{"id":40024,"date":"2025-10-19T09:09:15","date_gmt":"2025-10-19T09:09:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/963media.com\/en\/?p=40024"},"modified":"2025-10-19T19:30:01","modified_gmt":"2025-10-19T19:30:01","slug":"al-shaibani-in-beirut-old-politics-in-a-new-diplomatic-style","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/963media.com\/en\/19\/10\/2025\/al-shaibani-in-beirut-old-politics-in-a-new-diplomatic-style\/","title":{"rendered":"Al-Shaibani in Beirut: Old Politics in a New Diplomatic Style"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The visit of Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani to Beirut, at the head of an official delegation that included the ministers of justice and security and intelligence, was an important step in the course of Lebanese\u2013Syrian relations. However, it did not go beyond a delicate balance between political symbolism and unclear strategic interests. The visit carried mixed messages: on one side, statements about respecting Lebanese sovereignty and a wish to \u201copen a new page\u201d between the two countries; and on the other, actions that raised questions about how serious this openness really is.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From the moment Al-Shaibani arrived at Beirut\u2019s Rafic Hariri International Airport, it seemed that the Syrian protocol chose to be more of a show than a practical act. The accompanying security officials carried weapons beyond what Lebanese law allows, which led to a short confrontation with airport security and showed a clear gap between the official speech about respect for sovereignty and actions on the ground that suggest the opposite. These small incidents, even if they look minor, carry deeper meanings. They show that there is no full coordination between the new Syrian administration and the Lebanese reality, and they indicate how hard it is to move past the long history of direct Syrian influence over Lebanon.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Symbolic politics also appeared in other parts of the visit. Al-Shaibani did not ask for a meeting with Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament Nabih Berri, who represents the legislative authority and handles \u201cHezbollah\u2019s\u201d negotiations inside and outside Lebanon. This was not only a formal issue, but also a sign that Syria continues to differentiate between Lebanese groups, especially the Shiite side. It was a clear signal that the \u201cnew page\u201d Damascus wants to open is not offered equally to everyone. This brought back the question of how serious the new Syrian government is about moving beyond its old policy of control over Lebanon and raised doubts about the real aims of this visit.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Read also: <a href=\"https:\/\/963media.com\/en\/04\/09\/2025\/no-state-under-two-powers-lebanons-struggle-against-hezbollahs-grip\/#\">No State Under Two Powers: Lebanon\u2019s Struggle Against Hezbollah\u2019s Grip<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In terms of key issues, the Syrian delegation had clear demands, especially the release of Syrian detainees in Lebanon. This is a very sensitive issue legally and politically. The direct demand to free hundreds of detainees forced Lebanon to balance between sovereignty and law and showed the limited ability of the Syrian side to understand Lebanon\u2019s priorities. Lebanon refused to hand over some detainees accused of fighting the Lebanese army, while Syria said they could be tried or serve their sentences in Syria. This showed the continuing difference in how the two sides understand rights and sovereignty.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The economy and security were also part of the visit, with discussions about trade, restarting oil and gas pipelines, and controlling the borders. Here, an old problem came up again: Syria wants to keep control of key border points, while Lebanon insists on full sovereignty over its land, including areas where the army is now stationed after the 2014 Arsal border battle. These differences show that geography still shapes politics and security, even with all the talk about understanding and cooperation.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Al-Shaibani\u2019s visit also showed the continuing psychological and political tension between Lebanese and Syrian memories. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun was once the commander of the Ninth Brigade, which fought \u201cJabhat al-Nusra\u201d in the Arsal mountains, while Syrian President Ahmad Al-Sharaa led the same front from the other side. This puts the relationship between the two leaders in a situation of mixed feelings and complex politics. This background, along with the long history of the Syrian war and military and political interference, makes any attempt to open a \u201cnew page\u201d very difficult. The collective memory and political history cannot easily be forgotten.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At the strategic level, Al-Shaibani\u2019s visit can be read as a message to regional players. Saudi Arabia played the role of mediator and helped arrange the visit, as reported by the media, trying to show its ability to manage the Lebanese\u2013Syrian relationship, make use of Iran\u2019s weaker role, and limit \u201cHezbollah\u2019s\u201d influence in both countries. But this mediation also shows how weak the new Syrian administration still is, as it tries to find its place under many internal and regional limits.