Lebanese Christian leader Samir Geagea has vowed to “restart” the spirit of the Cedar Revolution, as he launched his party’s parliamentary election campaign on the anniversary of the 2005 uprising.
“You must rely somehow on yourself, somehow on others,” Mr Geagea told The National in an interview on Monday, when asked about how he would revive the anti-Syrian alliance formed after the assassination of former Lebanese prime minister Rafik Hariri 17 years ago.
Earlier, Mr Geagea, 69, compared the March 14 movement with the coming elections and called on cheering supporters gathered at his residence in the snow-covered village of Maarab, north-east of the capital of Beirut, to vote in the May 15 poll.
“If the Lebanese do not move on May 15 in the right direction, the awaiting in this hellish tunnel could take years,” said Mr Geagea.
“We do not have elections — we have a battle to save Lebanon from the militia and the mafia,” he said, in a reference to Lebanese political party and regional militia, Hezbollah.
Mr Geagea's political party, the Lebanese Forces, commemorates the Cedar Revolution every year — but this time, the stakes are higher than usual. The country is gearing up for the first elections since its 2019 economic meltdown, which caused unprecedented social upheaval, poverty and rejection of traditional political parties.
The Lebanese Forces is seeking to capitalise on popular discontent by arguing that they have been less involved than others in corruption, despite its long involvement in local affairs.
Like many other current parties, the Lebanese Forces was active as a militia during Lebanon’s 1975-90 civil war.
It was banned in 1994, when Mr Geagea was jailed for 11 years in solitary confinement in the basement of the Defence Ministry. The Christian leader was the only former warlord jailed for crimes committed during the civil war.
His release coincided with the withdrawal of Syrian troops in 2005. This came after popular protests caused by the killing of Mr Hariri in a car bomb, along with 21 others, on February 14, 2005. The uprising came to be known as the Cedar Revolution.
One month after the assassination, big crowds rallied in Beirut to ask for Syria's withdrawal after 29 years of occupation ― giving birth to the March 14 movement. Iran-backed Hezbollah, which also heads a regional militia, led a pro-Syrian counter-movement called March 8.
Today, many in Lebanon believe that pro-Hezbollah figures will gain ground in May's election. This follows the withdrawal of three-time prime minister Saad Hariri — Rafik Hariri’s son and political heir — from politics in January.
By evoking the spirit of the Cedar Revolution, Mr Geagea hopes to reap votes from Hariri’s traditional supporters, say analysts.
Appealing to a different sectarian group is relatively unusual in Lebanese politics, in which the prime minister is always Sunni Muslim, the president a Maronite Christian and the Parliament speaker a Shiite Muslim.
“It is not a coincidence that I launch this call on March 14,” said Mr Geagea on Monday.
But it remains unclear if the Lebanese Forces leader, who directed attacks during his speech against his Christian rival, Hezbollah-allied President Michel Aoun, will be able to convince Sunni Muslim voters to rally around him.
“The Lebanese Forces are using their positioning against Iran as a lever to gain Sunni votes, but I don’t see Sunnis showing up,” said Mohanad Hage Ali, a research fellow at the Carnegie Middle East Centre in Beirut.
Mr Hage Ali said that political parties — including the Lebanese Forces — are avoiding difficult questions.
“What kind of economic system will we have? What price should bank owners pay for the crash? Will there be a system with more progressive taxes? More checks and balances to stop corruption from eating out public funds and derailing development effort?” he said.
“There’s a focus on the abstract notion of fighting Iranian occupation, but that acts as a rug to hide many questions that the Lebanese Forces are not willing to answer because that would antagonise the banking association and the business people that they’re relying on for elections.”
May Chidiac, a prominent Lebanese Forces figure who survived an assassination attempt in 2005, said: “There is no [political] programme. There are laws that must be respected and voted in Parliament.”
I don’t see Sunnis showing up
Research fellow Mohanad Hage Ali
Discussing rumours that politicians were able to send millions out of the country in late 2019, unlike most depositors who saw their transfers blocked by local banks, Ms Chidiac said: “The problem in Lebanon is corruption and to stop it, it must be cleaned from the inside.”
Mr Geagea, during his speech, called on the Lebanese to “expel from Lebanon this time, not the Assad army, but the state's kidnappers, thieves and looters".
