Both Ynet and Lebanon's defense minister need to check their facts. The aide was announced as on hold the day before the deadly border incident and was unrelated to it.

good on the Lebanonese for actually taking a position. Of course they will now get probably twice the amount of money as the US can't seem to help themselves but it was a refreshing gesture to see someone tell the US to keep their money. I just wish we had a government that would do the same!!!!!

as an american, not sure why we ever gave lebanon money to begin with, then again we give Pakistan billions so what does that tell you. 2nd, they should ask themselves what about their culture/leadership/economy requires them to need outside help funding an army to begin with...

unlike abbas and his clowns.

What's funny is the quote from the article; "Whoever sets as a condition that the aid should not be used to protect Lebanon's land, people and borders from the (Israeli) enemy can keep their money," Defense Minister Elias Murr told a news conference." Hey, you guys started it, remember. Man oh man, these guys live in some fantasy land. Israel doesn't want anything from Lebanon. The border skirmish was started by the Lebanese army, NOT the IDF. Yet here we are again, with Israel being portrayed as an aggressor, and Lebanon in need of protection. Protection from what? Israel wants to live in peace, if the Lebanese army had not attacked Israel there would not have been any skirmish. So Lebanon attempts to start a war, falsely blame Israel...getting caught in two blatant lies...now they are mad at the U.S. because we don't want to give them more weapons to attack a country...Israel...with unprovoked attacks. The goofy logic of the Middle East provoke a war with Israel, lie about it, get caught in the lie. Then stick the the false story, knowing if you throw enough mud on the wall some of it will stick.

What, Lebanon thinks the US should give it aid just for existing? Such aid, to any country - including Israel - is dependent on the country continuing to be a strategic asset for the US. The US was giving aid to Lebanon to give its moderate army strength over radical elements and thus to promote peace. If the US sees that aid going to people who want to hurt US interests then OF COURSE the US will stop the aid! What do these guys think, that they're ENTITLED to US taxpayer money?! I don't think so!!!

The Lebanese like to talk big from their small country. If they don't have U.S. aid, then Iran and Turkey will battle it out for supremecy in that department. Hmmm.... makes you wonder when we're going to start seeing Turkish troops as "advisors" or for "support" in various Middle Eastern neighbors of ours. That would be a laugh, if the Turks decided they wanted to take back Lebanon, and went nose-to-nose with the Syrian-Iranian axis who've already made it clear they have imperialist intentions in Lebanon.

...on welfare from the hated western world? Now complaining when they don't get their free $$'s. What is wrong with this picture????

Israel wants to live in peace...who are you kidding If Israel wanted to live in peace it could have signed peace agreements with all arab countries long time ago. Ever since Israel got its hand on Nuclear bombs back in the 1980's Israel turned from a country seeking to secure itself from any aggression, to a Big Bully trying to intimidate his neighbhors, and meddling with their interior affairs in an attempt to destabilize them. In other words it turned from Victim to Aggressor. If Israel wants peace it could have seized the offer of the Arab summit of 2002 where all arab countries were willing to sign peace treaties with Israel if Israels follow the land for peace understanding. Israel could have signed peace agreement with Syria by returning the Golan Heights (Israel is secure from Syrian attack or else Syria would get nuked). And they could have allowed the palestinians to have their own state, so Palestinians living abroad can get hold of a Palestinian passport, that would resolve their refugee situation. By signing the peace agreement with Syria & the rest of arab nations, and allowing the Palestinians to have a state of their own. Hamas & Hizbullah would seize to exist. But some Israeli officials didn't think Peace is not worth giving up Israel's War Booty, figuring that Peace is not necessary especially since Arab countries are no longer an existential threat to Israel, and that Israel could endure the small nuisances emanating from Hamas and Hizbullah. Back to Lebanon, where Israel is actively seeking to infiltrate every branch of its institutions, and not just to spy on Hizbullah, and meddling in its internal affairs, and using its international diplomacy to undercutt any support for the Lebanese institutions (Israel's campaign against USA support for Lebanese army dates back to 2006) all this is clear attempt to weaken the Lebanese state, that would result in destabilizing it for some sinister purpose that has nothing to do with your "Israel seeking to live in peace" gimmick.

First Israel has had nukes since the late 60's, so your theory that Israel suddenly became a bully after getting nukes in the 80's, goes out the window. In fact in was the PLO that destroyed Lebanon by using it as a base of operations, the former President of Lebanon before being assassinated admitted that fact. Israel went into Lebanon (1982) to rid it of 18,000 PLO terrorists...appox. 6-7 thousand were mercenaries...THAT WERE USING CROSS BORDER RAIDS TO ATTACK Israel. that was the reason Israel set up the 3 mile buffer zone. Yes Israel can nuke Syria, but not w/o having some fallout onto Israel, so it would be a back against the wall, live or die scenario before Israel would do that. Let me be quite clear, if Israel gave in to all demands made by the surrounding Muslim countries, they will still be attacked. I'm sorry, but that's the way I feel. The rest of your arguments are nonsense. The Pals can sit down at any time and have a peace agreement, frankly 95% of the territory is already settled, we all saw what happened...except you I guess...when Israel left Gaza. It immediately became a base of operations to launch attacks on Israel. Of course Israel keeps an eye on Lebanon, Hezbollah openly states it wants to destroy Israel, will not honor any agreements made by Palestinians that do not return ALL of present day Israel to Muslims. In fact the opposite of what you said is true. It's Hezbollah that meddles in Israeli internal affairs. In 2005 while Israel was engaged with Hamas in the Gaza strip, Hezbollah attacked Israel in a cross border raid. Nasrallah admitted this. He stated that he wanted to help Hamas by killing and kidnapping IDF members, But, as Nasrallah said " I underestimated the Israeli response". Now again we have...this time...the LAF starting a war with Israel and again trying to shift the blame. But they were caught dead bang lying, as usual. You guys could have had a country in 1948, you chose war, and you lost. Since then you tried in 1956, 1967, 1973 not mention the thousands of terrorist murders and attacks. Now here you are attempting to paint Israel as the aggressor, please!! Your situation is self inflicted, be man enough to accept some responsibility, EVEN IF YOUR TO HUMILIATED TO USE A NAME.

