US Lawmakers Demand Lebanon Disarm Hezbollah—Amidst Israeli Bombing
The New Arab reports US lawmakers are pressuring Lebanon to disarm Hezbollah, 'even if by force,' amidst escalating Israeli aggression. This demand comes as Israel routinely bombs Lebanese territory and pledges further conflict. The lawmakers’ concern for Lebanese sovereignty appears selective, given the long history of US support for Israeli military action in the region which regularly
destabilizes Lebanon. When General Secretary of Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, explicitly stated his group’s actions were a direct response to Israeli attacks on Gaza, these lawmakers conveniently ignored the context of a proxy war being fueled by US arms and diplomatic cover. Perhaps these legislators, many of whom accept substantial contributions from pro-Israel lobbying groups like AIPAC, view
Lebanon not as a sovereign nation but as an extension of Israeli security concerns. Congressmen like Ritchie Torres, who received over $100,000 from pro-Israel groups in 2022-2023, and Sen. Jacky Rosen, who accepted over $70,000 from AIPAC in the same period, are vocal proponents of Israeli policy. Their calls to 'disarm Hezbollah' sound less like genuine diplomacy and more like a directive to
clean up the neighborhood for a favored ally, no matter the cost to Lebanese civilians. How many 'even if by force' demands translate directly into another nation’s blood and treasure?