#joseph aoun

[dadsinsuits]

Joseph Aoun

[kirstythejetblackgoldfish]

[wherepond]

President of ICJ is a Zionist

Bombshell for peace as Israel scrores a big win at the ICJ

Whilst Israel will be delighted by the latest shift at the International Court of Justice, the world looks on in horror.

Right, so it would appear that a bit of a nightmare for global justice has opened up at the International Court of Justice, because the last thing we need is a President of the ICJ who is an out and out Zionist and unfortunately it appears that now is the case.

For those who have followed the case brought by South Africa against Israel at the ICJ, you will know or recall that when it came down to a vote on the plausible case for genocide being committed by Israel against the people of Gaza, there was an overwhelming vote in favour, but there was also one lone dissenting voice who voted against any and all allegations against Israel, even when the Israeli judge on the ICJ panel voted against his own country, Judge Julia Sebutinde of Uganda.

With the President of the ICJ Nawaf Salam of Lebanon now having accepted the role of Prime Minister back in his home country under the new Presidency there of Joseph Aoun, Julia Sebutinde, as vice President, assumes that role now for the remainder of the duration of this elected term, the President and vice president of the ICJ having been voted in last January, so for the next two years, Sebutinde is President of the ICJ and when I called her an out and out Zionist before, well, we now know an awful lot more about that when it comes to this judge and frankly raises major questions as to her ability to be impartial.

Right, so Israel will be elated I am sure that the President of the ICJ is now Julia Sebutinde, a judge who has voted in Israel’s favour at every resolution in their genocide case at the ICJ, even as the Israeli judge Ahron Barak could not bring himself to do, as it now gets investigated for the plausible crime of genocide that was established at the ICJ a little over a year ago now, despite Sebutinde’s dissent, the case having been brought of course by South Africa, a nation that knows a thing or two about apartheid and Israel is very much an apartheid state.

Sebutinde’s appointment will now raise significant questions in how this case proceeds now, especially right at this moment in time when, with a ceasefire in place, ICJ investigators could now get in to establish the facts. She could now conceivably undermine that effort though.

You have to remember what she voted against to understand how bad this is. She voted against the court ordering all military activity by Israeli against civilians to cease. She voted against ordering Israel to cancel it’s then planned invasion of Rafah, where so many of Gaza’s civilians were at that point trapped. She voted against Israel being made to stop forcibly displacing Gazan people, a war crime and an ICJ judge voted against stopping that.

[plitnick]

What a new Lebanon might mean for Palestinians and the region

Joseph Aoun’s election this week as Lebanon’s new president reflects a new push toward a unified Lebanon. As the ceasefire time frame between Israel and Hezbollah ends there are signs Lebanon will be more capable of resisting Israeli aggression. Read more at Mondoweiss.

[head-post]

Lebanon elects army chief Joseph Aoun as president

Lebanon’s parliament has elected army chief Joseph Aoun as the country’s president after a second round of elections, Lebanese media reported on Thursday.

Aoun won the second round of voting in the 13th parliamentary session and became the fourth military commander to get the presidential seat at Baabda Palace. His predecessors Emile Lahoud, Michel Suleiman and Michel Aoun had previously served as the country’s leader. The new president received support from 99 MPs.

Aoun will lead the country for six years. The traditional ceremony of swearing allegiance to Lebanon and its constitution will be held in front of parliament shortly.

Due to the 1989 Taif Agreement, the President of the Lebanese Republic has legislative and executive powers. One of his first instructions will be to appoint the state’s prime minister after parliamentary consultations.

Last October, Axios quoted US officials as saying that the US was planning to seek the election of a new Lebanese president against the backdrop of Israeli operations against the Shiite Hezbollah movement.

Read more HERE

[techynewsworld]

Joseph Aoun: A New President of Lebanon as the Region Changes

Joseph Aoun: A New President of Lebanon as the Region Changes

Lebanon is entering a new era with the election of General Joseph Aoun as the country’s new president. A leader with military experience, General Aoun steps into office during a time of immense political, economic, and social challenges for Lebanon and the broader Middle Eastern region.

