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Ya Libnan
an hour ago
- Ya Libnan
U.S. envoy: Israel must 'comply' after Lebanon's 'first step' to disarm Hezbollah
U.S. Special Envoy Thomas Barrack said Monday that it is now Israel's turn to comply with the cease-fire agreement reached last November to end the war with Hezbollah. File Pool photo by Anthony Behar/UPI BEIRUT, Lebanon – U.S. Special Envoy Thomas Barrack said Monday that it is now Israel's turn to comply with the cease-fire agreement reached last November to end the war with Hezbollah , now that Lebanon has taken 'the first step' toward disarming the Iran-backed militant group. Barrack, who met with Lebanon's top officials in Beirut, hailed the cabinet for endorsing earlier this month the objectives of a U.S.-proposed plan to disarm Hezbollah and for tasking the Army with preparing a plan to enforce a state monopoly on weapons by the end of the year. 'This is a Lebanese decision that requires Israel's cooperation,' he said after meeting with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun at the Presidential Palace. He added, 'There's always a step-by-step approach, but I think the Lebanese government has done their part; they've taken the first step… Now what we need is Israel to comply with that equal handshake.' Asked whether Israel is then expected to stop its violations and pullout from occupied parts of south Lebanon, Barrack said this was 'the next step,' noting the need for Israel's 'participation' and for an economic plan 'for prosperity, restoration and renovation of everybody.' 'You can't just take something and not give anything,' he said. Israel refused to fully withdraw from southern Lebanon in accordance with the U.S.- and French-brokered cease-fire agreement of Nov. 27, retaining five strategic positions and continuing to strike suspected Hezbollah sites, resulting in the deaths of additional operatives and civilians. Despite the Lebanese Army taking control of most Hezbollah positions and facilities, pushing the group away from the Israeli border, and preventing any military presence south of the Litani River, Israel continued to insist on Hezbollah's complete disarmament. Hezbollah, significantly weakened during the 14-month war and reportedly having lost the bulk of its military capabilities, refrained from retaliating against Israel's continued attacks but refused to yield to pressure to fully disarm, insisting it would not do so as long as Israel violates the cease-fire accord. Barrack clarified that there has been 'no American proposal to Israel and they have not negated anything,' explaining that Washington has been discussing first with Lebanon to know its position and was in the process of holding the same discussions with Israel now. He tried to assure Lebanon's Shiite community, saying Hezbollah was part of the Shiite population who 'have to see what is in store for them; what's the option and what's a better alternative than the alternative they have.' He expressed optimism 'to see progress on all sides' in the next few weeks, saying it would mean 'a better life for the people' and 'at least the beginning of a roadway to a different kind of dialogue' in the region. Lebanon's decision to set a timeline for Hezbollah disarmament was mainly motivated by the risk of another devastating war with Israel and of losing well-needed funds to rebuild its war-devastated regions. President Aoun told Barrack that 'the other parties' would need to adhere 'to the contents' of the plan agreed upon with Washington; secure greater support for the Lebanese Army and accelerate the internationally backed efforts to launch the reconstruction process in the war-ravaged areas. Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, who also met the U.S. envoy, emphasized the need for the U.S. to assume its responsibility in pressuring Israel to halt its hostile actions, withdraw from the five occupied points, and release Lebanese detainees captured during the war. Salam stressed the importance of renewing the mandate of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon at the end of this month, highlighting its role in reinforcing stability and assisting the Lebanese Army in extending state authority in the south. He, moreover, called for a clear international commitment to convening a conference to support reconstruction and economic recovery in Lebanon, which the World Bank has estimated at $11 billion, while Lebanese officials put it at more than $14 billion. House Speaker Nabih Berri , Hezbollah's main ally who negotiated the November 2024 cease-fire accord on its behalf, asked Barrack about Israel's commitment to the agreement and withdrawal from south Lebanon, saying: 'This is the gateway to stability in Lebanon and an opportunity to begin the reconstruction process in preparation for the return of residents to their towns.' The Hezbollah-Israel war, which killed and wounded more than 21,500 people, displaced over 1.2 million people, damaged or destroyed nearly 64,000 buildings and disrupted education for hundreds of thousands of students, according to a U.N. report. (UPI)
