BEIRUT (Reuters) -French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in Lebanon on Friday to help speed up the formation of a government that can quickly implement reforms and open the door to reconstruction following last year's war between Israel and Hezbollah.

Presidents in Lebanon are brought to power by near political consensus, but more than six contenders were still in play. Debates were heated and army chief Joseph Aoun was dismissed by many politicians as constitutionally unqualified for the presidency because of his military post.

The planned reopening of the hotel, which was damaged in the 2020 port explosion, follows Saudi-backed Gen. Joseph Aoun's becoming president of Lebanon.

In Riyadh meeting, US and Saudi Arabia agreed they had 'once in thirty-year opportunity' to sideline Hezbollah with election of new president

In a phone call with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman who had called to congratulate him on winning the elections, Aoun said, “Saudi Arabia would be the first destination in his visits abroad”

The new Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said on Saturday his first official overseas trip would be to Saudi Arabia during a call with Saudi Crown Prince

A high-level Emirati delegation is in Lebanon to make arrangements for the reopening of the UAE's embassy in Beirut after more than three years, state news agency WAM reported on Monday. The arrival of the delegation on Sunday came a day after UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and newly elected Lebanese President Joseph Aoun agreed to take the necessary steps to reopen the embassy.

The new president, Joseph Aoun, is a favorite of America, France, and Saudi Arabia. He even gets a cautious endorsement from Israel amid skepticism

Lebanon’s parliament is set to convene Thursday to attempt to elect a head of state for the 13th time during a presidential vacuum of over two years

Lebanon's new president Joseph Aoun Saturday promised the de-facto leader of Saudi Arabia that his first post-election trip abroad would be to the powerful Gulf kingdom, the presidency said.

The savagery of the conflict has been grotesque and remained so up to the last moment, with 101 people in Gaza, including 27 children and 31 women, killed and 264 injured by Israeli strikes since the agreement was announced on Wednesday, according to the civil defence agency in Gaza.