He criticized America for not calling for a cease-fire during the Israel-Hezbollah war in Lebanon this summer.
On 12 July 2006, Hezbollah launched a deadly cross-border attack against Israel and initiated the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah war.
Some Israelis and some Gazans both noted similarities in Hamas's military buildup to that of Hezbollah in the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah war.
During the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah war, Israeli warplanes bombed his two-story house in Beirut's southern Haret Hreik neighborhood.
In 2006, it was again postponed due to the Israel-Hezbollah war.
Lebanon is hobbled from the economic and political impact of the Israel-Hezbollah war, and reconstruction efforts have been burdened by the country's $41 billion public debt.
The Israel-Hezbollah war in Lebanon has made that job harder.
When Bilal was in office, he acted as chief spokesperson for the Syrian government during the Israel-Hezbollah war in 2006.
The Israel-Hezbollah war has also resulted in severe damage to water systems with the destruction of 45 distribution units and pumping stations.
While the comments themselves were not the most vitriolic heard since the end of the Israel-Hezbollah war, Ron-Tal was roundly criticized for making them while still in uniform.