Child Abduction Lebanon - Information needed

[Mixxy]

A friend has come to me desperate to help her SIL. The SIL is a US citizen married to a man from Lebanon with 2 kids. They all lived in Lebanon together. He moved (within Lebanon - to a remote area) abducting the kids in the dead of night. She was forced to return to the US. The State Department has been unable to provide much assistance.
From my very basic research, I know this will be an uphill battle. I know I have to put this lady in contact with the Hague etc.

Can anybody please explain to me the steps this poor, desperate lady should take? She is nearing a breakdown and losing hope fast.

Thanks in advance for any help anybody might be able to provide.

I'm sorry but I don't think there is anything positive I can say and your friend would be well advised to seek an opinion from a lawyer with international experience of children cases.

Under international conventions the courts in the country where children habitually live usually have jurisdiction. As I understand it Lebanon isn't a signatory to the Hague Convention and the custody of children always goes to the father.

Here in the UK there is an organisation that supports mothers living apart from their children and perhaps the most helpful thing you could do is to find out if there is a similar organisation in the US.