Lebanese foreign minister says only the U.S. can prevent an all-out war
It's been 300 days of war in Gaza and now that war threatens to become regional.
The U.S and other countries are warning its citizens not to travel to Lebanon after a stunning 48 hours.
Israel struck Beirut, killing a top Hezbollah commander along with five civilians, including two children, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry. Israel said the strike was in response to an attack that killed 12 children and teens in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. Then the political head of Hamas was assassinated in Iran’s capital.
Iran and Hamas blame Israel. Israel has not publicly claimed responsibility. All of this is triggering fears of an all-out regional war.
The Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib says the U.S. is the only power that can change that course.
“The U.S. has to move quickly in this direction, and make Israel stop this aggression that it's undertaking,” Bou Habib said. “It is the U.S. that can only produce some results. And so far, we haven't seen anything.”
Bou Habib spoke to NPR’s Leila Fadel about the past 48 hours and what’s at stake for Lebanon and the region, calling it a “global issue.”
This excerpt has been lightly edited for clarity and includes some parts that did not air.
Interview Highlights
Leila Fadel: We're speaking at what feels like a very dangerous moment in the region and for Lebanon. Is Lebanon expecting all-out war with Israel at this point?
Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib: I hope not. I hope we will not have war. But what Israel did in the last two days was terrible. It is the cause for a big war. That's what we were afraid of.
First it hit the city, in Beirut, in the capital, and we thought that they would not do that because they do not want to, according to people who are in between, they say they do not want to have the war. Then they hit Iran. This became terrible, became regional, and it could only hurt President Biden’s [cease-fire] initiative, which was translated into a U.N. Security Council resolution and the cease-fire attempt in Gaza. This can only hurt that.
Fadel: Israel would say that Hezbollah is to blame in this moment for the strike on Beirut because of the strike that killed the [12] Druze children and teens in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. What would you say to that?
Bou Habib: You know, there is, between Hezbollah and Israel, daily shelling. Israel [killed] over a hundred civilians and Hezbollah killed around seven civilians in Israel.
Now, these 12 people were killed. They are innocent people, civilian people. We condemn the killing of civilians wherever they are, even if they are in Israel, we condemn the killing. However, this rocket, this missile that Hezbollah sent does not have a hole, did not make a hole. And it is not there.
Fadel: So you're saying it wasn't Hezbollah?
Bou Habib: No, I'm not saying that. I really don't know. It is the U.S. that should investigate. And Israel accused Hezbollah the minute it happened. The minute it happened without investigation, without anything. And unfortunately, some in the United States also accused Hezbollah immediately. This is unacceptable, really.
Fadel: And Hezbollah has denied that it was them. What is Hezbollah telling you? Is it planning to respond?
Bou Habib: The talk with them, the discussion with them, that they are going to retaliate, but not in a power that would produce more wars. But now it's out of our hands as the Lebanese government. We are limited because Iran is involved as well.
You know, what's the purpose of hitting somebody who's negotiating with you? Mr. Haniyeh is negotiating, of course, through proxies, through the United States, Qatar and Egypt. So why would you kill him?
Fadel: And you're referring to Hamas's political leader, Ismail Haniyeh, who was killed in Iran?
He was killed in Iran. That’s right.
Fadel: And you said it's out of your hands. Do you have any influence over what Hezbollah might do next in response to this strike in Beirut? Does the Lebanese caretaker government have any influence?
Bou Habib: At present, our influence has decreased because it became regional as well. So we're still trying to find out what could be the regional response and we try to have it as limited as possible. But we have nothing to say at this time.
Fadel: The U.S. government has been working for a cease-fire in Gaza, something that Hezbollah says would stop its attacks as well. But that cease-fire now seems further off than ever. Has U.S. diplomacy failed?
Bou Habib: I hope not, because there is no alternative to U.S. involvement.
Transcript
LEILA FADEL, HOST:
The U.S. and several other nations are telling their citizens not to travel to Lebanon. It follows a stunning 48 hours. Israel struck Beirut, killing a top Hezbollah commander, along with five civilians - including two children, according to the Lebanese health ministry. Israel said it was in response to a strike that killed 12 children and teens in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. Then, the political head of Hamas was assassinated in Iran. Iran and Hamas blame Israel. Israel has not publicly claimed responsibility. Meanwhile, it's been 300 days of war in Gaza, and today, that war threatens to become regional. We now turn to Lebanon's foreign minister, Abdallah Bou Habib, to discuss what's at stake. Good morning, and thank you for joining the program.
