{"id":2143243,"date":"2024-01-08T11:16:02","date_gmt":"2024-01-08T16:16:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/the-biden-admin-lobbied-lebanon-to-stop-promoting-anti-israel-boycotts-that-diplomacy-failed\/"},"modified":"2024-01-08T11:19:52","modified_gmt":"2024-01-08T16:19:52","slug":"the-biden-admin-lobbied-lebanon-to-stop-promoting-anti-israel-boycotts-that-diplomacy-failed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/the-biden-admin-lobbied-lebanon-to-stop-promoting-anti-israel-boycotts-that-diplomacy-failed\/","title":{"rendered":"Biden Admin&#8217;s bid to halt anti-Israel boycotts in Lebanon flops"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">20<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fthe-biden-admin-lobbied-lebanon-to-stop-promoting-anti-israel-boycotts-that-diplomacy-failed%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2143243&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><h2>The Biden Administration&#8217;s Failed Efforts to Stop Lebanon&#8217;s Economic Boycotts of Israel<\/h2>\n<p>The Biden\u200d administration made a strong push to convince the Lebanese government to halt its economic boycotts \u200dof Israel, but unfortunately, these diplomatic efforts did not yield any results. According to a non-public State Department report\u2064 to Congress, U.S. diplomats stationed \u2062in Beirut consistently urged senior Lebanese officials to \u200breconsider their Israel boycott legislation\u200c throughout 2022 \u200dand 2023.<\/p>\n<p>In addition \u2064to these\u200c efforts, \u2062the embassy also raised concerns \u200dabout Lebanon&#8217;s corrosive Boycott, Divestment, and\u2064 Sanctions\u2064 (BDS) policies during diplomatic engagements \u200dsurrounding an Israel-Lebanon maritime agreement brokered in \u2064October 2022. However, despite \u2063these attempts, the report does not indicate any success in changing \u200cLebanon&#8217;s\u200d stance.<\/p>\n<p>Experts in \u200cthe region, as well as a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-admin-waives-sanctions-on-iran-as-nuclear-talks-restart\/\" title=\"Biden Admin Waives Sanctions on Iran as Nuclear Talks Restart\">senior congressional source familiar<\/a> with \u2063the \u2063State Department&#8217;s diplomacy in Lebanon, have revealed \u200dthat\u2064 the Biden administration&#8217;s overtures were effectively rebuffed by the\u2063 Lebanese government. This failure suggests that Hezbollah, an Iran-backed\u200d terror group, continues to exert influence in \u200cBeirut,\u2064 preventing \u2062the normalization of\u200c relations with Israel.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<h3>Lebanon&#8217;s Struggle with Pro-Israel Policies<\/h3>\n<p>&#8220;Lebanon is\u200b a failed state run by an\u2063 Iranian proxy, Hezbollah,&#8221; said Jonathan Schanzer, a regional analyst\u200d and vice president for research at the Foundation\u2062 for Defense of Democracies think tank. &#8220;The notion\u200d that State Department \u2063officials could convince this government to pursue anything resembling a\u2063 sane policy toward Israel, or much else for that matter, strikes\u200d me \u200cas <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/china-threatens-u-s-over-expected-diplomatic-olympic-boycott-china-will-take-firm-countermeasures\/\" title=\"China Threatens U.S. Over Expected Diplomatic Olympic Boycott: \u2018China Will Take Firm Countermeasures\u2019\">purely wishful thinking<\/a>.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>The\u2063 State Department&#8217;s objective in pushing Lebanon closer to its Arab allies, such \u200cas Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain, was to align the country \u2063with the\u2062 trend of normalization and ease its economic crisis. These Arab nations have already opened up diplomatic relations with Israel and softened their economic boycotts since\u2062 the signing of\u200b the \u200d2020 Abraham Accords \u2063peace \u2062deal.<\/p>\n<p>While\u200b the State Department did not comment on the report, a spokesperson \u200bemphasized the United States&#8217; firm\u200d rejection\u2063 of the BDS movement\u200b and\u200d its commitment to countering efforts to delegitimize Israel. \u200dThe Biden administration\u200b remains \u200cdedicated to supporting Israel&#8217;s integration\u2064 into the international community.<\/p>\n<p>During\u200b the negotiations for the Israel-Lebanon maritime deal in October\u2064 2022,\u200d as \u2062well as in\u200b July of the\u2062 same \u200cyear when\u200c a \u200ctop religious official was arrested for attempting to \u2062import \u2062cash and medicine from Israel, the Biden administration diplomats raised the issue of Lebanon&#8217;s BDS\u200c policies.<\/p>\n<p>Lebanon and\u2062 Syria\u200c are the leading Arab countries that continue to enforce full economic boycotts on Israel, aiming to delegitimize the nation and hinder its \u200deconomic prosperity in the \u200bregion. Despite the State Department&#8217;s diplomatic\u200c offensive, \u2062Lebanon \u2064has shown no signs of changing \u2063its policies.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<h3>Lebanon&#8217;s\u2063 Disregard for U.S. Influence<\/h3>\n<p>One senior\u2064 GOP congressional official with \u200dknowledge of the State Department&#8217;s diplomacy in Lebanon expressed frustration, stating that Lebanon&#8217;s refusal to address the issue demonstrates a lack of seriousness\u2062 towards\u2064 the U.S. \u200cgovernment. This sentiment persists despite the significant economic aid that America provides \u200bto the nation. \u2063&#8221;It&#8217;s just so incredibly pathetic,&#8221; the source said. &#8220;Lebanon is a failed state controlled by Hezbollah. The Biden administration pretends [Lebanon] \u2064has a real independent government so they can keep sending\u2063 them billions of American taxpayer dollars, but whenever they ask that pretend government to do\u200d the most basic things in America&#8217;s interest, they get told to fuck off.