Supporters of Lebanon’s President Michel Aoun have succeeded in positioning his political ally as the favourite for the highly political job of UN envoy in New York, diplomats told The National on Monday.
Hadi Hashem, 46, is tipped for the job traditionally allocated to a Sunni Muslim.
He was chief of staff of Gebran Bassil, the son-in-law and head of Christian Maronite Mr Aoun’s political party, during his 2014-2020 tenure as foreign affairs minister.
Mr Bassil is widely seen as Mr Aoun's political heir.
The development is a major setback for the leadership of Lebanon’s Sunni Muslim community, whose fortunes have already been hit hard by the withdrawal from politics of its de facto leader Saad Hariri in January, four months before hotly contested parliamentary elections.
Political analyst Imad Salamey told The National that he expected a decline of Sunni power across state posts in the coming years "as the shift favouring Shiites and allies is expected to grow".
Lebanon’s council of ministers is expected to renew the tenures of about half the country’s overseas ambassadors on Wednesday, including the influential posts of permanent representative to the UN, and US ambassador said two sources at the Foreign Affairs Ministry who requested to remain anonymous due to the sensitivity of the subject.
It remains uncertain whether the appointments will go ahead this week because the government needs to "have the final package" said one of the sources. "They need to have names for each vacancy," which reach in total about 30, they said.
But candidates are keen for the appointments to go ahead because they might be put on hold for several years if they are not done before parliamentary elections scheduled for May 15. There is an additional incentive to be stationed abroad: salaries are paid in dollars whereas diplomats in Beirut are paid in the largely devalued local currency.
Hezbollah influence
An ally of Iran-backed Hezbollah, Mr Bassil was included under US sanctions in 2020, over accusations of corruption. Mr Hashem stayed in his role of chief of staff under two of Mr Bassil’s successors, Nassif Hitti and Charbel Wehbe, who resigned in May after angering Gulf allies with disparaging comments.
Mr Hashem’s probable appointment to New York has been described in the media as an indication of the influence of Hezbollah, which the US has labelled a terrorist group.
But a source from the Foreign Affairs Ministry rejected such claims despite Mr Hashem’s proximity to Mr Bassil. “These are internal competitors trying to bring him down,” they said. “He’s a career diplomat with 20 years’ experience.”
Mr Hashem would replace the first Lebanese woman to represent Lebanon at the UN, Amal Mudallali, who was nominated in 2017 and has openly talked about her proximity to the Hariri family in local media.
If confirmed, Mr Hashem's nomination would not be the first time that Mr Bassil acts to ensure influence within Lebanese embassies, said political scientist Karim El Mufti.
"He already managed to secure another close adviser, Rami Adwan, to be appointed Lebanese ambassador in France some years ago," said Mr El Mufti.
Lebanon’s ambassador to Germany Mustapha Adib, 50, will likely become the country’s next ambassador to the US in Washington, sources said. In August 2020, Mr Adib was chosen to be Lebanon’s prime minister after a devastating blast at Beirut’s port, but he stepped down less than a month later amid political infighting.
A university professor, Mr Adib is a former adviser to Lebanon’s Prime Minister Najib Mikati, who is a Sunni Muslim as per Lebanon’s sectarian political system. He would replace a close adviser to Mr Aoun in Washington, Gaby Issa.
These choices signal a “swap” between Maronites and Sunnites in the favour of the former, a reflection of power struggles between sectarian Lebanese political parties, said a second source at the Foreign Affairs Ministry. “New York is more interesting diplomatically than Washington because it gives access to international networks,” they told The National.
It is yet another egregious example of the politicisation of the Lebanese diplomatic corps
Saint-Joseph University professor Karim Bitar
The switch would constitute a serious attempt on the part of Mr Bassil "to regain control of the diplomatic wheel, and foreign policy narrative, at the heart of the UN multilateral fora," said Mr El Mufti.
