ATFL President Ed Gabriel quoted in L’Orient Today.
❝ “The administration’s support for Lebanon remains strong, and I’ve discovered that President Trump cares very much about Lebanon,” Edward Gabriel, president of the American Task Force on Lebanon, told L’Orient-Le Jour, citing conversations with officials in Washington.
As proof, he pointed to the recent $230 million aid package granted to the Lebanese Armed Forces.
“It’s also worth noting that the proposal by Congressman Greg Steube to cut funding for the Lebanese Army [the Pager Act] is losing ground in Congress, with the number of lawmakers backing his initiative dropping from around 120 to 80,” Gabriel added.
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“Lebanon must do more and faster in implementing its plan to disarm Hezbollah, particularly to get rid of its strategic weapons,” Gabriel stressed. He added that this includes drones and precision missiles.
“In this context, the Lebanese Army must also ensure that no drone manufacturing facilities are established on Lebanese soil,” he noted.
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“The Lebanese state must communicate more clearly and tell its citizens and partners what it has done and what it intends to do,” Gabriel urged in this vein. “Otherwise, others will fill the vacuum, undermining trust between Beirut and its international partners.”
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“If Beirut fails to make progress on its plan, international attention could gradually shift away in favor of Gaza and Syria. Reconstruction funds from Arab states, conditioned on disarmament, could also be delayed,” warned Gabriel.
However, the authorities appear to favor a softer approach with Hezbollah to avoid internal upheaval. “Washington considers that the ‘how’ is not its concern. What matters is that Lebanon turns words into actions,” said Gabriel, while acknowledging that it is also essential to “reach out to the Shiite community and make them feel they are an integral part of the national fabric.” ❞