عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Arab World

Expats Flock to Lebanon Despite Fears of War with Israel

A vehicle dressed like a double decker bus drives near revelers during the Beirut Street Festival in downtown Beirut on June 22, 2024. (AFP)
A vehicle dressed like a double decker bus drives near revelers during the Beirut Street Festival in downtown Beirut on June 22, 2024. (AFP)
TT
TT

Expats Flock to Lebanon Despite Fears of War with Israel

A vehicle dressed like a double decker bus drives near revelers during the Beirut Street Festival in downtown Beirut on June 22, 2024. (AFP)
A vehicle dressed like a double decker bus drives near revelers during the Beirut Street Festival in downtown Beirut on June 22, 2024. (AFP)

Expatriates flocked to Lebanon despite the international warnings against traveling to the country due to the rising tensions with Israel.

June alone witnessed the arrival of 400,000 people, the majority of whom are expatriates.

General Director of Civil Aviation Fadi al-Hassan told Asharq Al-Awsat that the number of arrivals is almost similar to the figures recorded last year.

As of June 24, 363,623 people arrived at Rafik Hariri International Airport, or around 10,000 and 16,000 people per day. The arrivals in June 2023 stood at 427,355.

“The recent tensions have not affected the number of arrivals,” al-Hassan added, noting: “We haven’t even reached the peak period of activity at the airport.”

France, home to tens of thousands of Lebanese expats, issued a travel warning against heading to Lebanon in April. The advisory did not deter Elie N. from traveling to Lebanon where he will stay for the next two months.

In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, he said he and hundreds of thousands of expatriates have been waiting impatiently for the summer to spend their vacation in their homeland.

“The constant threats of war will not stop us from visiting Lebanon,” he stressed.

President of the Syndicate of Travel and Tourist Agents in Lebanon Jean Abboud said activity at the airport should peak starting July 4 and 5.

He predicted that hotels will reach full capacity and the arrivals will top 12,000 – 13,000 per day. Beirut airport will receive 80 to 85 flights a day.

Lebanon’s Hezbollah and Israel have exchanged near-daily cross-border strikes since the Oct. 7 attacks that launched the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, and they have been escalating gradually.

The Israeli army said last week that it has “approved and validated” plans for an offensive in Lebanon, although any decision would come from the country’s political leaders.

Most Viewed

 
 
Arab World

Baghdad Urges Washington to Prevent ‘Imminent’ Israeli Strikes

Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)
Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)
TT
TT

Baghdad Urges Washington to Prevent ‘Imminent’ Israeli Strikes

Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)
Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani on Thursday called on major powers to “exert greater efforts to end the war in Palestine and Lebanon.” Meanwhile, an Iraqi government official urged the United States to “prevent any attacks on the country,” referring to potential Israeli strikes.
During a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Al-Sudani stressed the importance of ensuring the conflict does not escalate “to a level that threatens regional and global stability.”
The Iraqi prime minister’s appeal comes amid reports suggesting that Israel may launch strikes on Iraq in retaliation for attacks by Iraqi armed factions targeting Israeli positions.
The Iraqi government is striving to assert its exclusive authority over weapons and war-related decisions. However, armed factions affiliated with the Axis of Resistance openly claim responsibility for near-daily rocket attacks on Israel. This has provided Israel with a justification for potentially targeting Iraqi territory, especially after it filed a complaint with the UN Security Council against six Iraqi factions and held Baghdad responsible for the attacks.
These factions have also openly declared their involvement in the ongoing conflict with Israel in Lebanon and Gaza. The Iraqi government has been unable to take decisive action to halt the activities of these factions, which many believe could soon expose Iraq to an Israeli strike.
According to media reports, Washington has warned Baghdad that Israeli airstrikes on Iraq are “imminent” unless the Iraqi government curtails attacks by Iranian-backed factions on Israel. The Times of Israel cited sources indicating that the United States has “exhausted all means of pressure on Israel” and urged Iraq to act swiftly to prevent such attacks.
Despite repeated assurances from the Iraqi government—including its recent adoption of 12 measures by the National Security Council to counter Israeli threats and complaints—the situation remains tense. These measures include monitoring Iraq’s western borders, preventing factions from launching attacks, and maintaining Iraq’s neutrality in the ongoing conflict.
On Wednesday, Abu Hussein Al-Hamidawi, Secretary-General of Kata’ib Hezbollah, made a striking statement on the role of resistance factions in the war and their commitment to the Unity of Fronts doctrine frequently mentioned by Axis of Resistance groups.
In an interview published by the faction’s media arm, Al-Hamidawi said: “The continuity of the Unity of Fronts concept depends on what the Lebanese Hezbollah decides.”
Al-Hamidawi also emphasized that resistance factions are constantly coordinating internally and with external partners such as Hezbollah, the Houthis, and Palestinian resistance leaders.
“We aim to ensure that the Palestinian people are not left alone and that the Unity of Fronts remains intact,” he stated.
Fadi Al-Shammari, a political advisor to Sudani, reiterated that Israel’s threats “are not new,” citing the recent complaint filed by Israel with the UN Security Council as part of its pattern of issuing threats.
In media statements, Al-Shammari reaffirmed the Iraqi government’s long-standing position: “The decision of war and peace lies solely with the Iraqi government.”
He noted that the factions’ attacks are being launched from areas outside Iraq’s borders, specifically from Syria. However, he stressed that the Iraqi government is working through its security and military agencies to prevent Iraq from becoming a battlefield for external or internal parties.
Al-Shammari also called on the United States to fulfill its responsibilities under the Strategic Framework Agreement and security pact with Iraq, emphasizing the need to deter and respond to any external attacks that threaten Iraq’s internal security.