Lebanese banks reopened their doors to customers for the first time in two weeks, as people's lives began to normalize after an unprecedented wave of protests that prompted the resignation of Prime Minister Saad Hariri.
Despite the two-week break, the number of customers entering major banks was relatively small, according to Reuters witnesses.
Life has returned to normal in Lebanon after nearly two weeks of major protests against the ruling elite, which ultimately forced Hariri to resign on Tuesday.
The resignation somewhat calmed the demonstrations, but it was not enough to send the protesters home, because protesters continued their demonstrations, mainly in the main squares of Lebanese cities.
During demonstrations that took place on Thursday in Riad al-Solh Square, in the heart of downtown Beirut, protesters burned the Israeli flag and chanted "Death for Israel".
A few days ago, the Saudi-owned Al-Hadath television channel said that the Lebanese people were also chanting slogans against the Islamic Republic of Iran, but the facts on the ground reveal that it does not This is just another false news.
On his Twitter account, the Saudi channel has published a photo of a Lebanese demonstrator with the country's flag in which the motto is: "Lebanon, Iraq and Yemen are Arabs, not Iranians; Out, Iranian mercenaries!
However, the original photo does not show this slogan and reveals that the Saudi network manipulated the image in order to provoke anti-Iranian sentiments.
At the same time, the administration of US President Donald Trump has decided to retain $ 105 million of aid to Lebanon, despite the ongoing turmoil and economic crisis in the Arab country.
The State Department told Congress Thursday that the White House budget office and the National Security Council had decided to suspend foreign military assistance, two US officials said on condition of anonymity.
Officials did not explain why the aid was blocked. One source said that the State Department had not motivated its decision by Congress.
The decision was made when the US administration previously described the aid as crucial for Lebanon to protect its borders.
A US official told Reuters he believed that security assistance was needed for Lebanon, which was fighting instability not only in its own government, but also in a troubled region hosting thousands of refugees. of the war in neighboring Syria. .
Washington has repeatedly expressed concern over the growing role of the Hezbollah resistance movement in the Beirut government, a key party in the Lebanese parliament and government.
However, fully aware of Hezbollah's key role in the Lebanese economy, Washington has imposed sanctions on various lawmakers, officials and agencies linked to the movement.
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