U.S. Envoy Barak Urges Lebanon to End Sectarian Gridlock

U.S. envoy Tom Barak said Lebanon faces a “historic moment” to leave behind its entrenched sectarian system, declaring that the country can realise the promise of “one country, one people, one army.” In a statement posted ahead of an expected visit to Beirut on Monday, Barak argued that now is the right time to transcend confessional politics and rebuild national unity. Barak’s comments underscore renewed diplomatic attention to Lebanon’s prolonged political paralysis and economic crisis. While he did not outline specific U.S. initiatives, the envoy framed his trip as an opportunity to encourage Lebanese leaders to agree on overdue institutional reforms and elect a president after more than a year of deadlock.