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The visit also showed Damascus\u2019s attempt to take part in judicial matters, especially the issue of prisoners, in a way that looks more like an effort to confirm symbolic power before gaining real influence in Lebanon. The economic file, which could have been a real chance to strengthen cooperation, stayed at the level of promises and joint committees that achieved nothing. Projects such as pipelines and trade routes need real and long-term coordination, and maybe regional help to provide funding and continuity.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The meetings, press conferences, and symbolic gestures all looked more like formal protocol than real strategy. The heavy security presence, the clear demands about prisoners, and the choice to ignore the Speaker of Parliament all made the visit seem more like an effort to appear active in the media and politics, not a serious step toward healthy relations between two equal states.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The main question remains: can Damascus really move past its old habit of control over Lebanon and build a relationship based on mutual respect and shared interest? Or will every official visit continue to be a show of appearances and speeches, while the real issues \u2013 borders, security, economy, and shared history \u2013 stay unresolved?<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As for Lebanon, it faces the same test it always has: to redraw its internal and external boundaries, to make clear and united proposals to the Syrian side, and to be careful not to mistake official appearances for real change. What may look like a \u201cnew page\u201d in relations could, in fact, only be another attempt to reproduce the old style \u2013 just in a more polite and \u201crespectable\u201d way.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>The views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of +963 association.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The visit of Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani to Beirut, at the head of an official delegation that included the ministers of justice and security and intelligence, was an important step in the course of Lebanese\u2013Syrian relations. However, it did not go beyond a delicate balance between political symbolism and unclear strategic interests. The visit [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":104,"featured_media":40034,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":{"format":"standard","override":[{"template":"1","single_blog_custom":"0","parallax":"1","fullscreen":"1","layout":"left-sidebar","sidebar":"default-sidebar","second_sidebar":"default-sidebar","sticky_sidebar":"1","share_position":"float","share_float_style":"share-normal","show_share_counter":"1","show_view_counter":"1","show_featured":"1","show_post_meta":"1","show_post_author":"1","show_post_author_image":"1","show_post_date":"1","post_date_format":"default","post_date_format_custom":"g:i a d\/m\/Y","post_reading_time_wpm":"300","post_calculate_word_method":"str_word_count","show_zoom_button":"1","zoom_button_out_step":"5","zoom_button_in_step":"4","show_post_tag":"1","number_popup_post":"1","show_post_related":"1"}],"image_override":[{"single_post_thumbnail_size":"crop-500","single_post_gallery_size":"crop-500"}],"trending_post_position":"meta","trending_post_label":"Trending","sponsored_post_label":"Sponsored by","disable_ad":"0","subtitle":"What Does the \u201cNew Syria\u2019s\u201d Politics Look Like?"},"jnews_primary_category":[],"jnews_override_counter":{"view_counter_number":"0","share_counter_number":"0","like_counter_number":"0","dislike_counter_number":"0"},"jnews_post_split":{"post_split":[{"template":"1","tag":"h2","numbering":"asc","mode":"normal","first":"0","enable_toc":"0","toc_type":"normal"}]},"footnotes":""},"categories":[382,19],"tags":[],"ppma_author":[393],"class_list":["post-40024","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-opinions","category-slider"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v24.2 (Yoast SEO v28.0) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Al-Shaibani in Beirut: Old Politics in a New Diplomatic Style - 963+<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Syrian FM Asaad Al-Shaibani visits Beirut, promising a \u201cnew page\u201d with Lebanon. Behind the diplomacy, old tensions and power balances resurface.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/963media.com\/en\/19\/10\/2025\/al-shaibani-in-beirut-old-politics-in-a-new-diplomatic-style\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Al-Shaibani in Beirut: Old Politics in a New Diplomatic Style\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Syrian FM Asaad Al-Shaibani visits Beirut, promising a \u201cnew page\u201d with Lebanon. Behind the diplomacy, old tensions and power balances resurface.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/963media.com\/en\/19\/10\/2025\/al-shaibani-in-beirut-old-politics-in-a-new-diplomatic-style\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"963+\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/963mediaAr\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-10-19T09:09:15+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-10-19T19:30:01+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/963media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/\u0645\u0648\u0642\u0639-20.