Firas Maksad
@FirasMaksad
Followers
13,496
Following
2,499
Media
913
Statuses
10,322
Senior Fellow & Senior Director for Outreach @MiddleEastInst ; Adj Prof @EliottSchoolGW ; @ForeignPolicy @WSJ @WashingtonPost ;
Washington D.C.
Joined June 2011
Don't wanna be here?
Send us removal request.
Explore trending content on Musk Viewer
Eminem
• 233421 Tweets
Marvel
• 116299 Tweets
Captain America
• 103092 Tweets
Zamora
• 79607 Tweets
Sancho
• 67767 Tweets
Alcaraz
• 60234 Tweets
Chong
• 54988 Tweets
Djokovic
• 54472 Tweets
Vance
• 53606 Tweets
STRAY KIDS HEADLINE I-DAYS
• 48093 Tweets
Bielsa
• 45458 Tweets
#هتان_السيف
• 41123 Tweets
Rubius
• 34700 Tweets
Red Hulk
• 28254 Tweets
Musetti
• 25406 Tweets
Dünya Lideri
• 23467 Tweets
harry styles
• 19933 Tweets
stevie nicks
• 18388 Tweets
Antony
• 16723 Tweets
Alana
• 15645 Tweets
Ciro Immobile
• 13611 Tweets
Plex
• 11780 Tweets
826
11K
51K
Dear America,
Lebanon has had no President for 2 years. Consider it. Take a break.
70
607
4K
43
896
2K
1-Lebanon coming to a standstill today as
#Nasrallah
single-handedly determines it’s fate. Many schools cancelled. Bags prepped for airport dash should
#Hezbollah
enter war with
#Israel
. Never has a man held such power in
#Lebanon
’s history.
91
557
1K
Nasrallah’s chair is luxury furniture brand Herman Miller, from Michigan USA. Wonder if he got the discount. Sorry, mind musing.
597
152
1K
Incredible video of Lebanon Druze villagers stoping a Hezbollah rocket launch against Israel. People are tired and angry. No one wants war on behalf of Iran.
#لبنان
39
395
1K
24
342
793
THREAD
I argue in this
@WSJopinion
, that when Saudi & UAE decline phone calls
@JoeBiden
, rebuff request to lower oil prices & shy away from condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, there is no doubt a major crisis in U.S.-Arab Gulf relations is under way.
56
206
458
Given the magnitude & unprecedented nature of what’s happening in Lebanon, Western press coverage remains VERY disappointing 👇🏻
This is how many people were in central Beirut today.
.
Are you getting their message?
100
2K
4K
16
150
410
Lebanon riot police confronting pro Hezbollah black-shirts:
“You are attacking women?!? Women?! You are beating women?!”
#Lebanon
#LebanonProtests
🇱🇧
13
197
365
Reminder:
Israel twice had opportunity to kill
#Iran
’s Qassem Suleimani but stopped due to US pressure.
Both Bush & Obama said “no” to Suleimani killing.
@realDonaldTrump
did it 👇🏻
(1) Israel could have killed Iran’s Qassem Suleimani on at least 2 occasions (2008 & 2015) but didn’t take shots due to US concerns. Both opportunities in Syria. Few kills would have more consequence 2day (Source
@ronenbergman
Rise & Kill First & Haaretz)
8
84
101
15
243
352
Dad got vaccinated in Saudi today. Huge relief. Couldn’t stop talking about how organized & efficient.
Mom in DC waiting her turn with no clear timeline. Ironic he got “the American vaccine” before she could.
We can do better America. 🇺🇸
24
173
352
BREAKING
Sultan Qaboos of Oman has died 🇴🇲
Key player in regional diplomacy, long believed to be ailing. 🙏🏻
16
201
299
More Hezbollah TV bloopers 📺😄
“Get us a belly dancer, why they (downtown Beirut protesters) have a belly dancer & we don’t?”
Nabatieh, South
#Lebanon
#LebanonProtests
18
114
281
2-Ironic for
#Lebanon
, a country priding itself as cosmopolitan, bridging East & West, with worldly people, to have its fate in hands of a religious zealot who’s never travelled past Iran, Iraq & Syria, never seen Europe, & is mostly holed up in the slums of southern Beirut.