Ambassador to Washington is also a prestigious post. The US is a key ally of Lebanon, which is the fifth-biggest recipient of American military assistance.
“Irrespective of the personal qualities of the nominees, it is yet another egregious example of the politicisation of the Lebanese diplomatic corps,” said Karim Bitar, professor at Saint-Joseph University.
“Every Lebanese leader is trying to place a person directly loyal to him in the most sensitive embassies to maximise their international network in the context of upcoming strategic elections.”
Despite overall better working conditions for diplomats abroad, difficulties are piling up. They have not been paid for two months and they are expecting Mr Aoun to greenlight a salary cut of about 30 per cent.
For those living in expensive cities in the US and Europe, the situation is becoming “critical,” said the second source. “Diplomats have to pay their own health insurance, rent and children’s education,” they said. “Europe won’t be attractive anymore, except for those who are already well-off.”
ALL THE RESULTS
Bantamweight
Siyovush Gulmomdov (TJK) bt Rey Nacionales (PHI) by decision.
Lightweight
Alexandru Chitoran (ROU) bt Hussein Fakhir Abed (SYR) by submission.
Catch 74kg
Omar Hussein (JOR) bt Tohir Zhuraev (TJK) by decision.
Strawweight (Female)
Seo Ye-dam (KOR) bt Weronika Zygmunt (POL) by decision.
Featherweight
Kaan Ofli (TUR) bt Walid Laidi (ALG) by TKO.
Lightweight
Abdulla Al Bousheiri (KUW) bt Leandro Martins (BRA) by TKO.
Welterweight
Ahmad Labban (LEB) bt Sofiane Benchohra (ALG) by TKO.
Bantamweight
Jaures Dea (CAM) v Nawras Abzakh (JOR) no contest.
Lightweight
Mohammed Yahya (UAE) bt Glen Ranillo (PHI) by TKO round 1.
Lightweight
Alan Omer (GER) bt Aidan Aguilera (AUS) by TKO round 1.
Welterweight
Mounir Lazzez (TUN) bt Sasha Palatkinov (HKG) by TKO round 1.
Featherweight title bout
Romando Dy (PHI) v Lee Do-gyeom (KOR) by KO round 1.
6 UNDERGROUND
Director: Michael Bay
Stars: Ryan Reynolds, Adria Arjona, Dave Franco
2.5 / 5 stars
The biog
From: Upper Egypt
Age: 78
Family: a daughter in Egypt; a son in Dubai and his wife, Nabila
Favourite Abu Dhabi activity: walking near to Emirates Palace
Favourite building in Abu Dhabi: Emirates Palace
FORSPOKEN
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Starfield
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Ziina users can donate to relief efforts in Beirut
Ziina users will be able to use the app to help relief efforts in Beirut, which has been left reeling after an August blast caused an estimated $15 billion in damage and left thousands homeless. Ziina has partnered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to raise money for the Lebanese capital, co-founder Faisal Toukan says. “As of October 1, the UNHCR has the first certified badge on Ziina and is automatically part of user's top friends' list during this campaign. Users can now donate any amount to the Beirut relief with two clicks. The money raised will go towards rebuilding houses for the families that were impacted by the explosion.”
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Company%20profile
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What is graphene?
Graphene is a single layer of carbon atoms arranged like honeycomb.
It was discovered in 2004, when Russian-born Manchester scientists Andrei Geim and Kostya Novoselov were "playing about" with sticky tape and graphite - the material used as "lead" in pencils.
Placing the tape on the graphite and peeling it, they managed to rip off thin flakes of carbon. In the beginning they got flakes consisting of many layers of graphene. But as they repeated the process many times, the flakes got thinner.
By separating the graphite fragments repeatedly, they managed to create flakes that were just one atom thick. Their experiment had led to graphene being isolated for the very first time.
At the time, many believed it was impossible for such thin crystalline materials to be stable. But examined under a microscope, the material remained stable, and when tested was found to have incredible properties.
