The challenges of disarming Hezbollah: How did Sheikh Naim Qassem disrupt the equations?
In an article, the Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar examined the diplomatic traffic in Beirut after the visit of Ali Larijani, Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of Iran, to Lebanon and the presence of Thomas Barrack and Morgan Ortagus, US envoys in the country, and wrote that Saudi envoy Yazid bin Farhan is also scheduled to visit Beirut.
The report notes that Washington has continued to employ pressure diplomacy on the Lebanese front, and its representatives have urged Lebanese officials to take the necessary steps to disarm the resistance. Although the visit was made to encourage Lebanese officials, the American delegation was seeking to examine Lebanon’s positions, especially after Ali Larijani visited Beirut.
The visit of Barrack and Ortagus was not long, and they left for the occupied territories immediately after the meetings. Tariq Motari, Deputy Prime Minister of Lebanon, said in an interview with the Qatari channel “Al-Arabi” that if Israel is not committed to the American document, Lebanon does not see the need to commit to it either.
Consequences of the speech of the Secretary General of Hezbollah in Lebanon
Informed sources assessed the recent speech of Hezbollah Secretary General Sheikh Naim Qassem as his most important and strongly-worded speech since the end of the war, saying that these words had a clear impact on Lebanon and made Lebanese officials hesitate in their decision. This led to the content of Sheikh Naim Qassem’s speech being raised in Barak’s meetings with the three heads of Lebanon and Army Commander Rudolf Heikkel. Informed sources revealed that Lebanese President Joseph Aoun raised three basic points in his meeting with Barak and Ortagus:
First: Aoun emphasized that Lebanon has taken the first necessary step and decided to limit weapons within a specific period of time, and that the Lebanese army is responsible for developing an implementation mechanism for the government’s decision, so the United States must obtain the agreement of Damascus and Tel Aviv with the content of the agreement, because Lebanon cannot move to the implementation stage without reciprocal steps.
Second: Aoun stressed the need to support the Lebanese army, saying that the army lacks the necessary capabilities and tools and cannot carry out this mission alone. He said that the Lebanese army is waiting for support.
Third: Aoun called for the creation of the necessary infrastructure to launch a financial and economic support project for Lebanon.
In a meeting with Barak, Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam emphasized the need for the American side to fulfill its responsibilities by pressuring Israel to stop hostile actions, withdraw from occupied areas, and release prisoners. He also emphasized the priority of supporting and strengthening the capabilities of the Lebanese armed forces in terms of finances and equipment so that they can carry out the required missions.
According to an informed official source, Aoun and Salam thought that Hezbollah would remain silent in the face of the disarmament resolution and would be forced to retreat and make concessions, especially given the recent Israeli threats, but the positions of Hezbollah’s Secretary General in defending the weapons of resistance exceeded their expectations. On the other hand, the Zionist regime has been denying any commitment to Lebanon in its political positions in recent weeks and has continued its aggression against Lebanon in the operational arena.
Barak had nothing new to say
The source of Al-Akhbar newspaper, noting that “Barak had nothing new to say during this visit,” added that Nabih Berri emphasized the need for Israel to withdraw from the occupied territories and stop hostile actions before any discussion on disarmament. Berri repeated what he had told Al-Arabiya the day before meeting Barak, and rebuked him: “An agreement was reached during your recent visit to Beirut, why didn’t you stick to it until it got to this point?”
Berri also asked the American envoy about Israel’s adherence to the ceasefire agreement and withdrawal from Lebanese territory to internationally recognized borders, emphasizing that this is a prelude to stability in Lebanon and an opportunity to begin the reconstruction process to return the people of the south to their residential areas and provide components to support the Lebanese army.