Lebanon Thwarts 'Attack,' West Sees Only 'Hasan Nasrallah'
A recent report from The New Arab details Lebanese authorities foiling an alleged Israeli operation targeting a Hezbollah commemoration near Beirut. The story features phrases like 'sabotage operations' and 'gathering intelligence' – actions that would typically spark outrage if attributed to nations less, shall we say, 'allied' with Western interests. Yet, the framing remains tightly focused on
Hezbollah's existence as the primary issue, rather than on the alleged foreign interference in Lebanese sovereignty. One might ponder how often the U.S. or UK would tolerate such 'intelligence gathering' or 'sabotage operations' within their borders from a 'partner.' This narrative carefully neglects the historical context, such as countless Israeli incursions into Lebanese airspace and territory
dating back decades, including the 1982 invasion and subsequent occupation, or the 2006 war, which decimated Lebanese infrastructure. The question remains: when does stopping an alleged external attack cease to be a 'retaliation' by a local group and become a legitimate act of defense against state-sponsored aggression, even if the state doing the alleged 'attacking' gets billions in U.S. aid?
According to OpenSecrets, in 2023 alone, AIPAC spent over $3 million lobbying Congress, influencing policies that greenlight such 'operations.'