Lebanese Lawmaker Frees $8,500 in Trapped Bank Depositshttps://english.aawsat.com/home/article/3913061/lebanese-lawmaker-frees-8500-trapped-bank-deposits
Lebanese Lawmaker Frees $8,500 in Trapped Bank Deposits
Cynthia Zarazir, a member of the Lebanese parliament who entered a Byblos bank branch seeking her own savings, according to a depositors' advocacy group, stands inside a bank in Antelias, Lebanon October 5, 2022. (Reuters)
Lebanese Lawmaker Frees $8,500 in Trapped Bank Deposits
Cynthia Zarazir, a member of the Lebanese parliament who entered a Byblos bank branch seeking her own savings, according to a depositors' advocacy group, stands inside a bank in Antelias, Lebanon October 5, 2022. (Reuters)
A Lebanese lawmaker entered a bank branch, accompanied by lawyers, and freed more than $8,000 in trapped dollar deposits on Wednesday to pay for surgery, her lawyer said.
Cynthia Zarazir, who was elected to parliament in May, is the latest in a growing number of angry depositors who have forced Lebanese lenders to unlock savings trapped under informal capital controls imposed in the face of an unprecedented financial crisis.
Zarazir, unarmed but with legal cover, entered her bank branch in a northern suburb of Beirut at around 9 am (0600 GMT) to demand $8,500 to pay for surgery costs not covered by her health insurance, her lawyer Fouad Debs said.
She exited hours later after the bank paid her the sum in cash, Debs and the official National News Agency said.
Several activists had gathered outside the bank to support Zarazir, whose plight echoes that of the many Lebanese who have been locked out of their savings by bank restrictions that have tightened since the start of the country's financial crash in 2019.
Commercial lenders have effectively banned most foreign currency transactions, forcing depositors to withdraw their savings in the plummeting Lebanese pound, which has lost more than 95 percent of its value against the dollar on the black market.
'Not beggars'
Also on Wednesday, a retired member of Lebanon's Internal Security Forces stormed a bank in Beirut's southern suburbs to demand access to $48,000 in dollar savings as well as 270 million Lebanese pounds from his pension.
He was unarmed.
"After negotiations with the bank's management, he managed to get all his Lebanese pound deposits and $3,000" in trapped dollar savings, said Ibrahim Abdullah, a spokesman for the Depositors Union advocacy group.
Meanwhile, dozens of protesters gathered outside the central bank headquarters in Beirut to demand access to their money, amid a heavy troop deployment.
"We came to claim our rights," said protester Houssam Machmouchi, 42.
"We are not beggars, we just want our money."
On Tuesday, a retired diplomat and honorary consul of Ireland, Georges Siam, carried out an all-day sit-in at a bank in the suburbs of Beirut to recover his savings before eventually reaching a compromise.
Almost simultaneously, at least two other armed bank heists took place in separate branches.
They included one by a retired policeman who held up a bank in eastern Lebanon to demand a money transfer to his son in Ukraine to help pay for rent and university tuition.
Lebanon's banks closed for a week after a series of heists on September 16. They have since reopened amid tight security.
Israeli Support for Ethiopia’s Maritime Access Bid Fuels Tensions With Egypthttps://english.aawsat.com/arab-world/5317322-israeli-support-ethiopia%E2%80%99s-maritime-access-bid-fuels-tensions-egypt
Israeli Support for Ethiopia’s Maritime Access Bid Fuels Tensions With Egypt
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed holds earlier talks with the Israeli president in Addis Ababa (Ethiopian News Agency)
Israeli support for landlocked Ethiopia’s bid for access to the Red Sea is fueling tensions with Egypt, which has repeatedly opposed Addis Ababa’s moves amid a separate dispute over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam and its impact on Cairo’s Nile water share.
The Israeli backing raises friction with Egypt and gives Tel Aviv another way to pressure Cairo over its positions, despite the legitimacy of Egypt’s stance under international law, experts told Asharq Al-Awsat. They said the international community would ultimately determine the outcome.
Ethiopia has been landlocked since 1993, when Eritrea gained independence after a three-decade war. It relies on neighboring countries’ ports, particularly Djibouti’s.
