On October 27 & 28, members of the World Council on the Cedars Revolution and AMCD delivered the following memorandum to members of the US Congress & US administration.
An interim plan to stabilize Lebanon
In view of the current political, economic and security circumstances engulfing Lebanon, we Lebanese and Middle East American NGOs urge the US Congress and Administration to adopt the following interim plan to stabilize Lebanon in the following ways:
1. Politically
a. Urge the UN Security Council to implement the remaining stipulations of UNSCR 1559 of 2004 via the formation of a special task force to implement the said resolution.
b. Urge the formation of a new interim Government in Lebanon with the participation of civil society and Lebanese Army high command as an emergency measure to stop the complete collapse of the country.
c. The interim Government would oversee the various measures to stop the collapse.
2. Economically
Ask the international monetary and financial authorities to oversee the work and the management of the central bank of Lebanon.
3. The Judiciary
After the invasion of Ain El Rammaneh by Hezbollah in October, several Christian Lebanese Citizens were arrested after defending their homes and have not been seen or heard from since. Judicial reforms are necessary to be fair to all parties.
Prior to the acts of intimidation in Ain El Rammaneh on October 14, military intelligence arrested twenty plus persons from Arab Khalde who took revenge for the killing of a minor in 2020 by a Hezbollah operative who was then killed in a revenge attack by the victim’s family after fruitlessly awaiting justice for over a year. In both incidents no Hezbollah agents have been arrested despite being the provocateurs. These are just two examples of a two tiered justice system where Lebanese not affiliated with Hezbollah are subjected to brutality, terrorism and humiliation but partisans of Hezbollah are always above the law.
There are unconfirmed reports that today twenty Hezbollah operatives have been arrested for the incidents of October 14. In all likelihood they will be treated as scapegoats to placate an enraged Lebanese citizenry. In all likelihood they will be given a slap on the wrist and released in short order.
Lastly, all those arrested from Ain El Rommaneh and Arab Khalde have been detained by military intelligence bypassing the Interior Ministry and their security forces thereby denying them their due process rights under Lebanese law.
4. Implement an Interim Security plan
a. Ask the Lebanese Army, with the assistance of the US, to create an exclusive security zone to include the capital Beirut and all territories north of the city, up to the northern border with Syria from which areas Hezbollah should withdraw.
b. Implement UNSC 1559 in these areas where the only armed forces present would be the Lebanese armed forces under the auspices of the UN.
c. All militias and armed groups should be barred access to this area.
d. The Lebanese government institutions, including the office of the prime minister, internal security, the ministry of defense, the office of the president, the ministry of foreign affairs, the central bank and other institutions would be enabled to work freely.
e. This secure area will have access to three ports, two airports, main economic outlets – and would be secure enough for a US, Western, Arab and international presence therein.
f. Such a plan would not target Hezbollah’s controlled zones but the areas outside its traditional control, leaving the fate of its militia to future talks.g. Last this security plan will put an end to smuggling of subsidized products by Lebanese tax payers and drugs to the Arab world, via Syria
Looking forward to coordinate on above plan.
Tom Harb/Co-Chair John Hajjar/Co-Chair
Endorsed by:
The American Middle East Coalition For Democracy
www.Americanmideast.com