ATFL Commends Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chair and Ranking Member Call for Strong US Leadership in Lebanon’s Presidential Electoral Process

Washington, DC, April 26th, 2023, the American Task Force on Lebanon (ATFL), a leadership organization of Americans of Lebanese descent, applauds Senators Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and Jim Risch (R-ID), Chair and Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, respectively, for their bipartisan message to the Biden Administration to lead the international community in supporting the timely election of a president committed to serving the people of Lebanon.

On April 25th, 2023, Senators Menendez and Risch sent a letter to President Biden, “urging the US “to work closely with our allies and partners in the region to support a legitimate democratic process and presidential candidates that, unlike previous presidents, will demonstrate the ability to serve and be accountable to the people of Lebanon.”

The Senators also drew particular attention to Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri and Hezbollah for delaying the presidential electoral process in Parliament to bolster the prospects of their preferred candidate, at the expense “of candidates with broader support who are more willing to tackle Lebanon’s many challenges.”

“We want to thank Senators Menendez and Risch for their bipartisan and steadfast support of the US-Lebanon relationship,” said ATFL President Ed Gabriel. “We strongly encourage the Biden Administration to heed their recommendation and lean into the presidential electoral process. There is massive confusion in Lebanon on where the US stands today. Now is the time for the US to draw a line, outlining the type of government it can partner with and the characteristics of a government it would find unacceptable.” he added.

###

Read the full letter here.

ATFL Celebrates the Leadership of Sen. George Mitchell on 25th Anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement

The American Task Force on Lebanon celebrates the leadership of former Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell for his leadership in negotiating the Good Friday Agreement.

Senator Mitchell represented the state of Maine in the US Senate from 1980 to 1995 and served as US Senate Majority leader from 1989-1995. Of Lebanese ancestry, Mitchell was the inaugural recipient of ATFL’s Philip C. Habib Award for Distinguished Public Service in 1989.

Mitchell recently recalled that 3,500 people were killed during the period known as “the Troubles”, resulting in another 50,000 injured.

He was appointed US Special Envoy for Northern Ireland by former President Bill Clinton and began chairing multi-party talks in June 1996. A final agreement was reached 22 months later, in April 1998. President Clinton awarded Mitchell the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his work in Northern Ireland in 1999.

Years later, Mitchell remarked, “[t]here’s no such thing as a conflict that cannot be ended. Conflicts are created, conducted and sustained by human beings. They can be ended by human beings.”

He traveled to Northern Ireland this week where he and other world leaders commemorated the agreement.

Mitchell was born to an Irish father who was adopted by a Lebanese family and a mother who immigrated to Maine from Lebanon.

“George Mitchell’s leadership in the Good Friday Agreement is a historic example of positive US leadership in the world,” said ATFL President Ed Gabriel. “He served with great distinction as US Senate Majority Leader, and reached across the aisle to ensure that US interests were put ahead of party, in passing important energy and climate legislation. We are very proud that George is one of the most accomplished Americans who has served our country with such honor and distinction,” he added.

###

ATFL Applauds Members of Congress for Condemning the Obstruction of Democratic Processes in Lebanon

Washington, DC, January 17th, 2023, the American Task Force on Lebanon (ATFL), a leadership organization of Americans of Lebanese descent, applauds the bipartisan Co-Chairs of the Congressional US-Lebanon Friendship Caucus for their condemnation of the obstruction of democratic processes in Lebanon as well as the continued presidential vacancy and lack of any meaningful investigation into the August 2020 Port explosion. 

On January 13th, 2023, US Representatives Debbie Dingell (D-MI), Darrell Issa (R-CA), and Darin LaHood (R-IL) sent a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Treasury Janet Yellen urging them to utilize, “additional diplomatic tools to hold responsible those who are continuing to obstruct democratic processes in Lebanon, [making clear] the expectations of the international community on Lebanon, including timely and representative Presidential elections by the Parliament to support the ongoing needs of the people of Lebanon.” 

The bipartisan Co-Chairs also drew particular attention to the lack of judicial independence in Lebanon and the urgent need for progress on the investigation into the August 2020 Port explosion, as demanded by the Lebanese people who are deserving of justice, which has been obstructed by the political leaders who continue to delay and evade accountability. 

“In the 78 days that have passed in vain without a new president, Lebanon’s political stalemate is causing severe, unnecessary pain on its own people,” said ATFL President and CEO Ed Gabriel. “ATFL continues to call for the rule of law, judicial independence, and due process in the Port of Beirut Explosion investigation. We call on the Lebanese parliament to carry out their solemn responsibilities by electing a reform-minded president who will support the needs of the Lebanese people.” 

The January 13th letter from Representatives Debbie Dingell, Darrell Issa, and Darin LaHood, Co-Chairs of the US-Lebanon Friendship Caucus, can be accessed here.For additional information contact info@atfl.org.

American Task Force on Lebanon Applauds Senate Foreign Relations Committee Leadership Calling for Sanctions against Lebanese Financial and Political Elites

Washington, DC, December 16, 2022 (ATFL), The American Task Force on Lebanon (ATFL), a leadership organization of Americans of Lebanese descent, applauds US Senators Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, for calling for accountability of Lebanese elite undermining democracy and the rule of Law.

Today, the bipartisan leaders sent a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen “calling for US sanctions against Lebanon’s financial and political elite responsible for the country’s recent political deadlock and failure to implement critical economic reforms.”

The Senators called out Hezbollah and Lebanon’s political class for failing to respond to the needs of the Lebanese people. They also added that Lebanon needs an effective government free from malign foreign influence.

“Congress, on a bipartisan basis, is continuing to express its disappointment in the ‘business as usual’ approach from Lebanon’s political and economic elite,” said ATFL President Ed Gabriel. “Today they are sending a straightforward message to Lebanon’s leaders: make progress or face sanctions,” he added.

