Recently, during the session of a Lebanese parliamentary committee on a new election law, two of the country’s Shiite parliamentarians, one from Hezbollah and the second from the Amal Movement, floated an idea the government in Beirut should examine closely. The two MPs, Ali Fayyad and Ali Hassan Al Khalil, called for reform of the political system and full implementation of all the stipulations of the Taif Accord of 1989 – the agreement that ended Lebanon’s civil war and sought to update its confessional political model.
Though they didn’t say so explicitly, it was clear they were hinting at an exchange of Hezbollah’s weapons for the implementation of such reforms. While Taif has already been implemented in part, a number of its major provisions have not been.
Sceptics interpreted the idea as a political manoeuvre by the Shiite parties, principally to impose conditions on disarmament that were unlikely to be accepted. This would derail efforts by the Lebanese state to impose a monopoly over weapons. Government sources have been quoted as saying that the state is open to addressing political reform in its efforts to disarm all factions in Lebanon.
What allegedly makes the quid pro quo unacceptable to certain Lebanese communities is that Taif calls for the abolition of “political confessionalism”, which effectively means ending sectarian quotas in national institutions of the country. Today, there is a 50-50 split between seats reserved for Christians and Muslims in Parliament and administrative bodies, and senior posts are distributed along sectarian lines.
Taif does not entirely eliminate sectarianism, however. It establishes a Senate, “in which all the religious communities shall be represented”, according to Article 22 of the post-Taif constitution. The Senate’s role “shall be limited to major national issues”, a somewhat vague phrasing but one that can be interpreted in constructive ways.
The presumption is that the Christian community’s leaders will never give up on the 50-50 quotas in Parliament and national administrative bodies. Moreover, a deconfessionalised system is one in which the Shiites, as one of Lebanon’s largest communities, would have a greater say in the system, which some other communities might reject.
However, is a Christian refusal a given? While Mr Fayyad and Mr Khalil’s insinuation may indeed have been aimed at submitting conditions for giving up Hezbollah’s weapons in the hope that it would block everything, it makes more sense for their political adversaries to call their bluff and make counter-offers.
Why should they do so? Principally, because the post-Taif political system is no longer functioning adequately. In fact, the idea of constitutional reform is long overdue. The system in the past two decades since the end of the Syrian occupation in Lebanon has been used much more as an instrument to thwart progress than to carry the Lebanese polity forward.
In other words, there is nothing wrong with trying to hit two birds with one stone: disarming Hezbollah and other militias, while laying the groundwork for a more functional political system through the implementation of Taif in its entirety.
Christian leaders still regard the 50-50 split in representation as a means of protection for their minority, when in fact the community’s numbers no longer reflect such a ratio. However, this anxiety was predicted when Taif was being negotiated by Lebanese parliamentarians.
At the time, Christian representatives had demanded, among other things, administrative decentralisation as a condition for accepting political deconfessionalisation. The rationale was that if Christians had less representation in the state, they would be compensated by having greater latitude to manage affairs in their own areas.
However, Christian attitudes have evolved considerably since 1989. Today, many in the community are looking for much more than administrative decentralisation, with many even calling for federalism. Nothing less than both broad administrative and financial decentralisation would be acceptable to the community’s leadership.
There is nothing wrong with trying to hit two birds with one stone: disarming Hezbollah and other militias, while laying the groundwork for a more functional political system
In other words, Lebanon would have the contours of a system that is federal in all but name. There are no guarantees this would make Lebanon more efficient as a state, but it could well make the Taif pill easier to swallow for many Christians.
Whatever the outcome of a reformed system, there is nothing wrong with opening the debate on political reform and using this as one lever to disarm Hezbollah. The state should make this point but also set conditions of its own: above all, that before the communities embark on a national project of political reform whose ultimate aim is implementation of Taif, Hezbollah and other armed groups must first disarm. There can be no discussion of reform if one community alone retains weapons.
By formulating their proposal in the context of Taif, the Shiite parliamentarians knew what they were doing. It’s difficult for their political foes to condemn a proposition that calls for implementing a legitimate constitutional accord passed by Parliament. If anything, it underlines that Hezbollah is willing to place itself under the authority of Taif – a major concession. When Naim Qassem, the party’s secretary general, said such a thing last year, Hezbollah’s enemies celebrated. Why not now?
It’s now clear that an important new dimension has been added to the discussion on disarming Hezbollah – namely, that the Shiite community’s political leaders want something in return. This means Hezbollah is beginning to think of what lies beyond its weapons, which may represent an admission that these weapons no longer serve a purpose. That is a good thing.
To close the door on this would be the height of foolishness. If the state approaches the matter intelligently and with conditions of its own, it can widen the breach that the Shiite parties seem to have opened in the stalemate over Hezbollah’s disarmament. Suddenly, the shape of a deal seems more possible on this question.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Results
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if you go
The flights
The closest international airport to the TMB trail is Geneva (just over an hour’s drive from the French ski town of Chamonix where most people start and end the walk). Direct flights from the UAE to Geneva are available with Etihad and Emirates from about Dh2,790 including taxes.
