BEIRUT: US Special Envoy Thomas Barrack sparked outrage Tuesday after telling Lebanese journalists to “act civilized” and avoid behaving in an “animalistic” manner during a press conference at the presidential palace, drawing swift condemnation from media unions and the presidency.
During a press conference at Baabda Palace following his meeting with President Joseph Aoun, Barrack asked journalists to “be quiet for a moment” before lashing out, saying: “The moment this starts becoming chaotic, like animalistic, we’re gone.”
He added: “Act civilized, act kind, act tolerant, because this is the problem with what’s happening in the region.”
Linking their behavior to a broader problem in the Middle East drew backlash from journalists and media unions, who described his comments as “humiliating” and “racist.”
The press conference was held in Beirut to brief the media on Washington’s push to disarm Hezbollah as part of wider efforts to de-escalate tensions along Lebanon’s southern border.
