Instead, Nasrallah called the Americans “the devils,” adding that U.S. officials have defended Israel’s rights and issued threats to Lebanese politicians.
by Georgi Azar
BEIRUT: Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah urged Friday fellow politicians not to let the U.S. administration divide their ranks while it mediates a dispute with Israel over offshore gas drilling rights.
Nasrallah said in a televised address that the U.S. administration, which has been mediating the dispute, is not an honest broker. Instead, Nasrallah called the Americans “the devils,” adding that U.S. officials have defended Israel’s rights and issued threats to Lebanese politicians.
Speaking in an event commemorating the party’s former leaders Mughniyeh, Abbas Mousawi, and Ragheb Harb, Nasrallah said that “Lebanese politicians shouldn’t allow the U.S to divide the unity of our people.”
Nasrallah then noted the “disparity between U.S aid for Lebanon and Israel”, saying that “Israel receives billions in aid while Lebanon merely gets $50 million.”
Details of the U.S. mediation were not immediately available. U.S. State Secretary Rex Tillerson was in Lebanon Thursday, and the issue topped the agenda.
Nasrallah called on Lebanon’s officials to “show courage as the demarcation of our maritime borders is the responsibility of the state,” before adding that “the Lebanese people are now watching.”
The dispute dates back years but recently resurfaced when Lebanon invited companies to bid for drilling in areas Israel has claimed.
Turning to the upcoming parliamentary elections, Nasrallah maintained that the new electoral law doesn’t necessarily favor Hezbollah, saying that ” the new law wasn’t drafted by Hezbollah, we merely took part in the discussions.”
Lebanon ratified a new electoral law last year, based on proportional representation, ending years of political bickering over the adoption of a new parliamentary electoral system.
“It has opened the way for those without public representation to be represented in the parliament,” Nasrallah said. — With AP