U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa voiced strong support for Maronite Patriarch Bechara al-Rahi during a visit to Bkirki on Monday, while also weighing in on Lebanon’s internal political tensions and its potential diplomatic track with Israel.

Issa said his visit was prompted by recent events he said he found troubling.

“I came to Bkirki because I did not like what happened over the weekend,” he said. “Lebanon is known for coexistence, and I don’t think what happened reflects the will of anyone who truly believes in this country.”

He added that criticism or attacks directed at the Patriarch were unacceptable.

“Anyone who went after the Patriarch is free to go find another country to live in,” Issa said. “Let them go somewhere else, not here.”

Turning to domestic political dynamics, Issa said he respects Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and plans to meet him to clarify recent remarks referencing “Anjar and Awkar,” in what appeared to be an insinuation of ongoing U.S. influence over Lebanon in comparison with past Syrian tutelage.

“I respect Speaker Berri. He is doing what he can for the country, and I will meet him today to understand what he meant by that expression," he said.

He stressed that key national decisions are not made in Awkar, where the U.S. Embassy is located, adding that Lebanon’s political choices cannot be reduced to binary scenarios such as “a meeting between Joseph Aoun and Benjamin Netanyahu or war.”

Issa also addressed Lebanon’s possible diplomatic engagement with Washington and Israel, saying President Joseph Aoun would be expected to present Lebanon’s core demands if such a visit were to take place.

“If President Aoun goes to the United States, he will present Lebanon’s demands,” he said. “The most important one is that every inch of Lebanon remains Lebanese and returns fully under Lebanese sovereignty.”

He said Lebanon’s position overlaps with broader regional dynamics, while outlining starkly different end goals between the parties involved.

He added that Israel, as he described it, seeks peace without Hezbollah’s armed presence, while Hezbollah’s position implies continued resistance.

“If Hezbollah remains in that equation, it will have a different role,” he said.

Issa argued that a potential meeting between President Aoun, U.S. President Donald Trump, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would not be a concession for Lebanon.

“If President Aoun meets President Trump, Lebanon has nothing to lose,” he said. “He will present Lebanon’s demands to both Trump and Netanyahu, and then negotiations would begin. That is not a concession or a defeat.”

He dismissed the perception of Netanyahu as an obstacle to talks.

“Is Netanyahu a bogeyman? He is just another negotiator,” Issa said.

The ambassador concluded by stressing that Washington’s objective is to preserve Lebanon’s sovereignty and stability.

“The United States wants Lebanon to remain independent, preserve its dignity, and rebuild its economy,” he said.