Higher Defense Council Extends General Mobilization for Six Months over COVID-19

The Higher Defense Council on Friday extended the general mobilization measures for another six months to contain the spread of COVID-19, and decided to impose a three-day shutdown during each religious holiday.

President Michel Aoun, chaired the meeting that was also attended by several ministers and army leaders and security forces, pointed to a spike in cases and an increase in deaths and voiced calls to face the third phase of the virus spread.

He addressed the repercussions of the port explosion and said that 50 billion Lebanese pounds of his presidential salary allocated from the state budget of 2021 will be given to those affected by the explosion in coordination with the Lebanese army.

For his part, outgoing Prime Minister Hassan Diab said “Lebanon is passing through extraordinary conditions at all levels due to an exceptional political situation. We must face these circumstances through reforms.”

“Every day we see the suffering of the Lebanese people in order to obtain subsidized goods, the issue can be addressed by providing direct support to needy families,” he added, lashing out at some “unconscientious, greedy” merchants taking advantage of the crisis.