Turkey and the Levant

US President Joe Biden met with Jordan's King Abdullah on Monday (19 July) during his visit to Washington DC. Jordan remains one of the United States' closest friends in a volatile and often hostile neighbourhood.

Lebanon's prime minister-designate, Saad Hariri, has excused himself from forming a government after a nine-month deadlock. The international community, including the United Nations, expressed its disappointment as the country plunges deeper into crisis.  

The Turkish president, Recip Tayip Erdogan, on Monday (July 12)  spoke on the phone with his Israeli counterpart Isaac Herzog and discussed relations between the two countries as well as regional issues. This was the first high-level contact between Turkey and Israel in years. Relations between the two countries have been strained as a result of Israeli policy towards the Palestinians and Israel's perception of Turkish support for radical Palestinian groups.

Pope Francis will today (1 July) meet in the Vatican with ten Lebanese Christian leaders to reflect on the dire economic and political situation in their country, which he hopes to visit soon.

The Egypt-Jordan-Iraq summit comes within the framework of the tripartite co-operation mechanism between the three countries, which held its first round in Cairo in March 2019. Whilst not mentioned in official statements, the trilateral relationship established between Egypt, Iraq and Jordan is seen partly as an attempt to neutralise Iran’s influence across the region.

In Tripoli, Lebanon’s second-largest city, woodcarvers and carpenters are attempting to restore wooden latticework panels, known locally as 'moucharabiya'. Many of the woodwork used in traditional homes was destroyed in the Beirut port blast last August. 

EU leaders on Thursday (24 June) EU's relations with Russia and Turkey, two important and strategic countries with whom the European Union has a complex relationship. The tone adopted in dealing with the two countries was very different, as is appropriate given that Turkey remains an EU candidate country, whilst Russia is increasingly seen as a disruptive neighbour and rival.

The commander of the Lebanese armed forces, General Joseph Aoun, appealed to the international community on Thursday (17 June) to support the army, warning that its “collapse” will fuel chaos and insecurity. His statement was addressed to representatives of various states at a French-sponsored conference to support the army.