The US asked Lebanon to disarm Hezbollah. How did Lebanon respond?
Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun received American diplomat Thomas Barrack in Beirut on Monday and gave him the Lebanese state’s reply to a proposal from the United States about disarming Hezbollah.
Barrack, ambassador to Turkiye and special envoy for Syria, said Lebanon’s response was “something spectacular” and that he was “unbelievably satisfied” by the reply, which has not been made public as of yet.Over the past two years, Israel has waged war on Gaza, Iran, Lebanon, Syria and Yemen, with full US support.
Developments have often been touted as victories against Iran and its allies in the region.What was the Lebanese government’s response to the US demand?
The response has not yet been made public.
But reports indicate the government demanded that Israel withdraw from all Lebanese territories, including five points it occupied during the recent ceasefire and areas it stayed in after the 2000 withdrawal from southern Lebanon.
It also reportedly called on the US to pressure Israel to:
abide by the ceasefire,
return Lebanese prisoners it took, and
adhere to United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701, which calls for a cessation of hostilities, for Hezbollah to withdraw from south of the Litani, and for financial and economic reforms, among other provisions.
Barrack said he received a seven-page reply from Aoun’s team and had not yet had time to study it, but that he was satisfied.
His comments also seemed to suggest Lebanon needs to meet certain expectations if it wants US support, talking about Lebanon turning over a new leaf, similar to neighbouring Syria, which has indicated it is willing to have a peace agreement with Israel.
“If you don’t want change, it’s no problem,” Barrack said, before adding: “The rest of the region is moving at high speed.”
Barrack did not specify if US support would be in the form of reconstruction financing – the World Bank says Lebanon needs $11bn for recovery following the latest Israeli aggression – or in terms of reining in Israel, which continues daily attacks on southern Lebanon and occasionally on Beirut and its periphery.What are the demands for Hezbollah to disarm?
There are external and internal demands.
The external demands come mostly from the US and Israel. Before Hezbollah was battered in this latest war and lost much of its military leadership, Israel saw the group as a military threat.
Many Gulf states have also opposed Hezbollah and its benefactor Iran’s influence over Lebanon and the Levant.
Internally, Lebanon’s president and prime minister, as well as a variety of political parties and figures, want Hezbollah to disarm and for the Lebanese army and state to control the use of force and decisions of war and peace.
In much of Lebanon’s post-civil war period (1990 onwards), Hezbollah has been Lebanon’s political and military hegemon. Its support comes mostly from the Shia community, and most elected Shia officials are members of Hezbollah or their allies, the Amal Movement.
