Hariri: Hezbollah can ignite a war for "regional reasons", but it does not run the government!
September 6, 2019, 8:16 am

Hariri Hezbollah can ignite a war for regional reasons but it does not run the government!

Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri has said that Hezbollah can start a fire or a war for regional reasons that do not concern Lebanon, but it does not run the government. This came during an interview with CNBC.

“It is not my problem or my mistake that Hezbollah has become so strong,” Hariri said. But to tell me (without clarifying who’s saying) that Hezbollah is running the government, no. Hezbollah does not run the government, we run it.” "Lebanon and its government will not be held responsible for Hezbollah's recent attacks" on Israel, he continued. “We do not agree with Hezbollah on these actions. I do not agree with Hezbollah on these actions.”

Hezbollah, backed by Iran, said its fighters destroyed an Israeli military vehicle on the road of the Avivim barracks near the northern border of Israel, killing and wounding those in it. Israel responded with dozens of artillery shells targeting southern Lebanon.

Since August 25, Lebanon has been witnessing escalating security tensions, with two drones landing in the southern suburb of Beirut, and the following day there were three explosions in military centers of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (General Command), in the area of Qusaya in Zahle AL-Bekaa.

Israel did not deny or confirm responsibility for what Lebanon witnessed, but Lebanese President Michel Aoun considered what happened as a "declaration of war" by Tel Aviv.

The UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) said it was committed to "containing tension" on the border between Lebanon and Israel, a few days after a limited confrontation between Hezbollah, the state and Israel.

Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri met with UNIFIL commander General Stefano del Cole, according to a UN statement.

"The rocket attack led to retaliatory shelling by the Israeli army and could have led to an undesirable escalation of the situation that UNIFIL and the parties could not control" the UNIFIL commander said in a statement.

He considered Hezbollah's actions a "flagrant violation" of UN resolution 1701, which ended a 33-day war between Israel and Hezbollah in the summer of 2006.

"We continue to work closely with the parties to contain tensions and incidents and provide a safe and secure environment in the region," Del Cole said.

The two parties were the Lebanese army and the Israeli army, a UNIFIL spokesman told AFP.

Hariri and the UNIFIL commander agreed "on the importance of strengthening the capabilities of the Lebanese Armed Forces in the UNIFIL area of operations to enable them to assume greater security responsibilities along the Blue Line," which forms the land border between Lebanon and Israel, the statement said.

Hariri said that "the Lebanese state diplomatically contained developments in the south," pointing out that "Resolution 1701 did not fall and still exists, and what we are interested in is to continue to implement this resolution and protect Lebanon."

Tensions began on August 24 with an Israeli raid in Syria that killed two of Hezbollah’s fighters, followed by accusations that Israel carried out a twin-aircraft attack on its stronghold in the southern suburbs of Beirut.

THE LEVANT

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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.