Dialogue Needed over Issue of Lebanon's 'Neutrality' in Region, Says PM Diab

Prime Minister Hassan Diab meets Patriarch al-Rai in Diman. (Dalati & Nohra)
Prime Minister Hassan Diab meets Patriarch al-Rai in Diman. (Dalati & Nohra)
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Dialogue Needed over Issue of Lebanon's 'Neutrality' in Region, Says PM Diab

Prime Minister Hassan Diab meets Patriarch al-Rai in Diman. (Dalati & Nohra)
Prime Minister Hassan Diab meets Patriarch al-Rai in Diman. (Dalati & Nohra)

Lebanon’s Prime Minister Hassan Diab said on Saturday dialogue was needed over the country’s stance on regional conflicts, after meeting with Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rai who has urged Lebanon to remain neutral to help it out of its crisis.

The country is in the grip of a financial meltdown, raising concerns for its stability, and is badly in need of foreign aid. Hopes of salvation through an IMF deal have retreated with the government hamstrung by the conflicting agendas of sectarian leaders.

Rai has made several comments this month that were widely interpreted as criticism of both the Iran-backed Hezbollah party and its ally President Michel Aoun, both backers of Diab’s cabinet.

“The issue of neutrality is a political one ... and it needs deep dialogue between all the political sides in Lebanon,” Diab said after meeting with Rai on Saturday.

“We are fundamentally a neutral country...and in the end, our salvation is in our neutrality,” Rai told local broadcaster LBCI later on Saturday.



EU Tells Israel to Reverse Move to Cut Off Palestinian Banks

Israel's Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich holds a press conference with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (not pictured) at the prime minister's office in Jerusalem, Israel, 11 January 2023. (EPA)
Israel's Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich holds a press conference with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (not pictured) at the prime minister's office in Jerusalem, Israel, 11 January 2023. (EPA)
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EU Tells Israel to Reverse Move to Cut Off Palestinian Banks

Israel's Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich holds a press conference with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (not pictured) at the prime minister's office in Jerusalem, Israel, 11 January 2023. (EPA)
Israel's Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich holds a press conference with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (not pictured) at the prime minister's office in Jerusalem, Israel, 11 January 2023. (EPA)

The EU on Wednesday urged Israel to undo a move by a far-right minister that threatens to paralyze Palestinian financial institutions.

Finance minister Bezalel Smotrich announced Tuesday that Israel had cancelled a waiver allowing its banks to work with Palestinian ones.

"The European Union is deeply concerned by the instruction by Israel's finance minister Smotrich to cancel the waiver on cooperation with Palestinian banks, which could cut them off from the Israeli financial system, devastate an already crippled Palestinian economy, and may lead to the collapse of the Palestinian Authority," EU spokesman Anouar El Anouni said.

"The EU calls on Israel to revert this decision immediately and to refrain from any action that could lead to the collapse of the Palestinian authority."

The Palestinian financial and banking system is dependent on the regular renewal of the Israeli waiver.

It protects Israeli banks from potential legal action relating to transactions with their Palestinian counterparts, for instance in relation to “financing terror”.