To statement that Israel could have signed piece treaty with arabs long time ago is very idiotic. Now, why Lebanon needs arms any way, no one is threatening this country, the only real enemy is Hezbolla which eventually will destroy Lebanon any way and no arms will help them. And last point, - this arab pride! if only it could be used to produce energy then the world wouldn't need fuel.For god sake, try to create or produce something, contribute to progress. Pride, pride pride...

Aid to Israel has a ton of strings attached, from where its spent to intl commerce of Israeli industries. Unfortunately, aid to Arabs has a lot less conditions on them, like to Egypt where the US stipulates they must be a democracy and keep peace with Israel - in reality, they are NOT a democracy, instigate Israel often, and largely hate America.

wy give the aid in the first place? Is morrocco threatening war? The only issue labenon-hizbollah has is its hatred for Jewish soevreignty in the land of Israel.

Though the US does wink a lot at the violations of the conditions, all US aid to every country has conditions. The problem that President Berman doesn't get, he's too young, is that the US is not the only source of money or weapons in the world. He should go back to being a Congressman.

Anonimous : Attempt to weaken Lebanese state,there is no more a Lebanese state,Lebanon was broken up by the 2 Godfathers,Yasser Arafat and Hasan Nasarala,the real ruler of Lebanon is Iran,how naive of the USA to believe that the Lebanese Army will defend Lebanon against Hezbulla,the arms already provided to Lebanon,are already in Iran,Russia, China to be studied and copied.

Funny how all the brain-dead morons like #10 let their hatred of Jews and Israel cloud their intellect. Really, what kind of news are you reading, guy?? You should write fairy tales or science fiction novels because that's what I'm hearing out of you. Israel has NEVER attacked another country without it being in response to an act of aggression. And as #11 said, Israel is rumored to have had nukes for 40+ years and has never used them, nor threatened to use them. Wouldn't you expect that from a true 'bully' , as you claim? Additionally, if the Arab world and Israel signed a peace treaty, non-state actors, eg. HAMAS, Hezbollah, Islamic Jihad, PFLP, Al Qaida, etc. would not be a party to those accords and theoretically, they would now have access to areas directly adjacent to Israel's heartland. For a glimpse into what I'm saying, please refer to the Gaza Strip and South Lebanon pullouts. Did any terror groups "seize" to exist, as you put it. By the way, you meant to say CEASE, you poop-nugget. Furthermore, what is it with the whole 'land for peace' ideology? How about 'peace for peace?' Israel doesn't have to give jack sh1t back to anybody. They won the Golan, Jerusalem, and the West Bank fair and square through repeated defensive wars. You don't foist war upon a nation, then lose --repeatedly, I might add-- and then demand to have the land back in return for peace. NO, you get peace in return for not starting anymore conflicts and as a special bonus, Israel will not have to bomb your cities, factories, infrastructure, etc. I say that if Lebanon wants to break from the West, let them! The next time they have a conflict with Israel, everyone should know that it isn't between western allies. Rather, it will be against a Lebanon that has become a full fledged member of the terror axis. Hariri and company might have a chance at saving their land if Israel cleans house first! My 2 shekels.

country and people who deserve it. Israel!

one less pressure point for the US onto lebanon , opens wide the way for Iran to fill the void and turns the lebanese army to an auxilery of Hizballah, as usual a tactical victory for Israel and its jewish hounds in congress a stratigic failour for the long term.

Let the ones who sponsored and orchestrated the murder of your beloved former prime minister to take over Lebanon's army. Every sect in Lebanon is bowing and kissing Syria's and Iran's shoes... Michel Aoun, Walid Jumblat, even Hariri's own son! Yes, mr. Lebanese defense minister and all the "brave" Lebanese politicians - continue alienating US with such statements. Stupid Arab pride.

i guess the arab pride makes it OK to support terrorism. i guess the arab pride makes it OK to attack the IDF for no reason what so ever. i guess the arab pride makes it OK to desire to destroy the whole of israel and all of it's citizens. i guess the arab pride makes it OK to hate all of the jews for just being jews. i guess arab pride makes it OK for them to teach their children to hate and to kill the jews. or maybe not?..

It is said that pride goes before the fall and Arab pride is a prime example. Arab pride is the millstone around Arab necks. Arab pride has in effect kept Arab countries, such as they are, backward and notoriously inept at governance and providing their people with anything remotely associated with progress and achievement. Arab pride is their downfall and a contradiction in terms. Care to weigh in Salma honey?