US Envoy to Syria Tom Barrack canceled a scheduled visit to southern Lebanon on Wednesday amid calls for protests, the National News Agency reported.
Barrack reportedly arrived by helicopter at the Francois al-Hajj barracks in Marjayoun, where Lebanese army units had been deployed in the area and at Khiam’s northern entrance to secure his visit, but the trip was cut short amid calls for protests against his visit.
This comes as Israeli forces carried out an explosion early Wednesday in the border town of Kfarkela in southern Lebanon. The National News Agency had reported that “a loud explosion was heard at 4:30 a.m. as a result of a detonation carried out by the enemy inside the town of Kfarkela, and its echoes were heard in the towns of Marjayoun district.”
Local media reported that several residents of Khiam staged a demonstration at the town’s entrance, during which they raised pictures of “resistance fighters” killed in battle, in rejection of the US envoy’s visit to the area.
The protesters reportedly expressed their condemnation and denunciation of the US’ “biased policies” toward Israel and its support for Israel in its aggression against Lebanon.
On Tuesday, the top diplomat came under fire after describing Lebanese journalists as “animalistic” during a press conference at the presidential palace.
Tom Barrack, who also serves as Washington’s special envoy for Syria and ambassador to Turkey, made the remarks after meeting President Joseph Aoun.
“Please, be quiet for a moment… The moment this starts becoming chaotic, like animalistic, we’re gone,” Barrack said from the podium during a news conference. “So, you want to know what’s happening? Act civilized, act kind, act tolerant, because this is the problem with what’s happening in the region.”
