Washington expels a Lebanese diplomat

Sources in the Lebanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed to Asharq Al-Awsat that the Lebanese Embassy in Washington was officially informed by the US State Department of the decision to consider the Lebanese Consul in Detroit, Ibrahim Sharara, as persona non grata, and to force him to leave US territory within a maximum period of 48 hours.

Information had indicated that the decision came against the backdrop of his political positions, specifically after the publication of an American media report of old posts attributed to Sharara on social media sites.

This came at a time when Lebanon was awaiting what the electoral transformations in the United States and Israel would lead to, so that it could build on what it required, without deviating from its adherence to the “Framework Agreement” as the only diplomatic option for negotiating with Israel under American auspices.

It was reported in Baghdad yesterday that Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi directed the cancellation of the contracts of 3 companies at Mosul Airport in northern Iraq, due to their links to armed parties, and their transfer to international companies. The Iraqi News Agency (INA) quoted a source as saying that Al-Zaidi directed the cancellation of the “Sky Plus” company’s contract to rent “counters” at Mosul Airport, on the grounds of its “association with armed parties.” The source added, "The Prime Minister also directed the cancellation of the rental contract for the unroofed indoor garage at Mosul International Airport, with Sama Airport Company, due to its association with armed parties." The Prime Minister also canceled the taxi rental contract at Mosul Airport with the Al-Faisal Al-Shamekh Company on the grounds of its “association with armed parties.” Simultaneously, media outlets close to the government published information about what they described as the “Phalange Investment Network,” which they said worked with the help of merchants and businessmen, and included the acquisition of real estate in Baghdad. Prominent member of the Peace Council, Tony Blair, is seeking to save the ceasefire agreement related to the Gaza Strip, by trying to pressure Israel to begin implementing some provisions in a phased manner until it is fully implemented, after the Israeli Knesset elections ended in recent days, at a time when Hamas is awaiting a positive response regarding the fate and future of the agreement, as the security and humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate. On the other hand, the Palestinian Authority arrested a number of real estate brokers, on suspicion of their involvement in leaking homes in the city of Jericho to settlers, in a case that sparked a crisis in Israel and the Palestinian territories, amid fears that it would represent the beginning of what was described as the “Jewish invasion” of the city.