US lobby ATFL urges Beirut to act, warning that ‘Lebanon cannot delegate its future to decisions made by others’ - L'Orient Today

BEIRUT — With the threat of a new regional war looming, the American Task Force on Lebanon (ATFL), a prominent Lebanese-American lobby based in Washington, issued an unequivocal warning to Lebanese leaders on Tuesday: the time for procrastination is over. Disarming Hezbollah, implementing banking reforms and restoring state authority — Beirut must act without waiting for hypothetical reciprocity from Israel, especially as Washington’s patience is wearing thin.

Is Lebanon once again at risk of paying the price for a war decided elsewhere? In a statement outlining its position, the American Task Force on Lebanon sounded the alarm and urged Lebanese authorities to take the initiative before a confrontation between the United States, Israel and Iran drags the country into another catastrophe. “Lebanon cannot afford to wait for Israel, the United States or Hezbollah to act before it takes its own measures to restore sovereignty and protect its population,” the organization stressed.

Hezbollah’s disarmament, no more waiting for Israel

The ATFL acknowledged the legitimacy of Lebanon’s demands regarding the Israeli occupation, cease-fire violations and the need for an independent mechanism to verify both sides’ commitments. But it warned against dangerous paralysis: “Waiting for perfect reciprocity risks leaving Lebanon at the mercy of events it will not be able to control in the coming weeks.”

Its call was explicit: consolidate the initial pilot zones by eliminating all Hezbollah presence, extend the army’s deployment to Beirut and north of the Litani River, and continue negotiations on an Israeli withdrawal. The goal cannot be limited to southern Lebanon; the state must regain a monopoly on arms throughout the country.

"In the absence of visible results from Lebanon, American investment in terms of attention and support is eroding," the ATFL warned.

The organization called for a precise timetable, clearly defined responsibilities and verifiable results. It also urged an end to the obstruction of banking reforms, which are essential to economic recovery and to combating Hezbollah’s illicit financing networks. Furthermore, it called for judicial proceedings over the recent seizure of Hezbollah explosives to be pursued to completion. The case was raised by Secretary of State Marco Rubio during a phone call with President Joseph Aoun.

A new war could put Lebanon on the front line

The ATFL expressed concern that a confrontation between Washington, Israel and Tehran could once again draw Hezbollah into a conflict with devastating consequences for Lebanon. It also acknowledged the limits of the state’s ability to prevent such a scenario if Iran’s Revolutionary Guard were to demand Hezbollah's intervention.

The ATFL addressed President Joseph Aoun, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri directly. It called on Aoun and Salam to present a coherent national strategy that could be implemented immediately, and urged Berri to lift legislative obstacles to essential reforms. "Lebanon cannot delegate its future to decisions made by others," it insisted.