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Lebanon’s Hariri Makes New Proposals to End Cabinet Stalemate

A woman and her daughter pass by a poster of outgoing Prime Minister Saad Hariri, in Beirut, Lebanon, Saturday, Nov. 11, 2017. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)
A woman and her daughter pass by a poster of outgoing Prime Minister Saad Hariri, in Beirut, Lebanon, Saturday, Nov. 11, 2017. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)
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Lebanon’s Hariri Makes New Proposals to End Cabinet Stalemate

A woman and her daughter pass by a poster of outgoing Prime Minister Saad Hariri, in Beirut, Lebanon, Saturday, Nov. 11, 2017. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)
A woman and her daughter pass by a poster of outgoing Prime Minister Saad Hariri, in Beirut, Lebanon, Saturday, Nov. 11, 2017. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)

Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri is planning on making new “proposals” to the Lebanese Forces and the Progressive Socialist Party in an attempt to break a monthslong deadlock in forming the government, informed political sources said.

The latest development came after Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi, who on Wednesday discussed the stalemate with President Michel Aoun at the Baabda Palace, quoted the president as saying that Hariri will present a cabinet lineup within the next two days.

“I felt that the president is optimistic,” said al-Rahi.

This comes as Hariri met Wednesday night with LF chief Samir Geagea at the Center House in Beirut. It is believed that the PM-designate made a proposal to give the party three main portfolios, including the education ministry.

But informed sources expected Geagea to reject the proposal by claiming “it does not go in tandem with the LF’s representation” in the parliament.

The cabinet deadlock revolves mainly around demands made by Walid Jumblat’s PSP and the LF, which have been dubbed as the problems of the Druze and Christian representation in the new government.

Hariri has limited choices with regards to the LF representation. Aoun is holding onto the positions of the deputy prime minister and the defense ministry, while Jebran Bassil, the leader of the Free Patriotic Movement that has been founded by the president, has rejected to give the LF a cabinet seat from the FPM’s share.

As for the Druze representation, Jumblat is asking for all three cabinet seats designated for his sect, while the FPM wants to grant its ally Druze MP Talal Arslan a share in the government.

Sources close to Jumblat told Asharq Al-Awsat on Wednesday that the PSP leader hasn’t yet received any proposal regarding his party’s representation in the government.

“There are currently no contacts with the PSP,” they said.

However, Hariri plans to meet separately with Bassil and Jumblat.

Meanwhile, Speaker Nabih Berri warned that he would call for parliamentary sessions if the government was not formed soon.

During his weekly meeting with lawmakers at his Ain al-Tineh residence, Berri reiterated the need to form a national unity cabinet.

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Arab World

UN: At Least 15 Children Killed in Sudan Drone Strike

The war in Sudan, ongoing since mid-April 2023, has caused extensive destruction across the country (AFP)
The war in Sudan, ongoing since mid-April 2023, has caused extensive destruction across the country (AFP)
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UN: At Least 15 Children Killed in Sudan Drone Strike

The war in Sudan, ongoing since mid-April 2023, has caused extensive destruction across the country (AFP)
The war in Sudan, ongoing since mid-April 2023, has caused extensive destruction across the country (AFP)

A drone strike on a displacement camp in Sudan killed at least 15 children earlier this week, the United Nations reported late on Wednesday.

"On Monday 16 February, at least 15 children were reportedly killed and 10 wounded after a drone strike on a displacement camp in Al Sunut, West Kordofan," the UN children's agency said in a statement.

Across the Kordofan region, currently the Sudan war's fiercest battlefield, "we are seeing the same disturbing patterns from Darfur -- children killed, injured, displaced and cut off from the services they need to survive," UNICEF's Executive Director Catherine Russell said.

Arab World

MSF Will Keep Operating in Gaza 'as Long as We Can'

(FILES) A Palestinian man walks on his crutches to the Doctors Without Borders or Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) clinic, in the al-Rimal neighborhood of Gaza City on new year's Eve, December 31, 2025. (Photo by Omar AL-QATTAA / AFP)
(FILES) A Palestinian man walks on his crutches to the Doctors Without Borders or Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) clinic, in the al-Rimal neighborhood of Gaza City on new year's Eve, December 31, 2025. (Photo by Omar AL-QATTAA / AFP)
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MSF Will Keep Operating in Gaza 'as Long as We Can'

(FILES) A Palestinian man walks on his crutches to the Doctors Without Borders or Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) clinic, in the al-Rimal neighborhood of Gaza City on new year's Eve, December 31, 2025. (Photo by Omar AL-QATTAA / AFP)
(FILES) A Palestinian man walks on his crutches to the Doctors Without Borders or Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) clinic, in the al-Rimal neighborhood of Gaza City on new year's Eve, December 31, 2025. (Photo by Omar AL-QATTAA / AFP)

The head of Doctors Without Borders in the Palestinian territories told AFP the charity would continue working in Gaza for as long as possible, following an Israeli decision to end its activities there.