4
57
270
Hezbollah MP walked out on a dinner for France President
@EmanuelMaccron
because wine was served... the absurdity.
#Lebanon
#لبنان
29
72
259
THREAD: Fascinating 14-hour interview with former Saudi Intel Chief Bandar bin Sultan, with first hand accounts of previously undisclosed details pertaining to Syria, Iran, Israel & others. Some highlights for none-Arabic speakers:
9
153
249
Such a powerful photo.
Not the
#Saudi
Arabia I grew up in.
Unimaginable. Unthinkable. Unreal.
12
40
242
Winner of best caption:
“Bashar Assad visit Putin in Damascus” 😄
(Putin repeatedly makes Assad come to him at Russian bases in Syria rather than pay him official visit at Presidential palace). Viewed by many as demeaning.
7
90
229
An estimated 400k Lebanese living in Arab Gulf, sending home about $3bn a year during worst econ crises. Many already lost life time savings in
#Lebanon
banks. Consider them & their families before next cavalier statement in support of Houthi militia.
#لبنان #الخليج #السعودية
11
43
243
Hezbollah has NOT opened a 2nd front against
#Israel
. Not there yet.
This will remain calculated harassment that’s dialed up or down depending on Israeli actions.
Once a full ground invasion to destroy
#Hamas
in
#Gaza
commences, all bets are off. 👇
10
91
226
“If I was in the UAE, I would leave now. If I’m American in
#Iraq
, I would leave now. If I’m an American in any part of South East Asia, I would leave immediately.”
Words of warning (threats?) from Iran based Prof Mohammad Marandi via
@AJEnglish
#Iran
#Iraq
#qasemsuleimani
39
184
203
Dear anti-imperialists of the world,
Photo 1 is of
#Iraq
protests against
#QassemSuleimani
& dire eco conditions despite threat of bullets & hundreds shot by pro
#Iran
militia
Photo 2 is Suleimani state organized funeral
Be impressed/shocked/surprised, but plz do so fairly 🙏
14
117
200
This makes me angry. If you desecrate the flag you should not be here
🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
#WashingtonDCProtest
97
48
199
Shia chanting against Hezbollah in S
#Lebanon
today:
“Nasrallah is the enemy of God!”
This on heels of an Amal vs Hezbollah dispute that left one dead. A reminder that backing militias rather than the state is not the way, irrespective of ones sect or ethnicity.
لبنان#
19
66
195
In Lebanon
#cancer
rates are up over 80% in a decade, 93% of Beirut's populations inhales toxic air & over 1200 quarries operate illegally. My latest on
#Lebanon
ecological disaster
@ForeignPolicy
لبنان ميشيل حجل السرطان
11
145
194
11
67
167
Hezbollah is determined to kill the judicial investigation into Beirut port blast. Today, they unleashed supporters on the streets. Heavy clashes killed 6 so far after they tried marching through a Christian neighborhood chanting sectarian slogans, “Shia! Shia!”
#Lebanon
#لبنان
17
104
183
Breaking
#Saudi
FM announces comprehensive ceasefire in
#Yemen
, acknowledging US, Oman and UN mediation efforts.
.
@FaisalbinFarhan
calls on Houthis to accept the comprehensive ceasefire & demonstrate they are not beholden to
#Iran
.
14
96
177
Dear Mr
@ABlinken
, thank u for condemning the killing of
#LokmanSlim
. FYI, Lokman was devoted to uncovering Hezbollah &
#Iran
’s nefarious activities in
#Lebanon
. Ur statement, lacking any mention of the group, may lead one to think he died demanding judicial reform. #لقمان_سليم
4
44
175
Nasrallah- who personally admits that all his funding comes straight from
#Iran
- accuses
#Lebanon
protesters of being foreign funded. Shameless 👇🏻
Nasrallah claims there is foreign funding for the protestors, saying food, loudspeakers, flags etc... saying he knows from his own movement how much it costs to keep up continuous protests. He forget that he has himself admitted that his party gets all its funding from Iran
4
24
65
3
104
169
After Sunni tore down Hariri posters, Shia attacked offices of Hezbollah MPs, & Christians burned photos of Aoun, video of Shia protestors attacking offices of Speaker Berri’s Amal party
#Lebanon
#Protest
#EachTakeOnYourOwn
6
114
163
Video of Hezbollah attack on
#Israel
military position in Shebaa Farms.
