Mohamad Chatah

Any Feeling of sympathy?

Frankly, it is difficult to feel any sympathy toward Lebanon’s foreign minister, Mr. Adnan Mansour. Following Mr. Nasrallah’s drone speech, he was quick to announce, among other things, that Lebanon was ready to bear the consequences of Hizbollah’s launching of an Iranian drone over Israel’s nuclear facilities and offshore gas platforms.


Forget that Lebanon was not asked whether it was or not. But was the foreign minister stating a government position? Not so, judging from subsequent statements from the President and Prime Minister. Was he uttering a personal view? Maybe. But the personal views of Lebanon’s forein minister are not of any particular interest to the rest of the world. He should have kept his personal sentiment to himself.

Most probably, what Mr. Mansour said came at the behest of his Hizbollah patrons. After all, on such matters Hizbollah is used to deciding on behalf of the government and of the whole nation. And the Foreign minister is used to towing the line.

Frankly, it doesn’t’ really matter if the foreign minister is not convinced of what he said. After all, he chose to be in that position. So, no sympathy for that.

But if there is anyone who deserves our sympathy it is the Lebanese diplomats abroad. They are the good men and woman who are often torn between upholding the sovereignty and national interests of their country and towing the pathetically apologetic line of their foreign minister.