‘Unbelievably Satisfied’: U.S. Envoy Praises Lebanese Government Efforts to Disarm Hezbollah

Latest Developments

U.S. Backing Lebanese Disarmament Proposal: The U.S. envoy to Lebanon and ambassador to Turkey, Tom Barrack, said the United States was “unbelievably satisfied” with the Lebanese government’s yet-to-be-released proposal to disarm Hezbollah. “What the government gave us was something spectacular in a very short period of time and a very complicated manner,” Barrack told journalists after meeting with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun in Beirut. He went on to describe the Iran-backed terrorist organization as a “political party,” adding that its operatives need “to see that there’s a future for them, that that road is not harnessed just solely against them, and that there’s an intersection of peace and prosperity for them also.”
Hezbollah Chief Vows to Keep Weapons: Barrack’s statements came after Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem delivered a televised address in which he emphasized that the Iran-backed group will not be intimidated into giving up its weapons. “How can you expect us not to stand firm while the Israeli enemy continues its aggression, continues to occupy the five points [strategic locations where the IDF has maintained a temporary presence], and continues to enter our territories and kill?” he said. “We will not be part of legitimizing the occupation in Lebanon and the region. We will not accept normalization [with Israel].”
IDF Continues Finding Hezbollah Sites: Israel continues to identify and strike Hezbollah terrorists and infrastructure despite the Lebanese Armed Forces’ obligation to clear Hezbollah from the area between the Litani River and the Israeli border. On June 7, the IDF struck several military sites, strategic weapons production and storage sites, and rocket launching sites belonging to Hezbollah in southern Lebanon and the Beqaa Valley, noting that these violated the terms of the ceasefire agreement.

FDD Expert Response

“Barrack’s comment about Hezbollah being primarily a political party that needs to have a future in Lebanon is undesirable. But Barrack’s overall soft approach was very positive. He did not threaten Lebanon with punitive American measures if it failed to act in its own interests. Instead, he emphasized that Lebanon is the master of its own fate, stressing that Beirut’s failure to disarm Hezbollah, blunt its political influence, devise a solution to crippling sectarianism, or enact necessary reforms, will cause the country to be left behind as the region around it pursues progress and peace.” — David Daoud, Senior Fellow

“Historically, the United States has rightly never accepted the distinction made by some European governments between Hezbollah’s ‘political’ and ‘military’ wings. Barrack’s statement goes against the grain in that regard.” — Hussain Abdul-Hussain, Research Fellow

“Certain tactical concessions aimed at placating the Lebanese government are unsurprising, as Hezbollah seeks to recover from its losses due to the war against Israel. However, it is important to return to basic facts: Hezbollah often touts itself as the ‘Islamic Resistance Movement in Lebanon.’ This identity is inseparable from its arsenal. Thus, without its arms, Hezbollah ceases to be a full-fledged ‘resistance’ group, and that is a compromise it is highly unlikely to accept.” — Joe Truzman, Senior Research Analyst and Editor at FDD’s Long War Journal