On Thursday’s “PBS NewsHour,” Israeli Ambassador to the U.N. Danny Danon said that “the U.S. and other countries who [want] to help Lebanon should help them actually have control over the situation, that they can actually mobilize the military and be effective. If they are not controlling the military, they will not be able to change much.”
Co-host Geoff Bennett asked, “When the president says the U.S. will help Lebanon protect itself from Hezbollah, what does that look like in practice, beyond what’s already being done?”
Danon said, “Well, we all acknowledge the weakness of the Lebanese government. We welcome the statements coming from Beirut about kicking out the ambassador of Iran, but he’s still there, about gaining control over Southern Lebanon, but it is not the case, Hezbollah is still there. So, there’s a huge gap, Geoff, between the declarations and the abilities or the actions of the Lebanese government. And I think the U.S. and other countries who [want] to help Lebanon should help them actually have control over the situation, that they can actually mobilize the military and be effective. If they are not controlling the military, they will not be able to change much.”
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