The Beirut Banyan

From a panel that took place in late November 2013, with the presence of Switzerland and Austria’s then-ambassadors to Lebanon.

Including some of my father’s last words on the fundamental need for neutrality, 1701’s necessity, what neutralization actually means and how it worked (albeit briefly) in the 1950s & 60s.

We should have no role in regional war other than shielding ourselves from its rippling effects.

There are ideological voices today ranging from frustrated academics with fringe access to politics to propaganda-fuelled journalists blinded by hate that are insisting our fate should remain tied to Gaza while making their case for Hezbollah.

Ignore them.

On all that is happening in Beirut's southern suburbs, southern Lebanon and the region vis-a-vis Israel and Iran. Along with absent Lebanese diplomacy and the upcoming port blast anniversary.

The podcast is only made possible through listener and viewer donations.

Please help support The Beirut Banyan by contributing via PayPal:

https://www.paypal.me/walkbeirut

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Follow us on Facebook, Instagram & Twitter:

@thebeirutbanyan

And check out our website:

www.beirutbanyan.com

Recorded Monday, 29 July.

Reflecting on escalation between Hezbollah and Israel and deliberately staying in Beirut throughout the conflict.

With predictions on post Majd Al Shams retaliation by Israel and a potential response by Hezbollah, along with thinking through worst case scenarios and red lines that have yet to be crossed.

Also includes a look part on August 4, 2020 and the upcoming port blast's fourth year anniversary.

With Georges Haddad & Giulia Cingolani - both employed in the humanitarian and development field.

The podcast is only made possible through listener and viewer donations.

Please help support The Beirut Banyan by contributing via PayPal:

https://www.paypal.me/walkbeirut

Or donating through our Patreon page:

https://www.patreon.com/thebeirutbanyan

Subscribe to our YouTube channel and your preferred audio platform.

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram & Twitter:

@thebeirutbanyan

And check out our website:

www.beirutbanyan.com

Timestamps:

0:00 Intro

2:47 The airport

7:29 False comfort

12:27 ‘Here’ is fine

18:30 The red line

25:54 Messages to the contrary

31:16 Worst-case scenario

33:34 Buildup to 2006

40:09 Port explosion

44:45 Palestine

52:52 Connect to Gaza

Reflecting on the ongoing Hezbollah-Israel war in southern Lebanon and its impact on daily life away from the battlefield.

Looking back on periods of relative calm vs manageable instability, the long-term political and societal impact of failed governance, false economies and tourism destinations like Batroun, and an acceptance of impunity and injustice on the port blast's upcoming anniversary.

With George Wardini - director of PolyBlog.

The podcast is only made possible through listener and viewer donations.

Please help support The Beirut Banyan by contributing via PayPal:

https://www.paypal.me/walkbeirut

Or donating through our Patreon page:

https://www.patreon.com/thebeirutbanyan

Subscribe to our YouTube channel and your preferred audio platform.

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram & Twitter:

@thebeirutbanyan

And check out our website:

www.beirutbanyan.com

Timestamps:

0:00 Intro

0:47 Relative normalcy

4:51 Relative anxiety

10:13 Targeted strikes

13:16 Familiar terrain

16:51 Failed state

19:42 Batroun

22:32 Static

26:37 Regime survival

31:47 The long term

34:58 Violence wins

37:13 Port blast & paralysis

39:36 Hezbollah undeterred

Three updated scenarios for what could play out in the near term for Lebanon.

Reflecting on the July 2006 War and UNSCR 1701 eighteen years later, during a time of escalation and regional war's expansion.

Looking back on humanitarian assistance in times of emergency and crisis, the Lebanese government's negotiating role in helping shape UNSCR 1701, a return to border conflict and battlefield over armistice and deterrence and the lack of state agency bringing us closer to Hezbollah's interests.

With Sarah Borgi - economist and independent consultant.

The podcast is only made possible through listener and viewer donations.

