UPDATES WITH DETAILS, CHANGES HEADLINE, DECK
By Naim Berjawi and Tarek Chouiref
BEIRUT/ISTANBUL (AA) – US envoy Tom Barrack arrived in Beirut on Sunday for talks with Lebanese officials aimed at reviving a US initiative to disarm the Hezbollah group and advance economic reforms.
The visit follows a US proposal presented on June 19, which calls for Hezbollah’s weapons to be placed under state control in return for an Israeli pullout from five occupied border points and the release of funds for reconstruction in war-hit areas.
Lebanon has not formally endorsed the plan, but submitted counter-proposals described as “ideas for a solution.”
The US proposal also calls for wide-ranging reforms, including tighter border control, enhanced customs revenue collection, and improved oversight at public crossings and facilities.
Speaking in a televised interview on June 27, Barrack said Hezbollah’s military wing “must be dismantled entirely,” clarifying that the demand does not target the group’s political branch, but its armed infrastructure. He stressed the need for a clear timeline for disarmament.
Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem has firmly rejected the proposal.
“Those demanding resistance to give up its weapons should first call for the end of Israeli aggression. It’s unacceptable to ignore the occupation and pressure only those defending against it,” Qassem said in a July 4 speech.
“If others choose surrender, that’s their path. We will not.”
This is Barrack’s third visit to Beirut since tabling the proposal. His first trip was in June, when the plan was officially submitted, followed by a second on July 7–8.
Cross-border warfare between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon escalated into a full-scale war in September 2024. Despite a November ceasefire, Israeli forces have conducted near-daily attacks in southern Lebanon, claiming to target Hezbollah’s activities.
Since then, Lebanese authorities have reported nearly 3,000 Israeli violations of the truce, including the deaths of at least 255 people and injuries to more than 560.
Under the ceasefire deal, Israel was supposed to fully withdraw from southern Lebanon by Jan. 26, but the deadline was extended to Feb. 18 after Tel Aviv refused to comply. Israel still maintains a military presence at five border outposts.