His presidency comes at a time when Lebanon is navigating its worst economic crisis in decades, compounded by political paralysis and a growing humanitarian crisis. As the Lebanese people struggle with daily hardships, General Aoun's leadership is viewed with hope and skepticism in equal measure. However, his unique background in the Lebanese Army and his stance on national unity may provide the stability Lebanon so desperately needs.

The election of Joseph Aoun also carries significant regional implications. With the Middle East undergoing rapid shifts in alliances, geopolitical power plays, and economic restructuring, Lebanon's new leadership will play a crucial role in the region's future. His policies on defense, national security, and diplomatic relations with neighboring countries will be closely scrutinized by both local and international observers.

General Joseph Aoun's rise to the presidency marks the beginning of a new chapter for Lebanon. But how he will navigate Lebanon’s complex internal dynamics and external pressures will be key to determining whether his leadership can steer the country towards stability or deepen the current crisis.

For more insights into Joseph Aoun's election and its potential impact on Lebanon and the region, check out this in-depth article: Joseph Aoun: A New President of Lebanon as the Region Changes.(techynewsworld.com)

[channeledhistory]

Lebanon’s parliament has elected the US-backed army chief to be the country’s new president, ending a years-long political stalemate and presidential vacuum.

Army chief Joseph Aoun was voted president after two rounds of voting. This came after a robust efforts by Saudi Arabia and the United States to rally support for Aoun, who is close to Washington and Riyadh.

After he was declared president, Aoun effectively stepped down as army chief. He arrived in parliament to be sworn in dressed in civilian clothing.

[...]

“The Lebanese state – I repeat the Lebanese state – will get rid of the Israeli occupation,” Aoun said his speech. The new president also raised the specter of a Lebanese “defensive strategy” against Israel – officially classified as an enemy state – without Hezbollah. The armed group was long considered the de facto military force tasked with fighting Israel. “My era will include the discussion of our defensive strategy to enable the Lebanese state to get rid of the Israeli occupation and to retaliate against its aggression,” said Aoun. Lebanon had been without a president since the end of the tenure of former President Michel Aoun – who is not related to Joseph Aoun – in October 2022. The former president was backed by Iran-supported Hezbollah. Negotiations over his successor were unsuccessful, reinvigorating tensions between the country’s pro-Western and pro-Iranian camps.

[...]

[mariacallous]

Lebanon has two new leaders and neither is to Hezbollah’s liking. On Jan. 9, Gen. Joseph Aoun, commander of the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF), was elected president with 99 out of 128 votes from Lebanese parliamentarians across the political spectrum. Nawaf Salam, president of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and a Sunni who is backed both by Saudi Arabia and across Lebanon’s nonsectarian civil society, was appointed prime minister.

They were the candidates of national unity—and of finding a way to move past the country’s sectarian political system. That system was nearly the country’s undoing, especially after Hezbollah, the Shia-dominated militant group backed by Iran, fought a ruinous war with Israel in recent months.

Hezbollah preferred other candidates over Aoun and Salam, but it hasn’t resisted the new leadership at a time when it has been licking its wounds. “This was unthinkable,” said Sami Nader, a Lebanese political analyst. “For decades, Hezbollah has been calling the shots. But now, because of this geopolitical earthquake, since Hezbollah’s military defeat against Israel, since the toppling of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, that whole Iranian axis has collapsed.” Everyone in Lebanon, including Hezbollah’s Shia base, is primarily focused on building international trust, bringing in aid and investment from both the West and the Gulf, and enabling the reconstruction of homes and villages.

And yet, Aoun and Salam face daunting challenges going forward. Will they manage to form a clean government and usher in much-needed political reforms—reforms that some lawmakers may resist? And, more urgently, will they actually succeed in disarming Hezbollah?

Hezbollah’s flags still hang from shops, billboards, and traffic crossings in its areas of influence. A friend based in the country said his concierge believed that Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah had not died in the massive 80-ton bomb drop and was hiding in Iran somewhere. He expected Nasrallah to return as a mahdi, or messiah, at the time of his choosing.

