Hezbollah has rejected disarmament while Israel continues to attack Lebanon, after US calls for it to give up weapons in four months.A senior United States envoy has praised the Lebanese government’s response to a US proposal aimed at disarming Hezbollah amid Israel’s continued military presence in the country.
Thomas Barrack, an adviser to US President Donald Trump who serves as Washington’s ambassador to Turkiye and special envoy for Syria, returned to Beirut on Monday after delivering the US proposal during a June 19 visit.
The plan called for the Shia Lebanese group Hezbollah to fully disarm within four months in exchange for a halt to Israeli air strikes and the full withdrawal of Israel’s military from the five positions it continues to occupy in southern Lebanon.
“What the government gave us was something spectacular in a very short period of time,” Barrack told reporters on Monday after meeting Lebanese President Joseph Aoun. “I’m unbelievably satisfied with the response.”
While Barrack confirmed that he had received a seven-page reply from the Lebanese side, he offered no details on its contents.
Barrack said that he believed both Lebanon and Israel were seeking a path toward de-escalation. “Both countries are trying to give the same thing – the notion of a stand-down agreement, of the cessation of hostilities, and a road to peace.”
The remarks come as tensions remain high as Israel continues to bombard Lebanon despite agreeing to a ceasefire in November.
The conflict between Israel and …