Please help support The Beirut Banyan by contributing via PayPal:

https://www.paypal.me/walkbeirut

Or donating through our Patreon page:

https://www.patreon.com/thebeirutbanyan

Subscribe to our YouTube channel and your preferred audio platform.

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram & Twitter:

@thebeirutbanyan

And check out our website:

www.beirutbanyan.com

Timestamps:

0:00 Intro

1:11 First day

6:22 Anthony Bourdain

10:14 Samidoun

15:04 Guilt

19:39 Lebanon’s role

22:27 Opposition government

25:30 Free from Syrian hegemony

29:05 Leftist wing of March 14

34:47 Israeli attack on Hezbollah

38:03 Main points of UNSCR 1701

48:22 Warzone

51:02 Closer to the problem

54:47 Stature

57:12 Restraint

1:00:25 Legitimizing the battlefield

1:04:04 Drawn out

1:07:07 Deterrence

1:09:19 Armistice

Episode 405: The War Photographer

A journey into memories of growing up along Beirut's demarcation line during the Lebanese civil war, a professional pursuit of conflict photography across the region and the difficult journey of mental health awareness and personal recovery.

With Patrick Baz - award-winning photojournalist and photographer, and author of Don't Take My Picture: Iraqis Don't Cry.

With special thanks to Beirut Center of Photography - taped live at Aaliya's Books.

The podcast is only made possible through listener and viewer donations.

Please help support The Beirut Banyan by contributing via PayPal:

https://www.paypal.me/walkbeirut

Or donating through our Patreon page:

https://www.patreon.com/thebeirutbanyan

Subscribe to our YouTube channel and your preferred audio platform.

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram & Twitter:

@thebeirutbanyan

And check out our website:

www.beirutbanyan.com

Timestamps:

0:00 Intro

4:35 Demarcation line

9:17 Inspiration

15:24 Carnage

19:32 Airport playground

24:19 Manual experience

31:46 Adrenaline

40:01 Palestinian photojournalism

44:12 Bosnia

53:12 Palestine Hotel

1:05:19 Libya

1:15:50 Social media

1:20:27 Motaz Azaiza

1:23:52 “Christians of Lebanon”

1:31:03 Q&A

The final episode for the first season of Social Work Research Hub's miniseries, covering social work history and research in Lebanon along with intergenerational dialogue among social workers.

Tonight's guest is Solange Sakr.

- Holds a bachelor's degree in social work from Saint Joseph University (1965)

- Started working in social security as a social worker in 1966.

Hosted by social worker Aimee Ghanem - founder of Sworld.

Audio version available on The Beirut Banyan podcast.

We extend our thanks to CEREC (www.thecerec.org) for providing the studio. The opinions expressed in this video are those of the participants and do not necessarily reflect the views of the platform.

Don't forget to like the video, subscribe to the channel, and hit the bell icon to receive updates on all our new developments and insights.

سلسلة فيديوهات قصيرة تتضمن حوارات بين مختلف الأجيال من العمال الاجتماعيين، حول العمل الاجتماعي في لبنان.

باستضافة ايمي غانم مؤسسة Sworld

النسخة الصوتية متوفرة على بودكاست Podcast the Beirut Banyan

ضيوف حلقة الليلة:

صولانج صقر

حائزة على إجازة في الخدمة الاجتماعية من جامعة القديس يوسف (1965)

بدأت العمل في الضمان الاجتماعي كعاملة إجتماعية سنة 1966

نتقدم بجزيل الشكر لـwww.thecerec.org CEREC لتقديم الاستوديو

الآراء الواردة في هذا الفيديو هي آراء الأشخاص المشاركين ولا تعكس بالضرورة وجهات نظر المنصة. لا تنسى الإعجاب بالفيديو، والاشتراك في القناة، وتفعيل زر الجرس ليصلك كل جديد.

