Hezbollah role in Syria has ‘perpetuated bloodshed’
Tillerson warns Lebanon about the group’s growing arsenal
Thursday that Hezbollah’s involvement in regional conflicts and an increasing cache of weapons threatened Lebanon’s security.
Speaking alongside Prime Minister Saad Hariri, Tillerson said the people of Lebanon should be concerned about how “Hezbollah’s actions and its growing arsenal bring unwanted and unhelpful
Lebanon.”
“Hezbollah’s presence in Syria has only perpetuated the bloodshed, increased the displacement of innocent people and propped up scrutiny on the barbaric
Tillerson added.
The US and Arab countries accuse Hezbollah, which is funded and supported by Iran, of sowing instability in countries like Syria, Iraq and Yemen. But the group, which is designated a terrorist organization by the US, is also increasingly enmeshed in Lebanese politics.
“The Lebanese government must distance itself from external conflicts and Hezbollah must stop its activities abroad,” Tillerson added.
Along with meeting Hariri, Tillerson held talks with President Michel Aoun and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri.
He also said the US was engaging with Lebanon and Israel to ensure their border remained calm.
Tensions have been heightened recently over a new Israeli border wall and a dispute over gas fields in the Mediterranean. Israel has also stepped up its airstrikes in Syria where it fears Iran-backed militias supporting Bashar Assad are strengthening their positions.
Tillerson’s visit, the first by a US secretary of state to Lebanon since 2014, got off to an awkward start as he waited several minutes in Baabda Palace for his meeting with Aoun, a Hezbollah ally, Reuters reported.
The Lebanese president’s office denied any departure from diplomatic protocol and said Tillerson had arrived a few minutes early.
Footage of him waiting aired on some Arabic TV channels throughout the day. Aoun later said Tillerson had listened and understood the Lebanese position regarding the Israeli border. Assad regime,”