Lebanon
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Defense Minister condemns attacks on army after Geagea's criticism

Defense Minister Michel Menassa voiced Tuesday his support for the army, which he said has been recently targeted.

"All the army asks is that no Lebanese — intentionally or unintentionally — stabs it in the back or undermines its sacrifices and the blood of its martyrs," Menassa's office said in a statement.

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Raad: Some Lebanese have racist, factional mentality and want to monopolize power

The head of Hezbollah’s parliamentary bloc MP Mohammad Raad has said that it is “deeply regrettable” that some Lebanese still maintain “their racist and factional mentality, hoping to monopolize power in their country.”

In an op-ed in al-Akhbar newspaper marking Hezbollah’s “Martyr Day”, Raad said those Lebanese parties are “delusionally expecting support from the Zionist occupiers and their tyrannical American backer.”

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Rubio discusses post-UNIFIL monitoring mission with Macron

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday to discuss security arrangements in southern Lebanon before the U.N. peacekeeper mandate expires on Dec. 31.

The talks focused on replacing the current peacekeeping force with a lighter monitoring system.

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Bassil rejects 'forced normalization' with Israel, calls for security guarantees

Free Patriotic Movement leader Jebran Bassil called on Tuesday for full Israeli withdrawal and an exclusive state monopoly on weapons as two conditions for Lebanese sovereignty, as he met with President Joseph Aoun in Baabda.

"Sovereignty requires Israel's withdrawal and the Lebanese state's commitment to a monopoly on weapons," Bassil said.

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Aoun warns against attacks on army in security meeting with defense minister

President Joseph Aoun discussed Lebanon’s security situation on Tuesday with Defense Minister Michel Menassa, stressing the urgent need to preserve national stability.

Aoun praised the military's vital role in in preserving public order and implementing state decisions.

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British Embassy Beirut marks Remembrance Day

The British Embassy in Beirut held a service Sunday at the Beirut Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery to commemorate Remembrance Day.

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Herzog urges continued talks with Lebanon as Yashar denies intention to withdraw army

During a ceremony to officially task Gadi Eisenkot with forming a new Israeli government, Israeli President Isaac Herzog warned against the continuation of “Iranian threats,” stating that “Iran does not stop its threats even for a moment.”

Accordingly, Eisenkot stressed the need to deter Tehran and also called for combating crime within the Arab community and making progress in negotiations with Lebanon and Syria.

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Hezbollah MPs urge Lebanese authorities to reconsider stance, join Islamabad track

Two Hezbollah MPs called on Lebanon on Monday to join a U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding reached in June, claiming that the Islamabad talks would end the Israeli occupation of southern Lebanon.

Violence in Lebanon had decreased since the signing of a U.S.-brokered framework agreement between Lebanon and Israel in June and the U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding earlier that month.

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Salam says govt's top priority is keeping Lebanon out of new war

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said Monday during a ministerial meeting that protecting Lebanon and avoiding any involvement in a new war represent the government's foremost priorities during the current phase.

U.S. President Donald Trump cast doubt on renewed fighting with Iran, telling CNN it was "highly unlikely," ahead of a meeting with mediator Qatar's prime minister on Monday. But Israeli defense minister Israel Katz said Sunday that Israel is not finished with Iran.

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Salam says others tying their interests to foreign powers, not his govt.

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam has commented on the claims that the ruling authority is confused and hesitant in the face of the possibilities facing the region in the wake of the U.S. and Israeli elections by saying that "it is very unfortunate that the Lebanese people are being misled” with such speculation.

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