Hezbollah arms talks leaves Lebanon on edge

Lebanon has entered yet another period of uncertainty after an apparent setback in US mediation efforts with Israel, according to Asharq Al-Awsat on August 28th.

Reportedly, US negotiators have not managed to secure understandable commitments that could assist with Beirut’s plan to disarm Hezbollah, a Lebanese military group.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed his decision that Israel will not withdraw from Lebanon unless Lebanon commits to disarming Hezbollah. The US deputy envoy for Middle East affairs, Morgan Ortagus, has returned to Israel along with Senator Lindsey Graham for further talks. This is following a heated Lebanese response to US demands that Hezbollah lays down its arms before any talks of Israeli concessions.

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri expressed dissatisfaction over the outcome of the US delegation’s visit. Berri said that the US had delivered “the opposite of what they promised.” This is referring to the anticipation that the US would urge Israel to respond to a step-by-step approach that is endorsed by US envoy Tom Barrack.

“The American delegation brought nothing from Israel,” Berri commented, adding that “things have become complicated again.” He also said that “anything that leads to internal division is unacceptable.” This was in reference to a cabinet meeting set to discuss the army’s plan for Hezbollah’s disarmament on September 2nd. This meeting is on schedule “for now,” according to a senior Lebanese source.

Hezbollah has reacted, and has accused Washington of aiming to weaken Lebanon’s defenses and force Beirut towards normalisation with Israel. The group said that the government had fallen into a “grave mistake” by yielding to US demands for Hezbollah’s disarmament.

Hussein al-Khalil, political aide to Hezbollah’s leader, said US pressure aimed to turn Lebanon into an “American-Israeli colony.” He warned that involving the army in opposing Hezbollah would pit soldiers against their fellow Lebanese people, which in turn would risk “tearing down two pillars of the country, the army and the resistance.” Khalil has urged President Joseph Aoun and other leaders to protect the army from internal strife and resist global ideas that “threaten Lebanon’s security, sovereignty and stability.”

On August 27th, Barrack withdrew from a scheduled visit to Lebanon’s southern border. This was after protesters in the area denounced the idea of his visit. He alternatively received a briefing from Brigadier General Nicolas Tabet, head of the South Litani sector. Tabet spoke of Israeli conduct obstructing the army’s full deployment along the frontier.