people from neighboring villages rushed to the village of Bentael to help put off the fire while water companies distributed water in support for their efforts. Massive fires erupted earlier this month in forests in southern and northern Lebanon due to the rise in temperature. Enditem

Envoy reaffirms Saudi Arabia’s support for Lebanese

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by arabnews.com -- NEW YORK: Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to the UN, Abdallah Al-Mouallimi, reaffirmed the Kingdom’s support for the Lebanese people in their crisis, especially after the explosion that rocked Beirut in August. He expressed great sadness about the extensive damage and human fatalities that resulted. Al-Mouallimi was addressing the meeting of the Regional Bureau for Arab States of the UN Development Program with the permanent representatives of the Arab Group on Lebanon. He said: “I am pleased to be with you today to discuss the measures taken to deal with the crisis in Lebanon; Lebanon is an important member of the Arab Nation and holds a special place in the heart of the Saudi people.” He reiterated the support for Lebanon and its people in confronting the challenges that have been aggravated by the explosion and the impact of COVID-19.

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Why Is Saad Hariri Back In Charge of Lebanon?

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by BY REBECCA COLLARD -- foreignpolicy.com -- Former Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri is back by unpopular demand, pledging to do better this time (his fourth as premier) as Lebanon reels from its months of political paralysis, its worst financial crisis in decades, the coronavirus pandemic, and the aftermath of the deadly Aug. 4 explosion at the port of Beirut. On Thursday, a slim majority of the Lebanon’s members of parliament agreed to have Hariri return as prime minister-designate and form a new cabinet—which will be his first tough test. His return will not be welcomed by the hundreds of thousands of Lebanese who have been in the streets in protest since last October, when they secured their biggest victory by forcing Hariri’s resignation. But after a year of dashed hopes, protesters are greeting his return with more despair than anger.

Wait, Hariri resigned a year ago in answer to the popular protests. How is his return supposed to be the solution to Lebanon’s problems, which have only gotten worse since then? Hariri is back as prime minister in large part because there’s not really anybody else whom Lebanon’s political parties would agree on. Hassan Diab, who succeeded Hariri last fall, resigned himself after the August explosion, which killed almost 200 people and was widely seen as the result of government incompetence and corruption. After him came Mustapha Adib, then (and now again) Lebanon’s ambassador to Germany. But he couldn’t form a new cabinet and stepped down as prime minister late last month.

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Netflix has just uploaded a whole bunch of iconic Lebanese movies

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By Nimotalai Oki, Editorial Assistant - Netflix is paying tribute to Lebanese filmmakers by creating a collection of 34 locals films, available exclusively on the streaming platform. Lebanon is the home to some of the most iconic Arab movies, so this news is music to our ears! Netflix's news to create the "Made in Lebanon" catalogue comes days after the streaming giant showed support for the Lebanese film industry by announcing the donation of $500,000 (approx Dhs424,000) Lebanon relieve fund for the entertainment sector. The new catalogue features a wide range of genres from drama, action, satire, romance, and comedy. Some of the films in the catalogue are; Capernaum by Nadine Labaki, Welcome to Lebanon by Saif Al Sheikh Najib, Max W Antar by Imad Jandali Al Rifa’i, Bel Ghalat by Seif Al Sheikh Najib, I Want to See by Joana Hadjithomas and Khalil Joreige, and Bighamdet Ein by Seif Al Sheikh Najib, amongst others.