France Releases Lebanese Militant Georges Abdallah After 40 Years US Condemns

The United States has strongly condemned France's decision to release Georges Ibrahim Abdallah, a Lebanese pro-Palestinian militant convicted for the 1984 assassinations of U.S. military attaché Charles Robert Ray and Israeli diplomat Yacov Barsimantov. Abdallah, who had been imprisoned for over 40 years and sentenced to life in 1987, was freed after a French appeals court deemed his continued detention disproportionate given his age. Despite being eligible for release since 1999, previous requests were blocked due to U.S. opposition, as Abdallah is viewed as a convicted terrorist whose freedom endangers American diplomats abroad. Following his release, Abdallah was deported to Lebanon and declared his intention to continue resistance efforts for Palestinian liberation. U.S. officials, including State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce, described the release as a grave injustice to the victims and their families and pledged to continue supporting justice in the case. The move has reignited tensions over diplomatic security and the legacy of Abdallah's involvement in politically charged assassinations.