Round 11,000 Lebanese nationals within the US can keep for 18 months and file for work permits below new standing.
The USA is granting non permanent immigration protections for hundreds of Lebanese nationals as Israel continues a devastating month-long assault on their residence nation.
The protections embody providing Short-term Protected Standing (TPS) for eligible Lebanese nationals who arrived within the US earlier than October 16, the Division of Homeland Safety (DHS) introduced on Thursday.
With TPS, Lebanese residents can keep within the US for 18 months and file for work permits as a result of “ongoing armed battle and extraordinary and non permanent circumstances in Lebanon”, DHS mentioned in an announcement.
The brand new measures are anticipated to cowl some 11,000 Lebanese nationals presently within the US, in response to the division.
The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) welcomed the “essential measures” to maintain Lebanese residents out of an lively battle zone however referred to as on the US to cease arming Israel with the very weapons getting used towards Lebanon.
“It isn’t misplaced on us that these nationals are on this place to start with due to US international coverage,” ADC government director Abed Ayoub mentioned in an announcement.
“It’s unfathomable that the Biden-Harris Administration continues to offer the weapons, army help, and diplomatic cowl for Israel to proceed its genocidal march into Lebanon.”
The US presents TPS to guests and non permanent residents from international locations that Washington deems unsafe for folks to return to.
The administration of US President Joe Biden has advised that it opposes an instantaneous ceasefire in Lebanon. It argues that Washington helps the Israeli marketing campaign to degrade Hezbollah whereas the group is “on the again foot” after the assassination of a number of of its leaders.
However the DHS assertion on Thursday, cited US diplomatic efforts to finish the battle.
“These permitted for TPS will be capable to stay within the nation whereas america is in discussions to realize a diplomatic decision for lasting stability and safety throughout the Israel-Lebanon border,” DHS mentioned.
Turning Lebanese villages ‘unlivable’
Israel launched an intensified aerial marketing campaign on its neighbour Lebanon on September 23, claiming to focus on Hezbollah fighters within the nation. Since then, Israeli assaults have killed at least 1,356 people, tons of of them women and children, whereas displacing greater than 1.2 million folks.
At the least one of many folks killed in Israel’s assaults was a US citizen – longtime Michigan resident Kamel Jawad.
The US – which has despatched Israel at least $17.9bn in military aid within the final yr, in response to a current report – has expressed concern over the broadening “scope” of Israel’s bombing marketing campaign in Lebanon’s capital Beirut, however mentioned it continues to again Israel’s efforts “to tackle Hezbollah”.
When requested in regards to the Israeli forces’ bombardment of the southern Lebanese village of Mhaibib Wednesday, which worn out a complete neighbourhood, US State Division spokesperson Matthew Miller mentioned at a press briefing: “I can’t converse to what their intent was or what they have been making an attempt to perform.”
When pressed on the size of the assault, Miller added: “I don’t know what was in these buildings. I don’t know what was probably beneath these buildings. That’s why I mentioned I can’t converse to what they have been making an attempt to perform”.
Al Jazeera’s Ali Hashem, reporting from Beirut, said the Mhaibib attack was a part of Israel’s technique to render Lebanon’s border villages “unlivable” so evacuated residents won’t be able to return, even within the occasion of a possible settlement.