US urged by Lebanese diaspora to pressure Lebanon to repeal law criminalizing ties with Israel
Lebanese Americans Tom Harb and John Hajjar, co-chairs of AMCD, argued that the 1955 law was being overextended beyond its original intent.
The American Mideast Coalition for Democracy (AMCD) has urged the United States to pressure Lebanon to repeal its 1955 Boycott Law, which criminalizes social and business ties with Israel. In an open letter to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Lebanese Americans Tom Harb and John Hajjar, co-chairs of AMCD, argued that the law is being overextended and is now used to criminalize basic conversations with Israelis and prevent religious pilgrimages to the Land of Israel.
The group calls for dialogue between Lebanon and Israel's militaries to prevent the loss of innocent lives due to miscalculations during military operations and for diplomatic channels to be opened to advance peace. They also propose that the US condition financial and military assistance to Lebanon on the repeal of the 1955 law and on Beirut implementing concrete steps to facilitate military, diplomatic, and civilian communication with Israel.
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