Hezbollah and FPM respond to Barrack's remarks
MP Ibrahim al-Moussawi of Hezbollah said U.S. envoy Tom Barrack’s latest remarks about Lebanon risking being swallowed by regional forces were “not surprising at all,” accusing Washington of having “evil plots.”
He added that Barrack’s “bizarre” statement “contradicts with the simplest rules of logic and the principles of politics and diplomacy,” adding that it reflects “dangerous intentions and clearly unveils the features of the American-Zionist scheme planned for the region in general and Lebanon in particular.”
“Lebanon is a country that cannot be threatened and it does not bargain over its sovereignty. It is rather the country of resistance, pride and resilience,” Moussawi added, addressing Barrack.
He also urged a “firm and strong response” from the Lebanese state, calling on the Foreign Ministry to immediately summon the U.S. ambassador to Lebanon to reject these “hostile and insolent statements.”
Prominent Free Patriotic Movement sources meanwhile told al-Akhbar newspaper that the FPM will confront “any attempt by Syria to put its hand on any grain of Lebanon’s soil.”
“Let no one threaten us with the repetition of experiences that had failed in the past,” the sources added, noting that “the threat of annexing Lebanon to Syria is unnecessary, detrimental and does not contribute to solutions in Lebanon.”
Barrack has clarified that his remarks were not a “threat to Lebanon.”
“My comments yesterday praised Syria’s impressive strides, not a threat to Lebanon. I observed the reality that Syria is moving at light speed to seize the historic opportunity presented by @POTUS’s (U.S. President Donald Trump’s) lifting of sanctions: investment from Türkiye and the Gulf, diplomatic outreach to neighboring countries, and a clear vision for the future,” Barrack said in a post on X.
“I can assure that Syria’s leaders only want co-existence and mutual prosperity with Lebanon, and the United States is committed to supporting that relationship between two equal and sovereign neighbors enjoying peace and prosperity,” Barrack added.
He had warned in an interview with the UAE’s The National newspaper that Lebanon risks being swallowed by regional powers unless it acts to address Hezbollah’s arms and implement reforms.
“You have Israel on one side, you have Iran on the other, and now you have Syria manifesting itself so quickly that if Lebanon doesn’t move, it’s going to be Bilad Al Sham again,” he said, using the historical name for the Syria region.
“Syrians say Lebanon is our beach resort. So we need to move. And I know how frustrated the Lebanese people are. It frustrates me,” he added.
