18 Timeless Quotes From Lebanese Politicians

Lebanese politicians! Can’t live with them, and that’s the whole sentence.

Follow me as venture into the dark and moldy mind of a Lebanese politician, and relive their most glorious moments with these 18 dumb as fuck timeless sayings.

1. “Badna net7ammal ba3ed” – Prime Minister Najib Mikati

Context: After his government passed the 2022 budget which is set to further financially burden families that are struggling to make ends meet, Mikati said we ought to be patient.

2. “Lesh el 7araye2 ma bitseer 2illa bil manate2 el masi7iye?” – Member of Parliament Mario Aoun

Context: After a bunch of wildfires happened all around the country, Aoun decided to ask the fire why it’s being sectarian.

3. “Khaleehon yesta2jroo badal ma yeshteroo” – Member of Parliament Yassine Jaber

Context: After subsidized housing loans were drained by the political elite, Jaber recommended that low income families rent instead of buy.

4. “Talks about power cuts are all rumors” – Minister of Interior, Mohamad Fahmy

Context: Umm…the power was out, a lot.

5. “fi 7adan 2al shukran?” – Minister of Economy, Raoul Nehme

Context: After semi-subsidizing a bunch of stuff, his excellency wanted a big round of applause.

6. “What are we waiting for?” – Minister of Information, Manal Abdel Samad

Context: She was touring a supermarket and became so overwhelmed with grief that she broke down crying. Wait until she tours a bank! Also, who is ‘we’?

7. “Take it from the top and put it in the bottom” – Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Elie Ferzli

Context: During a parliamentary session, Ferzli made an extremely sickening remark to the Minister of Justice in Lebanon’s caretaker government Marie Claude Najem when discussing article 47 of the code of criminal procedure.

8. “We agreed to reduce the dollar exchange rate to 3,200 LL” – Speaker of Parliament, Nabih Berri

Context: After protests erupted across Lebanon last June when the dollar exchange rate reportedly reached an all-time high, this statement was made.

9. “Where is Caroline?” – Former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Gebran Bassil

Context: During a meeting with officials at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Bassil asked “where is Caroline?” while making suggestive hand gestures alluding to her figure in reference to Caroline Ziadeh, the UN Deputy Permanent Representative of Lebanon.

10. “Iza elta b bayen ta2ifeh bas ma3leh, Nagasaki w Hiroshima hinneh keno el wa7ideen bil Yaban yaly ken feeyon woujoud masi7eh” – Member of Parliament, Nicolas Sehnaoui

Context: Trying to prove…something. I have no idea about this one.

11. “Bayye a2wa min bayyak” – Member of Parliament, Nadim Gemayel

Context: A ridiculous – emphasis on the word ridiculous – and heated verbal dispute broke out between MPs Nadim Gemayel and Salim Aoun during a parliamentary session intended to discuss the budget plan for 2019.

12. “La da3i lil hala3” – Minister of Health, Hamad Hassan

Context: Calming us down while we get ravaged by COVID-19.

13. “The country is not okay” – Prime Minister Hassan Diab

Context: File under: no shit.

14. “El 3anaser te3bet…ma 3am b nemo” – Former Minister of Interior, Raya el Hassan

Context: When asked about police violence against the members of media back in January of 2020.

15. “3a jhanam akeed” – President Michel Aoun

Context: When asked where we’re headed.

16. “Lebanese government has given an investigative committee four days to determine responsibility for the blast” – Former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Charbel Wehbe

Context: Only two months ago, the Lebanese government asked for 5-days to uncover implications of Beirut’s explosion. We are still waiting.

17. “I don’t have any bank accounts nor credit, I rely on God” – Samir Geagea

Context: During an interview with Egyptian newspaper Al Ahram…no idea what he was going for.

18. “Khaleekon bil beit, trawa2o mnee7, kelo croissant w mne2eesh, shrabo shay w ahwe w arguile kamein, rja3o nemo” – Former Prime Minister, Saad Hariri

Context: While he was making fun of people for not voting on a Sunday, Hariri decides to go on a long diatribe describing breakfast?