US envoy praises ‘historic’ decision by Lebanon
US Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack has praised Lebanon’s move to disarm Hezbollah by the end of the year, calling it a “historic” decision.
“Congratulations to Lebanese President Aoun, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, and the Council of Ministers for making the historic, bold, and correct decision this week to begin fully implementing the November 2024 Cessation of Hostilities agreement, UN Security Council resolution 1701, and the Taif Agreement,” Barrack said in a social media post.
“This week’s Cabinet resolutions finally put into motion the ‘One Nation, One Army’ solution for Lebanon. We stand behind the Lebanese people.”
Hezbollah official says group’s weapons ‘legal and legitimate’
The deputy chief of Hezbollah’s political council, Mahmoud Komati, has called the Lebanese government’s decision to disarm Hezbollah a “march in humiliation” and surrender to Israel and the US.
“There is no state or government in the world that would confront the resistance in its own territory while the enemy is still there occupying the land and carrying out aggressions against Lebanon daily,” Komati told Al Jazeera Mubasher.
He said Hezbollah will hold on to its right to resist Israel under the UN Charter, which asserts an “inherent right of individual or collective self-defence”.
“Our presence is legal and legitimate and ethical and humane, and so are our weapons as a resistance [movement],” Komati said.
