📰 11 sources 14 articles · 14 Oct 2026, 04:25 → 3 days ago

Washington condemns referral of a complaint against Lebanon's ambassador Nada Hamada Maawad to the military judiciary

The US State Department said it was aware of the complaint filed against Lebanon's ambassador to Washington, Nada Hamada Maawad, and condemned its referral to the Lebanese military judiciary, calling it "disgraceful" and "upsetting," and saying Washington's patience over obstruction attempts had run out. The judicial step follows an accusation that the ambassador contacted the Israeli ambassador, and it triggered rejecting reactions from Lebanese political parties, while Lebanon's Foreign Ministry denied the accuracy of reports about judicial measures against the ambassador.

📍 Where things stand: Lebanon's Foreign Ministry continues to deny the accuracy of reports about judicial measures against Ambassador Maawad, while the government commissioner at the military court, Judge Claude Ghanem, continues to study the complaint amid US condemnation and rejecting political reactions.

⏱️ Timeline

14 Oct 2026, 04:25 A US State Department spokesperson said Washington was aware of the complaint filed against Lebanon's ambassador to the United States, Nada Hamada Maawad, and criticized referring the case to the Lebanese military judiciary, describing a military court's examination of a complaint against an ambassador merely for implementing her government's legitimate policy and taking part in US-led negotiations as "disgraceful," calling on the military judiciary to use its resources to pursue Hezbollah elements instead of the ambassador, and stating that Washington's patience over obstruction attempts had run out.
14 Oct 2026, 12:23 Gemayel considered the referral of the ambassador's file to the military court a dangerous precedent.
14 Oct 2026, 13:18 The foreign relations bureau of the Lebanese Kataeb Party condemned the smear and pressure campaigns targeting Lebanon's ambassador to the United States, Nada Hamada Maawad, and rejected any infringement on her position and her role in representing the Lebanese state, stressing that Lebanon's foreign policy is drawn up by its constitutional institutions and may not be subjected to any party's tutelage, and calling for protecting Lebanon's representatives abroad and not turning them into targets in internal conflicts.
14 Oct 2026, 15:34 The Lebanese judiciary referred a complaint lodged by lawyer Hassan Adel Bezz against Lebanon's ambassador in Washington, Nada Hamada Maawad, to the government commissioner at the military court, Judge Claude Ghanem, over accusations that she contacted Israeli ambassador Yechiel Leiter to express solidarity with him and condemn a car-ramming that his son was subjected to. The complainant was described in reports as a lawyer loyal to Hezbollah. No denial or confirmation was issued by Maawad or the Lebanese Foreign Ministry.
14 Oct 2026, 17:18 The media department of the Lebanese Forces expressed surprise at the discriminatory public prosecutor's referral of a complaint against Lebanon's ambassador in Washington, Nada Hamada Maawad, to the government commissioner at the military court, stressing that the civil service regulations require prior permission before prosecuting any employee or diplomat, and considering that the ambassador is an essential part of the Lebanese negotiating team and plays a constructive role.
14 Oct 2026, 18:18 A Lebanese judicial source said the complaint filed by lawyer Hassan Adel Bezz against Lebanon's ambassador in Washington, Nada Hamada Maawad, over accusations that she contacted the Israeli ambassador to congratulate him on his son's safety, lacks legal basis and does not fall under the provisions of the law boycotting Israel, expecting it to be shelved, while the government commissioner at the military court, Judge Claude Ghanem, continues to study the complaint; it also noted criticism of the step by US State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott.
14 Oct 2026, 19:35 Lebanon's Foreign Ministry clarified that reports about judicial measures against Lebanon's ambassador to the United States, Nada Hamada Maawad, were inaccurate, stressing that any judicial measure against a public employee requires the approval of the competent minister in accordance with legal rules, and that the ambassador's mission is by delegation from the President of the Republic and in agreement with the Prime Minister.

Timeline written by AI from the sources below; updated as new reports arrive.

⚠️ Sources disagree

Status of judicial measures against the ambassador

The Lebanese judiciary referred a complaint filed by lawyer Hassan Adel Bezz against the ambassador to the government commissioner at the military court, Judge Claude Ghanem according to العربي الجديد
The discriminatory public prosecutor referred a complaint against the ambassador to the government commissioner at the military court according to annahar.com
Lebanon's Foreign Ministry denied the accuracy of circulated reports about judicial measures being taken against the ambassador, calling them inaccurate according to Lebanon Debate

Figures as each outlet reported them at the time. We do not judge which is correct; numbers often change as events develop.

How the sources covered it

Coverage varied between focusing on the US position and its wording (calling the step "disgraceful" and saying patience had run out), focusing on the details of the complaint, its complainant and the judicial body handling it, and focusing on Lebanese political reactions and the clarification issued by Lebanon's Foreign Ministry.

الشرق للأخبار Presented the news through the US State Department's position, quoting its spokesperson describing a military court's examination of a complaint against an ambassador as "disgraceful" and calling on the military judiciary to pursue Hezbollah elements instead of the ambassador.
LBCI Lebanon Limited itself to confirming that Washington's patience over obstruction attempts had run out, without details on the complainant's identity, the content of the complaint, or the Lebanese side's response.
annahar.com Linked the US condemnation to the identity of the complainant, whom it described as a lawyer loyal to Hezbollah, and later highlighted the Lebanese Forces' surprise and the requirement of prior permission before prosecuting any employee or diplomat.
العربي الجديد Focused on the file's details, naming lawyer Hassan Adel Bezz and the government commissioner at the military court, Judge Claude Ghanem, citing the background of the accusation of contacting Israeli ambassador Yechiel Leiter, and noting that no denial or confirmation came from the ambassador or the Lebanese Foreign Ministry.
الشرق الأوسط Led with a Lebanese judicial source saying the complaint lacks legal basis and is expected to be shelved, noted that the government commissioner continues to study it, and named US State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott.
Lebanon Debate Its first report focused on Washington entering the debate and rejecting the targeting of a diplomat implementing her government's policy, while its later report focused on the Lebanese Foreign Ministry's clarification denying the accuracy of reports about judicial measures against the ambassador.