Al Habtoor came to invest... so why did he leave?

On January 28, 2026, Al Habtoor Group announced the closure of its operations in Lebanon, citing instability, campaigns targeting it, a legal dispute with the state, and the absence of effective institutional solutions. This came after Khalaf Al Habtoor's visit in September 2025 to Damascus and Beirut, where he met Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, promising to include Lebanon in his investment map and announcing the imminent reopening of the Metropolitan Hotel. The article questions the role of the two presidencies in following up on the file before the closure decision.