Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam has reaffirmed that no one in the country wants to establish diplomatic relations with Israel, after senior officials in Beirut accused Israeli authorities of seeking to do so.
Israeli troops continue to occupy five locations on the border with Lebanon, having invaded the south of the country last year in what it said was an attempt to counter the threat of powerful Lebanese group Hezbollah.
The Israeli military was supposed to withdraw from southern Lebanon on January 26 in a ceasefire deal agreed with Hezbollah in November.
Mr Salam said the five areas held "no military or security value" for Israel, "other than maintaining its pressure on Lebanon".
"No one in Lebanon wants normalisation with Israel and it is rejected by all Lebanese," he said on Wednesday.
Israel has continued to bomb south Lebanon repeatedly, despite the truce agreement. More than 4,000 people were killed last year in Israeli attacks on the country, Lebanese health officials say.
Mr Salam said the situation remained concerning but Beirut had "not exhausted all means of political and diplomatic pressure".
According to Israeli media, unnamed Israeli officials have signalled an interest in establishing relations with Lebanon with the support of the new US administration of President Donald Trump.
Lebanon and Israel technically are in a state of war. It is a serious crime for Lebanese people to communicate with anyone in Israel, or enter the country.
While Hezbollah remains a deeply divisive issue in Lebanon, most Lebanese are united in their stance against Israel and its actions.
Comment: Why any plans on Israel’s part to normalise relations with Lebanon would be a no go
Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri this week said “Israel intends to draw us into political negotiations leading to the normalisation of relations between the two countries, but this is out of question for us".
It came as French presidential envoy Jean-Yves Le Drian has arrived in Beirut as Lebanon continues to grapple with instability on its borders with Israel and Syria.
He visited President Joseph Aoun at the presidential palace in Baabda, east of Beirut, and met Mr Salam later on Wednesday. The latter said Mr Le Drian's visit was focused on reconstruction efforts.
A major talking point will be the reconstruction of the parts of Lebanon particularly hard hit by the war between Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah and Israel. Israeli forces continue to bomb the south of the country regularly, with a spike at the weekend, after three rockets were launched at Israel.
Last October, a Paris conference raised $1 billion for humanitarian aid and security in Lebanon, and in the coming months France aims to raise more for the rebuilding effort. The World Bank has estimated that the short-to-medium term costs of recovery and reconstruction stand at $11 billion.
Mr Aoun is expected to visit France this weekend in one his first official overseas trips since becoming President in January. Mr Le Drian was among guests when Mr Aoun was sworn in at the Lebanese Parliament.
Former colonial power France was a major player in unblocking the impasse that had led to two years of a caretaker government and institutional paralysis in Lebanon. Mr Aoun's election, the naming of Mr Salam as Prime Minister and the formation of a cabinet happened soon after. In a show of support, French President Emmanuel Macron came to Lebanon in January.
Hezbollah has been heavily damaged by Israel's war, but remains a potent threat. In the wake of a tenuous ceasefire agreed in November and the elections of Mr Aoun and Mr Salam, there has been hope that Lebanon can chart a new path, having suffered myriad crises in recent years.
A financial crisis that became fully apparent in 2019 was exacerbated by the 2020 Beirut port explosion that killed at least 218 people and devastated a wide area.
Exclusive: Israel intensifies pressure on Lebanon through ceasefire violations
About Proto21
Date started: May 2018
Founder: Pir Arkam
Based: Dubai
Sector: Additive manufacturing (aka, 3D printing)
Staff: 18
Funding: Invested, supported and partnered by Joseph Group
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The specs
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Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
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
Spider-Man: No Way Home
Director: Jon Watts
Stars: Tom Holland, Zendaya, Jacob Batalon
Rating:*****
Test
Director: S Sashikanth
Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
Star rating: 2/5
HOW TO WATCH
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TikTok: @thenationalnews
Zayed Sustainability Prize
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The years Ramadan fell in May
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
The specs
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Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
Cutting red tape on import and export of food
england euro squad
Goalkeepers: Dean Henderson (Man Utd), Sam Johnstone (West Brom), Jordan Pickford (Everton)
Defenders: John Stones (Man City), Luke Shaw (Man Utd), Harry Maguire (Man Utd), Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Kyle Walker (Man City), Tyrone Mings (Aston Villa), Reece James (Chelsea), Conor Coady (Wolves), Ben Chilwell (Chelsea), Kieran Trippier (Atletico Madrid)
Midfielders: Mason Mount (Chelsea), Declan Rice (West Ham), Jordan Henderson (Liverpool), Jude Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund), Kalvin Phillips (Leeds)
Forwards: Harry Kane (Tottenham), Marcus Rashford (Man Utd), Raheem Sterling (Man City), Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Everton), Phil Foden (Man City), Jack Grealish (Aston Villa), Jadon Sancho (Borussia Dortmund), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal)
Biography
Favourite book: Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance
Holiday choice: Anything Disney-related
Proudest achievement: Receiving a presidential award for foreign services.
Family: Wife and three children.
Like motto: You always get what you ask for, the universe listens.
