June 3, 2026
The Honorable Marco Rubio
Secretary of State
United States Department of State
Washington, DC
Lebanese Delegation
Ambassador Nada Hamade Mowad
Embassy of Lebanon, Washington, DC
Israel Delegation
Ambassador Yechiel Leiter
Embassy of Israel, Washington, DC
Subject: Urgent Request for Protection of Mr. Rawad Nassar – Lebanese Advocate for Peace and Normalization with Israel
Dear Secretary Rubio, Members of the Lebanese Delegation, and Members of the Israel Delegation,
We are writing to urge your immediate attention regarding Mr. Rawad Nassar, a brave Lebanese citizen who has publicly called for peace normalization between Lebanon and Israel.
In a widely circulated video statement filmed inside a restaurant, Mr. Nassar said the following:
“As far as I’m concerned, let the Israeli tanks reach all the way to Batroun and even further north. Let the IDF come and clean Lebanon from Hezbollah… I love the IDF. They should go to the heart of Lebanon to finish them.”
He further expressed appreciation for the IDF and support for them advancing deep into Lebanon to help rid the country of Hezbollah’s control so that the Lebanese state can regain full sovereignty. Because of these positions, he has faced severe retaliation: Hezbollah supporters have placed a bounty on his head, and Attorney Hassan Adel Bzay has filed a formal complaint with the Attorney General and courts to prosecute him for “inviting an enemy state” and related charges (such as inciting sectarian strife and sedition), with potential penalties including life imprisonment or death. The filing has been widely associated with pressure from Hezbollah, the Amal Movement and Speaker Nabih Berri.
Mr. Nassar is currently in hiding and cannot leave his home due to credible threats to his life. The Lebanese government has failed to protect him and has allowed these dangerous provocations to continue.
The United States is currently facilitating negotiations between Lebanon and Israel. These talks aim to achieve a lasting ceasefire, the full disarmament of Hezbollah, the withdrawal of Israeli forces under agreed security arrangements, the restoration of Lebanese sovereignty, and steps toward normalized relations between the two countries.
Mr. Nassar’s public positions are fully aligned with the goals of these U.S.-mediated negotiations. Therefore, we respectfully request that you take the following actions:
• Demand the Lebanese Government immediately and completely withdraw all legal allegations and petitions against Mr. Nassar.
• Call on the Lebanese government to provide him with full protection and investigate all threats, including the bounties placed on his life.
• Call on the Lebanese government to ensure that those responsible for threats and incitement (including those behind the complaint filed by Attorney Hassan Adel Bzay) are brought to justice.
• Insist that Lebanon uphold and protect freedom of speech, particularly for voices supporting the peace, normalization, and Hezbollah disarmament outcomes being discussed in Washington.
• Insist the Lebanese government consider appropriate measures to compensate Mr. Nassar for the slander and harm he has suffered.
Protecting peaceful advocates like Mr. Rawad Nassar is essential to building trust in the ongoing negotiations and demonstrating a genuine commitment to a stable, sovereign Lebanon free from terrorist control.
We thank you for your urgent attention to this matter. Mr. Nassar remains in hiding and his safety is at immediate risk.
We are available to provide any further information required.
Sincerely,
Tom Harb and John Hajjar (AMCD co-chairs)
CC: Ambassador Michel Issa, US Ambassador to Lebanon
Ambassador Mike Huckabee, US Ambassador to Israel
7 responses to “Urgent Request for Protection of Mr. Rawad Nassar – Lebanese Advocate for Peace and Normalization with Israel”
God bless you, Lebanon , America, and Israel.
🙏❤️
We need to let people be free to think
Freedom of speech is essential
The decades of silencing the Lebanese who opposed the occupation of Lebanon and who saw a natural ally in Israel should be put to an end.
All those who occupied and destroyed Lebanon did that under the pretense of assisting Lebanon in fighting Israel.
It is about time for the Lebanese to stop inheriting their enemies and their allies and start freely choosing those who could help in regaining Lebanon’s sovereignty.
Whatever his opinion Rawad has a right to voice it without fearing for his head and his livelihood and freedom. This is but a flagrant example of the violent censorship practiced by hezbollah on anyone who disagrees with them. Not to mention countless murders for the past 3 decades. Enough. I also happen to agree with a lot of what Rawad says. Will I also be threatened and jailed? Will all of us?
Life is meaningless without freedom, so is a lifetime of war. Yes for peace, yes, for freedom of speech, yes for freedom of thought. No for war, no for fear, no for bullying, no for suppression of our minds.
Peace isn’t an option but a must.
No growth no stability with the absence of peace.
Yet the good indicator of a true peace can be well revealed when respecting the freedom of speech.