On Sunday, Donald Trump announced the appointment of Lebanese-American businessman and his son-in-law, Massad Boulos, as the special envoy to the Middle East. In an interview with the French newspaper Le Point, Boulos stated that the ceasefire agreement will apply to all of Lebanon, not just the area south of the Litani River.
Boulos, 53, a longtime Republican who built his wealth selling cars in Nigeria, is the father of Michael Boulos, who married Tiffany Trump, one of the U.S. President-elect’s daughters, in 2022. Entering Trump’s inner circle, Boulos is set to replace Amos Hochstein as envoy.
In an exclusive interview with Le Point, Boulos outlined his vision for the ceasefire agreement and explained the approach the new U.S. administration is expected to adopt. He described the ceasefire deal between Lebanon and Israel as a historic agreement for both countries, emphasizing that its importance will become evident in the weeks and months ahead.
In his comments to Le Point, Boulos added:
“The agreement is comprehensive and addresses all the critical points. Initially, there was a misunderstanding, particularly in Lebanon, as some believed the document pertained solely to the area south of the Litani River. This is not true. The agreement encompasses the entire country and tackles the issue of disarming all armed militias and paramilitary groups.”
The new envoy further noted that the agreement stipulates the implementation of UN Resolutions 1701 and 1559. Consequently, only the Lebanese Army, internal security forces, customs officials, and municipal police will be allowed to hold weapons.
Boulos emphasized that the responsibility lies with the Lebanese state, particularly the Lebanese Army, to disarm armed militias and paramilitary groups. According to the agreement, the Lebanese Army is tasked with overseeing the entry of weapons through the border with Syria, Beirut Airport, and Beirut Port, which are now under its jurisdiction.