Experts say that even as Hezbollah denies the severity of its losses in the war, it is aware of the need to rebuild southern Lebanon, parts of the Bekaa Valley, and the southern Beirut suburb of Dahiyeh, which are all home to its supporters and came under intense Israeli bombardment. According to the World Bank Lebanon needs an estimated $8.5 billion just to cover for the damages caused by the latest war.

“The party is now forced to go along with two candidates it opposed,” Michael Young, a senior editor at the Carnegie Middle East Center, posted on X. “Worse, if it wants Gulf funding for the reconstruction of mainly Shiite areas, it has to show a willingness to talk about disarmament and support economic reform. Reconstruction is their absolute priority.”

According to the 60-day cease-fire deal agreed upon by Israel and Hezbollah last November, both Israel and Hezbollah are supposed to withdraw from southern Lebanon. The deal also calls for the full implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701 by Jan. 26. The agreement says, “Lebanon’s official military and security forces, infrastructure, and weaponry will be the only armed groups, arms, and related material deployed in the southern Litani area” with the exception of U.N. peacekeepers, who are allowed in the region to monitor violations.

Earlier this month, U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres highlighted the risk posed by continued Israeli presence in the south and added that U.N. peacekeepers have discovered more than “100 weapons caches” belonging to Hezbollah and other groups since the cease-fire began.

Both Aoun and Salam emphasized the state’s right to be the only entity that carries weapons. “My pledge is to call for a defensive strategy and the establishment of a state—I repeat, a state—that invests in its army, controls all borders, and implements international resolutions,” Aoun said.

A politician from the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM), a former political ally of Hezbollah, said that Hezbollah was likely to disarm but only south of Litani and not elsewhere. “I think that it is a given that Hezbollah will abide by the implementation of 1701 and disarm in South of Litani,” he said, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. “North of Litani is yet to be discussed.”

Hezbollah was first told to leave the south at the end of the 2006 Lebanon War. It has taken the group two decades, and another war, to agree to evacuate southern Lebanon. To disarm Hezbollah north of the Litani will be an even bigger challenge.

The FPM politician said there was some talk that, under a new national defense strategy, Hezbollah’s fighters could be brought under the overall government command “without necessarily integrating it into the LAF, but maybe as a paramilitary force or something like that.”

Others have warned about leaving Hezbollah fighters to their own devices and thus unleashing the kind of chaos that befell Iraq after the United States invaded the country and banned Iraqi soldiers from being integrated in the armed forces. They argue that Hezbollah’s fighters must be offered an off ramp by inviting them to the LAF.

Gilbert Doumit, a Lebanese activist who fought the election as a part of a civil society group but lost, said Hezbollah is weak “but not as weak as we think.” It still has men and weapons, and it “can paralyze the country if not controlled.” To avoid that, he argued, then it must become a part of the LAF. “Is there a way to find a solution for a large percentage of Hezbollah fighters and to integrate them into the army?” he said. “Yes, I think there can be a mechanism, a dedicated unit for them. They are Lebanese, after all. “

But neither Hezbollah nor other political groups entrenched in Lebanon’s existing sectarian political system intend to make it easy for Aoun and Salam as they select their ministers for a new government and unleash reforms. “The [prime minister] can pick his cabinet but he needs to consult us,” said a politician belonging to a sect-based party, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. They added that Salam needs their support to make sure that he can pass a no-confidence motion.

But analysts like Nader believe the civil society movement is in the home stretch and that it is too late for the political class to run against the momentum. “Now is the best time for a cabinet of experts and for the parliament to vote special prerogatives to allow them to undertake radical reforms, for instance in the banking sector,” Nader said. “The parliament can but will not issue a no-confidence, not in my opinion. There is too much momentum, and no one wants to be in the losing camp.” However, he does fear that the old political class could delay the formation of a government to dampen spirits once again and wait out the positive political changes in Lebanon.