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1600\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"800\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Joe Hammoura\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@963mediaAr\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@963mediaAr\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Joe Hammoura\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/963media.com\\\/en\\\/19\\\/10\\\/2025\\\/al-shaibani-in-beirut-old-politics-in-a-new-diplomatic-style\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/963media.com\\\/en\\\/19\\\/10\\\/2025\\\/al-shaibani-in-beirut-old-politics-in-a-new-diplomatic-style\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Joe Hammoura\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/963media.com\\\/en\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/e81f7ccbe6ec5412f40f1ad987c35b93\"},\"headline\":\"Al-Shaibani in Beirut: Old Politics in a New Diplomatic Style\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-10-19T09:09:15+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-10-19T19:30:01+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/963media.com\\\/en\\\/19\\\/10\\\/2025\\\/al-shaibani-in-beirut-old-politics-in-a-new-diplomatic-style\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":995,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/963media.com\\\/en\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/963media.com\\\/en\\\/19\\\/10\\\/2025\\\/al-shaibani-in-beirut-old-politics-in-a-new-diplomatic-style\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/963media.com\\\/en\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/10\\\/\u0645\u0648\u0642\u0639-20.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"Opinions\",\"Slider\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/963media.com\\\/en\\\/19\\\/10\\\/2025\\\/al-shaibani-in-beirut-old-politics-in-a-new-diplomatic-style\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/963media.com\\\/en\\\/19\\\/10\\\/2025\\\/al-shaibani-in-beirut-old-politics-in-a-new-diplomatic-style\\\/\",\"name\":\"Al-Shaibani in Beirut: Old Politics in a New Diplomatic Style - 963+\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/963media.com\\\/en\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/963media.com\\\/en\\\/19\\\/10\\\/2025\\\/al-shaibani-in-beirut-old-politics-in-a-new-diplomatic-style\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/963media.com\\\/en\\\/19\\\/10\\\/2025\\\/al-shaibani-in-beirut-old-politics-in-a-new-diplomatic-style\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/963media.com\\\/en\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/10\\\/\u0645\u0648\u0642\u0639-20.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-10-19T09:09:15+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-10-19T19:30:01+00:00\",\"description\":\"Syrian FM Asaad Al-Shaibani visits Beirut, promising a \u201cnew page\u201d with Lebanon. Behind the diplomacy, old tensions and power balances resurface.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/963media.com\\\/en\\\/19\\\/10\\\/2025\\\/al-shaibani-in-beirut-old-politics-in-a-new-diplomatic-style\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/963media.com\\\/en\\\/19\\\/10\\\/2025\\\/al-shaibani-in-beirut-old-politics-in-a-new-diplomatic-style\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/963media.com\\\/en\\\/19\\\/10\\\/2025\\\/al-shaibani-in-beirut-old-politics-in-a-new-diplomatic-style\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/963media.com\\\/en\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/10\\\/\u0645\u0648\u0642\u0639-20.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/963media.com\\\/en\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/10\\\/\u0645\u0648\u0642\u0639-20.jpg\",\"width\":1600,\"height\":800},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/963media.com\\\/en\\\/19\\\/10\\\/2025\\\/al-shaibani-in-beirut-old-politics-in-a-new-diplomatic-style\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/963media.com\\\/en\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Al-Shaibani in Beirut: Old Politics in a New Diplomatic Style\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/963media.com\\\/en\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/963media.com\\\/en\\\/\",\"name\":\"963+\",\"description\":\"A diverse political, economic, cultural, and social website.\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/963media.com\\\/en\\\/#organization\"},\"alternateName\":\"\u0645\u0648\u0642\u0639 \u0633\u064a\u0627\u0633\u064a \u0627\u0642\u062a\u0635\u0627\u062f\u064a \u062b\u0642\u0627\u0641\u064a \u0627\u062c\u062a\u0645\u0627\u0639\u064a \u0645\u0646\u0648\u0651\u0639\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/963media.com\\\/en\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/963media.com\\\/en\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"\u0633\u0648\u0631\u064a\u0627 \u0648\u0627\u062d\u0648\u0627\u0644\u0647\u0627\",\"alternateName\":\"\u0645\u0648\u0642\u0639 \u0633\u064a\u0627\u0633\u064a \u0627\u0642\u062a\u0635\u0627\u062f\u064a \u062b\u0642\u0627\u0641\u064a \u0627\u062c\u062a\u0645\u0627\u0639\u064a \u0645\u0646\u0648\u0651\u0639\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/963media.com\\\/en\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/963media.com\\\/en\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/963media.com\\\/en\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/02\\\/392787211_122123525570182848_4459271165355755754_n.