France: This Time, Hezbollah Violence Is Not OK

By
Omri Ceren
– January 25, 2007Posted in: France, Lebanon and Hezbollah

Obviously no EU country is going to deny aid to Lebanon. But even the warning is pissing us off:

French President Jacques Chirac said on Tuesday anti-government protests in Lebanon could discourage the international community from granting financial aid to Beirut at a donors’ conference scheduled for Thursday. Chirac said in an interview with France 24 television and Lebanese television that Lebanon’s financial situation was “very serious, very grave”, adding: “Practically, the Lebanese government has no more money.” Protesters bent on toppling Lebanon’s cabinet blocked highways and roads with blazing tyres on Tuesday, sparking clashes with government loyalists in which three people were killed and 133 people hurt, police said.

This is the most stupid, incoherent, backwards reasoning ever. If France supports the Lebanese government, and the Lebanese government is under seige from violent protesters, why the hell would France deny the Lebanese government money? France is suggesting that the Lebanese government should be punished for Hezbollah’s actions, even though Hezbollah is not part of the Lebanese government.

Why is this so infuriating? Because during Lebanon II France insisted that the government of Lebanon should not be held responsible for Hezbollah’s act of war – even though Hezbollah was actually part of the Lebanese government.

If someone has a more salient difference between these two situations than “Israel is not involved this time, so Hezbollah’s violence is illegitimate”, feel free to email us.

Previously: France – How Did It Come To This?, WOW. Journalist Who Questioned Al-Dura Tape Found Guilty of Defamation In France, France Identifies the Real Threat To the Lebanon Ceasefire: Israel.

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