As the Lebanese welcome two qualified, unsullied people to top positions, they are cautiously optimistic. The country has endured far too much to celebrate just yet. “What do I think about Aoun and Salam? Ask me in six months,” said Samy, a Lebanese technician who did not want to give his full name due to the risk of being targeted in what is still a tense domestic situation.

[tieflingkisser]

Pro-Israel judge takes over ICJ presidency after Lebanon's Salam resigns

Ugandan Judge Julia Sebutinde, who opposed all six ICJ measures against Israel in the genocide case, will serve as president until further notice.

Pro-genocide Ugandan Judge Julia Sebutinde, currently serving as Vice-President of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), has stepped in as acting President following the resignation of Lebanese Judge Nawaf Salam. Salam’s departure comes after he was summoned by Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun to assume the role of Prime Minister.

[...]

South Africa, the party requesting the intervention, argued that Israel’s campaign in Gaza amounted to genocide and urged the Court to demand a halt to the operation. Of the 17 judges on the panel, the ICJ overwhelmingly approved the six measures, with even an Israeli judge supporting two of them. Yet, Judge Julia Sebutinde of Uganda stood alone in opposing all six. Among the measures Sebutinde opposed were provisions requiring Israel to ensure the delivery of basic services and essential humanitarian aid to Gaza’s civilians, and to prevent the destruction of evidence of war crimes while allowing access for fact-finding missions. She then tried to redeem herself, arguing that the Israel-Palestine “dispute” was fundamentally “political, not legal,” claiming it was unsuitable for judicial resolution. Sebutinde further claimed that South Africa had failed to demonstrate genocidal intent by Israel under the Genocide Convention. Legal experts and human rights advocates criticised her reasoning, pointing to extensive evidence of mass civilian casualties and large-scale destruction in Gaza. Uganda’s ambassador to the UN, Adonia Ayebare, distanced the government from her ruling, clarifying in a public statement that Sebutinde’s stance did not reflect Uganda’s official position on Palestine. “Uganda’s support for the plight of the Palestinian people has been expressed through our voting pattern at the UN,” Ayebare said.

[...]

Judge Sebutinde’s connections to Uganda’s Pentecostal evangelical community, particularly the Watoto Church, have fuelled these concerns, as Sebutinde herself has credited the Church with shaping her values and the Church being explicitly Zionist. “I have the chance to practice justice at the world level because of the values I picked from Watoto Church. I am proud of Watoto.” The Watoto Church is among the largest and most prominent independent churches in Uganda, with branches extending to neighbouring South Sudan, Burundi, and even Israel to which it has strong ties. Worshippers at Sunday services are often urged to contribute donations to what they refer to as the "wonderland," their term for Israel.

[...]

When asked about the timeline for electing a new president, the ICJ stated “there is no prescribed timeline for the Court to decide in this matter,” leaving Sebutinde in charge indefinitely for now. The damage this could inflict on global justice, and particularly on Palestinians' access to justice, remains uncertain for now.

[beardedmrbean]

BEIRUT (Reuters) -Lebanon's parliament will try to elect a president on Thursday, with officials seeing better chances of success in a political landscape shaken by Israel's war with Hezbollah and the toppling of the group's ally Bashar al-Assad in neighbouring Syria.

The post, reserved for a Maronite Christian in the country's sectarian power-sharing system, has been vacant since Michel Aoun's term ended in October, 2022. None of the political groups in the 128-seat parliament have enough seats to impose their choice, and they have so far been unable to agree on a consensus candidate.

The vote marks the first test of Lebanon's power balance since the Iran-backed Shi'ite group Hezbollah - which propelled its then Christian ally Aoun to the presidency in 2016 - emerged badly pummelled from the war with Israel.

It takes place against a backdrop of historic change in the wider Middle East, where the Assad-led Syrian state exercised sway over Lebanon for decades, both directly and through allies such as Hezbollah.