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/963media.com\\\/en\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/02\\\/392787211_122123525570182848_4459271165355755754_n.jpg\",\"width\":960,\"height\":960,\"caption\":\"\u0633\u0648\u0631\u064a\u0627 \u0648\u0627\u062d\u0648\u0627\u0644\u0647\u0627\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/963media.com\\\/en\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/963mediaAr\",\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/963mediaAr\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.instagram.com\\\/963media.ar\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/t.me\\\/ar963media\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/963media.com\\\/en\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/e81f7ccbe6ec5412f40f1ad987c35b93\",\"name\":\"Joe Hammoura\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/963media.com\\\/en\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/03\\\/\u062c\u0648-\u062d\u0645\u0648\u0631\u0629.png3e0d33ffb7169f20e99bf728768166a6\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/963media.com\\\/en\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/03\\\/\u062c\u0648-\u062d\u0645\u0648\u0631\u0629.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/963media.com\\\/en\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/03\\\/\u062c\u0648-\u062d\u0645\u0648\u0631\u0629.png\",\"caption\":\"Joe Hammoura\"},\"description\":\"Editor-in-Chief of +963, he contributes to various magazines and newspapers on regional issues, with research focusing on social and political developments in the Middle East, particularly in Lebanon and Turkey. He holds a PhD in International Relations from Kocaeli University, Turkey, and a master\u2019s in political science from Holy Spirit University of Kaslik.\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/963media.com\\\/en\\\/author\\\/joe-hammoura\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Al-Shaibani in Beirut: Old Politics in a New Diplomatic Style - 963+","description":"Syrian FM Asaad Al-Shaibani visits Beirut, promising a \u201cnew page\u201d with Lebanon. Behind the diplomacy, old tensions and power balances resurface.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/963media.com\/en\/19\/10\/2025\/al-shaibani-in-beirut-old-politics-in-a-new-diplomatic-style\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Al-Shaibani in Beirut: Old Politics in a New Diplomatic Style","og_description":"Syrian FM Asaad Al-Shaibani visits Beirut, promising a \u201cnew page\u201d with Lebanon. Behind the diplomacy, old tensions and power balances resurface.","og_url":"https:\/\/963media.com\/en\/19\/10\/2025\/al-shaibani-in-beirut-old-politics-in-a-new-diplomatic-style\/","og_site_name":"963+","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/963mediaAr","article_published_time":"2025-10-19T09:09:15+00:00","article_modified_time":"2025-10-19T19:30:01+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1600,"height":800,"url":"https:\/\/963media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/\u0645\u0648\u0642\u0639-20.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Joe Hammoura","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@963mediaAr","twitter_site":"@963mediaAr","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Joe Hammoura","Est. reading time":"5 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/963media.com\/en\/19\/10\/2025\/al-shaibani-in-beirut-old-politics-in-a-new-diplomatic-style\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/963media.com\/en\/19\/10\/2025\/al-shaibani-in-beirut-old-politics-in-a-new-diplomatic-style\/"},"author":{"name":"Joe Hammoura","@id":"https:\/\/963media.com\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/e81f7ccbe6ec5412f40f1ad987c35b93"},"headline":"Al-Shaibani in Beirut: Old Politics in a New Diplomatic Style","datePublished":"2025-10-19T09:09:15+00:00","dateModified":"2025-10-19T19:30:01+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/963media.com\/en\/19\/10\/2025\/al-shaibani-in-beirut-old-politics-in-a-new-diplomatic-style\/"},"wordCount":995,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/963media.com\/en\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/963media.com\/en\/19\/10\/2025\/al-shaibani-in-beirut-old-politics-in-a-new-diplomatic-style\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/963media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/\u0645\u0648\u0642\u0639-20.jpg","articleSection":["Opinions","Slider"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/963media.com\/en\/19\/10\/2025\/al-shaibani-in-beirut-old-politics-in-a-new-diplomatic-style\/","url":"https:\/\/963media.com\/en\/19\/10\/2025\/al-shaibani-in-beirut-old-politics-in-a-new-diplomatic-style\/","name":"Al-Shaibani in Beirut: Old Politics in a New Diplomatic Style - 963+","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/963media.com\/en\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/963media.com\/en\/19\/10\/2025\/al-shaibani-in-beirut-old-politics-in-a-new-diplomatic-style\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/963media.com\/en\/19\/10\/2025\/al-shaibani-in-beirut-old-politics-in-a-new-diplomatic-style\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/963media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/\u0645\u0648\u0642\u0639-20.jpg","datePublished":"2025-10-19T09:09:15+00:00","dateModified":"2025-10-19T19:30:01+00:00","description":"Syrian FM Asaad Al-Shaibani visits Beirut, promising a \u201cnew page\u201d with Lebanon. Behind the diplomacy, old tensions and power balances resurface.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/963media.com\/en\/19\/10\/2025\/al-shaibani-in-beirut-old-politics-in-a-new-diplomatic-style\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/963media.com\/en\/19\/10\/2025\/al-shaibani-in-beirut-old-politics-in-a-new-diplomatic-style\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/963media.com\/en\/19\/10\/2025\/al-shaibani-in-beirut-old-politics-in-a-new-diplomatic-style\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/963media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/\u0645\u0648\u0642\u0639-20.