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Raed Khoury: Lebanon’s Government Stands Despite Divisions

Minister Khoury attends an economic forum in Beirut on May 5, 2017/Dalati&Nohra
Minister Khoury attends an economic forum in Beirut on May 5, 2017/Dalati&Nohra
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Raed Khoury: Lebanon’s Government Stands Despite Divisions

Minister Khoury attends an economic forum in Beirut on May 5, 2017/Dalati&Nohra
Minister Khoury attends an economic forum in Beirut on May 5, 2017/Dalati&Nohra

Economy Minister Raed Khoury said on Friday that the Lebanese government would not fall despite divisions among its members.

“The government will stand due to an agreement reached between all Lebanese sides to keep disputes aside and work on what unites us in the benefit of Lebanon and the people,” he said in an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat.

The minister rejected accusations against “Hezbollah” of trying to harvest the fruits of the Lebanese army’s victory in the Jurud battle. Khoury spoke about the continuous Israeli threats against Lebanon and the need to remain attached to the “Army, People, Resistance” formula to protect the country.

Last week, the Lebanese army ended its “Jurud Dawn” battle against ISIS after a first of its kind agreement was reached between “Hezbollah” and the extremist organization and later blessed by the Syrian regime to allow a safe passage for ISIS militants to Syria’s Deir Ezzor after the terrorist group uncovered the fate of the captured Lebanese soldiers, who had been missing for the past three years.

However, the agreement led to large scale criticism by the Lebanese people who rejected a deal with the militants.

Commenting on the issue, Khoury, who represents the Free Patriotic Movement, said: “The Lebanese should be proud of the army that did not announce the end of the battle before achieving all its targets.”

According to the minister, the Jurud battle mainly aimed to “liberate the land and uncover the fate of the captured Lebanese soldiers with the least damages, and not to kill the terrorists.”

He said that Hezbollah’s agreement with the ISIS militants came at the last phase of the battle, after the terrorists had almost surrendered.

Khoury said that Hezbollah had no say in the Jurud Dawn battle, although the party had claimed the opposite.

Commenting on calls that Hezbollah hands over its arms particularly after the Lebanese army proved being capable of engaging in difficult battles, Khoury said: “Such a request is currently irrational. We live in region that is constantly threatened by Israel and terrorists, a situation which requires cooperation among all parties.”

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UN Appeal for Aid to Support 10 Million Yemenis

 In Yemen around 3.3 million IDPs are living in family hosting arrangements and rental accommodation (UN)
 In Yemen around 3.3 million IDPs are living in family hosting arrangements and rental accommodation (UN)
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UN Appeal for Aid to Support 10 Million Yemenis

 In Yemen around 3.3 million IDPs are living in family hosting arrangements and rental accommodation (UN)
 In Yemen around 3.3 million IDPs are living in family hosting arrangements and rental accommodation (UN)

The United Nations and partners launched last week the 2025 Yemen Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan, seeking urgent humanitarian and protection assistance to more than 10 million Yemenis in need.
In its plan, the UN warned that more than half of the country’s population – 19.5 million people – needs humanitarian assistance and protection services.
The collapse of the Yemeni riyal, now trading at over 2,160 riyals per US dollar in the legitimate government-controlled areas, has significantly worsened living conditions for Yemenis and left authorities struggling to pay public sector salaries for the past four months.
Yemen’s financial crisis further worsened after the Houthi militia suspended oil exports, causing an electricity blackout in Aden, the country's temporary capital, for more than half a day.
In its Yemen Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan, the UN appealed for $2.47 billion to provide urgent humanitarian and protection assistance to more than 19.5 million people in need.
Under the 2025 appeal, humanitarians aim to deliver life-saving assistance to 10.5 million of the most vulnerable people in need, Humanitarian Coordinator in Yemen, Julien Harneis, said.
Despite significant challenges, Harneis said 197 aid organizations reached more than 8 million people with life-saving assistance last year – two-thirds of which were local Yemeni organizations.
This was made possible by the sustained support of donors, who contributed more than $1.4 billion to the 2024 Humanitarian Response Plan.
The Humanitarian Coordinator said much more is needed this year to reduce needs, achieve peace, revive the economy and build the resilience of communities through sustainable development activities.
He noted that climate shocks, increased regional tensions and chronic underfunding of critical humanitarian sectors are further worsening people’s vulnerability and suffering.
This year, more than 17 million people will experience acute food insecurity—almost half the country’s population—with 5 million expected to experience emergency levels of food insecurity.
Moreover, 13.6 million people face challenges to access a water source of sufficient quality to prevent diseases while 40% of Yemen's health facilities are partially functioning or completely out-of-service due to shortages in staff, funding, electricity, medicines and equipment, and infrastructure integrity.
The UN last year requested $2.7 billion for a humanitarian response plan, but received only meager pledges, causing a huge gap in meeting the needs of the targeted population.
Jamal Belfaqih, head of Yemen's Supreme Relief Committee, confirms the numbers of humanitarian needs declared by the United Nations, its agencies and international organizations.
However, Belfaqih said the appeal that agencies request fail to meet their efforts to secure funding.
Also, he said, the UN and its agencies face challenges to reach the targeted population due to a lack of information and demographic changes caused by internal displacement.
Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, Belfaqih said the funds required from donors to finance the humanitarian response plan will probably not be obtained due to a poor promotion of the humanitarian crisis in Yemen.
“The relief organizations have not changed their response plan methods since 2015, despite their failure to meet the needs of the Yemenis and to end or reduce the humanitarian crisis,” he said.
In 2025, an estimated 19.5 million people across Yemen need humanitarian assistance and protection services – 1.3 million people more than last year.
An estimated 4.8 million people, most of whom are women and children, remain internally displaced, with repeated displacement trapping families in cycles of dependency on humanitarian assistance.
In a briefing to the Security Council on the humanitarian situation in Yemen, Joyce Msuya, Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, said people in Yemen continue to face a severe humanitarian and protection crisis.
Almost half of Yemen’s population – over 17 million people – is unable to meet their basic food needs.
The most marginalized, including women and girls, those displaced and communities such as the Muhamasheen, are the worst affected.
Msuya said almost half of all children under the age of 5 suffer from moderate to severe stunting caused by malnutrition, while cholera is at appalling levels.