US Comments on Referral of Complaint Against Lebanese Ambassador to Washington to Military Judiciary

The US State Department criticized the referral of a legal complaint against Lebanon's ambassador to the United States, Nada Hamadeh Mouawad, to the Lebanese military judiciary, stating that the ambassador is being pursued for implementing her government's policy and participating in negotiations led by Washington.

The US position came following a judicial notification filed against the ambassador, after conflicting reports regarding an alleged contact between her and the Israeli Ambassador in Washington, Yechiel Leiter.

Criticism of the Military Judiciary
A spokesperson for the US State Department said that Washington is aware of the complaint filed against the Lebanese ambassador.

He added: "It is shameful that a military court is handling a complaint against Lebanon's ambassador to Washington, simply for implementing the policy of her legitimate government and participating in negotiations led by the United States."

The spokesperson considered that the Lebanese military judiciary should direct its resources toward pursuing members of "Hezbollah," whom he accused of plotting against the Lebanese government and people, instead of pursuing individuals who he said work in their interest.

He also called for the abolition of laws and practices that he described as enabling the political targeting of civilians and diplomats, and providing, in his words, systematic protection for "Hezbollah" members.

He concluded his statement with a warning saying: "We will not tolerate any obstruction."

The Complaint Against the Ambassador
The case dates back to September 29, when lawyer Hassan Adel Bouz submitted a judicial notification before the Public Prosecution against Ambassador Nada Hamadeh Mouawad.

The notification came following media reports mentioning the ambassador's communication with the Israeli Ambassador to Washington, Yechiel Leiter, to console him after his son was injured.

The Israeli Broadcasting Corporation had reported that Mouawad made a call to the Israeli ambassador.

In contrast, Lebanese media outlets conveyed information denying that the call took place, meaning that the incident upon which the complaint was based remains subject to conflicting media narratives.

The US State Department described the complainant as a "pro-Hezbollah lawyer."

Referral to the Military Judiciary
On October 13, the Prosecutor General, Judge Ahmad Rami Al-Hajj, referred the notification to the Government Commissioner at the Military Court, Judge Claude Ghanem, to take appropriate action.

According to the website "Lebanon 24," judicial sources clarified that the procedure is limited to referring the notification to the Military Prosecutor for review.

The sources emphasized that this step does not, in itself, mean indicting the ambassador or summoning her for investigation.

Thus, the referral of the notification does not mean the issuance of a judicial indictment against Mouawad, despite the criticism raised by the US side regarding the measure.

Washington considers, according to statements by its foreign ministry spokesperson, that pursuing diplomats for implementing the official policy of their governments is unacceptable.

In contrast, the case remains at the level of the notification referred to the competent judicial authority, without any announcement of accusatory measures taken against the ambassador.