During a questions-and-answers session with journalists, The National asked Mr Geagea about his political programme and how he planned to obtain accountability from Lebanese politicians accused of causing the country's economic meltdown.
“It’s a very complicated situation in many ways. At the right moment, we will find solutions for each issue,” he said.
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
Monster
Directed by: Anthony Mandler
Starring: Kelvin Harrison Jr., John David Washington
3/5
Fines for littering
In Dubai:
Dh200 for littering or spitting in the Dubai Metro
Dh500 for throwing cigarette butts or chewing gum on the floor, or littering from a vehicle.
Dh1,000 for littering on a beach, spitting in public places, throwing a cigarette butt from a vehicle
In Sharjah and other emirates
Dh500 for littering - including cigarette butts and chewing gum - in public places and beaches in Sharjah
Dh2,000 for littering in Sharjah deserts
Dh500 for littering from a vehicle in Ras Al Khaimah
Dh1,000 for littering from a car in Abu Dhabi
Dh1,000 to Dh100,000 for dumping waste in residential or public areas in Al Ain
Dh10,000 for littering at Ajman's beaches
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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China
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UAE
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Japan
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Norway
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Canada
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Singapore
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Australia
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South Korea
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
Global Fungi Facts
• Scientists estimate there could be as many as 3 million fungal species globally
• Only about 160,000 have been officially described leaving around 90% undiscovered
• Fungi account for roughly 90% of Earth's unknown biodiversity
• Forest fungi help tackle climate change, absorbing up to 36% of global fossil fuel emissions annually and storing around 5 billion tonnes of carbon in the planet's topsoil
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Company%20profile
%3Cp%3EName%3A%20Tabby%3Cbr%3EFounded%3A%20August%202019%3B%20platform%20went%20live%20in%20February%202020%3Cbr%3EFounder%2FCEO%3A%20Hosam%20Arab%2C%20co-founder%3A%20Daniil%20Barkalov%3Cbr%3EBased%3A%20Dubai%2C%20UAE%3Cbr%3ESector%3A%20Payments%3Cbr%3ESize%3A%2040-50%20employees%3Cbr%3EStage%3A%20Series%20A%3Cbr%3EInvestors%3A%20Arbor%20Ventures%2C%20Mubadala%20Capital%2C%20Wamda%20Capital%2C%20STV%2C%20Raed%20Ventures%2C%20Global%20Founders%20Capital%2C%20JIMCO%2C%20Global%20Ventures%2C%20Venture%20Souq%2C%20Outliers%20VC%2C%20MSA%20Capital%2C%20HOF%20and%20AB%20Accelerator.%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Common%20symptoms%20of%20MS
%3Cul%3E%0A%3Cli%3EFatigue%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3Enumbness%20and%20tingling%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3ELoss%20of%20balance%20and%20dizziness%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EStiffness%20or%20spasms%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3ETremor%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EPain%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EBladder%20problems%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EBowel%20trouble%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EVision%20problems%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EProblems%20with%20memory%20and%20thinking%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3C%2Ful%3E%0A
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre 6-cyl turbo
Power: 435hp at 5,900rpm
Torque: 520Nm at 1,800-5,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Price: from Dh498,542
On sale: now
How to help
Call the hotline on 0502955999 or send "thenational" to the following numbers:
2289 - Dh10
2252 - Dh50
6025 - Dh20
6027 - Dh100
6026 - Dh200
FROM%20THE%20ASHES
%3Cp%3EDirector%3A%20Khalid%20Fahad%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EStarring%3A%20Shaima%20Al%20Tayeb%2C%20Wafa%20Muhamad%2C%20Hamss%20Bandar%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ERating%3A%203%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
Profile of Tarabut Gateway
Founder: Abdulla Almoayed
Based: UAE
Founded: 2017
Number of employees: 35
Sector: FinTech
Raised: $13 million
Backers: Berlin-based venture capital company Target Global, Kingsway, CE Ventures, Entrée Capital, Zamil Investment Group, Global Ventures, Almoayed Technologies and Mad’a Investment.
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Drivers’ championship standings after Singapore:
1. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes - 263
2. Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari - 235
3. Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes - 212
4. Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull - 162
5. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari - 138
6. Sergio Perez, Force India - 68