Report by Remy Derbass, English adaptation by Yasmine Jaroudi
Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri entered the Grand Serail with a smile that had been absent for two years.
An official reception was held for Hariri, who was absent, but his presence was felt in the corridors of the Serail, as President Najib Mikati remarked, "This is Hariri's house; he receives us, not the other way around."
Unveiling his new look, Hariri kept his next political move to himself and those very close to him, responding to whether he still maintains his silence by saying, "See you on February 14."
However, according to sources from LBCI, Hariri came to commemorate the 19th anniversary of his father's assassination with no agenda for any initiative, proposal, or even a comment.
His visit to Beirut, lasting at least five days, will include a series of diplomatic and political meetings on Tuesday, as confirmed by Hariri's sources.
Scheduled meetings include visits to Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and the Grand Mufti of Lebanon, Sheikh Abdul Latif Derian.
Simultaneously, preparations for February 14 are underway, although no invitations have been sent to commemorate the anniversary. It is expected to resemble last year's event, with many supporters expected to gather to meet Hariri, either at the gravesite or at Beit al-Wasat.
In preparation for his arrival, Lebanese streets were filled with images of President Hariri and banners indicating broader participation in commemorating the assassination of Prime Minister Rafic Hariri entitled "Come down to make him return."
More than one factor suggests that Hariri is different than how he was a year ago, without implying that he will announce a return to political work soon.
Will the permanent return to Beirut and political work be gradual, developing with the resolution of the political impasse in Lebanon and accompanying internal and regional solutions?