“Where did it come from?
“From the school grounds down there”
6
74
165
EXCLUSIVE
“Frangieh is no longer a viable option,” says senior French official.
#France
’s attempt to elect
#Syria
&
#Hezbollah
ally Suleiman Frangieh President, in return for a reformist Prime Minister, has reached a dead end.
#Lebanon
#لبنان
16
54
179
•SAUDI INFORMS IRAQ ITS IS DEPLOYING AIR DEFENSE TO THE BORDERS
•Move follows US reports that May attack on Saudi oil pipeline was from Iraq
•Iraq PM announced nominal merger of pro- Iran militias into military yesterday following call with Saudi king
3
140
145
Open mic moment 🎤🇱🇧🇸🇾
Lebanon energy minister: I tell US amb she’s my best friend. She can kill this deal (importing Jordan electricity via Syria despite Caesar Sanctions)
Syria minister: Of course of course.
Lebanon minister: I say this laughing but wanting to cry. #لبنان
9
82
155
Ukraine just thanked Saudi while White House is busy painting it pro Russia 👇
Spoke to Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman. Thanked for supporting Ukraine's territorial integrity, resolution at the UN General Assembly. We agreed to interact in the release of 🇺🇦 prisoners of war. We agreed on the provision of 🇸🇦 macro-financial aid to Ukraine.
2K
4K
25K
5
75
147
#Lebanon
is dead, birthing a militia & a ruling mafia along the way. Elections wont cut it. Only systematic change through the street & outside pressure can bring it back to life
My take on how to go about it
@washingtonpost
#لبنان_ينتقض
16
51
151
Just over a year ago,
#Lebanon
foreign minister
@Gebran_Bassil
told
@cnni
@BeckyCNN
@Davos
“We can teach Washington & London how to run a country without a budget”
Here he is today encouraging Lebanese to stave off hunger by going back to farming
Hubris is a bitch
11
55
159
THREAD: After a 9-month gestation period, Lebanon gives birth to government in which 2/3rd of key ministries are controlled by Hezbollah & its allies. Hassan Nasrallah's personal physician Jamil Jabaq named Health Minister.
14
110
130
Going around in response to Nasrallah accusation that
#Lebanon
protesters are foreign funded 😄👇🏻
3
39
144
Hezbollah & Amal supporters begin popular pushback against
#Lebanon
protesters that want to topple gov.
“Sheya7, Ghbayreh, thwara 3ala aire”
36
74
131
NEW info from Pentagon source:
#Mattis
went to
@realDonaldTrump
Trump today trying to get reversal of
#Syria
withdrawal. Trump refused, Mattis resigned.
7
112
136
Emotional reception for French President
@EmmanuelMacron
in
#Beirut
.
People welcoming him while chanting for revolution & branding their own President “terrorist.”
#Lebanon
#France
3
45
134
Video from
#Beirut
port supports theory that fireworks involved in explosion.
Several friends on the ground swear they heard jets (Israeli) before & after explosion.
Unconfirmed reports that
#Israel
may have taken out Hezbollah weapons facility.
#Lebanon
#Speculations
31
94
119
Early prediction:
If Mohamad Safadi accepts
#Lebanon
premiership (beyond me why he would) his hometown of Tripoli will give him a welcome he will never forget 😏🇱🇧
3
24
124
Marie Antoinette:
Let them eat cake (1789)
Michel Aoun:
They should go immigrate (2019)
#Lebanon
8
50
129
It been a year full of fire for
#Lebanon
. George Rizk torched himself when he couldnt pay his daughters tuition & the country's mountains burned. Now people hope to rise from the ashes. My take on the difficult road ahead
@ForeignPolicy
#LebanonProtests
7
69
127
If
#Israel
wants to kickstart major war with Hezbollah, bombing a target in Beirut is exactly the way to do it.
