Israel will not withdraw from Lebanon unless Hezbollah disarms
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office issued a statement proclaiming that Israeli forces will withdraw from Lebanon, only after Lebanon commits to the disarmament of Hezbollah, The National via AP reported on August 25th.
The statement came amid a scheduled meeting in Lebanon with US envoys Tom Barrack and Morgan Ortagus, who reportedly pressured Israel to scale back its military operations in Lebanon. The pair argued that scaling back would encourage the government of Lebanon to disarm the Iran-backed group.
However, Israel has clearly stated that it will not ease its military presence in the country before the Lebanese army starts implementing Hezbollah’s disarmament.
The Israeli statement noted: “If the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) take the necessary steps to implement the disarmament of Hezbollah, Israel will engage in reciprocal measures, including a phased reduction of IDF presence in coordination with the US-led security mechanism.”
“In light of this important development, Israel stands ready to support Lebanon in its efforts to disarm Hezbollah and to work together towards a more secure and stable future for both nations,” it added.
The Lebanese armed group had previously rejected the vote, and instead insisted that it will not lay down its arms until Israeli forces withdraw from the country and cease their attacks.
Hezbollah’s main benefactor, Iran, has also expressed its dissatisfaction with the decision of the Lebanese government. According to sources briefed on the meetings of Iran’s security chief Ali Larijani in Beirut, Iran’s position is that the group should not be disarmed as the looming threat of a new war with Israel becomes increasingly likely.
Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem accused Lebanon’s government of “handing over” the country to Israel by moving to disarm the group, and warned that such steps risk triggering internal challenges.
Meanwhile, the UN has continued to weigh in how to reinforce peace in Lebanon. A proposed resolution aims to extend the UN Interim Forces in Lebanon (UNIFIL) mission’s mandate through to the end of August 2026, but a withdrawal will be considered on the condition that Lebanon’s government assumes sole security control in the south, and a comprehensive political settlement is agreed upon.
The US and other countries have also clearly stated that financial support to rebuild Lebanon following the conflict with Israel, will not be provided until an official decision to disarm Hezbollah is made.
According to a senior Lebanese military source, “the Lebanese army is capable of meeting the deadline to present the plan requested by the government to ensure only state institutions possess weapons.”
The National via AP, Maghrebi.org
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