ATFL President Ed Gabriel was invited to speak on Al Hadath to discuss US diplomatic efforts to end the war in Lebanon. Watch the interview here (Arabic dub).
Author: ATFL
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رئيس مجموعة العمل الأمريكية من أجل لبنان: فرص أكبر لإنهاء التصعيد الإسرائيلي في لبنان مع تولي ترامب
ATFL President Ed Gabriel was invited to speak on Al Qahera to discuss the implications of the 2024 US presidential election on the prospect of a ceasefire in Lebanon. Watch the interview here (Arabic dub).
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Ed Gabriel: ATFL Is a Facilitator of Policy and Politics
In an interview with This is Beirut, ATFL President Ed Gabriel explains the mission and objectives of ATFL in helping to promote and advocate for Lebanon in Washington, D.C. Watch the interview here.
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ATFL Calls For All Parties to Reach a Ceasefire and Pursue a Diplomatic Solution Immediately
Washington, DC, November 1, 2024. The United States is on the verge of mediating a permanent and comprehensive diplomatic solution between Lebanon and Israel. ATFL encourages all sides to reach a ceasefire and diplomatic agreement based on UN Security Council Resolutions 1701, 1559, and related international agreements and resolutions as soon as possible. Any agreement should also commit to a final resolution between the parties regarding the Lebanon-Israel land border and a US-led effort for Lebanon’s reconstruction and recovery.
“We want to thank the Biden Administration for these efforts to pursue a sustainable diplomatic solution to the Lebanon-Israel border,” said ATFL President Edward Gabriel. “We encourage White House Senior Advisor Amos Hochstein to reach a resolution that guarantees Israel’s withdrawal from Lebanon, ends the violence, protects civilians, increases US support for the Lebanese Armed Forces, and secures Lebanon’s sovereignty,” he added.###
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The Lebanese Army Is Key to Stabilizing Lebanon
Article by ATFL President Ed Gabriel published by the Council of American Ambassadors, “The Lebanese Army is Key to Stabilizing Lebanon.” Read the op-ed here.
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ATFL Commends the Biden Administration for Strengthening the US Response to the Security Situation in Lebanon
Washington, DC, October 17, 2024. The American Task Force on Lebanon (ATFL), a leadership organization of Americans of Lebanese descent, commends Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas for announcing a Temporary Protected Status designation in Lebanon for 18 months.
DHS has stated that “[t]he designation of Lebanon for TPS will allow Lebanese nationals (and individuals having no nationality who last habitually resided in Lebanon) who have been continuously residing in the United States since October 16, 2024 to file initial applications for TPS, if they are otherwise eligible.”
Today, US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) also posted work authorization applications for Lebanese nationals covered under President Biden’s Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) directive on July 26. Work authorization under the TPS authority will be issued in the coming weeks.
DHS is also announcing a Special Student Relief Notice F-1 for students, which will allow eligible students from Lebanon to request employment authorization and, if needed, reduce their course load so they can work while pursuing their studies.
The US government estimates that 11,000 Lebanese nationals in the US will be eligible for DED and TPS and that 1,740 F-1 students will be eligible for Special Student Relief.
Today, the US Department of State also announced that it is resuming full immigrant visa processing for Lebanese family members of US citizens both at the Beirut Embassy and at all US embassies and consulates across the globe.
“We would like to thank the Biden Administration for taking these actions to support the Lebanese people,” said ATFL President Ed Gabriel. “Today’s announcements offer a lifeline to thousands of Lebanese in the US and Lebanese Americans who want to be reunited with their loved ones in safety. ATFL would like to acknowledge the efforts of Senator Gary Peters, Representative Debbie Dingell, and our board member Manal Saab. The Lebanese American community in Michigan and the Michigan Congressional delegation were crucial to making this effort successful,” he added.###
More Information
The work authorization applications under TPS and DED are not in competition with one another and eligible nationals are encouraged to review which option (or both) is best for their situation.
The key distinction between DED and TPS is that DED is an executive authority that extends the period eligible foreign nationals can remain in the US whereas TPS is a potentially renewable immigration status that eligible foreign nationals must apply for and receive.ATFL encourages eligible individuals to consider applying for the TPS designation because it is an immigration status. Lebanese nationals may not be eligible for any potential TPS renewals in the future if they do not apply when the application opens.
More information about TPS, including application instructions, will be shared by DHS in the next few weeks.
Click here to read the announcement from DHS
Click here to read the announcement from the State Department
Click here for more information from USCIS -
As Israel Invades, the US Must Push for Peace in Lebanon
Op-ed published in the Fair Observer by ATFL’s Director of Policy and Outreach Steven Howard, “As Israel Invades, the US Must Push for Peace in Lebanon.” Read the article here.
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Al-Monitor: With Hezbollah battered, US seeks to break Lebanon’s political impasse
ATFL President Ed Gabriel quoted by Al-Monitor. Read the article here.
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New York Times: U.S. Aims to Revive Failed U.N. Plan for Lebanon War
ATFL President Ed Gabriel quoted in an article by the New York Times. Read the article here.
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AP: US sees a window for a new push to break political deadlock in Lebanon to ease conflict
ATFL President Ed Gabriel quoted by the Associated Press. Read the article here.