Lebanon: ‘Political Weariness’ due to Normalization with Syrian Regime

Lebanon's Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil gestures after an interview with Reuters at his office in Beirut September 10, 2015. REUTERS/Jamal Saidi
Lebanon's Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil gestures after an interview with Reuters at his office in Beirut September 10, 2015. REUTERS/Jamal Saidi
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Lebanon: ‘Political Weariness’ due to Normalization with Syrian Regime

Lebanon's Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil gestures after an interview with Reuters at his office in Beirut September 10, 2015. REUTERS/Jamal Saidi
Lebanon's Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil gestures after an interview with Reuters at his office in Beirut September 10, 2015. REUTERS/Jamal Saidi

The Lebanese government is facing a chain of challenges that are seriously threatening its stability for the first time. Major challenges are the economic file and the obvious push of 8 March alliance towards normalization with the Syrian regime.

Days after the meeting of Lebanese Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil and his Syrian counterpart Walid Muallem, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly sessions, a debate spurred between Bassil and Lebanese Interior Minister Nohad al-Mashnouq who was later on accompanied by Information Minister Melhem Riachi.

Mashnouq, after his meeting with Lebanese Mufti Sheikh Abdul Latif Daryan, stated that Bassil-Muallem meeting undermines the government solidarity and breaches the political settlement which the government was formed in its regard.

“What happened reflects a huge political transformation and not only a minor debate inside the cabinet,” he added.

Information Minister Melhem Riachi refused to communicate with the Syrian regime and considered that Bassil’s justifications on the necessity of negotiating with the two countries contradict with the ministerial statement of impartiality.

Bassil replied on Machnouq without naming him, “Who undermines Lebanon’s interest is the one who refuses the exit of refugees from his land.”

Remarkably, Prime Minister Saad Hariri didn’t announce any stance regarding the meeting, knowing that during the last period he was keen to understand the division triggered by ministers’ visits to Damascus.

March 8 alliance said that it is unlikely that the debate on normalization affects the government stability since the continuity of the government is in everyone’s favor without exceptions.



Israeli Settlers Raid West Bank Town, Troops Kill 3 Palestinians

People gather around the body of a Palestinian who was killed during an Israeli settlers' attack, at a hospital in Ramallah in the Israeli-occupied West Bank June 25, 2025. (Reuters)
People gather around the body of a Palestinian who was killed during an Israeli settlers' attack, at a hospital in Ramallah in the Israeli-occupied West Bank June 25, 2025. (Reuters)
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Israeli Settlers Raid West Bank Town, Troops Kill 3 Palestinians

People gather around the body of a Palestinian who was killed during an Israeli settlers' attack, at a hospital in Ramallah in the Israeli-occupied West Bank June 25, 2025. (Reuters)
People gather around the body of a Palestinian who was killed during an Israeli settlers' attack, at a hospital in Ramallah in the Israeli-occupied West Bank June 25, 2025. (Reuters)

Dozens of Israeli settlers attacked a Palestinian West Bank town on Wednesday, sparking a confrontation that ended with Israeli forces killing three Palestinians, the Israeli military and Palestinian authorities said.

Three Palestinians were killed and seven wounded in the violence in Kafr Malik, northeast of Ramallah, the Palestinian health ministry said.

An Israeli military statement said dozens of Israelis set fire to property, and military and police forces were dispatched to the scene after receiving a report of ensuing violence that included an exchange of stone-throwing.

The military statement said several Palestinians opened fire and hurled rocks at the forces, who returned the fire. Five Israeli suspects were arrested. An Israeli army officer was lightly wounded.

Video footage showed at least two cars had been set ablaze. Reuters could not independently verify the video.

Hussein al-Sheikh, the deputy to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, posted on X: "The government of Israel, with its behavior and decisions, is pushing the region to explode."

"We call on the international community to intervene urgently to protect our Palestinian people," he said.

Earlier on Wednesday a Palestinian boy was shot dead by the Israeli army during a raid on Al-Yamun, a West Bank town west of Jenin, the Palestinian Red Crescent said.