Category: Statements & Announcements

Washington, DC, October 11, 2022 (ATFL) – The American Task Force on Lebanon welcomes the agreement between Lebanon and Israel on a maritime border that demarcates the exclusive economic zones between the two countries. Mediated through the intense efforts of US Special Envoy for Energy Affairs Amos Hochstein and Lebanese Deputy Speaker Elias Bou Saab, the agreement is the culmination of efforts that have been in play since 2003 under then-Special Adviser Frederick Hof and revived under the Biden Administration two years ago.

The agreement is more than a boundary, it is the beginning of economic possibilities for Lebanon to join other Eastern Mediterranean countries in exploiting energy resources that will satisfy both domestic and international market needs. With the increasing reliance on natural gas in the global effort to reduce the carbon footprint of energy usage, any commercially viable discoveries will have a welcome and profitable impact.

More importantly, it gives added stability and security to the region by reducing provocations between Israel and Lebanon, providing a basis to settle the land boundary, and encouraging international investors to bring fresh funds into projects in Lebanon, increasing the economic health of the country. 

ATFL thanks the US government for its continued efforts to bring about this agreement and the negotiators, Amos Hochstein and Elias Bou Saab, for their efforts to address and resolve this challenging effort.

“This agreement brings hope to the Lebanese people who have suffered through many months of economic despair and social upheaval; and it reminds the global community of the support still needed by those people to recover and survive through what the World Bank has said is the worst economic disaster since the mid-19th century,” said ATFL President Ed Gabriel. 

An October 10th letter from Reps. Darin LaHood, Darrell Issa, and Debbie Dingell, Co-Chairs of the US-Lebanon Friendship Caucus, can be accessed here.

For additional information contact steven.howard@atfl.org

or WhatsApp +1 202.603.5789

Washington, DC, October 4, 2022 (ATFL) – The American Task Force on Lebanon (ATFL), a leadership organization of  Americans of Lebanese descent,  endorses and encourages the finalization of a maritime border agreement between Lebanon and Israel. According to reports, this agreement greatly supports the interests of the Lebanese people and represents a long term sustainable solution for both countries. Successful conclusion of these negotiations will have security benefits for the region, increase stability for Lebanon, and prosperity for its people. 

First of all, it is a significant confidence-building measure that would reduce tensions between Lebanon and Israel and would seed the ground for future discussions to address security issues. Secondly, given the world’s concerns with identifying additional sources of energy, an agreement will enable the parties to actively explore and exploit the potential sources in the areas being mediated, thus contributing to economic stability in Lebanon, Europe, and the Mediterranean region. 

As importantly, it is a positive and hopeful sign for the Lebanese people that their current economic crisis may begin to ease with opening the area to active international investment.  

ATFL applauds the work of Amos Hochstein, US Senior Advisor on Energy Security, for his ongoing commitment and efforts to bring the parties closer together. The US government has shown an exceptional commitment to bringing about a successful negotiation. Without such support, it is likely that the disputed maritime fields would not be settled for another generation or more, thus precluding Lebanon from any oil and gas exploration for years to come. 

Edward Gabriel, president of ATFL, stressed that the time for a positive conclusion to the negotiations is now. “Concluding a fair, just and successful deal is incumbent on both parties. With increasing global instability and demands on the US government in other regions of the world, the Lebanese government must understand that this two-years plus process must come to fruition quickly before this opportunity is lost.”

Washington, DC, July 19, 2022 (ATFL) – The American Task Force on Lebanon (ATFL), a leadership organization of Lebanese-Americans working to support and strengthen the US-Lebanon relationship, is pleased with the statement issued after President Joe Biden’s trip to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in which “[both countries] affirmed their continued support for Lebanon’s sovereignty, and their support for the Lebanese Armed Forces.” 

The US-Saudi Arabia joint communique clearly “noted the importance of forming a Lebanese government and implementing comprehensive structural political and economic reforms to ensure that Lebanon overcomes its political and economic crisis.” It went on to emphasize the need for government control over all Lebanese territory and made reference to relevant UN Security Council resolutions and the Taif Accord so that “there will be no weapons without the consent of the government of Lebanon.”

