logo
US official urges Lebanon to disarm Hezbollah if it expects any financial help

US official urges Lebanon to disarm Hezbollah if it expects any financial help

Ya Libnan17-02-2025

Tom Harb Director of the American Middle East Alliance
The Director of the American Middle East Alliance, Tom Harb, said that the US 'Congress is sending a message to Lebanon : 'Disarm the militias within 6 months if you expects any US financial aid.'
In an interview with Al-Jadeed TV, he pointed out that 'there is an American point of view that requires Israel to remain in 5 points in southern Lebanon until Hezbollah is disarmed and the state and army exercise their role,' explaining that 'Lebanon must set a time limit in the ministerial statement for reform and dealing with the party to obtain aid.'
Harb who was born and raised in Lebanon was the CO-Chair for the American Middle East Coalition for Trump during 2016 election. AMCT is a coalition of Middle eastern organizations and affiliates who believed in Trump's agenda. He played an educational role among the Middle eastern communities in United States and through Middle East media. On March 14, 2005, a month after PM Rafik Hariri's assassination , over a million Lebanese headed to downtown Beirut to demand the withdrawal of Syrian troops from Lebanon after a nearly 29-year of military presence. The mass rally was later dubbed the Cedar Revolution or Independence Uprising. The Iranian backed Hezbollah militant group whose operatives were convicted in Hariri's assassination has replaced the Syrian occupational forces . The majority of the Lebanese now consider Hezbollah an Iranian occupational force
Also, Tom Harb is the President of the World Council of the Cedars Revolution WCCR – USA Chapter, an NGO representing Lebanese activists worldwide. The WCCR was established in 2005, after the people of Lebanon rallied in demand for freedom and independence. It is now considered the most unwavering union in representing the hope and aspirations of millions of Lebanese and the Diaspora.
The majority of the Lebanese people consider Hezbollah's war with Israel as an attempt to increase Iran's influence in Lebanon.
Hezbollah is a proxy of the Quds Force , the foreign arm of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard , IRGC
Hezbollah's top leaders were all killed in the war and its current leader Naim Qassem fled to Tehran Iran last October for fear of being assassinated like his predecessors
Many in Lebanon have been saying that the Shiites of Lebanon, an essential and proud segment of the population deserve better leadership—leaders who put Lebanon first and work toward rebuilding the tens of thousands of Shiite homes destroyed by war. Many have been quoted as saying 'No nation should be led by a group that operates more like a 'terrorist organization' for foreign interests than a true defender of its people.
Many say is time for the Shiites of Lebanon to rise against Hezbollah's stranglehold and produce leaders who embrace Lebanon as their homeland, not as a mere outpost for Iranian influence.
Hezbollah's former top leader Hassan Nasrallah who was assassinated last September pledged allegiance to Iran and its Supreme leader

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Geagea Slams Silence over UNIFIL Attacks, Demands Swift Government Action
Geagea Slams Silence over UNIFIL Attacks, Demands Swift Government Action

MTV Lebanon

time2 hours ago

  • MTV Lebanon

Geagea Slams Silence over UNIFIL Attacks, Demands Swift Government Action

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea expressed deep concern over recent incidents targeting UNIFIL in southern Lebanon, questioning the absence of a clear stance from Lebanese authorities. In a statement, Geagea said, "If UNIFIL is overstepping its mandate, the Lebanese government should inform the force accordingly. But if it is not, as clearly defined in UN Security Council Resolution 1701 and its successive renewals, then the relevant authorities must not only intervene to halt confrontations but also detain and prosecute the assailants." Moreover, Geagea warned that portraying the state as a mere mediator between UN peacekeepers and those attacking them weakens state authority and perpetuates the perception that nothing has changed in Lebanon despite all recent upheavals. Geagea also called for swift arrests and firm legal action, saying it would signal the emergence of a functioning state in Lebanon.

Aoun reassures merchants: Reforms underway, no challenge is insurmountable
Aoun reassures merchants: Reforms underway, no challenge is insurmountable

MTV Lebanon

time2 hours ago

  • MTV Lebanon

Aoun reassures merchants: Reforms underway, no challenge is insurmountable

President of the Republic Joseph Aoun emphasized the state's firm commitment to implementing structural reforms, combating corruption, and reinforcing the rule of law during a meeting with a delegation from the Beirut Merchants Association. He underlined the central role of the judiciary in restoring confidence and confirmed that reform tracks have already begun. Addressing economic concerns, Aoun acknowledged the hardship faced by the commercial sector and broader population but stressed that recovery requires time and collective effort. 'The train is now on the right track,' he said, calling on all sectors — including the commercial — to contribute to national recovery. Moreover, the President praised the resilience of Lebanese merchants, urging solidarity and perseverance: 'There is no such thing as impossible. The road is difficult, but we can overcome it.' Aoun also highlighted progress in security, reaffirming the military's role in asserting state authority and efforts to resolve arms issues in Palestinian camps through coordination with President Mahmoud Abbas.

Growing fears of massive strikes on Iran as nuclear negotiations sputter
Growing fears of massive strikes on Iran as nuclear negotiations sputter

Ya Libnan

time2 hours ago

  • Ya Libnan

Growing fears of massive strikes on Iran as nuclear negotiations sputter

If the U.S.-Iranian talks fail, and strikes on Iran occur, the ramifications could be very far-reaching. U.S. President Donald Trump has been presented with a broad array of potential military options against Iran should ongoing nuclear negotiations with that country fail. Israel is already reportedly moving ever closer to at least being in a position to launch its own strikes on Iranian nuclear sites . The direct and indirect blowback from any such operations against Iran could be immense. Fears that U.S.-Iranian nuclear talks are on the verge of collapse have been steadily growing in the past week or so amid statements from both sides outlining potentially intractable positions. Iran's ability to continue domestic enrichment of nuclear material that could be used to produce nuclear weapons has emerged as a key stumbling block to reaching a deal. 'If the President directed [it], is CENTCOM [U.S. Central Command] prepared to respond with overwhelming force to prevent a nuclear-armed Iran?' Congressman Mike Rogers, an Alabama Republican, asked U.S. Army Gen. Michael 'Erik' Kurilla at a hearing of the House Armed Services Committee today. Kurilla is currently head of CENTCOM, making him the top officer overseeing operations across the Middle East. 'I have provided the Secretary of Defense [Pete Hegseth] and the President [Trump] a wide range of options,' Kurilla said in response. 'I take that as a yes?' Rogers, the present chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, asked in return, appearing to refer to the specific wording of his question, to include the possible use of 'overwhelming force.' 'Yes,' Kurrila said. Top U.S. military commander in the Middle East General Kurilla confirms that he has presented military options on Iran to President Trump & SecDef Hegseth in House Armed Services Committee this morning. It is important to note here that U.S. presidents and defense secretaries regularly ask to be briefed on potential military options in light of crises or heightened risks of one erupting. Being presented with a full range of operational possibilities, including large-scale strikes or other significant direct action, does not mean the United States is automatically committed to pursuing any specific course of action, something we will come back to later on. Publicly, Trump has consistently advocated for reaching a deal with Iran to avoid any need to take military action, though he has also raised the possibility of military action in the event talks reach a dead end. He has separately said that he has pressed his Israeli counterpart, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, to hold off on striking Iranian targets while negotiations are ongoing. There have been reports of significant friction between the two leaders , as well. Amid all this, the U.S. president is said to be facing increasingly intense pressure from a faction of domestic political allies to acquiesce to and/or join in on Israeli attacks on Iran, according to a new report just today from Politico . TWZ

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store