US Expresses Concern Over Hezbollah's Presence in New Lebanese Government

The United States welcomed the formation of the new Lebanese cabinet on Friday but expressed concern over Hezbollah's control of three ministries. The US State Department is worried that the budget allocated to these ministries may be used to support the Shiite 'militant group.' At the same time, the US has expressed readiness to cooperate with the new government of Prime Minister Saad Hariri, with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo indicating a desire to visit Lebanon. The new Lebanese government was formed on Thursday, February 11, after eight months of negotiations among political groups. Hezbollah's share in the new government increased from two ministers, including the ministers of industry and sports and youth in the previous government, to three main posts, including the Ministry of Health. Negotiations regarding the composition of the new national unity government began after elections in mid-May, where Hezbollah and its allies gained more votes than before. Robert Palladino, a spokesperson for the US State Department, expressed concern about Hezbollah's control of the Ministry of Health. Hezbollah is considered a terrorist organization by the US State Department and is listed among terrorist groups. Palladino stated, 'We urge the new Lebanese government to oversee the resources and services of the ministries under Hezbollah's control to ensure that resources and budgets are not used to support Hezbollah.' Previously, a US Treasury official had also warned about Hezbollah's potential misuse of the Ministry of Health and its budget for its own interests. It is anticipated that delivering financial aid to the Lebanese Ministry of Health will face challenges due to US sanctions against Hezbollah. In April of this year, a conference was held in Paris, France, where participants committed to providing $11 billion in low-interest loans to Lebanon to manage the political and economic crises caused by the influx of 1.5 million refugees from neighboring Syria. According to the French Foreign Minister's office, this international aid was intended to rebuild Lebanon's economic infrastructure and would reach $23 billion over a 12-year period. Hezbollah is an ally of Bashar al-Assad, the President of Syria, and some of its forces are present in Syria during the country's civil war. Israel has consistently expressed concern over the presence of Hezbollah forces, which are close to Iran, and has attacked military positions and bases in Syria believed to belong to Hezbollah and forces close to the Islamic Republic of Iran in recent months. Hezbollah is considered a major party in Lebanese domestic politics, which has a complex political system and plays an active role in the internal political landscape of the country.