The Ethiopian News Agency said Israel had announced diplomatic support for Ethiopia’s efforts to secure access to the sea. It quoted Israeli Ambassador to Ethiopia Avraham Neguise as saying that his country firmly backed the East African nation’s push for a Red Sea outlet.
Empowering and strengthening Ethiopia and stabilizing the Red Sea are in everyone’s interest, not Ethiopia’s alone, and Israel stands with Ethiopia in this effort, Neguise told the agency on Thursday evening.
It was not Neguise’s first intervention on an issue dividing Egypt and Ethiopia. In August, he told reporters that Israel would “continue to strengthen its support for Ethiopia, with the aim of helping it become a leading economic power on the African continent.”
Threat to Egyptian interests
African affairs expert Asmaa al-Husseini said the Israeli statements “increase tensions with Egypt” and point to “a covert Israeli role in Ethiopia’s Red Sea moves aimed at harming Egyptian interests.”
The issue may not trigger a direct crisis between Cairo and Tel Aviv, she told Asharq Al-Awsat, but Egypt would closely monitor it. Cairo’s response would depend on the level of escalation and Ethiopia’s actions on the ground.
“Egypt has the right to defend its national security,” Husseini said. “If any military arrangements targeting it are pursued in the Red Sea, Egypt will take measures to prevent them. Ethiopia and Israel understand this, but they are trying by every means to impose a fait accompli. Egypt will never accept that.”
Neguise’s latest remarks coincided with renewed Egyptian opposition to Ethiopian access to the Red Sea.
“There are sovereign states with ports on the Red Sea, and no one has the right to grant any country military maritime access. Otherwise, there would be chaos, particularly as many African countries are landlocked,” Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty told a news conference on Thursday evening.
“There is no problem with commercial access,” he added.
Ramadan Qarny, an expert on African affairs, said Egypt’s opposition rested on several established principles.
“The first is legal: respect for international law, which affirms the exclusive right of littoral states to maintain a presence on the Red Sea coast,” Qarny told Asharq Al-Awsat.
“The second is respect for African Union principles, which uphold the sanctity of borders inherited from the colonial era. Raising this issue could therefore open the door to widespread unrest across African countries.”
The third principle, Qarny said, was that “Egypt’s actions and position align with the principles of the African and Arab states bordering the Red Sea.”
Qarny said Israel was seeking Ethiopian backing on a similar issue: Israel’s presence in, or recognition of, the breakaway Somaliland region, which took place in December 2025.
“There is a political quid pro quo,” he said. “Israel supports Ethiopia in obtaining access to the Red Sea coast in exchange for Ethiopian support for Israel’s recognition of the breakaway Somaliland region.”
Cairo’s position
Cairo has not officially responded to Israel’s continued moves on Ethiopia.
Former Egyptian Foreign Minister Mohamed El-Orabi, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the chairman of the Egyptian Council for Foreign Affairs, has downplayed their impact.
In earlier remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, he said they would “neither undermine nor change” Egypt’s positions.
Qarny said Israeli support was unlikely to significantly alter the dynamics of the Egyptian-Ethiopian disputes.
“Tensions already exist and are likely to increase,” he said, adding that Ethiopian media had in recent months waged what he described as “a coordinated and organized campaign,” led by the Ethiopian News Agency, against Egypt’s positions.
The campaign, he said, had targeted Cairo’s stance on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, the Nile Basin countries’ Cooperative Framework Agreement and Ethiopia’s bid for maritime access.
Iraqi Factions Demand Law Bringing All Weapons Under State Controlhttps://english.aawsat.com/arab-world/5317317-iraqi-factions-demand-law-bringing-all-weapons-under-state-control
Iraqi Factions Demand Law Bringing All Weapons Under State Control
Officials from the Kurdistan Region’s Peshmerga Ministry attend a security coordination meeting in Baghdad (government media)
Iraqi factions have renewed their demand that the Kurdistan Region’s Peshmerga forces be included in a plan to bring weapons under state control through a new law.
Qais al-Khazali, a senior figure in Asaib Ahl al-Haq, which announced last month that it had handed over its weapons, said the Kurdish forces were “constitutional and recognized by law.”
Iran-aligned Iraqi groups have repeatedly set conditions for accepting the plan. Observers believe the groups are trying to buy time as they await the outcome of the Iran-US conflict in the region.
