Palms at the US Embassy Club Party: Our Hand is Extended to Everyone

Under the patronage of U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Lisa Johnson, the American Embassy Sports Club held a dinner at the Al-Atlal Plaza restaurant to celebrate its 30th anniversary. Among the attendees were U.S. Embassy Military Attaché Michael Jacob Fernandez, representing the patron; U.S. Embassy Regional Security Officer Jason Smith and his deputy Samuel Shore; Lebanese Olympic Committee President Dr. Pierre Jalakh and members of the committee; Dr. Raja Labaki, representing Minister of Youth and Sports George Kallas and his advisor, Attorney Ibrahim Shweiri; Head of the Sports Department at the Ministry Mohammad Oweidat; Lebanese-American businessman Charles Ibrahim Hanna; Brigadier General Bassam Farah, representing Acting Director General of General Security Major General Elias Baisari; First Investigating Judge in the North Samaranda Nassar; Solomon Islands Ambassador to France, Attorney Nasri Lahoud; and Consul Elie Sarkis. Also present were Lebanese Volleyball Federation President Walid Kassouf, his deputy Ghassan Qazihah, Secretary General Issam Abu Jawdeh, and members Ghassan Qardahi, Tony Charbel, Assaf Mehanna, Naji Bassil, and Elie Moussa, George Habib, former president of the federation, Michel Abi Ramia, presidents of federations Francois Saadeh (Judo), Jihad Salameh (Fencing), Carla Chaghouri (Water Sports), and George Koubli (Table Tennis), treasurer of the Ski Federation Raymond Sakr, secretary of the Wushu Kung Fu Federation Bassam Nahra, mayors, municipal and local council members, club presidents and administrators, military, security, judicial, economic, banking, medical, and educational figures, artists Amer Zayan, Lady Madonna, Fadi Makdissi, Elie Msaad, Shadi Maroun, and Gaby Hawik, the club's volleyball team players and coaching staff. After the Lebanese and American national anthems and a speech by master of ceremonies George Hani, the president of the American Embassy Club and vice president of the Olympic Committee, Asaad Nakhle, affirmed that his hand was and will remain extended to everyone, wherever they may be, noting that honorable and fraternal competition with others is never enmity or hostility. He added: "We are engaged in democratic elections, and whoever loses should congratulate the winner and wish them success, while the winner should respect the loser and appreciate their history and sacrifices. The game is open to all those with good intentions and a sincere desire to serve it." He continued: "Everyone who knows me well knows perfectly well that I am a committed and loyal man to my friends and allies, and I will not abandon them at the first crossroads. Therefore, any meeting that does not take into account the presence of these friends and allies by my side will not be beneficial or fruitful. In this regard, I am clarifying the situation to facilitate matters in the future, and I am not placing obstacles or wrenches in the works." Al-Nakhl expressed his hope that consensus would be reached in the upcoming volleyball elections, because fragmentation and division will only harm the game at a time when it desperately needs solidarity and unity to revive it amidst the difficult circumstances and challenging conditions surrounding Lebanon. For his part, Smith said that, on his own behalf and on behalf of the US Embassy, he was happy and proud of what he had accomplished. Al-Nakhl, over thirty years of efforts and sacrifices, wished the American Embassy Club success in all its future endeavors, praising its team that he had closely followed and supported, and hoping that it would rise to higher levels in the coming seasons. Then, surrounded by his colleagues on the club's administrative committee, Al-Nakhl presented commemorative shields to Ambassador Johnson, Chargé d'Affaires Amanda Bells, Jason Smith, Samuel Shore, Charles Hanna, owner of the famous "Cedars" food com