Reflecting the shifts, Hezbollah and its ally the Shi'ite Amal Movement led by Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri have dropped their insistence on Suleiman Frangieh, their declared candidate for the last two years, and are ready to go with a less divisive figure, three senior sources familiar with their thinking said.

Candidates in focus include army commander General Joseph Aoun - said by Lebanese politicians to enjoy U.S. approval - Jihad Azour, a senior International Monetary Fund official who formerly served as finance minister, and Major-General Elias al-Baysari - head of General Security, a state security agency.

Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati said he felt happy because "God willing, tomorrow we will have a new president", according to a statement from his office.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot also expressed hope in comments to France Inter radio, saying the election was "a prerequisite for the continuation of this dynamic of peace" and also for Lebanon's economic and social recovery.

However, two of the sources and an analyst cautioned that it was not yet certain any candidate would be elected. To win, a candidate must secure 86 votes in a first round, or 65 in a second round.

Reflecting Western and regional interest in the vote, French and Saudi envoys met Lebanese politicians in Beirut on Wednesday. Four Lebanese political sources who met the Saudi envoy, Prince Yazid bin Farhan, last week said he spelt out preferred qualifications which signal Saudi support for Aoun.

Saudi Arabia was once a big player in Lebanon, vying with Tehran for influence in Beirut, before seeing its role eclipsed by Iran and Hezbollah.

HEZBOLLAH STILL SEEN WITH SWAY

Aoun, head of Lebanon's U.S.-backed army, would still need 86 votes because his election requires a constitutional amendment, as he is a still-serving state employee, Berri has said.

A State Department spokesperson said it was "up to Lebanon to choose its next president, not the United States or any external actor".

"We have been consistent in our efforts to press Lebanon to elect a new president, which we see as important to strengthening Lebanon’s political institutions," the spokesperson said.

Hezbollah official Wafiq Safa said last week there was "no veto" on Aoun. But the sources said Hezbollah, designated a terrorist group by the United States, will not support Aoun.

Aoun has a key role in shoring up the ceasefire brokered by Washington and Paris in November. The terms require the Lebanese military to deploy into south Lebanon as Israeli troops and Hezbollah withdraw forces.

Still reeling from a financial collapse in 2019, Lebanon desperately needs foreign aid to rebuild.

Much of the damage is in Shi'ite majority areas.

Hezbollah, its supply line to Iran severed by Assad's ousting, has urged Arab and international support for Lebanon.

Lebanon's Maronite Bishops called on lawmakers to elect a president, urging a "national awakening".

Nabil Boumonsef, deputy editor-in-chief of Annahar newspaper, was not certain anyone would be elected, even after the major shift in the balance of power in Lebanon, where Hezbollah's weapons have long been a source of division.

Underlining the influence Hezbollah and Amal still wield, he said the only way a president could be elected would be if they agreed on Aoun or Azour. But if they tried to install their preferred candidate, this would "sever the oxygen from Lebanon".

Saudi Minister Faisal bin Farhan said last October that Riyadh had never fully disengaged from Lebanon and that outside countries should not tell Lebanese what to do.

Backup link

[europahoynews]

"El Líbano está en la cúspide de un futuro más esperanzador", dice el jefe de la ONU, Guterres

“Se ha abierto una ventana que allana el camino para una nueva era de estabilidad institucional, un Estado plenamente capaz de proteger a sus ciudadanos y un sistema que permitiría florecer el tremendo potencial del pueblo libanés”, dijo Guterres a los periodistas en Beirut. El jefe de la ONU se reunió con el recién elegido presidente Joseph Aoun y el primer ministro designado Nawaf Salam, y…

[kirstythejetblackgoldfish]

Aisha Gaddafi appeals to the Lebanese president to release her brother Hannibal

[infosisraelnews]

Le secrétaire général du Hezbollah félicite le Hamas pour sa "victoire" sur Israël

Le Hezbollah n’a pas l’intention de se retirer du gouvernement de Nawaf Salam, un opposant au Parti d’Allah, que le nouveau président libanais Joseph Aoun a nommé Premier ministre. Le secrétaire général du Hezbollah, Naim Kassem, a prononcé aujourd’hui un discours enregistré sur vidéo devant les participants à la conférence « Gaza, symbole de la résistance ». « Personne ne peut nous exclure de…

