Report: U.S. Envoy Warns ‘No More Political Concessions for Hizbullah’

U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Levant Joel Rayburn has voiced warnings against giving Hizbullah party “any additional political gains” seeing its effect on the U.S. aid for Lebanon’s military, al-joumhouria daily reported on Saturday.

Senior political sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said: “The U.S. envoy, who visited Lebanon for 19 hours, and met with Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri and Central Bank Governor Riad Salameh, has voiced warnings against giving additional political gains for Hizbullah,” suggesting “significant U.S. influence on the CEDRE Support conference for Lebanon,” in response.

They said the envoy’s mission was to deliver a direct message in that regard, discouraging Lebanon from taking political decisions in Hizbullah’s favor. He warned it could affect the U.S. grants provided for Lebanon at the CEDRE conference and the U.S. aid for the Lebanese Armed Forces.