US denounces complaint against Lebanese Ambassador Nada Hamadeh Moawad

The U.S. State Department has condemned a legal complaint filed against Lebanon’s ambassador to Washington, Nada Hamadeh Moawad, which was reportedly referred to Lebanon’s military judiciary. The complaint, filed by a lawyer described as Hezbollah-aligned, stems from Moawad’s reported contact with her Israeli counterpart, Yechiel Leiter, to express sympathy following a West Bank ramming attack that wounded Leiter’s son.

A State Department spokesperson characterized the move as “troubling” and “embarrassing,” arguing that the ambassador was implementing her government’s official policy and participating in U.S.-led diplomatic negotiations. The U.S. urged the Lebanese military judiciary to focus its resources on prosecuting Hezbollah operatives rather than targeting diplomats and civilians.

In Lebanon, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants stated that reports of formal legal proceedings against Moawad are inaccurate. They clarified that the public prosecutor’s referral of the complaint to the government commissioner at the military court is a routine procedural step and does not constitute a formal charge or an investigation. The ministry emphasized that the ambassador is acting under the mandate of the Lebanese presidency and government.