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Nahar Net
7 minutes ago
- Nahar Net
Barrack hails 'historic' Lebanon decision on Hezbollah disarmament
by Naharnet Newsdesk 07 August 2025, 21:59 US envoy Tom Barrack said on Thursday Lebanon's government had taken a "historic" decision this week by moving to disarm Iran-backed Hezbollah, which Washington has pushed for. In a post on X, Barrack congratulated Lebanese leaders "for making the historic, bold, and correct decision this week to begin fully implementing" a November ceasefire which ended more than a year of hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel, and stipulated that weapons in Lebanon be restricted to government agencies only. "This week's Cabinet resolutions finally put into motion the 'One Nation, One Army' solution for Lebanon. We stand behind the Lebanese people," Barrack said. Barrack also reminded of recent statements about Lebanon and Hezbollah by U.S. President Donald Trump and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. "Promises made promises kept. As @POTUS (Trump) has stated, 'My administration stands ready to help Lebanon create a future of economic development and peace with its neighbors… In Lebanon, there's a new chance for a future free from the grip of Hezbollah terrorists… A new president and prime minister brought the first real chance in decades for a more productive partnership with the United States,'" Barrack posted. "And as @SecRubio has rightly emphasized, 'Our goal in Lebanon is a strong Lebanese state that can take on and disarm Hezbollah,'" he added. Barrack also posted remarks by U.S. congressman Darrell Issa, who visited Lebanon on Thursday. "We will push hard to make sure that there is — and this is something that I will work with the Israelis on — a complete withdrawal in return for the Lebanese Armed Forces showing its ability to secure all Lebanon," Issa said. The Lebanese government asked the national army on Tuesday to prepare a plan in which only state institutions in the small nation will have weapons by the end of the year, a move that aims to disarm Hezbollah. After Tuesday's cabinet meeting, Hezbollah accused the government of caving to U.S. and Israeli pressure and said it would "treat this decision as if it does not exist." And on Thursday the government approved the objectives of a U.S. paper of demands carried by Barrack to Lebanon. The ministers of Hezbollah and the Amal Movement walked out of both sessions in protest.
L'Orient-Le Jour
4 hours ago
- L'Orient-Le Jour
US lawmaker Darrell Issa in Beirut, promises 'solution regarding Israeli withdrawal from south Lebanon'
BEIRUT — During a visit to Beirut and a meeting with President Joseph Aoun, U.S. Congressman Darrell Issa promised that the United States would find a "solution" to the ongoing Israeli occupation of Lebanese territory in southern Lebanon. "The Lebanese government wants to strengthen stability and we support its efforts in this direction," Issa is cited as saying, according to a statement released by the Lebanese presidency. "Israel must understand that Lebanon is experiencing a new beginning and we will make sure to find a solution regarding the Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon." Cabinet met on Tuesday afternoon to continue discussions on Hezbollah's disarmament and specifically the U.S. proposal for how to do so. As the ministers' meeting was adjourned, it was announced that they had approved "the objectives set out" by the American plan. Despite a cease-fire concluded on Nov. 27, 2024 between Israel and Hezbollah after more than a year of conflict, the Israeli army continues to occupy positions in Labbouneh/Alma al-Shaab, near the coastline (Sour district); Jabal Blat, near Ramieh (Bint Jbeil district); Jal al-Deir, south of Aitaroun (Bint Jbeil district); the Markaba-Houla road (Marjayoun district); Hamames Hill, near Khiam (Marjayoun district). Issa, a Republican member of Congress of Lebanese origin, said that the "Lebanese decision must be in the hands of the people," stressing the need "for legitimate institutions to lead Lebanon." "We support them, just as we reaffirm our support for the Lebanese Army," he said. Issa's Lebanese visit comes two weeks after that of U.S. envoy Tom Barrack, during which he admitted that no one could force Israel to do anything, that there were no guarantees, and that the Lebanese state had to take on the issue of Hezbollah's arms to ensure its monopoly.
