WikiLeaks: Israeli Official: U.S. Support for Lebanese Army Weakens Israel

Head of the Israeli Defense Ministry’s Political-Military Affairs department Amos Gilad has reportedly said that U.S. support for the Lebanese army will weaken Israel.

“A strengthened Lebanese army hurts Israel,” Gilad stressed.

According to a WikiLeaks cable published by the Israeli Haaretz newspaper on Saturday, an argument erupted between Israeli and United States officials during a meeting about the U.S. weaponry supply to the Lebanese army.

The Americans said supporting the Lebanese army was intended to prevent it from growing closer to Hizbullah, “the cooperation is pragmatic and comes from the army’s weakness.”

U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs Andrew Shapiro stressed that the “U.S. support to the Lebanese army is considered as a counterweight to Hizbullah.”

The Israelis complained that they could fall into Hizbullah’s hands, saying that “the Lebanese army will defend Hizbullah if attacked by Israel,” Gilad said.