🇱🇧 In regards to the presidential elections, there seems to be an ongoing consensus between Christian parties to elect Jihad Azour.

Although Gaegae wants to become president, he knew it won't be feasible and with Gebran Basil refusing Joseph Aoun, Azour might be the pick.

Jihad Azour, born 4 May 1966, is a Lebanese economist and politician who served as Lebanon's minister of finance under Fouad Saniora's government from 2005 to 2008. The same government that displaced 11 billion and conspired against Hezbullah's telecom network.

🇱🇧 According to media, Gebran Basil's Free Patriotic Movement will not vote with the Hezbullah-Amal a candidate because it'll be automatically rejected by the international community, and will not vote with the opposition on a candidate against Hezbullah-Amal.

He wants to balance between not harming Hezbullah and not helping them get a friend in presidency

🇱🇧l🇺🇸 Yesterday, Amos met the Lebanese opposition and the Lebanese Forces party to discuss the Lebanese presidency and to advise.

Remarkably while Lebanese attacked Hezbullah, a Lebanese, for putting a veto on one candidate, no one was annoyed by the clear American intervention.

Hochstein said during his meeting with Mikati that the United States of America has a veto on two names: Suleiman Franjieh and George Khoury.

MTV themselves acknowledged this:
https://x.com/MTVLebanonNews/status/1876688622503477585

🇱🇧 And as the Lebanese ignore the clear US, KSA, and French they continue to attack Hezullah for refusing Gaegae's attempt for presidency.

Elie Ferzli, the previous deputy of the parliament to Hezbullah's Wafiq Safa:

"You are not the one who sets the vetoes and it is not in this way.. In my opinion, the regional role of your weapons has ended"

🇱🇧l🇸🇦 KSA sent several envoys to Lebanon to rally its camp and find a president in Lebanon that they can cooperate with

Saudi envoy (Abu Fahd) told the Lebanese MPs which he met with

- We have moved away from Lebanon in the past stage, but we will return.

- Our return is linked to the presidential elections, and what matters to us are the specifications of the next president of the republic, which are that he be a reformist, that he commit to implementing Resolution 1701, and that he commit to the exclusivity of weapons in the hands of the state.

- In our opinion, these specifications apply to one person. (The Saudis have a favorite)

The Saudi ambassador intervened, saying that his country did not agree to the Qatari move to elect Major General Elias al-Bissari, which is a patriot and not an enemy of Hezbullah.

The Saudi envoy added that electing a president in Lebanon with 65 votes would be "a smuggling that would prevent the kingdom from returning to Lebanon."

In this he only means if Hezbullah and its allies elect someone with 65 votes, else if others do, it's fine as long as Hezbullah fails.

🇱🇧l🇸🇦l🇶🇦 Between Qatar and KSA, what's happening in Lebanon's presidential elections

First of all, who are the ones interfering?
- Jassim Al Thani, Abu Fahad, a Qatari envoy who is managing the Lebanese presidential battle in Beirut.

- Yazid bin Farhan, Abu Fahad, a Saudi envoy who is managing the Lebanese presidential battle in Beirut.

What many Lebanese do not know is that the presidential elections are an opportunity for some MPs to sell their votes.

More than a year ago, a MP received $25,000 from a (former) presidential candidate in exchange for his vote, even though they knew that the candidate had not become president, but rather his main goal was to register a number of MPs’ votes in support of his candidacy only.

Today, as January 9 approaches, the stock market for parliamentary votes has begun to rise.

The largest amount offered for a vote is $300,000, paid in 12 installments ($25,000 per month), with a promise to consider completing the payment after the year is up.

The largest amount demanded for a vote was requested by a MP who says he will not return to parliament again, and that he wants $1.5 million in exchange for his presidential vote.

(Part 1)

🇱🇧l🇸🇦 Available information indicates that the Saudi envoy asked the head of the Lebanese Forces Party, Samir Geagea, to support the nomination of Army Commander General Joseph Aoun, but Geagea refused.

Gaegae is quoted saying that he had tried Joseph Aoun in leading the army and that his experience was not encouraging for him to move to Baabda.

