As a new round of negotiations between Lebanon and Israel opened in Washington, set to last two days, a U.S. State Department official told MBN that repealing Lebanon’s law banning contact with Israel would be an important confidence-building measure between the two countries.
The official said the United States supports steps that “build trust and create conditions for lasting peace,” describing the potential repeal as “one of several items under discussion” in the ongoing negotiations, in remarks to MBN’s Washington Bureau Chief Joe Kawly.
The official added that Washington “does not characterize any single demand as a make-or-break issue,” and said it would not comment on the internal parliamentary procedures of its partners. The administration’s focus, the official said, remains on “facilitating dialogue and securing tangible progress on arrangements that protect both Israeli and Lebanese civilians.”
Discussion of a possible repeal of Lebanon’s 1955 law banning contact with Israel has resurfaced in Lebanon since the start of indirect talks with Israel several weeks ago, and after U.S. President Donald Trump said following the second round in April that the law should be repealed, pledging to work toward that goal.
The law, known as the Israel boycott law, is one of Lebanon’s oldest and most politically sensitive statutes. It was issued on June 23, 1955, and signed by then-President Camille Chamoun and then-Prime Minister Sami el-Solh. It prohibits contact with Israel and Israeli citizens, as well as any commercial, financial, or other dealings with entities or individuals in Israel.
Article 7 of the law stipulates penalties of temporary hard labor ranging from three to 10 years, in addition to fines for those convicted.
The law is enforced by the Israel Boycott Office at the Ministry of Economy, which issues a “blacklist” of companies and individuals banned from doing business with Lebanon.
The issue has sparked wide political debate in Lebanon, but no parliamentary move has been made to repeal it. Lawmaker Osama Saad has instead recently proposed tightening the penalties under the boycott law.
Strong Lebanon Bloc MP Jimmy Jabbour told MBN that repealing the law has not yet been discussed in parliament, arguing that it represents “one of Lebanon’s bargaining chips” and should be retained until more advanced stages of any negotiations. He said repeal could instead be part of a future settlement or peace agreement, rather than a precondition.
While current negotiations between Lebanon and Israel, and U.S. pressure for repeal, have brought the issue back into public debate, its fate remains uncertain amid deep political and public divisions in Lebanon.
The article is a translation of the original Arabic.
