Category: Statement

The American Task Force on Lebanon (ATFL) congratulates President-elect Joseph Aoun on his election as president of the Republic of Lebanon after a long hiatus and political impasse. It is critical that Lebanon, under Aoun’s internationally and domestically respected leadership, enter a phase that moves the country towards fiscal stability and freedom. An essential pillar in this effort will be cooperation with the international community to bring about much needed relief and reconstruction to a devastated country, and restore trust in state institutions.

ATFL now urges the swift formation of an independent and competent government in Lebanon which can embark on the necessary political and economic reforms that will put the country on the path to economic recovery and ensure that outside aid and assistance flows, and that foreign investment returns.

“We commend Lebanon’s representatives in parliament who have put nation above politics in their overwhelming vote to elect Joseph Aoun as president,” said Ed Gabriel, president of ATFL. “This vote signals the possibility of a new beginning in Lebanon, in which all citizens, regardless of political affiliation or religion, will be represented and benefit from an inclusive, prosperous, and secure country,” he added. “ATFL stands ready to support the incoming government in addressing the dramatic challenges the country is facing.”

The American Task Force on Lebanon (ATFL), a leadership organization of Americans of Lebanese heritage, welcomes the announcement of a ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel that ends more than a year of fighting between the two parties. During this time, more than 3,700 Lebanese have been killed,15,000 injured and over 1.3 million displaced. The agreement will hopefully bring an end to the death of innocent people and allow those displaced by the conflict on both sides of the border to return home.

The agreement calls for the removal of Hezbollah’s weapons from the border area and gives Israel 60-days to withdraw progressively from southern Lebanon. An enhanced Lebanese army is to be deployed to its southern border as Hezbollah moves its remaining weaponry north of the Litani River. A US-led monitoring committee will be tasked with overseeing and addressing any violations of the agreement. This deal is based upon UN resolution 1701, which reaffirms earlier UN resolutions on Lebanon, 1559 and 1680. Its aim is to disarm all armed groups in Lebanon and restore Lebanon’s sovereignty over its territory as the basis for a lasting truce. It should also pave the way for negotiations to demarcate the land border between Lebanon and Israel.

ATFL has long been calling for a ceasefire and diplomatic solution to the crisis based on UN Security Council Resolutions 1701, 1559, and other related international agreements that require the disarmament and demobilization of non-state militias. We also view strengthening the Lebanese Armed Forces as essential to securing the entire country’s territory. In addition, a robust internationally-led relief and reconstruction effort, which the World Bank has assessed will cost more than $8.5 billion, will be critical for addressing the substantial damage and economic losses to Lebanon, including helping reverse the displacement crisis.

“We commend the Biden Administration, its Special Envoy Amos Hochstein, and President-elect Trump’s team for their extensive coordination and indefatigable efforts in brokering this deal,” said ATFL President Edward Gabriel. “Its success will require US leadership and persistence in assisting the country’s recovery and guaranteeing its sovereignty, and support to the Lebanese army which is set to play a key role in the ensuing phase,” he added.

This is a time for solidarity and reflection. The focus next will need to be on strengthening institutions, starting with equipping and bolstering the army so that it can deploy across the country, stabilize the border areas, and enable the state to reclaim its sovereignty. The Lebanese political leadership must now take advantage of this unprecedented opportunity to elect a president and technically competent government that will ensure that the agreement is fully implemented.

The American Task Force on Lebanon (ATFL) expresses gratitude to President Joe Biden for his service as president and congratulates President-Elect Donald Trump on his election victory. ATFL thanks both administrations for their commitment and efforts in supporting a democratic, prosperous, and stable Lebanon.

We are encouraged that a ceasefire in Lebanon will continue to be prioritized by the Biden administration in the coming two months and is receiving immediate attention by the Trump administration as it prepares to take over this file.

The war between Israel and Hezbollah rages on with devastating impact on civilians, as the death toll continues to rise in addition to the displacement of over 1.3 million people who have come under intense bombardment.

ATFL is committed to working with the outgoing Biden Administration and the incoming Trump transition team to enable relief and reconstruction and the building of a strong, sovereign, and democratic state. For this to happen, a cessation of hostilities is imperative, as is a long term comprehensive diplomatic solution based on UN Security Council resolutions 1701, 1559, and other international agreements, a final demarcation of the Lebanese-Israeli border, and increased support for the Lebanese Armed Forces.

ATFL is an American, nonpartisan organization working to promote a robust bilateral relationship between the United States and Lebanon and strengthen their historic ties.

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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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. 

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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

Washington, DC, October 6, 2024. On Friday, October 3, the United States announced that it would provide an additional $157 million in humanitarian assistance to support populations affected by the intensifying crisis inside Lebanon. This crisis has especially affected those from the South who have been internally displaced by the conflict. 

The funding, to be administered by international organizations and NGOs, will address urgent needs, including food and shelter, and offer critical relief and basic protection services to these vulnerable populations.

ATFL has been actively raising awareness with Congress and the Administration of the growing humanitarian crisis in Lebanon and has been conveying the urgency of increased humanitarian assistance at this time.

