Lebanese Officials Protest Iranian Threat To Attack Israel From Lebanon

Lebanese officials protest Iranian threat to attack Israel from Lebanon

By TZVI JOFFRE 

Lebanese officials protested against a recent threat by the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corp (IRGC) to attack Israel from Lebanon, calling the statement a violation of Lebanon's sovereignty, the Arabic newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat reported.

"If the Zionist regime makes the smallest mistake toward Iran, we will reduce Tel Aviv to ashes from Lebanon," said IRGC commander Morteza Qorbani, adding that Iran wouldn't need to fire a single missile from its territories.

"These statements are unfortunate and unacceptable," tweeted caretaker Defense Minister Elias Bou Saab. "They are a violation of the sovereignty of Lebanon, which enjoys ties of friendship with Iran that should not infringe on its independent decision-making in any way, shape or form."

Caretaker Information Minister Jamal al-Jarrah called Qorbani's remarks "irresponsible" and "arrogant," adding that they are a violation against Lebanon's sovereignty, people and state.

"Iran may defend itself in any way it likes, but Lebanon is not the Guards’ mailbox or an arena for foreign actors," Jarrah said, according to Asharq Al-Awsat.

Lebanese MP Nadim Gemayel called on Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, President Michel Aoun and caretaker Prime Minister Saad Hariri to issue a clear response to the Iranian threat.

In October, Lebanese Movement for Democratic Change leader Elie Mahfoud tweeted that Qasem Soleimani, the commander of the IRGC's Quds force, had arrived in Beirut as protests swept the nation.

Mahfoud questioned whether Soleimani's arrival had anything to do with promises made by Nasrallah to "prevent the fall of the besieged Hezbollah government." The Lebanese politician also said that it's time to stop Iranian intervention in Lebanon.

Head of the Lebanese Kataeb Party MP Sami Gemayel lamented in October that Hezbollah's control over the government embroils Lebanon in regional conflicts against the people's will. "When the government remains silent over every challenge from Lebanese territory against Arab or foreign countries and all of Lebanon’s historic friends, [it] means that this government is complicit," Gemayel said.

At a Lebanese Forces convention in Canada in October, leader of the Christian Lebanese Forces political party Samir Geagea expressed concern about Hezbollah's influence in the country as well, describing Lebanon as a "bus without a driver," according to the Lebanese National News Agency.

"The decision of peace and war is fully in Hezbollah’s hand, and we hope Hezbollah will not drag us into a war in the region, with all its dramatic repercussions."

In an interview with CNBC in September, Prime Minister Hariri described Hezbollah as a "regional problem," not just a "Lebanese problem." He added that Israel holds Lebanon responsible for Hezbollah's action, but that it isn't. He acknowledged that he was limited in his ability to keep Hezbollah under control.