Russian Foreign Ministry notes prospects for improvement of the situation in Lebanon after the election of the president

Russia welcomes the end of the presidential crisis in Lebanon, which has been dragging on since the fall of 2022. The election of the head of state opens prospects for strengthening domestic political stability in the Middle Eastern country. The Russian Foreign Ministry said on January 9.

" Moscow welcomes the resolution of the presidential crisis that has lasted since October 2022. This opens prospects for strengthening domestic political stability in Lebanon and rectifying the country's difficult socio-economic situation," the Russian ministry said in a statement published on its website.

The Russian Foreign Ministry added that the Russian Federation considers the restoration of broad national harmony in multi-confessional Lebanon as the key to ensuring unity and civil peace.

The ministry noted that Russia's position supporting the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of friendly Lebanon remains unchanged. Moscow is determined to strengthen relations with Beirut and plans to further coordinate with it efforts aimed at restoring peace in the Middle East, where a turbulent situation now persists.

Long Conclusions: Israel delays withdrawal from Lebanon

IDF troops left only one town during the truce with Hezbollah

Earlier in the day, Lebanon's parliament elected army commander Gen. Joseph Aoun as the new president. He is effectively stepping down from his military role after that. The elected leader has already taken the oath of office and in his speech pledged to uphold Lebanon's unity and sovereignty. This is the first time a president of the republic has been elected since the previous leader Michel Aoun's term expired. Meanwhile, the election has been attempted 12 times in more than two years.

Axios portal reported on October 4, 2024 that the United States intends to seek the election of Lebanon's president and wants to see in this position a person who would not have close ties with the Lebanese Shiite movement Hezbollah. This is to reduce the group's influence on the country's political system.

The UN peacekeeping mission told Izvestia on December 21 that Israel had withdrawn its troops from only one town in the south of the country during the truce with Hezbollah. Dmitry Gendelman, an adviser to Israeli Prime Minister Dmitry Gendelman, told Izvestia on November 28 that Israel has maintained its stance toward the Palestinian radical movement Hamas since the truce in Lebanon.

The escalation of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah came after the events of September 17 and 18, when thousands of people, including members of the movement, were injured when pagers and other communication devices exploded in Lebanon. The country blamed Tel Aviv for what happened. Since then, Israel has continued to eliminate the leadership of the Shiite movement and strike Lebanese territory.

The situation in the Middle East escalated on the morning of October 7, 2023, when the Palestinian radical movement Hamas subjected the territory of Israel to a massive rocket attack from the Gaza Strip. On the same day, Israel began retaliatory strikes.