Lebanon Calls on the UN Security Council to Condemn Israeli Attacks
September 21, 2024, 2:18 pm

Lebanon Calls on the UN Security Council to Condemn Israeli Attacks

عبد الله بوحبيب .. وزير الخارجية اللبناني

Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib called on the United Nations Security Council on Friday to clearly and explicitly condemn the "terrorist" Israeli attacks on Lebanon.

This statement was made during his speech at the Security Council session held in New York at Algeria's request to discuss the recent developments in Lebanon.

In his speech, Bou Habib said, "We are here today not only to defend Lebanon and its innocent victims, but to preserve our collective humanity," as reported by the Lebanese National News Agency. He urged the council to "clearly condemn the terrorist Israeli attacks," calling on council members to "stand on the right side of history and defend justice and peace."

Bou Habib further stressed, "Either this council obliges Israel to stop its aggression and implement resolutions 1701 and 2735, ending its war on all fronts and ensuring the return of displaced people to their countries, or we will be witnesses to a major explosion."

He added, "I have raised my voice from this platform before, and I repeat it for the third time: Give peace a chance... Give peace a chance... before it's too late."

Earlier on Friday, Lebanon reported that 14 people were killed and 66 others injured, including a large number of children and women, in an Israeli airstrike on the southern suburbs of Beirut, according to preliminary figures from the Lebanese Ministry of Health.

The Israeli army, in a statement, said that the airstrike targeted a senior military commander of Hezbollah, Ibrahim Aqil, along with other leaders whose names were not disclosed.

In a subsequent statement, Hezbollah confirmed Aqil's assassination but did not provide details about the deaths of other leaders during the airstrike.

This escalation comes amid a "new wave" of Israeli attacks on Lebanon, with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant announcing on Thursday evening that the war with Hezbollah had entered a new phase.

The military operations in Lebanon intensified with the detonation of communication devices across the country on Tuesday and Wednesday, resulting in the deaths of 37 people and more than 3,250 injuries. This was accompanied by escalating Israeli airstrikes on southern Lebanon and other towns, culminating in the targeting of the southern suburbs of Beirut.

Since October 8, Lebanese and Palestinian factions in Lebanon, primarily Hezbollah, have been engaged in daily exchanges of fire with the Israeli army along the "Blue Line," leading to hundreds of casualties, most of them on the Lebanese side.

These factions are demanding an end to the war that Israel, with U.S. support, has been waging on the Gaza Strip since October 7. This war has resulted in over 136,000 Palestinian casualties, most of them children and women, as well as more than 10,000 missing, amid massive destruction and a severe humanitarian crisis.

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).

Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.