Panic, Fear among Lebanese after Embassies’ Security Warnings

The US embassy in Lebanon. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The US embassy in Lebanon. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Panic, Fear among Lebanese after Embassies’ Security Warnings

The US embassy in Lebanon. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The US embassy in Lebanon. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Western embassies in Lebanon issued security warnings during the past two days, causing panic and fear among the Lebanese people.

The security forces assured however that the situation is under control, even if it was delicate in wake of the battles in the northeastern border area of Arsal to expel ISIS terrorists. The expulsion had promoted fears of attacks by sleeper cells in the country.

The US Embassy in Beirut was the first to issue a warning two days ago. It was then followed by embassies of Canada and France within less than 24 hours. France limited the security threat to the upcoming 48 hours before the Lebanese army announced the arrest of a security cell that was planning to carry out terrorist attacks.

The army clarified that the military had taken necessary preemptive measures. It had received information that an ISIS cell, headed by Egyptian Fadi Ibrahim Ahmad, was planning to carry out an attack. It consequently carried out a number of raids, arresting 19 suspects linked to the cell. Ahmed is hiding in the Palestinian refugee camp of Ain el-Hilweh near the southern city of Sidon.

While the French embassy pointed out that its warning was linked to previous warnings by western embassies, the US Embassy refused to give more details.

“These warnings are based on information from a foreign intelligence agency,” the Interior Ministry said.

“Lebanese security services are following up to check their authenticity and accuracy... There is no cause for fear or overreacting,” added the ministry.

Further, the Ministry Foreign Affairs called on embassies to take into consideration the panic such statements cause on residents, Lebanese and foreigners.



Rights Defenders Denounce US Sanctions on UN Expert on Palestinians

UN Special Rapporteur for the occupied Palestinian territories, Francesca Albanese gives a press conference at the UN City in Copenhagen, Denmark February 5, 2025. Ritzau Scanpix/Ida Marie Odgaard via REUTERS/File Photo
UN Special Rapporteur for the occupied Palestinian territories, Francesca Albanese gives a press conference at the UN City in Copenhagen, Denmark February 5, 2025. Ritzau Scanpix/Ida Marie Odgaard via REUTERS/File Photo
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Rights Defenders Denounce US Sanctions on UN Expert on Palestinians

UN Special Rapporteur for the occupied Palestinian territories, Francesca Albanese gives a press conference at the UN City in Copenhagen, Denmark February 5, 2025. Ritzau Scanpix/Ida Marie Odgaard via REUTERS/File Photo
UN Special Rapporteur for the occupied Palestinian territories, Francesca Albanese gives a press conference at the UN City in Copenhagen, Denmark February 5, 2025. Ritzau Scanpix/Ida Marie Odgaard via REUTERS/File Photo

Human rights defenders rallied on Thursday to support the top UN expert on Palestinian rights, after the United States imposed sanctions on her over what it said was unfair criticism of Israel.

Italian lawyer Francesca Albanese serves as special rapporteur on human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories, one of dozens of experts appointed by the 47-member UN Human Rights Council to report on specific global issues.

She has long criticized Israeli treatment of the Palestinians, and this month published a report accusing over 60 companies, including some US firms, of supporting Israeli settlements in the West Bank and military actions in Gaza.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on Wednesday Albanese would be added to the US sanctions list for work which had prompted what he described as illegitimate prosecutions of Israelis at the International Criminal Court.

United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk urged Washington to reverse course.

"Even in the face of fierce disagreement, UN Member States should engage substantively and constructively, rather than resort to punitive measures," he said, Reuters reported.

Juerg Lauber, the Swiss permanent representative to the UN who now holds the rotating presidency of the Human Rights Council, said he regretted the sanctions, and called on states to "refrain from any acts of intimidation or reprisal" against the body's experts.

Mariana Katzarova, who serves as the special rapporteur for human rights in Russia, said her concern was that other countries would follow the US lead.

"This is totally unacceptable and opens the gates for any other government to do the same," she told Reuters. "It is an attack on UN system as a whole. Member states must stand up and denounce this."

Russia has rejected Katzarova's mandate and refused to let her enter the country, but it has so far stopped short of publicly adding her to a sanctions list.

Washington has already imposed sanctions against officials at the International Criminal Court, which has issued arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defense minister for suspected war crimes in Gaza. Another court, the International Court of Justice, is hearing a case brought by South Africa that accuses Israel of genocide.

Israel denies that its forces have carried out war crimes or genocide against Palestinians in the war in Gaza, which was precipitated by an attack by Hamas-led fighters in October 2023.

"The United States is working to dismantle the norms and institutions on which survivors of grave abuses rely," said Liz Evenson, international justice director at Human Rights Watch.

The group's former head, Kenneth Roth, called the US sanctions an attempt "to deter prosecution of Israeli war crimes and genocide in Gaza".

The United States, once one of the most active members of the Human Rights Council, has disengaged from it under President Donald Trump, alleging an anti-Israel bias.