Free Republic

As Hezbollah’s grip weakens and war fatigue deepens, a growing number of Lebanese are beginning to see peace with Israel not as betrayal but as necessity For Hanin Ghaddar, returning to Lebanon would mean more than just going home. It would signal that something once unthinkable may finally be within reach: a country loosening itself from Iran’s grip and edging, however cautiously, toward peace with Israel. A veteran Lebanese journalist from a Shi’ite family in a village in southern Lebanon, Ghaddar was targeted by Hezbollah and forced to leave her homeland in 2016. And despite growing up with her country...

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said Tuesday that Italy would not renew its defense agreement with Israel. "In light of the current situation, the government has decided to suspend the automatic renewal of the defense agreement with Israel," the prime minister announced on the sidelines of Vinitaly in Verona. It should be noted that an official message was already conveyed yesterday in a letter sent by the Italian Minister of Defense to the Israeli Minister of Defense, Israel Katz. The agreement, initially approved by Israel in 2006, includes cooperation across defense industries, education and training of military personnel, research and...

America’s Lebanese fantasy hits a road-bump Lebanon Follow Tony Badran Published: 13 December ,2022: 12:39 PM GST Updated: 13 December ,2022: 01:25 PM GST For the past two years, the Biden administration has been hell-bent on getting Saudi Arabia to underwrite the US project of administering Lebanon. And for two years running, the Kingdom has refused, having no desire to bankroll an Iranian equity run by Hezbollah. The administration, however, is demanding US allies suspend disbelief and pretend that Lebanon is in fact a real, normal state. In the latest iteration of its Lebanese project, the Biden team is trying...