October 15, 2026
Today, Prime Minister Dr. Nawaf Salam received at the Government Serail an expanded Bekaa delegation that included spiritual, political, economic, and administrative leaders, who presented the region’s demands and development needs.
The delegation included: the Mufti of Zahle and the Bekaa, Sheikh Dr. Ali Al-Ghazawi, the representative of the Archbishops of Zahle, Archimandrite Elie Bou Chaaya, Judge Dr. Daniel Saeed, former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Elie Ferzli, and MPs: Wael Abu Faour, Hassan Murad, Qabalan Qabalan, and Salim Aoun.
Former MPs Jamal Al-Jarrah, Elie Marouni, Assem Araji, and Muhammad Al-Qaraawi also participated in the delegation, in addition to the head of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Zahle, Mounir Al-Tini, the head of the Endowments Department in the Bekaa, Sheikh Assem Jarrah, the director of the Fatwa Office in the Bekaa, Sheikh Ziad Haifa, and the director of the Scientific Research Center in Azhar Al-Bekaa, Dr. Nader Jumaa.
During the meeting, the delegation handed the Prime Minister a demand document and proposals to establish vital institutions and facilities that the Bekaa region needs.
In his statement after the meeting, Mufti Al-Ghazawi explained that this visit comes as a continuation of two similar visits that targeted the President of the Republic and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Nabih Berri. He pointed out that the delivered document emerged from the recommendations of the “Development and Belonging…Bekaa” Summit, which was held in Al-Azhar Al-Bekaa with the participation of various spiritual, political and administrative activities.
Al-Ghazawi stressed that the document summarizes “the concerns and sorrows of the people of the Bekaa,” and aims to secure the elements of balanced development to ensure that the Bekaa remains an effective and essential part of the nation’s entity.