Social Media links:

•⁠ ⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4epEgD086z2AnrEB2a70zg

•⁠ ⁠https://www.instagram.com/p/C6OqvfoNzyG/

•⁠ ⁠https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100095370669614

•⁠ ⁠https://twitter.com/SworldLB

•⁠ ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/sworld-edu/

Website:

-https://sworld-edu.com/

POINT COUNTERPOINT - a new miniseries for The Beirut Banyan podcast.

An exchange on political affairs impacting Lebanon and the Middle East, from a unique vantage point in Beirut.

Co-hosted by Bashshar Haydar (professor of philosophy at AUB) and Michael Young (senior editor at Carnegie’s Middle East Center and editor of Diwan) - Beirut-based analysts sharing their nuanced perspectives while honing in on particular disagreements.

Moderated by Ronnie Chatah.

Episode 1 hones in on two issues: (1) Western double standards vis-a-vis foreign policy and humanitarian intervention, and (2) the question of criticism during the ongoing Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.

Stay tuned for more episodes later this summer.

The podcast is only made possible through listener and viewer donations.

Please help support The Beirut Banyan by contributing via PayPal:

https://www.paypal.me/walkbeirut

Or donating through our Patreon page:

https://www.patreon.com/thebeirutbanyan

Subscribe to our YouTube channel and your preferred audio platform.

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram & Twitter:

@thebeirutbanyan

And check out our website:

www.beirutbanyan.com

Timestamps:

0:00 Intro

1:05 (Part 1) Western double standards

7:06 Liberal democracy

13:14 Nationalism

18:20 Intervention

24:05 Public opinion

30:33 Massacres & double standards

38:18 (Part 2) Question of criticism & Hamas

42:38 Justification vs political objectives

48:48 Accountability

52:28 Hamas calculations

56:55 US engagement

A miniseries covering social work in Lebanon, dialogues between different generations of social workers.

Tonight's guest is Hyam Hahi.

- Over 40 years of experience in social work, primarily in academia.

- Holds a BA in social work from Saint Joseph University (1971) & MA in social work from Laval University in Quebec, Canada (1984).

Hosted by social worker Aimee Ghanem - founder of Sworld.

Audio version available on The Beirut Banyan podcast.

We extend our thanks to CEREC (www.thecerec.org) for providing the studio. The opinions expressed in this video are those of the participants and do not necessarily reflect the views of the platform.

Don't forget to like the video, subscribe to the channel, and hit the bell icon to receive updates on all our new developments and insights.

سلسلة فيديوهات قصيرة تتضمن حوارات بين مختلف الأجيال من العمال الاجتماعيين، حول العمل الاجتماعي في لبنان.

باستضافة ايمي غانم مؤسسة Sworld

النسخة الصوتية متوفرة على بودكاست Podcast the Beirut Banyan

ضيوف حلقة الليلة:

هيام سماحة قاعي

أكثر من 40 سنة خبرة في العمل الاجتماعي أبرزها في المجال الأكاديمي

حائزة على إجازة في الخدمة الاجتماعية من جامعة القديس يوسف (1971)

وعلى ماستر في الخدمة الاجتماعية من جامعة لافال في الكيبيك - كندا (1984)

نتقدم بجزيل الشكر لـwww.thecerec.org CEREC لتقديم الاستوديو

الآراء الواردة في هذا الفيديو هي آراء الأشخاص المشاركين ولا تعكس بالضرورة وجهات نظر المنصة. لا تنسى الإعجاب بالفيديو، والاشتراك في القناة، وتفعيل زر الجرس ليصلك كل جديد.

Social Media links:

•⁠ ⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4epEgD086z2AnrEB2a70zg

•⁠ ⁠https://www.instagram.com/p/C6OqvfoNzyG/

•⁠ ⁠https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100095370669614

•⁠ ⁠https://twitter.com/SworldLB

•⁠ ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/sworld-edu/

Website:

-https://sworld-edu.com/