Beirut Airport Refrains from Refueling Iranian, Syrian Planes

An IranAir Airbus A320 aircraft parks after landing at Belgrade's Nikola Tesla Airport, Serbia, March 13, 2018. (Reuters)
An IranAir Airbus A320 aircraft parks after landing at Belgrade's Nikola Tesla Airport, Serbia, March 13, 2018. (Reuters)
TT
20

Beirut Airport Refrains from Refueling Iranian, Syrian Planes

An IranAir Airbus A320 aircraft parks after landing at Belgrade's Nikola Tesla Airport, Serbia, March 13, 2018. (Reuters)
An IranAir Airbus A320 aircraft parks after landing at Belgrade's Nikola Tesla Airport, Serbia, March 13, 2018. (Reuters)

Lebanon has made a commitment to refrain from supplying Iranian and Syrian airlines with fuel at Beirut airport, in line with US sanctions. These companies are on a long list of sanctions received by the country.

Beirut’s Rafik Hariri International Airport responded to the decision of international sanctions on a number of airlines, including Iranian airlines. The airport refrained from supplying the aircraft of those companies with fuel. The list includes more than 20 airlines from 15 countries around the world.

Senior Lebanese sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that the list included Iranian airlines, such as Iran Air, Mahan Air and others, Syrian airlines such as Cham Wings and Syrian Arab Airlines, in addition to a Belarusian airline, Belavia. The list also includes other airlines that do not land in Beirut, the sources said.

“The decision is international and cannot be disregarded by Lebanon,” Lebanese political sources said. “Lebanon will not violate international resolutions, but will abide by them.”

They said that government instructions received at the airport ordered full commitment to the list.

Several international companies supply Beirut airport with jet fuel, some of which are linked to the parent companies British Petroleum (BP) or Total, which have taken the decision to abide by the sanctions.

The sources told Asharq Al-Awsat: “The decision is effective and is being applied at the airport since the US sanctions against Iran came into force.”

In recent statements, Secretary of the Association of Iranian Airlines Maqsoud Asadi Samani confirmed the halting of supply of fuel to Iranian aircraft at the airport in Beirut, saying: “Unfortunately, in recent days, there were talks about this issue, and we have now reached the stage of implementation. Iranian airlines cannot currently refuel at the Lebanese airports.”



2 Killed in Southern Lebanon as Protests against Israeli Presence Erupt for a Second Day

A United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon vehicle drives through a Lebanese army checkpoint in Burj al-Mulik - AFP
A United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon vehicle drives through a Lebanese army checkpoint in Burj al-Mulik - AFP
TT
20

2 Killed in Southern Lebanon as Protests against Israeli Presence Erupt for a Second Day

A United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon vehicle drives through a Lebanese army checkpoint in Burj al-Mulik - AFP
A United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon vehicle drives through a Lebanese army checkpoint in Burj al-Mulik - AFP

Firing by Israeli troops killed two people and wounded 17 on Monday in the second day of deadly protests in southern Lebanon, health officials said, as residents displaced by the 14-month war between Israel and Hezbollah attempted to return to villages where Israeli troops remain.

The shooting came a day after 24 people were killed and more than 130 wounded when Israeli troops opened fire on protesters who breached roadblocks set up along the border.

Under a US-brokered ceasefire on Nov. 27, Israeli forces were to withdraw from southern Lebanon, and Hezbollah was to move north of the Litani River by Jan. 26. While the Lebanese army and UN peacekeepers had already deployed in several villages before the deadline, Israel remained in over a dozen villages.

The United States and Lebanon announced later on Sunday that the deadline to meet the ceasefire terms had been extended to Feb. 18.

Protests resumed Monday particularly in eastern border villages, where residents again attempted to return home. Israeli troops opened fire, killing one person in the town of Adaisseh and wounding seven others across four southern villages, the Health Ministry reported.

The Israeli military has blamed Hezbollah for pushing people to protest and has said soldiers fired warning shots when demonstrators approached.

In the village of Aitaroun, scores of unarmed residents, some waving Hezbollah flags, marched hand-in-hand or rode motorcycles, escorted by ambulances, bulldozers and Lebanese army tanks. They approached the edge of the town but stopped short of Israeli positions, unable to enter.

“We are coming with our heads held high and crowned with victory to our village, Aitaroun,” said Saleem Mrad, head of the municipality. “Our village is ours, and we will bring it back more beautiful than it was before. We are staying.”

Hassan al-Ahmad, a Aitaroun resident, said, “We have to give our blood and our souls. If there had not been blood spilled, the land would not have been liberated.”

Lebanon’s National News Agency reported that Israel dropped a bomb at the entrance of the southern village of Yaroun to deter residents from proceeding farther.

In the town of Bint Jbeil, Hezbollah members handed out flyers featuring slain leader Hassan Nasrallah with the words, “Victory has arrived.” Some residents waved Hezbollah flags.

Israel blamed the Lebanese army for not deploying to the region fast enough, while the Lebanese military accused Israel of stalling its withdrawal, complicating its deployment efforts.

Some family members who entered border villages Sunday discovered the bodies of their relatives. Israeli strikes have killed over 4,000 people during the war, but Lebanese authorities do not distinguish between fighters and civilians in their death toll.

Since the ceasefire began, Israel has conducted near-daily operations such as house demolitions, shelling and airstrikes in southern Lebanon, accusing Hezbollah of violating ceasefire terms by attempting to move weapons. Lebanon in turn has accused Israel of hundreds of ceasefire violations.