🌳 Presidential breakthrough

TOP STORIES

Lebanon Finally Elects President After Two-Year Deadlock

• Parliament elected Army Commander General Joseph Aoun as Lebanon's new president in a second round of voting, securing 71 votes out of 128 MPs present on Thursday. The session marked the end of Lebanon's longest presidential vacancy since independence.
• Speaker Nabih Berri suspended the first round after Aoun received 71 votes—short of the required two-thirds majority—with 37 blank ballots, 14 votes for "sovereignty and constitution," and 4 invalid papers cast by opposing MPs.
• The breakthrough came after MP Michel Moawad called on Hezbollah and Amal to support Aoun's candidacy, transforming what had been a divisive process into apparent consensus building among major political blocs.
• Constitutional tensions emerged during the session, with opposition MPs like Osama Saad denouncing what they called a "constitutional massacre" and questioning the legitimacy of electing a sitting army commander without proper constitutional procedures.

The backstory: Lebanon's presidency has been vacant since Michel Aoun's term ended in October 2022, paralyzing government formation and deepening the country's economic crisis as political factions remained deadlocked over competing candidates.

Why it matters: Aoun's election could unlock government formation talks and revive stalled negotiations with international creditors, potentially breaking Lebanon's political paralysis.

Government Signals Openness to Expand Hezbollah Disarmament Efforts

• Lebanon's government indicated willingness to expand its participation in the US-led monitoring task force overseeing the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, according to Bloomberg reporting on Sunday.
• The administration is also stepping up efforts to disarm the Iran-backed militia as part of broader compliance with international agreements and ceasefire terms negotiated last year.
• The move represents a significant policy shift for Lebanon's government, which has historically struggled to assert control over Hezbollah's military wing despite UN Security Council resolutions calling for disarmament.

Zooming out: This signals Lebanon's attempt to demonstrate sovereignty and comply with international demands while navigating the complex balance of domestic political power.

"Ghosts of Beirut" Returns to Haunt Post-War Memory

• A digitally restored version of Ghassan Salhab's 1998 film "Ghosts of Beirut" premiered in a new cinematographic program, bringing the civil war meditation back to Lebanese audiences three decades after the war's end.
• The film explores themes of unfinished grief and revolutionary loss through the story of friends searching for their presumed-dead comrade Khalil, who returns as a ghost haunting war-torn Beirut.
• Critic Zeina Halabi argues the film remains relevant to 2026 Lebanon, where "ghosts of the latest catastrophe crowd with ghosts of the one before it" following six years since the economic collapse began.
• The restoration coincides with ongoing questions about Lebanese identity and recovery, as the country continues grappling with layered trauma from civil war, economic crisis, and political dysfunction.

The bigger picture: Cultural works revisiting civil war memory gain new resonance as Lebanon faces contemporary crises that echo historical patterns of loss and fragmentation.

QUICK HITS

• Phase two unveiled: Army Commander Rodolph Haykal will present the second phase of the Hezbollah disarmament plan to Cabinet today, covering areas north of the Litani River. The meeting will also discuss public sector salary increases.
• Four rented rooms: Cabinet may approve up to four additional monthly salaries for public sector employees starting March, according to a Finance Ministry study. The proposal comes as Lebanon grapples with economic pressures on government workers.
• Munich meetings multiply: Army Commander Haykal held bilateral talks with military leaders from Germany, Britain, Italy, Netherlands, and Pakistan at the Munich Security Conference. He emphasized the need for continued international support for the army amid ongoing Israeli violations.
• School van targeted: Israeli forces struck a student transport van in Hanin village, killing the driver while he was preparing for his morning route. The military claimed to target a Hezbollah member in the southern Lebanese village.
• 44 and counting: Syrian detainee numbers in Israeli custody reached 44 after weekend raids in Quneitra province. Israeli forces arrested three more men during overnight incursions in villages along the Lebanese-Syrian border.

INTERNATIONAL

Iran and US Resume Nuclear Talks as Military Pressure Builds

• Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in Geneva for a second round of indirect nuclear talks with the US, mediated by Oman and set for Tuesday. The negotiations resumed after previous talks collapsed when Israel launched a bombing campaign against Iran last June.
• Iran's deputy foreign minister signaled Tehran could compromise on its 400-kilogram stockpile of 60% enriched uranium in exchange for sanctions relief. The US dispatched Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner for the talks.
• President Trump sent a second aircraft carrier to the Middle East and said a regime change in Iran "would be the best thing that could happen." The military pressure campaign aims to force Tehran into a nuclear deal that eliminates all uranium enrichment capabilities.

What to watch: Whether Iran's willingness to discuss uranium stockpile reductions can bridge the gap with Trump's demand for complete elimination of enrichment capabilities.

Israel Advances West Bank Land Registration Despite International Criticism

• Israel's government approved a new land registration process for the occupied West Bank, requiring anyone claiming ownership to provide proof even though most West Bank land has never been formally registered since 1967.
• The policy allows private Israeli citizens to buy land directly and shifts parts of administration from military to civilian authorities. Over 700,000 Israeli settlers live in the West Bank alongside roughly 3 million Palestinians.
• Egypt called it a "dangerous escalation aimed at consolidating Israeli control," while Germany condemned the measures as "a further step towards de facto annexation." The Palestinian Authority demanded international intervention to prevent what it called the "beginning of the annexation process."

The bigger picture: The land registration initiative represents Israel's most systematic effort to formalize control over West Bank territory since the 1967 occupation began.

Yemen's Leadership Seeks International Support at Munich Conference

• Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council Chairman Rashad al-Alimi met with Finnish President Alexander Stubb, Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof, and EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas at the Munich Security Conference. He framed Yemen's conflict as directly tied to international marine navigation security and energy stability.
• Al-Alimi warned that maintaining the current situation allows Iran-backed Houthi militias to renew threats to Red Sea shipping, which they use for "political and security extortion." He urged the international community to shift from crisis management to actively resolving the conflict.
• The Yemeni leader called on Europe to designate Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps as terrorist and adopt a firmer approach toward Tehran's regional proxies. He praised recent internal changes in Yemen, including unifying security commands and forming a new government with Saudi support.

Zooming out: Yemen's repositioning as a global security concern reflects broader regional realignment as Iran's proxy network faces increasing international pressure.

GHER HEK

• Sahtein Sydney style: A new Lebanese restaurant called Sahtein opened in The Rocks, Sydney, bringing "Beirut-style Lebanese dining" with charcoal-kissed flavors and traditional home-style dishes. The venue celebrates the simple, familiar favorites found in neighborhood eateries across Beirut.
• Dabke takes the crown: Burja Folk Arts troupe won first place on MTV's "Yalla Nedbek" competition, with Information Minister Paul Markos praising their "effort, professionalism and commitment." The show celebrates traditional Lebanese dabke dance as part of Lebanon's cultural heritage.
• Lenten wisdom shared: Greek Melkite Catholic Archbishop Ibrahim Mikhail Ibrahim issued his Lenten message to parishes across the Bekaa, calling the holy season "a time of grace and conversion." He emphasized that true fasting opens hearts to serve others and builds hope during difficult times.
• Ten-goal thriller unfolds: Tottenham demolished Aston Villa 7-3 in an incredible Premier League match, keeping Spurs in the hunt for Champions League qualification. The north London side showed they can still produce magic when the mood strikes.

Yalla, go light up your week like a perfect dabke circle.