Nahar Net
2 hours ago
- Nahar Net
Aoun stresses 'step-for-step' approach with Israel
by Naharnet Newsdesk 18 August 2025, 13:01 President Joseph Aoun said in an interview that U.S. envoy Tom Barrack's paper 'became a Lebanese paper' after Lebanon 'introduced its remarks to it.' 'It will not become in effect before Lebanon, Syria and Israel agree to it. The second matter that we emphasized is the 'step-for-step' principle, because if any step is not implemented, the step that matches it will not be implemented in return,' Aoun told Al-Arabiya television. He added that he had to choose between two options: 'I either agree to the paper and tell the world that I performed my duty and that they now have to perform their duty in obtaining Israel approval of it, or I don't agree and then Israel would increase its attacks and Lebanon would become isolated economically.' 'None of us can respond to the attacks. And if anyone has a third choice that can lead to Israel's withdrawal, the liberation of the captives, border demarcation and the economy's revival, let them come forth and propose it,' Aoun said. Noting that Hezbollah's arms are a 'domestic affair' and that 'state institutions are concerned with addressing this matter,' the president added that he believes that 'no one in the Lebanese state across the country has a problem with arms monopolization.' Aoun also stressed that his concern is 'not to move Lebanon from one axis to another,' but rather to 'restore Lebanon, end its isolation and achieve security, prosperity and stability.' 'I don't have a political or electoral ambition not a party to be concerned about, I'm only concerned about Lebanon and I have an occupation in the South that I want to get rid of. I also want to finalize border demarcation with Syria, not to move the country from one axis to another,' the president went on to say.
L'Orient-Le Jour
3 hours ago
- L'Orient-Le Jour
After Lebanon's 'step forward,' the ball is now in Israel's court
The U.S. ambassador to Turkey and envoy for Syria and Lebanon, Tom Barrack, began his visit with Lebanese leaders Monday by stating, from the Baabda Presidential Palace, that the ball was now in Israel's court to comply with the terms of the cease-fire agreement, after the Lebanese government took a "first step" by committing to disarm the militias, especially Hezbollah, by the end of the year. During a press conference held after he met with President Joseph Aoun, Barrack said that "the return to peace and prosperity is near, and in the coming weeks, we will see great progress and the beginning of a plan for dialogue with all neighbors." He shared his "hope" after the cabinet's decisions regarding the state's monopoly on weapons and the American roadmap. "You can be proud of your government," he said. "Hezbollah's disarmament is in the interest of the Shiites, and not against them," stated the U.S. envoy. He emphasized that reconstruction will occur "throughout Lebanon and not just in the south." "The Lebanese government has taken the first step by committing to reclaiming the state's monopoly on arms, and it is now Israel's turn to take a step in exchange," said Barrack. He noted that Washington had not submitted any specific proposal to Israel. "What we are doing is implementing an agreement that has been violated. The American administration does not use threats regarding Hezbollah's disarmament. If the Shiite party refuses this decision, it will have lost an opportunity, because disarmament is the best choice for a return to prosperity." The diplomat also noted that Morgan Ortagus, who previously was responsible for the Lebanese file, had joined his team. President Aoun told his American interlocutors that "what is necessary today is that other parties commit to respecting the contents" of the cease-fire agreement. According to a post on X, he called on the international community, notably the U.S. and France, to "better support the Lebanese Army and to accelerate the necessary measures at the international level to launch the reconstruction process in areas affected by Israeli attacks." While the issue of disarmament made headlines over the past weekend after a speech by Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem, in which he mentioned a possible "confrontation" if the state persisted in disarming the party without an agreement, the Lebanese authorities are standing firm. President Aoun reaffirmed in a televised interview Sunday night that there would be "no turning back," and again criticized Iran's comments on the matter. Iranian envoy Ali Larijani responded by stating that "our remarks on the situation in Lebanon and the resistance do not mean that we are interfering in the country's internal affairs."