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> How \u2064have the economic boycotts of Israel by Lebanon \u2063affected Lebanon&#8217;s potential for economic\u2062 growth and opportunities for\u200b diplomatic relations?<\/h2>\n<p><span>  Ends of the Abraham Accords, which normalized\u2064 relations \u200cbetween Israel and several Arab countries. However, with the failed\u200d efforts to halt Lebanon&#8217;s \u200deconomic boycotts of Israel, it is clear\u200b that the Biden\u2063 administration&#8217;s initiative has not been successful.<\/p>\n<p>The economic boycotts \u200dof Israel by Lebanon have been a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/behaving-like-a-woke-parallel-government-republicans-punch-back-at-corporations-bowing-to-far-left-mobs\/\" title=\"\u2018Behaving Like A Woke Parallel Government\u2019: Republicans Punch Back At Corporations Bowing To \u2018Far-Left Mobs\u2019\">long-standing issue<\/a>.\u2062 These boycotts restrict any\u2063 trade or economic\u2064 activities between Lebanon and Israel.\u200b This not\u2063 only hampers Lebanon&#8217;s potential economic \u2064growth but\u2063 also limits \u2062opportunities for diplomatic relations\u2063 and regional cooperation.<\/p>\n<p>The Biden administration recognized the \u2063importance of addressing\u2062 this issue and worked diligently to convince the\u200b Lebanese government to reconsider their boycott legislation. U.S. diplomats stationed in Beirut consistently raised this concern with senior\u2062 Lebanese \u2064officials \u2063throughout 2022 and\u200c 2023. The goal was to encourage Lebanon to abandon its boycott policies and open up avenues for economic collaboration with Israel.<\/p>\n<p>Furthermore, during diplomatic engagements surrounding an Israel-Lebanon maritime agreement brokered in October 2022, the U.S. embassy in Beirut highlighted the negative impact of Lebanon&#8217;s\u200b boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) policies. These policies further isolate Lebanon and\u2063 hinder its potential for economic growth and development.<\/p>\n<p>However, despite these efforts,\u200c the State Department&#8217;s report to \u2063Congress \u200bdoes not indicate any\u2062 success in changing\u2063 Lebanon&#8217;s \u2062stance. This failure signals the continued influence of Hezbollah, an Iran-backed\u2063 terrorist group,\u200c in Lebanese\u2062 politics and their determination to prevent any \u200bnormalization of relations with Israel.<\/p>\n<p>Analysts and experts\u200d in the region have \u2064also criticized the Biden administration&#8217;s\u2063 approach. Jonathan Schanzer, a regional analyst\u200d and vice president for research at the \u2064Foundation for Defense\u2063 of Democracies think\u2063 tank,\u200d stated that Lebanon, being a failed state controlled by Hezbollah, is \u200dunlikely to pursue \u2064any reasonable\u200b policy towards Israel. He believes that the notion of convincing the Lebanese government to change its stance\u200b is wishful \u200dthinking.<\/p>\n<p>The Biden\u200b administration had hoped that\u200d by pushing Lebanon closer \u200dto its\u200c Arab allies, such as Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain, it could align the country with the trend of regional normalization with Israel seen \u200din the Abraham Accords. Unfortunately, the failed efforts in addressing Lebanon&#8217;s economic boycotts of Israel highlight the obstacles and influence of Hezbollah that prevent the country from joining this \u200dpositive development.<\/p>\n<p>In conclusion, the\u2063 Biden administration&#8217;s\u2064 strong diplomatic efforts to convince Lebanon to halt its \u200deconomic boycotts of \u200bIsrael have failed. Despite consistent pressure from U.S. diplomats and highlighting \u200cthe negative consequences of these boycotts, the Lebanese government remains steadfast\u2064 in its stance. This failure demonstrates\u200b the\u2064 continued influence of \u200cHezbollah in Lebanese politics\u200c and their opposition to any normalization of relations with\u2062 Israel. Going forward, it is \u200bcrucial for the international community to address these challenges and work towards finding a \u2063solution that promotes economic\u2064 growth, regional stability, and diplomatic ties between Lebanon and Israel.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Biden administration urged Lebanon to halt its economic boycotts of Israel, as per a confidential State Department report to Congress. However, these diplomatic endeavors proved fruitless. American diplomats in Beirut persistently urged senior Lebanese officials to moderate their Israel boycott legislation from 2022 to 2023<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":117,"featured_media":2143244,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[544],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2143243","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-free-beacon"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2143243","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/117"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2143243"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2143243\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2143244"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2143243"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2143243"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2143243"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}