ABDALLAH BOU HABIB: Thank you. Thank you for having me.
FADEL: You know, we're speaking at what feels like a very dangerous moment in the region, and for Lebanon. Is Lebanon expecting all-out war with Israel at this point?
HABIB: I hope not. I hope we will not have war, but what Israel did last two days was terrible. First, it hit the city in Beirut, in the capital, and, you know, we thought that they would not do that, and it can only hurt President Biden and the cease-fire attempt in Gaza.
FADEL: Israel would say that Hezbollah is to blame in this moment for the strike on Beirut because of the strike that killed the Druze children and teens in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. What would you say to that?
HABIB: You know, there is, between Hezbollah and Israel, daily shelling.
FADEL: Yeah, for months.
HABIB: With Israel, over 100 civilians - innocent people. We deplore the killing of civilians wherever they are. Even if they are in Israel, we condemn the killing. However, this rocket, this missile that Hezbollah sent does not have a hole, did not make a hole, and it is not there.
FADEL: So you're saying it wasn't Hezbollah?
HABIB: No, I'm not saying that. I really don't know.
FADEL: Right.
HABIB: It is the U.S. that should investigate, and Israel, you know, accused Hezbollah the minute it happened, so without investigation, without anything, and unfortunately, some in the United States also accused Hezbollah immediately. This is unacceptable, really.
FADEL: And Hezbollah has denied that it was them. What is Hezbollah telling you? Is it planning to respond? I mean, you mentioned this was a strike in the capital of Lebanon.
HABIB: The discussion with them, that they were going to retaliate, but not in power that would produce more war, but now, it's out of our hand as the Lebanese government because Iran is involved, as well. You know, what's the purpose of hitting somebody who's negotiating with you?
FADEL: And you said it's out of your hands. Do you have any influence over what Hezbollah might do next in response to the strike in Beirut?
HABIB: At the present, our influence has been decreased because it became regional, as well, so we're still trying to find out what could be the regional response, and we try to have it as limited as possible.
FADEL: How worried are you, as the foreign minister of Lebanon, about this moment? You mentioned that the cease-fire deal may be at stake at this point. Is it possible to come back from this moment?
HABIB: Well, I'm worried, and I'm concerned. I'm afraid things may develop to become a larger war, which - of course, there would be a lot of damages in Lebanon, but there would be a lot of damages in Israel, as well, and a lot of refugees that would go westward, towards Europe, as well. You know, it's a very bad situation, and I would hope that the United States would move quickly to really comfort the various groups.
FADEL: The U.S. government has been working for a cease-fire in Gaza - something that Hezbollah says would stop its attacks, as well - but that cease-fire, as you point out, now seems further off than ever. Has U.S. diplomacy failed?
HABIB: I hope not, because there is no alternative to U.S. involvement.
FADEL: Can Lebanon survive another war? I mean, I covered the 2006 war between Hezbollah and Israel, and the destruction was just devastating. Today's Lebanon is different. Banks have failed. People are struggling to eat. Can it survive a war?
HABIB: Lebanon survives wars, not war.
FADEL: That's right.
HABIB: We had a civil war. This area, Lebanon - I think it will survive anything, but of course, we'll recover. We'll come back. Beirut would never die. It will come back, always.
FADEL: Israel is saying it is prepared for all-out war with Lebanon and Iran. Iran has said it will strike Israel. You mentioned that Hezbollah plans to retaliate in some way. Is there any coming back from the abyss here?
HABIB: Yes. It is - the U.S. has to move quickly and make Israel stop this aggressions that it's undertaking. It is the U.S. that can only produce some results, and so far, we haven't seen anything. We hope it will move. It's a global issue. If it happens, the U.S. would involve - would be involved in it, so...
FADEL: Have they said anything to you?
HABIB: No. I haven't heard anything from them. Not yet.
FADEL: Lebanon's foreign minister, Abdallah Bou Habib. Thank you so much for joining us.
HABIB: Thank you very much. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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