The American Task Force on Lebanon is 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization of prominent Americans of Lebanese heritage, who educate for the strengthening of the historic U.S.-Lebanon relationship. The mission and objectives of ATFL shall always be in the best interest of the United States and will promote the national unity, independence, and prosperity of a democratic and multi-sectarian Lebanon.

American Task Force on Lebanon Applauds Congress for Increasing United States Engagement on the Humanitarian Situation and Food Security in Lebanon

Washington, DC, December 7, 2022 (ATFL), The American Task Force on Lebanon (ATFL), a leadership organization of Americans of Lebanese descent, applauds the US Congress for addressing the humanitarian situation and food security in Lebanon.

The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), the defense policy bill for the forthcoming year, includes an amendment, sponsored by Representatives Debbie Dingell (D-MI) and Darin LaHood (R-IL), mandating a report from the Secretaries of State and Defense as well as the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development to key committees in Congress on the humanitarian situation and food security in Lebanon.

The report will include an analysis of the projected increase in malnutrition, an estimate on the increase of food insecure individuals in Lebanon, an estimate on the number of people who will be faced with acute malnutrition as a result of food price inflation, and an overview of what the US is doing to address these challenges.

“We want to thank Congress, especially Representatives Dingell and LaHood, for their continued support of the Lebanese people during this historic humanitarian crisis,” said ATFL President Edward Gabriel. “This report is a necessary step in addressing the crisis and ATFL will continue to work with bipartisan Members of Congress and the Biden Administration to continue increasing US support for the Lebanese people,” he added.

ATFL and Congressional Leaders Applaud Lebanon-Israel Maritime Accord

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.

###

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.

The American Task Force on Lebanon is 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization of prominent Americans of Lebanese heritage, who educate for the strengthening of the historic U.S.-Lebanon relationship. The mission and objectives of ATFL shall always be in the best interest of the United States and will promote the national unity, independence, and prosperity of a democratic and multi-sectarian Lebanon.

American Task Force on Lebanon Encourages Lebanon and Israel to Finalize Maritime Boundary Agreement As Soon As Possible

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.”

The American Task Force on Lebanon is 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization of prominent Americans of Lebanese heritage, who educate for the strengthening of the historic U.S.-Lebanon relationship. The mission and objectives of ATFL shall always be in the best interest of the United States and will promote the national unity, independence, and prosperity of a democratic and multi-sectarian Lebanon.

Press Release: Senate Approves Appointment of Ambassador Edward M. Gabriel, Ret.

The United States Senate, on August 4, 2022, unanimously approved the nomination by President Joseph Biden of Edward M. Gabriel to become a member of the board of the US Institute of Peace. Ambassador Gabriel currently serves as President and CEO of the American Task Force on Lebanon, a nonprofit organization that seeks to build greater understanding and cultural ties between the United States and Lebanon.

As a USIP board member, Ambassador Gabriel will become part of a prestigious organization that was founded by Congress and is a national, nonpartisan, independent institute, dedicated to the proposition that a world without violent conflict is possible, practical, and essential for US and global security.

Ambassador Gabriel was the 16th US Ambassador to the Kingdom of Morocco, serving during the second term of President Bill Clinton. He has been recognized with the Order of the Ouissam Alaouite from the King of Morocco in 2001, and the National Order of the Cedar from the President of Lebanon in 2002. His international work has also involved national security and trade issues, including matters of Russian and European nuclear non-proliferation.

He has also been recognized for his work in the fields of Native American rights and education, inner-city economic development initiatives, Arab American rights, energy policy, and promotion of American education in the Middle East.

His diplomatic career was preceded by a business career in which he built one of the largest public affairs companies in Washington, and early in his career was the founding Executive Director of the Council of Energy Resource Tribes (CERT), an energy development association comprised of 22 American Indian Tribes.

Gabriel is a native of Olean, NY and currently resides in Washington, DC with his wife, Kathleen Linehan, an accomplished lawyer and advocate for animal rights.

The American Task Force on Lebanon is 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization of prominent Americans of Lebanese heritage, who educate for the strengthening of the historic U.S.-Lebanon relationship. The mission and objectives of ATFL shall always be in the best interest of the United States and will promote the national unity, independence, and prosperity of a democratic and multi-sectarian Lebanon.

Commemorating The August 4th Port Of Beirut Explosion

On August 4th, 2020, over 500 tons of ammonium nitrate stored at the Port of Beirut exploded, causing more than 220 deaths, 7,000 injuries, 300,000 displaced individuals, and at least $15 billion in property damage.

On this day of mourning, the American Task Force on Lebanon (ATFL), a leadership organization of Americans of Lebanese descent, reiterates its position on the necessity for a truly independent judiciary in Lebanon.

Congressman Darin LaHood, representing the 18th District of Illinois, issued a statement for the record in the US House of Representatives today as the co-chair of the US-Lebanon Friendship Caucus and a long-time friend of ATFL. 

ATFL President and CEO, Ambassador Ed Gabriel (ret.), outlines the deplorable corruption and negligence that led to the Port Explosion two years ago as well as what is at stake for Lebanon if its leaders fail to facilitate the country’s recovery in time. 

Press Release: ATFL Welcomes Support for Lebanon in Jeddah Communique

###

To see the joint statement, click here

The American Task Force on Lebanon is 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization of prominent Americans of Lebanese heritage, who educate for the strengthening of the historic U.S.-Lebanon relationship. The mission and objectives of ATFL shall always be in the best interest of the United States and will promote the national unity, independence, and prosperity of a democratic and multi-sectarian Lebanon.