Lebanon’s flag is absent at the Damascus meeting, and anger over “communication”

Posted Saturday 04 September 2021 10:59 PM

Faisal Miqdad and Zina Aker

Al-Madina News: The absence of the Lebanese flag during the meeting of the Deputy Prime Minister of the Caretaker Government, Minister of Defense and Foreign Affairs Zina Aker, and the Syrian Foreign Minister, Faisal Miqdad, sparked a wave of anger in the political and popular circles in Lebanon.

The Lebanese minister appeared during her meeting, today, Saturday, with officials in the Syrian regime, led by Faisal Miqdad, in the regime’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and behind her the flag of Syria instead of the flag of her country.

Pictures of the meeting ignited social networking sites in Lebanon, and criticism was directed at Aker and the Lebanese delegation, which also included Finance Minister Ghazi Wazni, Energy Minister Raymond Ghajar and Director General of Public Security Abbas Ibrahim.

Officials and activists on the communication platforms also blamed Aker for not objecting to and accepting this position, which they considered “protocol” as an insult to their country.

“Lebanon is not a province of Syria.”
And resigned MP Elias Hankash wrote on Twitter: “Lebanon is not a province of Syria… Lebanon has thousands of years of civilization. Lebanon of 6000 martyrs. Lebanon is not reduced to a delegation of subservience, humiliated and without national dignity. Lebanon is a beacon of this East and it will return better than it was before… But We get rid of you! (We have much more important concerns, but the lack of the Lebanese flag is humiliating at its best).

Activists commented: “The Syrian flag has replaced the Lebanese flag alongside the Lebanese Minister of Defense. Keep you in the arms,” ​​and “Where is the Lebanese flag, Your Excellency!? Such ministers deserve such treatment and more,” and “What did you feel when you saw the Lebanese flag, being the Minister of Defense?” And the foreign ministry and the deputy prime minister, and I strike and pose, or what did you feel? We know that you are the government of Hezbollah, we did not know that you are the government of Bashar as well.”

First official visit
It is noteworthy that this is the first official high-level Lebanese government visit to Syria since the outbreak of the conflict there. It came with the aim of discussing the importation of energy and gas from Egypt and Jordan through Syria.

For months, Lebanon has been witnessing a severe fuel crisis that is reflected in various sectors, including hospitals, bakeries, communications and foodstuffs, on the impact of a prolonged economic crisis two years ago, which the World Bank ranked among the worst in the world since 1850.

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