Report: U.S. Report Gives ‘Encouraging’ Signals towards Lebanon

A document presented by the International Crisis Group to US President Joe Biden reportedly gave “encouraging American signals” towards crisis-hit Lebanon, al-Joumhouria daily reported on Tuesday.

Prominent political sources said the International Crisis Group, headed by US special envoy to Tehran Robert Malley, submitted the report to Biden on January 28. They said it included “encouraging” signals towards easing the US stance towards Lebanon, added the daily.

“Instead of looking at Lebanon from the perspective of weakening Hizbullah, the United States of America should make its primary goal to strengthen the State (in Lebanon) and prevent its collapse,” the report stated, according to the daily.

“Accordingly, the United States should throw its weight behind the French effort to gather the Lebanese players, including Hizbullah, in a serious government and pushing them towards basic reforms,” it added.

“The United States should encourage its allies to cooperate pragmatically with their opponents to pass reforms, especially those related to protecting the independence of the judiciary and adopting anti-corruption laws necessary to release international support, especially the IMF program,” concluded the report.

Hizbullah is recognized as a legitimate political party in Lebanon but deemed a terrorist organization by the State Department because of its anti-Israel stance and attacks on the Jewish state.

Hizbullah is subject to significant American sanctions and successive U.S. administrations have wrestled with how to continue to provide aid to the country that does not benefit the group.