[ericalto]

Macron urges Israel to speed up troop withdrawal from southern Lebanon | Political news

France’s Emmanuel Macron is the first foreign head of state to visit Beirut since Joseph Aoun was elected president of Lebanon. French President Emmanuel Macron has called on Israel to speed up the withdrawal of troops from southern Lebanon as the deadline to withdraw under the terms of a ceasefire that ended the war with Hezbollah last year. During a visit to Beirut on Friday, Macron also said…

[qubixo1]

Macron urges Israel to accelerate troop withdrawal from South Lebanon | Politics News

France’s Emmanuel Macron is the first foreign head of state to visit Beirut since Joseph Aoun was elected Lebanon’s president. French President Emmanuel Macron has called on Israel to speed up its troop withdrawal from southern Lebanon as a deadline for the withdrawal approaches under the terms of a ceasefire that ended a war with Hezbollah last year . During a visit to Beirut on Friday, Macron…

[head-post]

22 killed in Lebanon before deal reached to extend Israeli withdrawal deadline

Israeli troops in southern Lebanon on Sunday opened fire on demonstrators demanding their withdrawal under a ceasefire agreement, killing at least 22 and wounding 124, Lebanese medical officials said.

A few hours later, the White House said Israel and Lebanon had agreed to extend the deadline for Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon to February 18, after Israel asked for more time to withdraw beyond the 60-day deadline stipulated in the ceasefire agreement that halted the war between Israel and Hezbollah in late November.

Under the November 27 agreement last year that ended the standoff between the Israeli army and Shiite Hezbollah militants, the IDF was supposed to complete its withdrawal from southern Lebanon this Sunday. But Israel announced on Friday that the military operation would continue because the Lebanese army had not taken up positions in all areas of southern Lebanon and could not guarantee that Hezbollah would not re-establish a presence there. The Lebanese army responded by saying it could not take up positions until the Israeli troops leave.

Hundreds of locals on Sunday tried to return to their villages. According to Lebanese authorities, the Israeli military opened fire on the demonstrators, some of whom were carrying Hezbollah flags and demanding an IDF withdrawal under the ceasefire agreement. The dead included two women and a Lebanese army soldier, the Health Ministry said in a statement.

The Israeli army accused Hezbollah of fuelling Sunday’s protests. Its statement said soldiers fired warning shots to “stop suspects approaching.” Several people in close proximity to Israeli troops have reportedly been detained and are being questioned.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said on Sunday that “Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity are non-negotiable.” He also called for “restraint and trust in the Lebanese armed forces.”

The Lebanese army said in a separate statement that it was escorting civilians to some towns in the border area and called on residents to follow military instructions to ensure their safety.

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, whose Amal Movement party is allied with Hezbollah and who mediated between the militant group and the US during ceasefire talks, said Sunday’s bloodshed “is a clear and urgent call for the international community to act immediately and force Israel to withdraw from the occupied Lebanese territories.”

UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert and Lieutenant General Aroldo Lazaro, head of the mission of the UN peacekeeping force known as UNIFIL, called on Israel and Lebanon to honour their commitments under the ceasefire agreement in a joint statement.

UNIFIL said further violence could undermine the fragile security situation in the area and “the prospects for stability that will emerge following the cessation of hostilities and the formation of a government in Lebanon.” It called for the full withdrawal of Israeli troops, the removal of unauthorised weapons and property south of the Litani River, the redeployment of the Lebanese army throughout southern Lebanon and the safe and dignified return of displaced civilians on both sides of the Blue Line.

Jean-Luc Mélenchon, leader of France Unbowed (LFI), wrote on X:

“Netanyahu sabotages Lebanon ceasefire, kills 11 civilians who believed in the deal. Netanyahu refuses to honour his own signature. Europe, France, does not exist. Pathetic moment.”

Read more HERE