Al-Khazali, a leader in the Coordination Framework alliance, said in televised remarks on Thursday night that “the Peshmerga is a constitutional institution and is not subject to the criteria for bringing weapons under state control.”
“These forces are recognized under the law,” he added.
Al-Khazali said bringing weapons under state control was “a legitimate aspiration for the stability of state institutions.” He added that “Shiite politicians are more concerned with this project than others.”
He said weapons had been transferred to state institutions “genuinely, rather than merely symbolically,” adding that Asaib Ahl al-Haq’s weapons had been placed under the authority of the Popular Mobilization Forces.
Al-Khazali’s position on the Peshmerga reflects sharp divisions among Shiite forces, including armed factions that have demanded the disarmament of Kurdish formations.
Al-Zaidi had made bringing weapons under state control a central part of his government program. Asaib Ahl al-Haq and other factions joined the settlement in the hope of easing international pressure and clearing the way for their participation in political and executive roles.
Sabah al-Numan, spokesperson for the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, said on Thursday that talks with armed factions were underway at the highest levels to resolve the weapons issue.
He said, however, that implementation would begin after the international coalition’s mission ends on Sept. 30.
A law applying to everyone
Al-Khazali’s remarks followed local reports citing sources familiar with the talks with the factions.
The sources said the factions had demanded a new law requiring everyone, including the Peshmerga, to disarm.
Several faction officials told figures in the Coordination Framework that restrictions on weapons should apply to all parties, the sources said.
They said the proposal aimed to control, regulate, and manage weapons nationwide under a unified legal framework. This would prevent measures from being applied selectively to one party but not another.
The sources said a committee would be formed in the next phase to draft a law governing the control, regulation, and management of weapons.
The draft would undergo legal review before being referred to parliament for a vote, with political forces participating in the process.
Kifah Mahmoud, media adviser to the president of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, told Asharq Al-Awsat that “the Iraqi constitution recognizes the legitimacy of the Peshmerga’s weapons.”
He described al-Khazali’s remarks as “a belated acknowledgment.”
Mahmoud said the federal government was fully informed about the Peshmerga’s weapons, equipment and military divisions. He added that the Peshmerga was an essential part of Iraq’s official military establishment.
He said bringing the Peshmerga into the debate over weapons control in Baghdad reflected deep divisions within the governing alliance and an attempt to divert attention from the heart of the crisis.
A political source familiar with the matter told Asharq Al-Awsat that the government’s plan was being obstructed by disagreements within the governing alliance itself.
The source said some figures opposed disarmament because they believed these groups should not be stripped of their power and influence.
Ali al-Taher Demolition Leaves Nabatieh Residents Wondering What Comes Nexthttps://english.aawsat.com/arab-world/5317257-ali-al-taher-demolition-leaves-nabatieh-residents-wondering-what-comes-next
Destroyed stones on the top of Ali al-Taher ridge, which Israeli forces captured after fighting with Hezbollah and where the Israeli military said it blew up a network of Hezbollah tunnels Thursday night near Nabatieh town, southern Lebanon, Friday, Sept. 11, 2026. (AP)
Ali al-Taher Demolition Leaves Nabatieh Residents Wondering What Comes Next
Destroyed stones on the top of Ali al-Taher ridge, which Israeli forces captured after fighting with Hezbollah and where the Israeli military said it blew up a network of Hezbollah tunnels Thursday night near Nabatieh town, southern Lebanon, Friday, Sept. 11, 2026. (AP)
Israel’s demolition of two tunnels extending two kilometers through Ali al-Taher ridge brought movement in south Lebanon’s Nabatieh city to a standstill and deepened fears over what comes next.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Israel was ready to press ahead with its campaign and continue striking Hezbollah and other sites.
The Israeli military carried out a powerful explosion on Ali al-Taher ridge, on the outskirts of Nabatieh al-Fawqa, causing tremors and a loud blast that echoed strongly across Nabatieh and the surrounding area, according to Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency.
The US Geological Survey recorded a magnitude 4.1 seismic event in southern Lebanon. Lebanon’s National Center for Geophysics, which is affiliated with the National Council for Scientific Research, said ground waves were detected at 9:08 p.m. on Thursday by all its monitoring stations.
