Lebanon’s national carrier Middle East Airlines said its clocks and other devices would stay on winter time, in line with Mikati’s decision, but it would adjust its flight times to keep in line with international schedules. LBCI said in a statement that it would disobey Mikati’s decision because it would have harmed its work, adding: “Lebanon is not an island”. Meanwhile, Muslim institutions and parties appeared set to remain on winter time, deepening divides in a country that witnessed a 1975-1990 civil war between Christian and Muslim factions and where parliament seats are allocated by religious sect.īusinesses and media organisations, including two of Lebanon’s main news channels LBCI and MTV, announced they too would enter daylight savings on Saturday night as calls for disobedience gained steam. Other Christian organisations, parties and schools announced they would follow the Church.

The Maronite Church called the decision “surprising” and said there had been no consultations with other actors or considerations of international standards. Mikati’s decision was seen as an attempt to score a win among Muslims by allowing those fasting during Ramadan to break their fasts at approximately 6pm instead of 7pm. On Saturday, the influential Maronite Church said it would disregard the decision and would set its clocks forward on Saturday night. Lebanon has woken up in two time zones amid an escalating dispute between political and religious authorities over a decision to extend winter time for a month.Ĭaretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati issued a decision on Thursday to delay entering daylight savings time till April 20, instead of rolling the clocks forward an hour on the last weekend of March.

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