FM holds Lebanon responsible for Hezbollah’s drone

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Lebanon’s Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour stressed on Sunday that Lebanon will have to assume the responsibility for launching the Iranian-made Hezbollah drone into Israel’s airspace because the country is in confrontation with Israel.

“Lebanon will definitely assume responsibility for Hezbollah’s recent action because the country is in confrontation with Israel,” he said

“This is not about Hezbollah, but about an ongoing Israeli violation against Lebanon through its occupation of Lebanese territories,” he added

He stressed that launching the drone into Israel’s airspace does not violate UN resolution 1701, which was intended to resolve the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah war.

In an interview with An Nahar , Mansour said: “Israel has violated the resolution tens of thousands of times since its adoption in 2006. Israel has no excuse to retaliate against Hezbollah’s action because it is constantly practicing aggression against Lebanon.

Mansour, who represents the Amal movement in the cabinet is a close ally of the Iranian backed Hezbollah militant group. He has been accused by March 14 opposition on several occasions of acting on orders from Iran and Syria

Risky mission

On the other hand Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri criticized in remarks published on Saturday Hezbollah’s decision to send a drone into Israel, describing it as an “uncalculated adventure.”

“I welcome President Michel Suleiman’s approach that reflects deep concern that is shared by all of the Lebanese with regard to the uncalculated adventures Hezbollah wants to drag Lebanon into,” Hariri said in a statement issued to An-Nahar newspaper.

Hezbollah chief has admitted recently sending a drone into Israeli airspace that was later downed by Israel and vowed that the operation will not be its last.

“During these delicate hours in the region, all loyal Lebanese and those who oppose endangering Lebanon’s national interests … whether its commitment to international resolutions, particularly [UNSCR] 1701, or involving Lebanese in the Syria crisis by fighting alongside the Syrian regime should bear their historic responsibilities so that everyone realizes once and for all that Lebanon is not a unmanned drone,” Hariri added.

Hezbollah has been accused by Syrian rebels of assisting the Syrian regime in its brutal crackdown against the Syrian people. Several Hezbollah fighters have been recently killed in Syria and buried in Lebanon

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