by Raghida Dergham -- the nationalnews -- Almost a year after Amos Hochstein helped broker a historic agreement between Lebanon and Israel to demarcate their maritime border, the US energy envoy landed in Beirut on Wednesday to assist the neighbours in their attempt to resolve their outstanding land border disputes. Success in this regard could provide US President Joe Biden’s 2024 re-election campaign a considerable boost. This isn’t a move simply to resolve the fate of a few square metres of disputed territory, or about carrying out land swaps. We are talking about a potential end to the Lebanon-Israel conflict, achieved by securing Beirut’s independence from the path of negotiations that involved Syria.

A deal could benefit Tehran, given Trump’s possible return would be a source of concern for the regime It is worth noting that previously Damascus imposed what it termed “twin-track” negotiations on Lebanon for decades, which impeded Beirut’s attempts to end its complex conflict with Israel at a time when Syria’s own issues with Israel remained unresolved. This was intended to ensure that Lebanon remained a bargaining chip for Syria. However, today’s circumstances have shifted to a “first come, first served” approach, due in large part to the Syrian government’s diminished regional influence, its struggles to maintain control over its own territory, and the fact that the primary Arab player in regional and international affairs today is not Syria but Saudi Arabia. The Biden administration is now actively engaging with Saudi Arabia, marking a shift in strategy as Washington views this as the most viable way to engage with the region.

Mr Hochstein’s Lebanon visit might seem insignificant in the context of US-China and US-Russia relations, Nato’s expansion, and the creation of alliances around the world. But it is of strategic importance to Washington – and one that goes beyond the extraction of oil and gas necessary for Europe in a time of scarcity imposed by the Ukrainian war. The primary message Mr Hochstein conveyed to those he met in Lebanon, including officials and non-governmental figures, is that the Biden administration is concerned about long-term stability and peace and is prepared to work towards rectifying the irregularities on the Blue Line, which covers the Lebanon-Israel boundary. Mr Hochstein also emphasised conflict resolution by way of partnering with regional countries, rather than by imposing an agenda, as was sometimes the US approach in the past.

US Embassy in Lebanon

 by the arabamericannews.com -- Arab American community activists are urging the Department of Homeland Security to declare Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Lebanese nationals in the U.S.. It would grant temporary immigration status for people to live and work in the U.S. due to challenges in their home country. Adam Beddawi, policy manager for the National Network for Arab American Communities (NNAAC), says more than 12,000 people are impacted by TPS in the United States, including many families in Metro Detroit. “There are certain people who currently reside in this country… if they were to go back to Lebanon, they would not be able to make ends meet,” Beddawi said. “And in fact, they may even be subject to violent horror.” As the home of the largest Arab American population per capita in the country, Dearborn also houses one of the biggest concentrations of Lebanese communities. Beddawi said Lebanese nationals face unique challenges, especially after the pandemic and political crisis in the country. Lebanese citizens are in the fourth year of economic turmoil and lack many basic necessities.

The Beirut explosion of 2020 added fuel to the fire.

Dearborn is home to one of the largest Lebanese communities in the United States. “The most recent event that I think should have forced action by the Department of Homeland Security went without a response, and the conditions have only worsened over time,” Beddawi said. In April, Michigan U.S. Reps Rashida Tlaib and Debbie Dingell introduced the Lebanon TPS Act of 2023. If passed, Congress can request the Department of Homeland Security to declare Temporary Protected Status for Lebanese nationals for 18 months.

By Rob Sacks, Editor at LinkedIn News — ChatGPT is forcing higher education to consider the potential consequences of artificial intelligence on …

UNITED NATIONS, Reporting by Michelle Nichols (Reuters) - The United Nations Security Council voted on Thursday to extend a long-running peacekeeping mission in Lebanon for another year after a compromise was reached between France and the United States on language about the freedom of movement of U.N. troops. The U.N. Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) - established in 1978 - patrols Lebanon's southern border with Israel. The mandate for the operation is renewed annually, and its current authorization was due to expire on Thursday. The French-drafted text was adopted with 13 votes in favor and abstentions by Russia and China. A planned Wednesday vote was delayed as France, the United States and the United Arab Emirates argued over language on U.N. freedom of movement. France kept language in the resolution that spells out that peacekeepers should coordinate with the Lebanese government.

But in a compromise with the U.S. and the UAE, France added back in text from last year's council resolution - which it had deleted - that demands all parties allow "announced and unannounced patrols" by U.N. troops. "The ability of the UNIFIL personnel to carry out their responsibilities, independent of any restrictions, is essential," U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, told the council. "And we've had long-standing concerns regarding the actions by some actors to obstruct the mission's freedom of movement," she said. "The resolution adopted today includes language strongly reaffirming UNIFIL's full freedom of movement."