(15 Feb 2025)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Beirut, Lebanon – 15 February 2025
1. Exterior of Lebanese Interior Ministry compound
2. Wide of Lebanese Central Security Council meeting
3. Lebanese Interior Minister Ahmad al-Hajjar chairing meeting
4. Various of officials in meeting
5. Al-Hajjar arriving to brief media
6. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Ahmad al-Hajjar, Lebanese Interior Minister:
“Yesterday, there were road blockages and incursions on both public and private property, and the situation escalated to an entirely unacceptable assault that constitutes a crime punishable by law which is the assault on UNIFIL forces.”
7. Cameras
8. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Ahmad al-Hajjar, Lebanese Interior Minister:
“The perpetrators will be pursued with utmost seriousness. So far we have over 25 detainees.”
9. Cameras filming al-Hajjar
10. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Ahmad al-Hajjar, Lebanese Interior Minister:
“Anyone who wants to express their opinion is allowed to do so within the framework of laws and regulations. Blocking roads and committing violations are prohibited. We hope that from now on, everyone will adhere to this, as the measures will be very strict, and any breach will be pursued with utmost seriousness.”
11. Cameras filming al-Hajjar
12. Sign at entrance to Interior Ministry compound
STORYLINE:
Lebanon’s interior minister said on Saturday 25 people had been arrested after protesters attacked a convoy taking UN peacekeepers to the Beirut airport.
Ahmad al-Hajjar chaired a meeting of Lebanon’s Central Security Council the day after the attack on Friday night.
He told the media the violence which saw the outgoing deputy commander of UNIFIL (United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon) wounded was "entirely unacceptable".
Demonstrators have been blocking the road to the airport and other roads in the capital to protest against a decision by Lebanese authorities to revoke permission for a passenger plane from Iran to fly to Beirut on Thursday, leaving dozens of Lebanese passengers stranded.
The decision to ban the Iranian plane came after the Israeli army issued a statement claiming that Iran was smuggling cash to the militant group Hezbollah via civilian flights, leading some in Lebanon to allege that their country’s authorities had caved in the face of a threat from Israel.
Lebanon’s civil aviation agency said Thursday that “additional security measures” meant some flights were temporarily rescheduled until Feb. 18 — the same day as a deadline for Israel and Hezbollah to fully implement the ceasefire agreement that ended their latest war in late November, including a full withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon.
In areas where Israeli forces pull out, the Lebanese army and UNIFIL are tasked with ensuring Hezbollah does not reestablish a military presence.
AP video shot by Ali Sharafeddine
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