{
  "id": 18725694,
  "title": "Ties with Lebanon to continue after peacekeepers return, says Zahid",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/07/ties-with-lebanon-to-continue-after-peacekeepers-return-says-zahid",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-11-07T13:36:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Malaysia Today",
    "slug": "free-malaysia-today",
    "url": "https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2026/11/07/ties-with-lebanon-to-continue-after-peacekeepers-return-says-zahid"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Malaysia's Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has stated that ties with Lebanon will persist even after Malaysian peacekeepers depart the country in 2027. During a meeting with Lebanese counterpart Tarek Mitri in Istanbul, Zahid emphasized that friendship between the two nations should continue through cooperation aimed at helping the Lebanese people rebuild their lives, regain hope for the future and achieve lasting peace.\n\nHe suggested that Malaysia's assistance could encompass rebuilding infrastructure and local economies, offering humanitarian aid, delivering technical and vocational education and training, and enhancing defense cooperation. Since 2007, Malaysia's Malaysian Battalion has played a crucial role in UN peacekeeping operations in southern Lebanon, bolstering peace and stability in the region over nearly two decades.\n\nZahid's meeting with Mitri came shortly after a visit to Turkey, where he also held talks with the secretary-general of the Developing Eight (D8) grouping, which includes Malaysia, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Iran, Turkey, Egypt, and Nigeria.",
  "summary": "The deputy prime minister says Malaysia can help Lebanon to rebuild infrastructure and provide humanitarian assistance as well as defence cooperation.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 4,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Bernama",
        "title": "General : Malaysia, Turkiye To Bolster Security Agenda, Target US$10 Bln Trade - Ahmad Zahid",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/07/general-malaysia-turkiye-to-bolster-security-agenda-target-us-10-bln",
        "published": "2026-11-07T08:06:51.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "New Straits Times",
        "title": "Zahid, Erdoğan discuss lifting Malaysia–Turkiye trade to US$10 billion by 2030",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/07/zahid-erdogan-discuss-lifting-malaysia-turkiye-trade-to-us-10-billion",
        "published": "2026-11-07T09:16:03.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Malay Mail",
        "title": "Zahid says Malaysia stands ready to help Lebanon rebuild after conflict",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/07/zahid-says-malaysia-stands-ready-to-help-lebanon-rebuild-after",
        "published": "2026-11-07T12:07:30.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}