Latest news with #disarming
Asharq Al-Awsat
4 days ago
- Politics
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Lebanese Cabinet Approves Objectives of US Proposal on Hezbollah as Shiite Ministers Walk Out of Meeting
Lebanon's information minister said the cabinet had approved on Thursday only the objectives of a US proposal for disarming Hezbollah by the end of the year, along with ending Israel's military operations in the country, but they did not discuss the full details of it. The objectives of the proposal include phasing out the armed presence of non-state actors including Hezbollah, deploying Lebanese forces to key border and internal areas, ensuring Israel's withdrawal from the five positions, resolving prisoner issues through indirect talks, and permanently demarcating Lebanon's borders with Israel and Syria. Four Shiite members of the cabinet withdrew from the government meeting to protest the proposed plan to disarm Hezbollah. They included members of Hezbollah's parliamentary bloc and the allied Amal party, as well as independent Shiite parliamentarian Fadi Makki. The meeting was adjourned after their exit. Makki said on the social media platform X that he had 'tried to work on bridging the gaps and bringing viewpoints closer between all parties, but I didn't succeed.' He said he had decided to withdraw from the meeting after the other Shiite ministers left. 'I couldn't bear the responsibility of making such a significant decision in the absence of a key component from the discussion," he said. The Lebanese government asked the national army on Tuesday to prepare a plan in which only state institutions will have weapons by the end of the year. The discussions were set to continue Thursday. After Tuesday's cabinet meeting, Hezbollah accused the government of caving to US and Israeli pressure and said it would 'treat this decision as if it does not exist.' Hezbollah officials have said the group will not discuss giving up its remaining arsenal until Israel withdraws from five hills it is occupying inside Lebanon and stops almost daily airstrikes. The strikes have killed or wounded hundreds of people, most of them Hezbollah members, since the latest Israel-Hezbollah war ended in November with a US-brokered ceasefire. US envoy Tom Barrack said on Thursday Lebanon's government had taken a "historic" decision this week by moving to disarm 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.
Khaleej Times
4 days ago
- Politics
- Khaleej Times
Lebanon cabinet approves disarming Hezbollah by end of year
Lebanon's information minister said the cabinet had approved on Thursday only the objectives of a US proposal for disarming Hezbollah by the end of the year, along with ending Israel's military operations in the country, but they did not discuss the full details of it.
Irish Times
4 days ago
- Politics
- Irish Times
US plan for Lebanon proposes disarming Hizbullah by year-end and Israeli withdrawal
The United States has presented Lebanon with a proposal for disarming Hizbullah by the end of the year, along with ending Israel 's military operations in the country and the withdrawal of its troops from five positions in south Lebanon, according to a copy of a Lebanese cabinet agenda. The plan, submitted by US president Donald Trump 's envoy to the region, Tom Barrack, and being discussed at a Lebanese cabinet meeting on Thursday, sets out the most detailed steps yet for disarming the Iran-backed Hizbullah , which has rejected mounting calls to disarm since last year's devastating war with Israel. The US state department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Lebanese government ministers could not immediately be reached for comment. READ MORE The Israeli prime minister's office declined to comment, while the defence ministry did not immediately respond. Hizbullah had no immediate comment on the proposal, but three political sources said that ministers from the Iran-backed group and their Muslim Shia allies withdrew from Thursday's cabinet meeting in protest at discussions of the proposal. Israel dealt significant blows to Hizbullah in an offensive last year, the climax of a conflict that began in October 2023 when the Lebanese group opened fire at Israeli positions at the frontier, declaring support for its Palestinian ally Hamas at the start of the Gaza hostilities. The US proposal aims to 'extend and stabilise' a ceasefire agreement between Lebanon and Israel brokered in November. 'The urgency of this proposal is underscored by the increasing number of complaints regarding Israeli violations of the current ceasefire, including air strikes and cross-border operations, which risk triggering a collapse of the fragile status quo,' it said. The first phase of the plan requires the Beirut government to issue a decree within 15 days, committing to Hizbullah's full disarmament by December 31st, 2025. In this phase, Israel would also cease ground, air and sea military operations. The second phase requires Lebanon to begin implementing the disarmament plan within 60 days, with the government approving 'a detailed [Lebanese army] deployment plan to support the plan to bring all arms under the authority of the state'. This plan will specify disarmament targets. During the second phase, Israel would begin withdrawing from positions it holds in south Lebanon and Lebanese prisoners held by Israel would be released in co-ordination with the International Committee of the Red Cross. During the third phase, within 90 days, Israel will withdraw from the final two of the five points it holds, and funding will be secured to initiate rubble removal in Lebanon and infrastructure rehabilitation in preparation for reconstruction. In phase four, within 120 days, Hizbullah's remaining heavy weapons must be dismantled, including missiles and drones. Also in phase four, the United States, Saudi Arabia, France, Qatar and other friendly states will organise an economic conference to support the Lebanese economy and reconstruction and to 'implement President Trump's vision for the return of Lebanon as a prosperous and viable country'. – Reuters
