Michel Aoun. /EPA
In his first act as Lebanon’s new president, Michael Aoun declared his loyalty to Iran and issued a chilling threat to Israel.
In his inaugural speech on Oct. 31, Aoun said that “in the conflict with Israel, we will not spare any effort or resistance to liberate what remains of occupied Lebanese land.”
The 81-year-old Aoun, a retired general with strong ties to Iran’s Lebanese proxy army Hizbullah, was chosen by Lebanon’s parliament after four rounds of voting, ending a political standoff during which the presidency was vacant or over two years.
“The Lebanese state is in such a dire situation that it does not matter who the president is or what he promises. The Lebanese state is weak, its president irrelevant, its agencies corrupt and its debt overwhelming,” wrote NOW analyst Hussan Abdul-Hussain.
“No matter what Aoun says in his inaugural speech, or any other speech, Hizbullah is the force that has the final word on every Lebanese issue, domestic or foreign. Aoun only gives Hizbullah’s de facto policies an official state blessing.”
Full article: Lebanon’s new president pledges loyalty to Iran, threatens Israel (World Tribune)
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