It is many times times stronger than steel, yet incredibly lightweight and flexible. It is electrically and thermally conductive but also transparent. The world's first 2D material, it is one million times thinner than the diameter of a single human hair.
But the 'sticky tape' method would not work on an industrial scale. Since then, scientists have been working on manufacturing graphene, to make use of its incredible properties.
In 2010, Geim and Novoselov were awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics. Their discovery meant physicists could study a new class of two-dimensional materials with unique properties.
Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
- Look beyond school fees
- Keep an open mind
UAE squad
Humaira Tasneem (c), Chamani Senevirathne (vc), Subha Srinivasan, NIsha Ali, Udeni Kuruppuarachchi, Chaya Mughal, Roopa Nagraj, Esha Oza, Ishani Senevirathne, Heena Hotchandani, Keveesha Kumari, Judith Cleetus, Chavi Bhatt, Namita D’Souza.
THE BIO
Born: Mukalla, Yemen, 1979
Education: UAE University, Al Ain
Family: Married with two daughters: Asayel, 7, and Sara, 6
Favourite piece of music: Horse Dance by Naseer Shamma
Favourite book: Science and geology
Favourite place to travel to: Washington DC
Best advice you’ve ever been given: If you have a dream, you have to believe it, then you will see it.
MATCH INFO
Barcelona 4 (Messi 23' pen, 45 1', 48', Busquets 85')
Celta Vigo 1 (Olaza 42')
More on Quran memorisation:
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
England v South Africa schedule:
- First Test: At Lord's, England won by 219 runs
- Second Test: July 14-18, Trent Bridge, Nottingham, 2pm
- Third Test: The Oval, London, July 27-31, 2pm
- Fourth Test: Old Trafford, Manchester, August 4-8
Farage on Muslim Brotherhood
Nigel Farage told Reform's annual conference that the party will proscribe the Muslim Brotherhood if he becomes Prime Minister.
"We will stop dangerous organisations with links to terrorism operating in our country," he said. "Quite why we've been so gutless about this – both Labour and Conservative – I don't know.
“All across the Middle East, countries have banned and proscribed the Muslim Brotherhood as a dangerous organisation. We will do the very same.”
It is 10 years since a ground-breaking report into the Muslim Brotherhood by Sir John Jenkins.
Among the former diplomat's findings was an assessment that “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” has “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
The prime minister at the time, David Cameron, who commissioned the report, said membership or association with the Muslim Brotherhood was a "possible indicator of extremism" but it would not be banned.
UAE tour of Zimbabwe
All matches in Bulawayo
Friday, Sept 26 – UAE won by 36 runs
Sunday, Sept 28 – Second ODI
Tuesday, Sept 30 – Third ODI
Thursday, Oct 2 – Fourth ODI
Sunday, Oct 5 – First T20I
Monday, Oct 6 – Second T20I
David Haye record
Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Fixtures (all times UAE)
Saturday
Brescia v Atalanta (6pm)
Genoa v Torino (9pm)
Fiorentina v Lecce (11.45pm)
Sunday
Juventus v Sassuolo (3.30pm)
Inter Milan v SPAL (6pm)
Lazio v Udinese (6pm)
Parma v AC Milan (6pm)
Napoli v Bologna (9pm)
Verona v AS Roma (11.45pm)
Monday
Cagliari v Sampdoria (11.45pm)
Champions League Last 16
Red Bull Salzburg (AUT) v Bayern Munich (GER)
Sporting Lisbon (POR) v Manchester City (ENG)
Benfica (POR) v Ajax (NED)
Chelsea (ENG) v Lille (FRA)
Atletico Madrid (ESP) v Manchester United (ENG)
Villarreal (ESP) v Juventus (ITA)
Inter Milan (ITA) v Liverpool (ENG)
Paris Saint-Germain v Real Madrid (ESP)
RESULT
Manchester City 1 Sheffield United 0
Man City: Jesus (9')
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
