Speaking at the Manama Dialogue Forum in Bahrain on Saturday, US Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack pushed for the disarmament of Hezbollah amid heightened border tensions between the Israeli-occupied territories and Lebanon, while labeling Lebanon a “failed state” due to the Arab country’s severe military and public institutions shortages.
“Lebanon is a failed state. There is no central bank. The banking system is broken. There is no electricity. People rely on their own generators. We need private suppliers for water and education,” Barrack said, ignoring Lebanon’s dilapidated civilian infrastructure as a result of US sanctions, according to Press TV.
Barrack claimed that the Lebanese Armed Forces suffered from a “lack of financial and human resources” and said the Israeli regime was ready to reach an agreement with Lebanon on border demarcation.
The US envoy called on the Lebanese leadership to “participate in negotiations and protect our borders,” adding: “The lack of dialogue between Lebanon and Israel is irrational.”
Barrack stressed that the Lebanese leadership “must act faster to limit Hezbollah’s weapons,” and asserted that “if Hezbollah is disarmed, there will be no problems between Lebanon and Israel.”
Barrack’s call for Hezbollah to disarm comes after the Israeli regime has repeatedly violated Lebanon’s sovereignty over the past few years through airstrikes, drone incursions and cross-border attacks.
Continued violations of previous UN-brokered ceasefire agreements demonstrate that Tel Aviv has no real intention to de-escalate tensions or respect the territorial integrity of the Arab state.
Barrack expressed concern about the occupation regime’s security, warning that “thousands of rockets in southern Lebanon still threaten Israel,” and said time was running out for Lebanon to “bring the weapons under control quickly.”
Arguing that regional stability depended on the disarmament of Hezbollah’s military forces and progress on border talks with Israel, the envoy warned that the Tel Aviv regime could act unilaterally if Beirut did not “assert state control.”
MNA