Ed Gabriel, President of ATFL, remarked, “Friday’s announcement is a step in the right direction, though much more will be needed as the conflict escalates and the situation deteriorates. An immediate ceasefire is the most important remedy to this deteriorating situation.”

ATFL continues to support increased appropriations responding to the Lebanese people’s needs and we will continue to press for an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah to pave the way for a diplomatic settlement and avoid further unnecessary civilian deaths and destruction.

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Link to USAID Announcement

Washington, DC, September 25, 2024. ATFL deplores the current escalation in Lebanon, which has already led to the deaths of more than 800 individuals, wounded over 2,000, and displaced hundreds of thousands and will, if it continues, lead to more casualties and widespread devastation.

The United States has put forth a long-term, sustainable plan to bring calm to the southern border of Lebanon, which would be the basis for full implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701. Hezbollah has refused US overtures until there is a Gaza ceasefire. Israel’s reaction to this position has been to confront Hezbollah in response to its political and security demands, leading to the massive targeting of the group’s leaders and its members. Meanwhile, innocent Lebanese civilians have been subjected to deadly aerial strikes and are suffering the consequences.

This situation has spun out of control and risks destroying Lebanon, and the people of Lebanon are certain to be this war’s main victims. The international community must put a stop to this conflict before many more innocent lives are ruined.

We urge the Biden administration to demonstrate strong leadership now in making ending this conflict a priority before it metastasizes to the region. We call for an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, and for the United States to lead efforts that would reestablish stability and calm along the border and to find a sustainable, diplomatic solution.

Washington, DC, August 5, 2024. Four years ago, Lebanon experienced the largest non-nuclear explosion in history. The Beirut port blast killed over 200 people and injured thousands of others. The American Task Force on Lebanon (ATFL) remains steadfast in our support of the victims and their families of the port explosion. Four years later, there has yet to be a complete investigation and those at fault remain shielded by a politically compromised judicial process. We demand a complete investigation with transparent findings made available to the public and accountability for the individuals bearing responsibility for storing a large amount of ammonium nitrate that detonated at the port. It is time that those responsible, at all levels of government, be brought to justice.

This anniversary comes as the people of Lebanon have experienced over 10 months of conflict in the south that has now extended to the country’s capital, a grinding economic and social collapse, and a seemingly indefinite presidential vacuum and political paralysis. “The Lebanese people deserve to see their elected leaders do at least one thing that puts the welfare of the country over the interests of the political class,” said Ambassador (ret.) Ed Gabriel, President of ATFL. “Every year that goes by that this calamity goes unaddressed is another tragic reminder of the lack of leadership from Lebanon’s political class,” he added.

Washington, DC, August 2, 2024. Lebanon is at the precipice of war. The international community needs to redouble efforts immediately to avoid a regional conflagration. Without resolute international leadership and mediation, Hezbollah and Israel will drag the region into war.

Previous tit for tat, cross-border exchanges have escalated dramatically over the past few days. A Hezbollah rocket strike in the Golan Heights village of Majdal Shams killed 12 Druze youth, which was followed by an Israeli airstrike in Beirut’s southern suburbs that killed senior Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr and five civilians residing nearby. Such actions could quickly push Lebanon and the region into a devastating war that will inflict significant pain and damage on civilian communities.

“The US must avoid being dragged into a military conflict, and instead kick its diplomatic efforts into high gear to try to avert an all-out regional war,” said Ed Gabriel, President of the American Task Force on Lebanon (ATFL).

ATFL decries this aggressive escalation and calls for all sides to re-commit to a diplomatic solution that will stabilize the Lebanon-Israel border consistent with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701.

Washington, DC, July 26, 2024. The American Task Force on Lebanon (ATFL), a leadership organization of Americans of Lebanese descent, commends President Joe Biden for signing a Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) directive for Lebanese nationals in the United States.

Today, President Biden officially signed the directive for Lebanese, which states the president has “determined that it is in the foreign policy interest of the United States to defer for 18 months the removal of any Lebanese national.”

Since the start of Lebanon’s economic crisis, ATFL has been calling for President Biden to declare Temporary Protected Status (TPS) or DED to protect Lebanese nationals in the US, approximately 11,500 eligible individuals, from having to return to an increasingly unstable country. At various points during the current hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel, the US has labeled Lebanon with Level 3 travel (Reconsider Travel) and Level 4 (Do Not Travel) travel designations.

“We want to thank President Biden for standing with the Lebanese people today,” said ATFL President Ed Gabriel. “Today’s directive sends a powerful message to the Lebanese people that they are not forgotten. ATFL would like to congratulate our board member Manal Saab for her many years of successful advocacy for this cause. We would also like thank Senator Gary Peters and Representative Debbie Dingell for their leadership in this effort. The civic engagement of Michigan’s Lebanese American community was crucial to making this effort successful,” he added.

ATFL encourages Lebanese nationals in the US who might be eligible for this directive to read the full announcement, fill out all requested documentation, and contact US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) with any questions.

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Click here to read the full announcement
Click here for more information on DED