DAILY NEWS
Lebanon’s Ambassadors to the Gulf Express Concern for Lebanese Living in the Region
Lebanon’s ambassadors to Bahrain and Saudi Arabia expressed fear yesterday that the growing diplomatic feud with Gulf countries could be harmful for Lebanese living in the region. The ambassadors were recently asked to leave following the release of Lebanese Information Minister George Kordahi’s comments on Saudi Arabia and the Yemen war. After the ambassadors’ meeting with Prime Minister Najib Miqati on Wednesday, the PM’s office quoted them as saying “every day of delay in solving the crisis will make it more difficult to fix relations and take them back to where they were.” [AP]
Gulf Countries Limit Visas to Lebanese Nationals
Kuwait has decided to limit the number of visas it issues to Lebanese nationals in the midst of an escalating diplomatic spat between Lebanon and the Gulf. A security source from the emirate said that Kuwait will be stricter in granting tourist and business visas to Lebanese. No visas have been suspended for current visitors. [Al Arabiya] Similarly, Saudi Arabia will limit visas to Lebanese nationals to only allow for humanitarian cases. [Naharnet]
Number of Lebanese Expats Registered to Vote Already Exceeds 2018 Numbers
November 20 is the deadline for Lebanese expatriates to register to vote in the 2022 parliamentary elections. Based on data released by the Lebanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the number of Lebanese expats who have registered to vote in 2022 already exceeds the number that voted in 2018. Since yesterday, there are 101,088 registrants recorded, compared to 2018’s 82,965 registrants. [The 961]
If you’re a Lebanese expat, register to vote here!
First Trial for Sexual Harassment Case in Lebanon Postponed
Lebanon’s first trial for a sexual harassment case will be postponed due to a public sector strike over poor economic conditions. The trial will be delayed until April of next year, but the plantiff’s lawyer is hoping to have it moved up. [The National] The case is the first sexual harassment case that will be heard since a new law passed in December of last year that criminalized sexual harassment in Lebanon for the first time. [The 961] The lawyer representing five women who had filed the complaint said, “we want to change the mindset so that victims feel empowered to speak up.” [The National]
OPINION & ANALYSIS
Middle East Institute
Policy Brief: Leading a Resilient Lebanese Armed Forces Through Crises and for the Long Run
Joseph Sarkis
Sarkis writes, “Repeated crises in Lebanon, including the COVID-19 pandemic, have highlighted the need for resilience in the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF). Amid the current acute economic and financial crisis facing the country, there are warning signs about the LAF’s incapacity to continue, as the resources at its disposal and popular confidence in its effectiveness have both been degraded. In light of the current challenges and those that may lie ahead, the LAF needs to become more resilient, able to both adapt and strengthen as an organization, while also ensuring public security, the conditions of its personnel, and its own long-term status.”
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in these articles are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of the American Task Force on Lebanon, a non-profit, nonpartisan leadership organization of Lebanese-Americans.