Al Habtoor Group announced, in a statement, "with great regret," the cancellation of its plans to launch a new television channel from Lebanon, which was expected to broadcast cultural, social, and sports programs aimed at spreading positivity and hope among peoples. The group explained that "this decision was made as a result of security challenges faced by the project, including physical threats directed at the founder and employees, making continuation in Lebanon impossible."
The statement further noted that "systematic campaigns against the group following the announcement of the project included a series of accusations, slanders, betrayals, and threats. As a result, Al Habtoor Group filed criminal and civil complaints in Lebanon and abroad against some of those involved in these campaigns and threats."
In this context, Khalaf bin Ahmed Al Habtoor, the founder and chairman of Al Habtoor Group, emphasized, "We faced numerous obstacles that surpassed what could be tolerated regarding the safety and security of our team. After careful consideration and in light of the absence of the required security stability for any investment, we found ourselves compelled to seek an alternative to launching the project from Lebanon."
He confirmed that "our goal has always been to support the Lebanese people and provide content that inspires hope and positivity, but the safety and security of our team and the participants in the project always come first," stressing that "the current situation left us no choice but to withdraw from this initiative and reconsider launching our television station from Lebanon."
The group indicated that, with the cancellation from Lebanon, it is "exploring options to launch the channel from other countries that provide a more stable, secure, and supportive environment for such initiatives," expressing its sincere gratitude "to all who sought to support the realization of the project, notably Lebanese Minister of Information Ziad Makary."