At least that is what Abu Fahd Al-Saudi told the deputies of the National Moderation Bloc.

Some of these deputies asked the Saudi envoy to name the candidate that Saudi Arabia wanted them to elect!

But Abu Fahd, gave them “specifications,” refusing to name a specific candidate!

(Part 2) - this is quoted from Hassan Illak

🇱🇧l🇸🇦 Lebanese media was open about the Saudi recommendation in Lebanon

🇱🇧l🇸🇦 Speaker Berri told the Saudi envoy that the army commander needs 86 votes, which was impossible.

Geagea refused to elect Aoun too.

Perhaps these two refusals are what prompted Abu Fahd (Yazid bin Farhan) to refrain from naming Aoun before the moderate MPs.

🇱🇧l🇸🇦l🇶🇦 One of the deputies protested in the presence of Abu Fahd Al-Saudi, insisting that the envoy nominate the candidate for the presidency of the Lebanese Republic "so that we can elect him,"

The Lebanese insisted because Abu Fahd Al-Qatari (Jassim Al Thani), already notimiated the Director General of General Security, Major General Elias Al-Bissari.

📸 Photo of Al-Bissari with Al-Hariri

Abu Fahd Al-Saudi said that "the brothers in Qatar did not coordinate with us on this matter."

In contrast, one of Patriarch Al-Rahi's close associates said that Abu Fahd nominated former Minister Jihad Azour which is a an acceptable presidential candidate in Bkerke.

🇱🇧l🇮🇱 The 14 Lebanese and Syrians who were kidnaped a few days ago by the Israeli army were let go the same day.

Today, 3 Syrians were kidnaped while passing in Mays al-Jabal town

📹 Mays al-Jabal was heavily (extremely) damaged during the war and the ceasefire due to the Israeli demolitions exclusively.

Both it and Hula fell fast in the hands of the Israeli army, and didn't witness a lot of resistance.

Despite that, the towns were levelled.

🇱🇧 The Lebanese army published this morning photos of its units' deployment in Ras al-Naqoura, Alma al-Shaab, Tyre, Beit Lif, Bint Jbeil, and other towns in the western and central sectors

This comes after the Israeli army withdrew from them, while the deployment in Naqoura is being completed.

In the town of Alma al-Shaab, 5 bodies of Hezbullah's martyrs were located today near the church.

This town is a majority Christian Orthodox (if not mistaken)

The bodies of 2-3 more Hezbullah fighter were found in Khiyam, raising the total found to 31 in that town.

In total, 36 bodies found. Numbers might be slightly higher.

📹 Some of the locals started to return to Alma al-Shaab

It was damaged but not as extensive as the nearby Shia towns

🇱🇧l🇮🇱 About an Israeli soldier who lost his legs in Hula because of a rocket fire.

This was not reported during the war at all. He also saw 5 of his teammates killed in the same attacks.

Which rocket attack in Lebanon killed 5?

🇱🇧l🇦🇪 Lebanon decided to deport him to the UAE.

❗️ Senior Israeli journalist claims that Israel intends to keep 5 bases (outposts) inside Lebanon.

🇱🇧l🇮🇱 The same has been echoed by other journalists.

Twenty days until the end of the ceasefire in Lebanon - Israel believes that there are places where the IDF will stay for months and years

🇱🇧l🇺🇸l🇫🇷 The U.S. and French generals in the ceasefire committee overview a pit with confiscated mortars and rockets suspected to have been for Hezbullah to be detonated soon.

These efforts are part of the "Lebanese army's work to dis-arm south Lebanon of non-state actors"

The Lebanese army didn't issue a statement about this confiscation. Doesn't matter. Let the show play as needed.

It's however noteworthy that the U.S general is active, and have visited south Lebanon twice already.

It is said that the Lebanese army has cleared up to 10,000 munition, Israeli and non-Israeli

❌ Falsehood: For the first time and finally the Lebanese army deploys to the south Lebanon and the state regains control over its territories

✅ Truth: The Lebanese army deploys to their bases which they evacuated only two months ago, where they have been for the past 18 years ever since they fully deployed after 2006