Lebanon to US: 'Keep Your Money, and Israel Too'

Chana Ya'ar Lebanon to US: 'Keep Your Money'

Lebanon has told the United States to keep its money if America insists that it cannot be used on weapons with which to fight Israel.

Lebanese Defense Minister Elias Murr told reporters at a Beirut news conference on Wednesday that those who want to help the Lebanese Army but place conditions on how their funds or weapons are used, should “keep the money.” Murr's comments followed a U.S. Congressional decision to freeze a previously approved $100 million aid package to Lebanon.

The decision was made only 24 hours before an attack on an IDF unit conducting routine border maintenance last week by Lebanese Army soldiers. Snipers shot and killed an IDF officer and wounded a second.

The ambush took place while the Israeli troops were trimming brush on the Israeli side of the northern border in order to maximize the visibility of a Lebanese village. The incident occurred after the IDF had notified the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) of its plans, which in turn notified the Lebanese Army.

House Foreign Affairs Committee chairman Howard Berman said he decided August 2 to suspend Lebanon's military funding in light of the increased involvement by the Hizbullah terrorist organization in Lebanese Army affairs, concerned that the money would be spent on weapons with which to attack the U.S. ally.

Berman added in a statement after the attack, “The incident on the Israel-Lebanon border only one day after my hold was placed simply reinforces the critical need for the United States to conduct an in-depth policy review of its relationship with the Lebanese military.”

In response, Murr told journalists at a Beirut news conference, “Whoever sets as a condition that the aid should not be used to protect Lebanon's land, people and borders from the [Zionist] enemy can keep their money.

“Let them keep their money or give it to Israel. We will confront [Israel] with our own capabilities.”

A second Lebanese official had preceded Murr earlier in the week by calling on the Beirut government to turn to Russia, China, Syria and Iran for future support.