In early February, Israel announced it was terminating all the activities in Gaza by the medical charity, known by its French acronym MSF, after it failed to provide a list of its Palestinian staff.

MSF has slammed the move, which takes effect on March 1, as a "pretext" to obstruct aid.

"For the time being, we are still working in Gaza, and we plan to keep running our operations as long as we can," Filipe Ribeiro told AFP in Amman, but said operations were already facing challenges.

"Since the beginning of January, we are not anymore in the capacity to get international staff inside Gaza. The Israeli authorities actually denied any entry to Gaza, but also to the West Bank," he said.

Ribeiro added that MSF's ability to bring medical supplies into Gaza had also been impacted.

"They're not allowed for now, but we have some stocks in our pharmacies that will allow us to keep running operations for the time being," he said.

"We do have teams in Gaza that are still working, both national and international, and we have stocks."

In December, Israel announced it would prevent 37 aid organizations, including MSF, from working in Gaza from March 1 for failing to submit detailed information about their Palestinian employees, drawing widespread condemnation from NGOs and the United Nations.

It had alleged that two MSF employees had links with Palestinian militant groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad, which the medical charity has repeatedly and vehemently denied.

MSF says it did not provide the names of its Palestinian staff because Israeli authorities offered no assurances regarding their safety.

Ribeiro warned of the massive impact the termination of MSF's operations would have for healthcare in war-shattered Gaza.

"MSF is one of the biggest actors when it comes to the health provision in Gaza and the West Bank, and if we are obliged to leave, then we will create a huge void in Gaza," he said.

The charity says it currently provides at least 20 percent of hospital beds in the territory and operates around 20 health centers.

In 2025 alone, it carried out more than 800,000 medical consultations, treated more than 100,000 trauma cases and assisted more than 10,000 infant deliveries.

Arab World

Egyptian-Turkish Military Talks Focus on Strengthening Partnership

The Commander of the Egyptian Air Force during his meeting with the Turkish Air Force chief in Cairo on Wednesday (Egyptian military spokesperson)
The Commander of the Egyptian Air Force during his meeting with the Turkish Air Force chief in Cairo on Wednesday (Egyptian military spokesperson)
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Egyptian-Turkish Military Talks Focus on Strengthening Partnership

The Commander of the Egyptian Air Force during his meeting with the Turkish Air Force chief in Cairo on Wednesday (Egyptian military spokesperson)
The Commander of the Egyptian Air Force during his meeting with the Turkish Air Force chief in Cairo on Wednesday (Egyptian military spokesperson)

Senior Egyptian and Turkish air force commanders met in Cairo on Wednesday for talks focused on strengthening military partnership and expanding bilateral cooperation, in the latest sign of warming defense ties between the two countries.

The meeting brought together the Commander of the Egyptian Air Force, Lt. Gen. Amr Saqr, and his Turkish counterpart, Gen. Ziya Cemal Kadioglu, to review a range of issues of mutual interest amid growing cooperation between the two air forces.

Egypt’s military spokesperson said the talks reflect the Armed Forces’ commitment to deepening military collaboration with friendly and partner nations.

Earlier this month, Egypt and Türkiye signed a military cooperation agreement during talks in Cairo between Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and his Turkish counterpart, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Sisi highlighted similar viewpoints on regional and international issues, while Erdogan noted that enhanced cooperation and forthcoming joint steps would help support regional peace.

Cairo and Ankara also signed an agreement last August on the joint production of vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) drones. Production of unmanned ground vehicles has also begun under a partnership between the Turkish firm HAVELSAN and Egypt’s Kader Factory.

During the talks, Saqr underscored the importance of coordinating efforts to advance shared interests and expressed hope for closer ties that would benefit both air forces.

Kadioglu, for his part, stressed the depth of bilateral partnership and the strong foundations of cooperation between the two countries’ air forces.

According to the military spokesperson, Kadioglu also toured several Egyptian Air Force units to review the latest training and armament systems introduced in recent years.

Military cooperation between Egypt and Türkiye has gained momentum since 2023, following the restoration of full diplomatic relations and reciprocal presidential visits that reflected positively on the defense sector.

In September last year, the joint naval exercise “Sea of Friendship 2025” was held in Turkish territorial waters, aimed at enhancing joint capabilities and exchanging expertise against a range of threats.