U.S. Concern Over Hezbollah's Increasing Role in Lebanon

The U.S. ambassador to Lebanon, Elizabeth Richard, expressed concerns on Tuesday, February 19, during a meeting with Prime Minister Saad Hariri, regarding Hezbollah's growing role in the Lebanese government. This Iranian-backed militant group, which the U.S. has designated as a terrorist organization, holds three out of thirty ministries in Hariri's new cabinet, including the Ministry of Health, which has the fourth-largest budget in the country. Richard stated that she candidly shared U.S. concerns about the 'increased role of an organization that is still considered a militia' and that the Lebanese government 'has no control over it.' She noted that this group continues to make decisions regarding national security that endanger the rest of the country. Furthermore, she mentioned that Hezbollah is violating Lebanon's official policy of neutrality by its armed participation in conflicts in at least three countries. Reuters reports that Hezbollah has increased its regional influence by sending militia forces to Middle Eastern conflicts, including the Syrian civil war. The group, along with others who view Hezbollah's weapons as Lebanon's asset, secured 70 out of 128 parliamentary seats in last year's elections. In this context, Saad Hariri, who enjoys Western support, lost more than a third of his parliamentary supporters. The new national unity government of Lebanon, which took about nine months to form, emerged from these elections. The United States provided over $2.3 billion in military aid to Lebanon in 2005. Richard also stated that her country has provided the most security and humanitarian assistance to Lebanon compared to other countries from which Lebanon has received aid.