Trending 
Lebanon has decided to rename a major thoroughfare leading to Beirut’s international airport, replacing the name of former Syrian president Hafez al-Assad with that of the late Lebanese artist Ziad Rahbani.
The move, announced on Tuesday, has been widely welcomed as a symbolic break from Syria’s nearly three-decade-long influence over Lebanon.
The decision comes after the recent ousting of Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad, which has weakened Hezbollah, a close ally of the Assad regime.
Many Lebanese see the renaming as a sign of a new political era.
Independent lawmaker Mark Daou celebrated the change on social media, writing, “Hafez al-Assad into the dustbin of history.”
Local residents and artists also praised the move.
Actor Ziad Itani told AFP that Hafez al-Assad was associated with “dark periods in Lebanese history, marked by massacres, abuses, and assassinations.”
Hassan Roumani, who lives near the road, said he feels “relieved” that the “period is over, and for the best.”
However, not everyone supports the decision. Faysal Abdelsater, an analyst close to Hezbollah, called the renaming “the result of political malice.”
The street’s renaming coincides with another significant government announcement: the army has been tasked with creating a plan to disarm Hezbollah by the end of the year. This unprecedented step signals a major shift in Lebanon’s political landscape.
