US Diplomatic Push for Hezbollah Disarmament Met with Defiance and Deliberation in Lebanon

A fresh American diplomatic initiative is set to intensify as U.S. envoy Thomas Barrack prepares to visit Lebanon next week, reportedly carrying a specific timeline for the disarmament of Hezbollah. [5] The proposal outlines a deadline for the Lebanese government to announce its plan to disarm the group by August 1, with complete implementation expected before the end of November. [5] This push for a comprehensive solution to the Lebanese-Israeli conflict is conditional on Hezbollah handing over its ballistic and hypersonic missiles before further discussions can proceed. [5] Hezbollah has met the proposal with swift and public defiance. In a televised speech, the group's Deputy Secretary-General Naim Qassem declared that Hezbollah would not give up its weapons, framing them as essential for the nation's defense against what he termed an "existential threat." [3, 4] Qassem stated, "We will not surrender or give up to Israel; Israel will not take our weapons away from us," dismissing the U.S. proposal as a veiled attempt to weaken Lebanon for Israel's benefit. [3, 4] He emphasized that the group is prepared for a defensive confrontation and that its arms are not negotiable under foreign pressure, but rather a matter for national consensus. [2, 4] In the face of this diplomatic pressure and internal division, Lebanon's state leadership is carefully crafting its official stance. President Joseph Aoun and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri have met to put the final touches on Lebanon's formal reply to the U.S. request. [6] Top Lebanese leaders are reportedly preparing a joint letter in response to the document delivered by Barrack during a previous visit. [11] The government's response is said to focus on rephrasing the U.S. document to be more acceptable, emphasizing mutual steps from both Lebanon and Israel and linking Hezbollah's disarmament to a complete Israeli withdrawal from occupied Lebanese territories. [3, 11] The situation highlights the deep-seated political tensions within Lebanon over the critical issue of Hezbollah's arsenal. While the Lebanese government has officially committed to a state monopoly on arms, it must also navigate the powerful influence and military might of Hezbollah. [6] Prime Minister Nawaf Salam acknowledged the U.S. proposal as an "opportunity," while also discussing with the U.S. envoy the possibility of interlinked steps between an Israeli withdrawal and Hezbollah's disarmament. [4, 19] This delicate balancing act unfolds as the international community watches closely, conditioning billions in reconstruction aid on a resolution to the weapons issue. [7, 11]