The President of ATFL, former Ambassador Ed Gabriel, is currently visiting Lebanon where he is reaffirming the need for reforms required by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in order to release funds needed for Lebanon’s recovery from what has been termed one of the worst economic disasters since the mid-19th century. He is also emphasizing the need to support the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) as the guarantor of Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

ATFL applauds the Biden administration for continuing to focus on US-Lebanon relations and to support the needs of the Lebanese people in these exceedingly difficult times.

The American Task Force on Lebanon commends State Department Senior Advisor Amos Hochstein and the Lebanese Government for meeting to advance the delimitation of the Israel-Lebanon maritime boundary, an objective shared by all three governments. 

Such a deal will require open minds and a willingness to compromise from all parties. We encourage Senior Advisor Hochstein to show neutrality and flexibility as he hopefully brings these discussions to a conclusion that will both benefit the economic development of Lebanon and increase regional security.

Washington, DC, May 18, 2022 (ATFL) – The American Task Force on Lebanon (ATFL), a leadership organization of Americans of Lebanese descent, commends the Lebanese people for participating in the May 15 parliamentary election. This was the first election since the October 2019 protest movement and the 2020 Port of Beirut explosion.

Final election results show that Hezbollah and its allies have lost a parliamentary majority, having captured just 58 seats, falling short of the 65 seats needed to establish a majority. However, Hezbollah maintained their 27 member bloc and will be anxious to leverage new allies to their side. `

The Free Patriotic Movement, which is aligned with Hezbollah, lost significant seats, which were mainly picked up by the Lebanese Forces. The Lebanese Forces are strongly anti-Hezbollah, and will be the largest Christian political party in parliament with 22 seats.

Independent and political newcomers were able to capture 16 seats, which is larger than many analysts predicted. They are joined by nine other candidates who are critical of the political establishment.

According to György Hölvényi, chief observer of the European Union’s mission, the elections were overshadowed by a number of voting irregularities. The Lebanese Association for Democratic Elections tracked at least 3,600 violations, noting that political activists, mostly from Amal and Hezbollah, had attacked and threatened their observers.

Key challenges awaiting the new parliament include appointing a new prime minister-elect, forming a new government, implementing mandated reforms as part of the IMF Staff-Level Agreement, combatting endemic corruption, and selecting the country’s next president.

Many analysts point to gridlock as the next possible inhibitor of progress. There will be obvious sources of division not only between Hezbollah and its opponents, but also from the political newcomers and reformists who have yet to form their own bloc. Importantly, no coalition has been formed who can govern with a parliamentary majority and it is unclear how long the formation of such a coalition will take.

“We commend the Lebanese people for undertaking this democratic exercise,” said ATFL President Ed Gabriel. “These elections demonstrate the democratic passion of the Lebanese people to express their political views and the need for increased US investment in democratic institutions in Lebanon. While we are encouraged that the Lebanese people have sent a clear statement that they favor reform, the elections are over and now is the time to govern. The new parliament must come together, put aside partisan differences and respond to the urgent economic challenges that Lebanon faces. The Lebanese people do not have time to wait for politics as usual,” he added.

The American Task Force on Lebanon congratulates the Lebanese people for their participation in the parliamentary elections on May 15th. They voted in the first parliamentary elections since the October 2019 protest movement and 2020 Port of Beirut explosion. While local and diaspora votes are still being counted and some races have yet to be called, current results indicate a larger-than-expected shift away from traditional political parties and toward independents, opposition parties, and reformists. This is encouraging, despite reports of intimidation and irregularities. We also commend the 130,000 members of the Lebanese diaspora who voted in the 2022 elections, compared to 50,000 who voted in 2018.

As the votes are tallied and seats assigned, ATFL will provide its analysis of possible changes in Lebanon’s political landscape.