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/963media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/\u0645\u0648\u0642\u0639-20.jpg","width":1600,"height":800},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/963media.com\/en\/19\/10\/2025\/al-shaibani-in-beirut-old-politics-in-a-new-diplomatic-style\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/963media.com\/en\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Al-Shaibani in Beirut: Old Politics in a New Diplomatic Style"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/963media.com\/en\/#website","url":"https:\/\/963media.com\/en\/","name":"963+","description":"A diverse political, economic, cultural, and social website.","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/963media.com\/en\/#organization"},"alternateName":"\u0645\u0648\u0642\u0639 \u0633\u064a\u0627\u0633\u064a \u0627\u0642\u062a\u0635\u0627\u062f\u064a \u062b\u0642\u0627\u0641\u064a \u0627\u062c\u062a\u0645\u0627\u0639\u064a \u0645\u0646\u0648\u0651\u0639","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/963media.com\/en\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/963media.com\/en\/#organization","name":"\u0633\u0648\u0631\u064a\u0627 \u0648\u0627\u062d\u0648\u0627\u0644\u0647\u0627","alternateName":"\u0645\u0648\u0642\u0639 \u0633\u064a\u0627\u0633\u064a \u0627\u0642\u062a\u0635\u0627\u062f\u064a \u062b\u0642\u0627\u0641\u064a \u0627\u062c\u062a\u0645\u0627\u0639\u064a \u0645\u0646\u0648\u0651\u0639","url":"https:\/\/963media.com\/en\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/963media.com\/en\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/963media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/392787211_122123525570182848_4459271165355755754_n.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/963media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/392787211_122123525570182848_4459271165355755754_n.jpg","width":960,"height":960,"caption":"\u0633\u0648\u0631\u064a\u0627 \u0648\u0627\u062d\u0648\u0627\u0644\u0647\u0627"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/963media.com\/en\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/963mediaAr","https:\/\/x.com\/963mediaAr","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/963media.ar\/","https:\/\/t.me\/ar963media"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/963media.com\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/e81f7ccbe6ec5412f40f1ad987c35b93","name":"Joe Hammoura","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/963media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/\u062c\u0648-\u062d\u0645\u0648\u0631\u0629.png3e0d33ffb7169f20e99bf728768166a6","url":"https:\/\/963media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/\u062c\u0648-\u062d\u0645\u0648\u0631\u0629.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/963media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/\u062c\u0648-\u062d\u0645\u0648\u0631\u0629.png","caption":"Joe Hammoura"},"description":"Editor-in-Chief of +963, he contributes to various magazines and newspapers on regional issues, with research focusing on social and political developments in the Middle East, particularly in Lebanon and Turkey. He holds a PhD in International Relations from Kocaeli University, Turkey, and a master\u2019s in political science from Holy Spirit University of Kaslik.","url":"https:\/\/963media.com\/en\/author\/joe-hammoura\/"}]}},"authors":[{"term_id":393,"user_id":104,"is_guest":0,"slug":"joe-hammoura","display_name":"Joe Hammoura","avatar_url":{"url":"https:\/\/963media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/\u062c\u0648-\u062d\u0645\u0648\u0631\u0629.png","url2x":"https:\/\/963media.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/\u062c\u0648-\u062d\u0645\u0648\u0631\u0629.png"},"author_category":"","first_name":"Joe","last_name":"Hammoura","job_title":"","description":"Editor-in-Chief of +963, he contributes to various magazines and newspapers on regional issues, with research focusing on social and political developments in the Middle East, particularly in Lebanon and Turkey. He holds a PhD in International Relations from Kocaeli University, Turkey, and a master\u2019s in political science from Holy Spirit University of Kaslik."}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/963media.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40024","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/963media.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/963media.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/963media.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/104"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/963media.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=40024"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/963media.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40024\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":40035,"href":"https:\/\/963media.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40024\/revisions\/40035"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/963media.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/40034"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/963media.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=40024"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/963media.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=40024"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/963media.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=40024"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/963media.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ppma_author?post=40024"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}