Steven Sahiounie, journalist and political commentator
Lebanon is facing multiple serious challenges spanning politics, security, energy resources, and an Israeli occupation with almost daily attacks across the country.
In July, water levels dropped to a historic low at Lebanon's largest reservoir on the Litani River. Experts have said its the country's worst drought on record, threatening agriculture, electricity production, and domestic water supplies.
Lebanon's hydroelectric plants tied to the reservoir were shut down, causing electricity rationing.
A study found climate change has contributed to more frequent dry seasons and higher temperatures, exacerbating soil moisture loss and reducing the recharging of groundwater reservoirs.
Lebanon's Minister of Energy and Water, Joe Saddi, has signed a deal with Merit Invest of France for three new solar projects. The projects were proposed in May 2022, but never initiated. Saddi has given the company until the end of 2025 to develop the projects.
Three solar sites across the country are to be connected to the national grid once completed, and will provide power to 22,000 homes.
Among the most pressing issues in Lebanon is the decision to unify the national security by mandating only the Lebanese army and security services allowed to hold weapons.
On Friday, a statement from the office of Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said, The policy the government committed to in its ministerial statement calls for extending the sovereignty of the Lebanese state with its own forces across all its territories, and enforcing the laws on all citizens without exception, it said, adding that this places great responsibility on security services to deliver on this mandate.
The Lebanese are equal before the law, and the state does not discriminate between one citizen and another, or between one group of citizens and another, the statement continued.
Hezbollah, a Lebanese resistance force, has been armed, and were responsible for forcing Israel to withdraw in 2000 from the occupation of southern Lebanon after more than two decades of brutality that was exposed by the survivors of the Khaim prison, where even Lebanese women and children were tortured and killed.
Lebanon is currently suffering from a new Israeli occupation of five points, including the Shebaa Farms. The US brokered a deal where Israel is mandated to leave, but instead has refused and has exacerbated the situation with almost daily attacks across the country.
In light of the situation on the ground, Hezbollah has argued they will disarm only after Israel will withdraw from Lebanese territory. US special envoy, Tom Barrack, claims the US is powerless to demand that Israel uphold the deal mandating their withdrawal.
Caught in the middle is the Lebanese government and the army who seek the disarming of Hezbollah, but are suffering from an Israeli occupation, and a lack of willingness of the US to enforce the security agreement they brokered.
Steven Sahiounie of MidEastDiscourse interviewed Khaled Zein Eddine, Chief Editor for Euroarab media, member of the International Federation of Journalists, and member of the Union of Journalists in Poland.
#1. Steven Sahiounie (SS): Why has the Ministry of Energy failed to provide reliable electricity and water services despite increased solar energy production?
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