The trek
The Tour du Mont Blanc takes about 10 to 14 days to complete if walked in its entirety, but by using the services of a tour operator such as Raw Travel, a shorter “highlights” version allows you to complete the best of the route in a week, from Dh6,750 per person. The trails are blocked by snow from about late October to early May. Most people walk in July and August, but be warned that trails are often uncomfortably busy at this time and it can be very hot. The prime months are June and September.
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
Get inspired
Here are a couple of Valentine’s Day food products that may or may not go the distance (but have got the internet talking anyway).
Sourdough sentiments: Marks & Spencer in the United Kingdom has introduced a slow-baked sourdough loaf dusted with flour to spell out I (heart) you, at £2 (Dh9.5). While it’s not available in the UAE, there’s nothing to stop you taking the idea and creating your own message of love, stencilled on breakfast-inbed toast.
Crisps playing cupid: Crisp company Tyrells has added a spicy addition to its range for Valentine’s Day. The brand describes the new honey and chilli flavour on Twitter as: “A tenderly bracing duo of the tantalising tingle of chilli with sweet and sticky honey. A helping hand to get your heart racing.” Again, not on sale here, but if you’re tempted you could certainly fashion your own flavour mix (spicy Cheetos and caramel popcorn, anyone?).
Why seagrass matters
- Carbon sink: Seagrass sequesters carbon up to 35X faster than tropical rainforests
- Marine nursery: Crucial habitat for juvenile fish, crustations, and invertebrates
- Biodiversity: Support species like sea turtles, dugongs, and seabirds
- Coastal protection: Reduce erosion and improve water quality
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
French business
France has organised a delegation of leading businesses to travel to Syria. The group was led by French shipping giant CMA CGM, which struck a 30-year contract in May with the Syrian government to develop and run Latakia port. Also present were water and waste management company Suez, defence multinational Thales, and Ellipse Group, which is currently looking into rehabilitating Syrian hospitals.
Winners
Ballon d’Or (Men’s)
Ousmane Dembélé (Paris Saint-Germain / France)
Ballon d’Or Féminin (Women’s)
Aitana Bonmatí (Barcelona / Spain)
Kopa Trophy (Best player under 21 – Men’s)
Lamine Yamal (Barcelona / Spain)
Best Young Women’s Player
Vicky López (Barcelona / Spain)
Yashin Trophy (Best Goalkeeper – Men’s)
Gianluigi Donnarumma (Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City / Italy)
Best Women’s Goalkeeper
Hannah Hampton (England / Aston Villa and Chelsea)
Men’s Coach of the Year
Luis Enrique (Paris Saint-Germain)
Women’s Coach of the Year
Sarina Wiegman (England)
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
TCL INFO
Teams:
Punjabi Legends Owners: Inzamam-ul-Haq and Intizar-ul-Haq; Key player: Misbah-ul-Haq
Pakhtoons Owners: Habib Khan and Tajuddin Khan; Key player: Shahid Afridi
Maratha Arabians Owners: Sohail Khan, Ali Tumbi, Parvez Khan; Key player: Virender Sehwag
Bangla Tigers Owners: Shirajuddin Alam, Yasin Choudhary, Neelesh Bhatnager, Anis and Rizwan Sajan; Key player: TBC
Colombo Lions Owners: Sri Lanka Cricket; Key player: TBC
Kerala Kings Owners: Hussain Adam Ali and Shafi Ul Mulk; Key player: Eoin Morgan
Venue Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Format 10 overs per side, matches last for 90 minutes
When December 14-17
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
From Zero
Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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Hidden killer
Sepsis arises when the body tries to fight an infection but damages its own tissue and organs in the process.
The World Health Organisation estimates it affects about 30 million people each year and that about six million die.
Of those about three million are newborns and 1.2 are young children.
Patients with septic shock must often have limbs amputated if clots in their limbs prevent blood flow, causing the limbs to die.
Campaigners say the condition is often diagnosed far too late by medical professionals and that many patients wait too long to seek treatment, confusing the symptoms with flu.
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
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
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
FA Cup quarter-final draw
The matches will be played across the weekend of 21 and 22 March
Sheffield United v Arsenal
Newcastle v Manchester City
Norwich v Derby/Manchester United
Leicester City v Chelsea
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
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The details
Colette
Director: Wash Westmoreland
Starring: Keira Knightley, Dominic West
Our take: 3/5
Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
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Overview
What: The Arab Women’s Sports Tournament is a biennial multisport event exclusively for Arab women athletes.
When: From Sunday, February 2, to Wednesday, February 12.
Where: At 13 different centres across Sharjah.
Disciplines: Athletics, archery, basketball, fencing, Karate, table tennis, shooting (rifle and pistol), show jumping and volleyball.
Participating countries: Algeria, Bahrain, Comoros, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, Qatar and UAE.
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
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The specs
Engine: 0.8-litre four cylinder
Power: 70bhp
Torque: 66Nm
Transmission: four-speed manual
Price: $1,075 new in 1967, now valued at $40,000
On sale: Models from 1966 to 1970