The center said the waves “resulted from the explosion carried out by the Israeli enemy in the Ali al-Taher area and could be compared to a magnitude 4.2 earthquake on the Richter scale.”
A difficult night
Residents of southern Lebanon endured “a difficult night.”
“The ground shook beneath us for about five seconds,” said one resident living 20 kilometers from Ali al-Taher.
“The sound of the explosions was faint, but the doors shook around us,” the resident told Asharq Al-Awsat. “It felt like an earthquake that ended after five seconds.”
A resident of the town of Marjeyoun said the ground “shook beneath us, and we saw the houses shaking,” underscoring the force of the blast, “before columns of flames rose into the air.”
“I began seeing the explosions. There were between seven and eight, with columns of flames rising to varying heights,” the resident told Asharq Al-Awsat.
“The sky glowed red. The scene was terrifying and frightening. The children panicked, and within minutes, dust began reaching us, covering the trees, cars and rooftops.”
A picture shows destroyed houses in the southern Lebanese village of Kfar Tebnit on September 11, 2026, following an Israeli demolition on the Ali al-Taher ridge. (AFP)
“The smell of gunpowder choked us, forcing us to close the windows again,” the resident said, adding that sunrise revealed a thick layer of dust covering the town.
Residents of Qlayaa and Marjeyoun said windows and doors were shattered by the blast in homes on the western edges of the two towns overlooking Ali al-Taher.
The tremors and sounds of the explosions carried over long distances. Residents living 20 kilometers from Ali al-Taher said they saw flashes and flames and felt the ground shake, although the sound was not loud. Residents of Marjeyoun, by contrast, reported hearing powerful explosions.
NNA said the Khardali road was completely blocked after the overnight blast caused rocks and stones to tumble onto the roadway.
Residents’ fears
Daylight revealed a changed landscape. The explosion and Israel’s threats to continue its bombardment and demolitions deepened residents’ fears as they wondered what would come next.
Local sources in Nabatieh said many residents who had returned to the city “left again for fear that the war would resume or the fighting would expand.”
People are asking about “the next phase,” which remains unclear even to the Lebanese state. Beirut is continuing contacts with the United States aimed at de-escalation and resuming negotiations through an eighth session with Israel expected to be held this month. The Lebanese presidency has not yet been informed of the date.
Residents fear the fighting could spread toward Nabatieh following the demolition of Ali al-Taher.
“No one can guarantee what will happen,” one resident said. “The Israeli statements are alarming.”
The Ali al-Taher hill is seen in the background overlooking destroyed houses in the southern village of Kfar Rumman, Lebanon, Friday, Sept. 4, 2026. (APi)
Fighters’ fate unknown
Hezbollah issued no official statement on the Ali al-Taher demolition, while the fate of its fighters suspected of having been inside the tunnels remained unknown.
An Israeli military official told AFP that some fighters who had been operating in the highlands had left the area, while others were eliminated by airstrikes and artillery fire.
The Israeli military said last week that it had taken control of the highlands, located north of the Litani River on the edge of the Israeli-occupied area in southern Lebanon.
Supporting returning residents
Meanwhile, the Lebanese government is seeking to help returning residents remain in areas where the fighting has subsided.
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam received a delegation from the municipality of Kfar Rumman, which borders Ali al-Taher and was subjected to continuous bombardment for three months. The delegation presented a series of demands related to residents’ return and the area’s recovery.
Salam said the Council for Development and Reconstruction would soon begin implementing projects in the area after completing the necessary preparatory procedures.
He said he was also following up with the Council of the South on projects concerning the town.
Salam asked the municipality to prepare a list of its most urgent priorities and needs and to survey families in need of help with shelter or prefabricated homes. Priority would be given to the neediest families with no alternative housing, given the limited resources and capabilities available.
Salam said the Israeli attacks on Kfar Rumman, which killed and wounded civilians, including children, were being documented by the National Committee for International Humanitarian Law, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Tarek Mitri.
The delegation called for a stronger deployment of the Lebanese army, particularly along roads leading to Khardali and Dawhet Kfar Rumman, as well as a greater security presence in the town, especially by the Internal Security Forces.
Salam said efforts were continuing to reinforce the presence of the army and security forces to reassure residents and strengthen stability.
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