AMCD: Hezbollah Must be Disarmed before Lebanon Can Join Abraham Accords

The American Mideast Coalition for Democracy recommends the Trump administration establish a special task force on Lebanon.

WASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES, July 9, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- As Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the White House on Monday to discuss the resolution of Gaza and talks between Washington and Tehran are scheduled to resume shortly, the American Mideast Coalition for Democracy believes the time is right to begin to resolve problems in Lebanon so that it might eventually join the Abraham Accords.

Despite the fact that the UN Security Council passed Resolution 1559 in 2004 calling for disarming all militias in Lebanon, the Iranian terrorist organization refuses to disarm and continues to dominate the Lebanese government through intimidation.

“Even though Israel did Lebanon a tremendous service by eliminating Hezbollah’s leadership, that action did not dislodge the organization,” said AMCD co-chair Tom Harb. “It seems that the US expects the Lebanese Armed Forces to deal with Hezbollah, but the LAF keeps waiting for the UN peacekeepers, the Israelis, or maybe even the US to come in and clear out Hezbollah for them.”

“The situation is this: Lebanon is only partially free and sovereign because it is partially occupied by a Khomeinist militia force,” said Dr. Walid Phares, former foreign policy advisor to President Trump and AMCD senior advisor. “American diplomats and envoys have repeatedly pressed Lebanon’s President, Prime Minister, and Speaker of Parliament to implement a phased plan to disarm Hezbollah. I personally presented such a plan during the first Trump administration, and again in 2022 to members of Congress. Most recently, Deputy Envoy Morgan Ortagus and Ambassador Tom Barrack have urged the Lebanese government to begin the process. To its credit, the Trump administration is officially calling for the end of Hezbollah’s military power. However, Lebanese officials continue to maneuver diplomatically, waiting to follow Washington’s lead rather than proceed proactively. They fear Hezbollah more than they trust U.S. support at this time.”

“Everyone wants to see Lebanon succeed as a free country and even to join the Abraham Accords,” added AMCD co-chair John Hajjar. “But before that can happen, Hezbollah must be completely dissolved so that the Lebanese government can claim full sovereignty over its rightful territory and join the ranks of peace-loving, democratic nations.”

AMCD recommends the Trump administration establish a special task force on Lebanon to re-evaluate and develop an alternative U.S. policy. Such a strategy must reflect today’s realities—particularly the collapse of Iran’s nuclear program—and it should be grounded in practical options that neither rely on the Lebanese government’s initiative nor assume Hezbollah will voluntarily disarm.

Rebecca Bynum
The American Mideast Coalition for Democracy
+1 615-775-6801
rebecca@americanmideast.com
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