Lebanon07 November, 20263 min read
Archive photo · 2 March 2024US Declares Lebanese Consul General Ibrahim Charara Persona Non Grata Over Pro-Hezbollah Posts
“the account had been hacked seven years ago and that the diplomat had not authored the posts.”
“over social media posts attributed to him praising Hezbollah's 1983 attack on the U.S. Marines in Beirut.”
Photo: United States Department of State / US federal government, Public domain · Cropped for layout
This article is an automated aggregation of coverage from news outlets. Our editorials offer in-depth analysis curated by the NewsCord team.
US State Department declared Ibrahim Charara persona non grata as Lebanese consul in Michigan. Posts attributed to him praised Hezbollah's 1983 Beirut Marine barracks bombing, killing 241.
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Persona non grata
The US State Department declared Lebanon’s consul general in Michigan, Ibrahim Charara, persona non grata on Friday over social media posts attributed to him praising Hezbollah’s 1983 bombing of the US Marine barracks in Beirut.
L’Orient Today reported that a source close to the diplomat said Charara was given until Sunday at 8 a.m. to leave the United States and that the account had been hacked seven years ago, while the diplomat said he had not authored the posts.
L’Orient Today said Charara no longer had "access to the account, its associated email address or the phone number linked to it," and it said the X account had no posts dating after 2021.
Naharnet said the US State Department declared Charara persona non grata over social media posts attributed to him praising Hezbollah’s 1983 attack on the US Marines in Beirut, an attack that killed 241 American service members.
Naharnet also said Charara wrote on Nov. 23, 2021, that the "heroic resistance" ended "American military occupation" of Lebanon with a "single strike."
Posts, banquet, and dispute
L’Orient Today said a source close to Charara told it that the decision came without prior warning or any complaints from US authorities about Charara’s professional conduct or his performance of diplomatic duties. L’Orient Today also said the source questioned the timing of the notification, which was issued on Friday afternoon, outside regular working hours. The Washington Free Beacon said Charara attended an Arab American banquet in support of Abdul El-Sayed and other Democratic candidates last week, and it said Charara praised Hezbollah’s 1983 suicide attack on the US Marine Corps barracks in social media posts unearthed by the portal.
The Washington Free Beacon quoted Charara writing, "From the Marines barracks in Beirut to the Al-Tanf base... we will reject the occupier and defeat him," and it said the line referenced a purported Iran and Hezbollah drone attack on American soldiers at Al-Tanf base in Syria in 2021. L’Orient Today said the source alleged that the controversy was being used to target El-Sayed, whose photograph with the consul general appeared in the article.
What is at stake
L’Orient Today said the Lebanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not respond to its request for comment by the time of publication, even as it reported that Charara received notification of the US State Department's decision on Friday afternoon. L’Orient Today said the source pointed out that Charara had already undergone the security checks required for US approval of his appointment in April 2025. Naharnet said Charara serves as Lebanon’s consul general in Detroit and described the role as important because there is a large Lebanese population in the Detroit area.
The Washington Free Beacon said Charara’s consul general position in Detroit is a key post for the Lebanese government given the large Lebanese presence in the area, centered around Dearborn and Dearborn Heights. The Washington Free Beacon also said Charara’s inroads to the Michigan political orbit could raise eyebrows in Washington, especially in the wake of remarks from Lebanese parliament speaker Nabih Berri about an "extension" of his party in Michigan and keeping tabs on the Senate race.
