US President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that the United States will allow direct flights to Lebanon, reversing a ban imposed over 40 years ago. The suspension of direct air service dates back to 1985, during the Reagan administration, following the hijacking of TWA Flight 847.

In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump stated: “I am hereby directing my Administration to allow all US airline carriers to fly directly to Lebanon so that Americans can easily visit this beautiful land.”

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam hailed the announcement, calling it “a significant opportunity to enhance travel and connectivity between Lebanon and the United States, and to support the Lebanese economy.”

The announcement came after Trump hosted Lebanese President Michel Aoun at the White House on Tuesday. During the meeting, Trump said Lebanon had “been a very badly treated place” and promised to “have it properly treated and treated with the respect it deserves.”

Washington has been mediating rare talks between Israel and Lebanon but has become distracted in recent weeks by the resumption of full-scale hostilities between the US and Iran.

Aoun, making his first visit to Washington since 2009, sought to appeal for a longer-term stable peace after months of war between Israel and Hezbollah. He praised Trump as a “great president” with a “vision for peace.”

Source: www.dw.com