Kfarakka, Lebanon: A Village of Olive Oil and Hopes for Peace
In normal times, you’d rarely hear of Kfarakka, a hamlet nestled in the lush green mountains of north Lebanon whose primary claim to fame is that it’s the country’s top olive oil producer.
A Connection to the Trump Family
Hoping for an end to the devastating war with Israel, many Lebanese have turned to this village of some 3,500 people and its most famous son, a Lebanese American billionaire named Massad Boulos who has a direct family line to President-elect Donald Trump and is being talked about as a likely pick for his envoy to Lebanon.
Boulos’ son Michael is married to Trump’s daughter Tiffany, and during the U.S. election campaign Boulos served as Trump’s unofficial representative to Arab and Muslim American communities.
A Role in the War Effort
His job was to help them forget the ban on visitors from certain Muslim-majority countries during Trump’s first presidency and — capitalizing on disenchantment with the Biden administration for backing Israel in the wars in Gaza and Lebanon — persuade them that Trump can deliver peace in the Middle East.
“Trump will be a strong president,” Boulos said in an October interview with Saudi broadcaster Al-Arabiya. “He’s the only president who can achieve peace [in Lebanon] and a permanent solution to the Palestinian problem.”
A Village’s Hope
In Kfarakka, where every road seems to lead to an olive press, the Boulos family has long been held in high regard: Massad’s father, Fares, served as mayor until his death in 2011, and a plaque honoring him is mounted above the entrance of the village’s municipal building.
Massad, who grew up during Lebanon’s long civil war, hasn’t lived here since he was 18, when he finished high school and moved to the United States and earned an international law degree at the University of Houston.
Residents’ Expectations
Now, residents of Kfarakka joke that the Trump connection makes their humble village the most important place in all of Lebanon.
“They’re immediately giving all of us visas to go to America,” said Randa Saleh, a clerk in a hardware store on Kfarakka’s main thoroughfare. “We’re in the priority line now.”
Taking a more serious tone, she said Boulos needs to push for a cease-fire: “It’s enough war for Lebanon. We can’t handle any more.”
Uncertainty Surrounds Boulos’ Role
For his part, Boulos has been circumspect about what role he will play. He is known to have good relations with Lebanon’s various political parties, and during the U.S. presidential campaign, he helped deliver a letter to Trump from Mahmoud Abbas, the leader of the Palestinian Authority.
Last week, the Lebanese broadcaster Al-Jadeed quoted Boulos as saying the Trump administration had tapped him to help negotiate with Lebanon. He later denied the report, saying the network misquoted him.
Conclusion
Regardless of Boulos’ mandate, the prospects of a peace seem dim, at least so far. Some Israeli officials say there has been some progress in cease-fire talks, but the country’s military leaders say they are expanding their offensive deeper into Lebanon, and Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said this week there would be “no cease-fire and there will be no respite [for Hezbollah] until the goals of the war are achieved.”
FAQs
Q: What is Massad Boulos’ connection to President-elect Donald Trump?
A: Massad Boulos is the father-in-law of Trump’s daughter Tiffany, and his son Michael is married to her.
Q: What is Boulos’ role in the Trump administration?
A: Boulos served as Trump’s unofficial representative to Arab and Muslim American communities during the U.S. election campaign.
Q: What is the hope for peace in Lebanon?
A: Many Lebanese are hoping that Boulos, as a family member of Trump, can use his connection to push for a cease-fire and end the war with Israel.
Q: What is the current situation in Lebanon?
A: The war between Israel and Hezbollah has ravaged large swaths of Lebanon, killed almost 3,300 people, and displaced a quarter of the population.
