Lebanon to Study Kuwait Initiative, Respond by Saturday

A delegation headed by Kuwaiti FM Sheikh Ahmad Nasser al-Mohammed Al Sabah meets with Lebanese President Aoun on Sunday. (Dalati & Nohra)
A delegation headed by Kuwaiti FM Sheikh Ahmad Nasser al-Mohammed Al Sabah meets with Lebanese President Aoun on Sunday. (Dalati & Nohra)
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Lebanon to Study Kuwait Initiative, Respond by Saturday

A delegation headed by Kuwaiti FM Sheikh Ahmad Nasser al-Mohammed Al Sabah meets with Lebanese President Aoun on Sunday. (Dalati & Nohra)
A delegation headed by Kuwaiti FM Sheikh Ahmad Nasser al-Mohammed Al Sabah meets with Lebanese President Aoun on Sunday. (Dalati & Nohra)

Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdullah Bou Habib announced on Monday that the authorities will study the Arab initiative delivered by Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sheikh Ahmad Nasser al-Mohammed Al Sabah last week.

The initiative is aimed at setting straight Lebanon's ties with Arab countries and achieving political and economic recovery.

Bou Habib met with President Michel Aoun on Monday, saying a response to the initiative will be announced by Saturday.

Ministerial sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that Bou Habib will draft the preliminary response to the proposal and it will be discussed with Aoun, Prime Minister Najib Mikati and parliament Speaker Nabih Berri.

The majority of the replies to the initiative are already available in the government's policy statement, added the sources.

On initiative's article related to Hezbollah's weapons, the sources said a response to this point will focus on the implementation of international resolutions, while stressing that this issue does not solely lie in Lebanon's hands, but it is tied to the current regional situation.

Former PM Fuad Saniora hailed the Arab initiative, saying it addresses the causes of Lebanon's current plight and goes to the root of the problems suffered by the people.

It therefore, paves the way to ending Lebanon's crisis, leads the way to national, political and economic recovery and mends ties between Lebanon and its Arab brothers and the international community, he stated.

The initiative is a serious Arab and international effort to help Lebanon out of its collapse, he continued.

One of the major problems suffered by Lebanon is the usurping of its foreign policy and hegemony by Iran that go against the interests of the Lebanese people and the Arab world, Saniora said.



Trump Victory Fuels Fears of Netanyahu’s Increased Freedom in Lebanon

Smoke rises from Beirut’s southern suburbs following Israeli attacks. (AFP)
Smoke rises from Beirut’s southern suburbs following Israeli attacks. (AFP)
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Trump Victory Fuels Fears of Netanyahu’s Increased Freedom in Lebanon

Smoke rises from Beirut’s southern suburbs following Israeli attacks. (AFP)
Smoke rises from Beirut’s southern suburbs following Israeli attacks. (AFP)

Lebanese are watching closely after Donald Trump’s election as US president, hoping his policies might bring solutions to regional crises and possibly halt wars in Ukraine and the Middle East.

Observers caution, however, that change won’t be immediate or at Israel’s expense; instead, they expect Israel could have more military leeway before peace efforts begin.

Trump didn’t outline his plans to end conflicts during his victory speech, only briefly mentioning the issue.

Fares Soeid, a former Lebanese MP, called Trump’s win a potential global turning point, particularly in conflict zones like Ukraine and the Middle East. Soeid believes Trump’s support for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israel’s far-right may intensify.

Soeid told Asharq Al-Awsat that Trump’s election could hasten military actions on the Lebanese-Israeli border, allowing Netanyahu more freedom to secure military objectives and strengthen Israel’s negotiating position.

He suggested key UN resolutions intended to control arms in Lebanon may lose focus, with the goal shifting to place all weapons under state control.

There is concern in Lebanon over any change to Resolution 1701, which maintains the ceasefire with Israel.

Soeid clarified that Trump might not scrap these resolutions outright but could push for tighter arms restrictions, ensuring only Lebanon’s government holds power over weapons.

He believes the US may aim to create a cohesive Lebanese leadership to enforce these measures, essentially enabling Netanyahu more flexibility in regional matters.

The US election drew intense interest in Lebanon, with citizens and officials closely tracking the campaigns and vote results, hoping for a positive shift.

Lebanese politician Khaldoun Sharif noted that Trump reached out to Lebanese Americans during his campaign, promising to bring peace to Lebanon quickly.

He sees Trump’s advisor, Lebanese-born Massad Boulos, as potentially instrumental in highlighting Lebanon’s needs to the new administration.

Sharif criticized the outgoing Democratic administration’s handling of conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon, saying it failed to curb Netanyahu’s plans despite multiple ceasefire proposals.

As Trump prepares to take office on January 20, Sharif emphasized that Lebanon is eager for a complete ceasefire, adherence to Resolution 1701, a consensus-backed president, and a transparent, reform-oriented government to rebuild trust with Arab nations and the international community.

Sharif voiced disappointment that past US administrations have often overlooked Lebanon’s significance.

Now, amid a severe conflict, he hopes Trump will act swiftly to end the violence, support reconstruction, and restore Lebanon’s standing on the regional stage.