L'Orient-Le Jour
4 hours ago
- L'Orient-Le Jour
Cabinet adopts 'objectives' laid out in US proposal for Hezbollah disarmament
BEIRUT — Just half an hour after all Shiite ministers walked out of a Cabinet meeting on the state's attempts to achieve a monopoly on arms, which specifically centers around Hezbollah's disarmament, the government announced on Thursday that it had approved the "objectives set out" by a U.S. proposal on how to do so. The proposal, often described as a "roadmap" was presented to Lebanon by U.S. envoy Tom Barrack in June, amid increasing domestic and international pressure on the Lebanese government to speed up the process of establishing an arms monopoly, on which sorely needed foreign financial support has been conditioned. President Joseph Aoun has led discussions with Hezbollah, insisting on a dialogue-based approach that doesn't exacerbate existing tensions amid a shifting political landscape. However, Hezbollah, for its part, insists it will not disarm so long as Israel continues it aggression against the country and its occupation of land in southern Lebanon. Upon leaving the Cabinet meeting, Information Minister Paul Morcos read out the objectives Cabinet had adopted from the U.S. proposal: 1 : Lebanon commits to implementing the Taif Agreement, as well as the Lebanese Constitution and U.N. Security Council resolutions, in particular Resolution 1701 (2006), and to taking necessary measures to extend its full sovereignty over its entire territory, with the aim of reinforcing the role of legitimate institutions, establishing the state's monopoly over decisions of war and peace, and ensuring the exclusive possession of arms by the state throughout Lebanese territory. 2 : Ensure the durability of the cease-fire, including the end of all violations on land, air, and sea, through organized steps leading to a sustainable, comprehensive, and guaranteed solution. 3 : Gradually end the armed presence of all non-state factions, including Hezbollah, throughout Lebanese territory, both south and north of the Litani River, while providing appropriate support to the Lebanese Army and Internal Security Forces. 4 : Deploy units of the Lebanese Army in border areas and key interior regions, with adequate support for the army and the Internal Security Forces. 5 : Israeli withdrawal from the "five points," and commitment to resolve border and prisoner issues through indirect negotiations and diplomatic means. 6 : Ensure the return of inhabitants of border villages and localities. 7 : Guarantee the complete withdrawal of Israel from Lebanese territory and the cessation of all hostilities, including land, air, and sea violations. 8 : Permanent and visible demarcation of the international border between Lebanon and Israel. 9 : Permanent demarcation and definition of the border between Lebanon and Syria. 10 : Organize an economic conference with the participation of the United States, France, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and other friends of Lebanon, in support of rebuilding the Lebanese economy and in line with President Donald Trump's vision to make Lebanon a prosperous country. 11: Provide additional international support to the Lebanese security forces, especially the Lebanese Army, by giving them the necessary military resources to implement this initiative and ensure Lebanon's protection. Shiite ministers' walkout The issue of compliance with the National Pact should not arise, Morcos argued during his press conference, despite the fact that no Shiite ministers were present when Cabinet made its decision. 'They participated in the session and the debate and only withdrew before the vote,' he said. Ministers Tamara Elzein (Amal), Mohammad Haidar (Hezbollah), and Rakan Nassereddine (Hezbollah) first walked out of the meeting. Minister Yassine Jaber (Amal) was absent at today's and Tuesday's meeting. The three ministers were then followed by the fifth Shiite minister Fadi Makki (not affiliated with either party). "I left the meeting after my colleagues had already departed," Makki said in a statement released afterward. "The decision was not an easy one, but I could not take responsibility for making such a significant decision in the absence of a key party to the debate." Makki clarified in statements made to L'Orient Today that he is not affiliated with the Amal Movement or Hezbollah, and that he walked out of the Cabinet meeting after ministers associated with both parties had already done so because he felt that, as the only remaining Shiite minister, 'I simply felt that I couldn't take sole responsibility for such a decision.' Haidar told L'Orient Today that the walkout of Shiite ministers from the meeting was not indicative of any resignation from government. 'We wanted to show our opposition to the government's desire to endorse the entire proposal of [U.S.] envoy Tom Barrack, but we will be present at future sessions,' he confirmed. Haidar had been absent from the Tuesday meeting, during which the arms monopoly was initially discussed, but he took the floor on Thursday to declared his opposition to Hezbollah's disarmament so long as Israeli attacks on Lebanon were ongoing. 'I am a son of this people," Haidar said. "How could I face the mother of a martyr, a father still living in a tent, or a young man who lives every day in existential anguish, and tell him that he must submit and give up the only guarantee that protects him?' "We cannot talk about disarming 'The Resistance' until the enemy has withdrawn, our prisoners have returned, the attacks have stopped, and reconstruction has begun," he continued. "Otherwise, I am sorry, but I cannot take responsibility for an unjust decision against my people, and I will never accept that the state abandons its own." A 'free service' rendered to Israel Hezbollah's parliamentary bloc, 'Loyalty to the Resistance,' issued a statement in parallel with the Baabda Presidential Palace Cabinet meeting, describing the government's decision to disarm Hezbollah as a 'free service' rendered to Israel. 'We call on the Lebanese government to correct the situation it has put Lebanon in, having bowed to American demands that serve the interests of the enemy,' the statement read. Ahead of the meeting, Minister of Internal Displacement Kamal Shehadi said that 'the Lebanese government is maintaining its decision to achieve the monopoly of arms in the hands of the state' and 'will not go back on its decision.' In an interview with the Saudi pan-Arab channel al-Arabiya, he said he believed that Hezbollah and Amaler were 'the only ones protesting this measure, now facing a majority of Lebanese who support it.'