Hezbollah will now have to go up the escalation ladder & respond in kind.
27
80
128
Hezbollah’s Al-Manar cuts live coverage after protester shouts,
“Israel is better you!”, referencing
#Lebanon
leaders.
Al Manar anchor apologizes to viewers
Perils of live 📺 TV
7
72
109
NEW
1) US Envoy Amos Hochstein will visit Paris on July 3 to discuss new ideas for possible Israel -
#Hezbollah
compromise. The window for diplomacy is closing but not closed. July looking like either a blessing or curse for
#Israel
&
#Lebanon
.
8
60
126
Three oil tankers seized by Iran in 24h period. Where are those "experts" who few weeks ago refused to believe Iran attacked UAE/Saudi/Norwegian tankers? Anyway, good day to post the below threat from 2018👇
3
81
95
There’s anxiety amongst America’s Arab allies about what
@JoeBiden
will mean for the region. Memes depicting him locked in loving embrace with the Iranians are flooding social media. But on Middle East, Biden is no Obama. My quick take
#Election2020
#Iran
12
27
117
Fire at Beirut Port again. Report of firework-like blasts reported.
There is perhaps no better symbol of
#Lebanon
’s collapse, failure & ongoing tragedy than the drama of this port. 🔥
7
79
116
(1) Israel could have killed Iran’s Qassem Suleimani on at least 2 occasions (2008 & 2015) but didn’t take shots due to US concerns. Both opportunities in Syria. Few kills would have more consequence 2day (Source
@ronenbergman
Rise & Kill First & Haaretz)
8
84
101
BREAKING: Drones attack base of pro Iran militias in Iraq believed to house balletic missiles deployed recently by Iran. Hezbollah & IRGC believed to be among the dead. (Al Arabiya)
مقتل عناصر من حزب الله والحرس الثوري في قصف لطائرة مجهولة على معسكر لميليشيا الحشد بالعراق #العربية_عاجل
151
468
695
3
99
99
“I am President of
#France
, you elected these people!”
Pres
@EmmanuelMacron
speaking hard truths to the Lebanese.
#Beirut
#Lebanon
1
27
111
You know you’ve seen it all when:
Hezbollah supporters are in the streets of Beirut’s Southern Suburbs to support Hariri’s government and the Sunnis of Tripoli are in the streets demanding it be toppled 😄🇱🇧
#Lebanon
#lebanonprotest
6
39
112
Lebanon Druze leader Joumblatt reportedly contacts municipal officials to condemn obstruction of Hezbollah rocket launcher.
Why would Joumblatt take such a position in stark contrast to his people’s sentiment? Fear. To mitigate against Hezbollah retaliation against community.
8
21
102
The moment Trump supporters stormed the US Capitol, the heart of American democracy.
6
53
100
“Do not give money to our government” devastated
#Lebanese
tell
#France
Pres
@EmmanuelMacron
.
“We will support you,” he replies.
“We want Chapter 7,” another says, pleading for international mandate to govern
#Lebanon
instead of its politicians.
2
40
102
#QasemSoleimani
was targeted by hunter-killer drone that took off from Qatar.
Who is in
#Iran
today? Qatar foreign minister.
6
53
95
At least 15-30 rockets fired at Israel from Lebanon. This is a major escalation which we haven’t seen in years & can’t plausibly be pinned on Palestinian factions operating without Hezbollah’s knowledge. Next hours crucial. 👀🚀
7
38
95
Excuse me Mr. Central Bank governor, Lebanon already in collapse because of ur fiscal policies & endemic gov corruption, not the protests 🇱🇧
BREAKING
Riad Salame: Lebanon is days away from collapse if protests continue
#Lebanon
#LebanonProtests
9
43
91
Israel must be looking at this and thinking of its refinery in Haifa, it’s nuclear reactor in Dimona & other critical infrastructure. Not so subtle Iran messaging beyond just Saudi
49
323
455
11
49
83
Protest all you want, just not Hezbollah or Amal affiliated gov entities.
Beirut Southern Suburb 👇🏻
4
52
78