Al Arabiya
4 days ago
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
US plan sees Hezbollah disarmed by year-end, Israeli withdrawal
The United States has presented Lebanon with a proposal for disarming Hezbollah by the end of the year, along with ending Israel's military operations in the country and the withdrawal of its troops from five positions in south Lebanon, according to copy of a Lebanese cabinet agenda reviewed by Reuters. The plan, submitted by US President Donald Trump's envoy to the region, Tom Barrack, and being discussed at a Lebanese cabinet meeting on Thursday, sets out the most detailed steps yet for disarming the Iran-backed Hezbollah, which has rejected mounting calls to disarm since last year's devastating war with Israel. The US State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Lebanese government ministers could not immediately be reached for comment. Hezbollah had no immediate comment on the proposal. Israel dealt major blows to Hezbollah in an offensive last year, the climax of a conflict that began in October 2023 when the Lebanese group opened fire at Israeli positions at the frontier, declaring support for its militant Palestinian ally Hamas at the start of the Gaza war. The US proposal aims to 'extend and stabilize' a ceasefire agreement between Lebanon and Israel brokered in November. 'The urgency of this proposal is underscored by the increasing number of complaints regarding Israeli violations of the current ceasefire, including airstrikes and cross-border operations, which risk triggering a collapse of the fragile status quo,' it said. Phase 1 of the plan requires the Beirut government to issue a decree within 15 days committing to Hezbollah's full disarmament by December 31, 2025. In this phase, Israel would also cease ground, air and sea military operations. Phase 2 requires Lebanon to begin implementing the disarmament plan within 60 days, with the government approving 'a detailed (Lebanese army) deployment plan to support the plan to bring all arms under the authority of the state.' This plan will specify disarmament targets. During Phase 2, Israel would begin withdrawing from positions it holds in south Lebanon and Lebanese prisoners held by Israel would be released in coordination with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). During Phase 3, within 90 days, Israel will withdraw from the final two of the five points it holds, and funding will be secured to initiate rubble removal in Lebanon and infrastructure rehabilitation in preparation for reconstruction. In Phase 4, within 120 days, Hezbollah's remaining heavy weapons must be dismantled, including missiles and drones. In Phase 4, the United States, Saudi Arabia, France, Qatar and other friendly states will organize an economic conference to support the Lebanese economy and reconstruction and to 'implement President Trump's vision for the return of Lebanon as a prosperous and viable country.'
Reuters
4 days ago
- Politics
- Reuters
Exclusive: US plan sees Hezbollah disarmed by year-end, Israeli withdrawal
BEIRUT, Aug 7 (Reuters) - The United States has presented Lebanon with a proposal for disarming Hezbollah by the end of the year, along with ending Israel's military operations in the country and the withdrawal of its troops from five positions in south Lebanon, according to copy of a Lebanese cabinet agenda reviewed by Reuters. The plan, submitted by U.S. President Donald Trump's envoy to the region, Tom Barrack, and being discussed at a Lebanese cabinet meeting on Thursday, sets out the most detailed steps yet for disarming the Iran-backed Hezbollah, which has rejected mounting calls to disarm since last year's devastating war with Israel. The U.S. State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Lebanese government ministers could not immediately be reached for comment. Hezbollah had no immediate comment on the proposal. Israel dealt major blows to Hezbollah in an offensive last year, the climax of a conflict that began in October 2023 when the Lebanese group opened fire at Israeli positions at the frontier, declaring support for its militant Palestinian ally Hamas at the start of the Gaza war. The U.S. proposal aims to "extend and stabilise" a ceasefire agreement between Lebanon and Israel brokered in November. "The urgency of this proposal is underscored by the increasing number of complaints regarding Israeli violations of the current ceasefire, including airstrikes and cross-border operations, which risk triggering a collapse of the fragile status quo," it said. Phase 1 of the plan requires the Beirut government to issue a decree within 15 days committing to Hezbollah's full disarmament by December 31, 2025. In this phase, Israel would also cease ground, air and sea military operations. Phase 2 requires Lebanon to begin implementing the disarmament plan within 60 days, with the government approving "a detailed (Lebanese army) deployment plan to support the plan to bring all arms under the authority of the state". This plan will specify disarmament targets. During Phase 2, Israel would begin withdrawing from positions it holds in south Lebanon and Lebanese prisoners held by Israel would be released in coordination with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). During Phase 3, within 90 days, Israel will withdraw from the final two of the five points it holds, and funding will be secured to initiate rubble removal in Lebanon and infrastructure rehabilitation in preparation for reconstruction. In Phase 4, within 120 days, Hezbollah's remaining heavy weapons must be dismantled, including missiles and drones. In Phase 4, the United States, Saudi Arabia, France, Qatar and other friendly states will organise an economic conference to support the Lebanese economy and reconstruction and to "implement President Trump's vision for the return of Lebanon as a prosperous and viable country".
