Israel is largest obstacle to US envoy’s vision for Lebanon: Analyst
Hezbollah will insist on not agreeing to hand over its arms unless Israel stops launching attacks and withdraws from occupied Lebanese territories, says Ali Rizk, a security affairs analyst.
“I think if the Israelis do that, there’s good reason to believe that Hezbollah will be willing to discuss a national defence strategy. That means how to merge Hezbollah’s weapons into the state,” Rizk told Al Jazeera from Beirut.
He said the bigger obstacle to realising US envoy Tom Barrack’s vision is Israel, and that is evident in the latest visit by Israeli army chief Eyal Zamir to occupied Lebanese territory and statements by far-right Israeli ministers who say they intend to stay in Lebanon.
“Ever since October 7, we’ve become accustomed to the fact that the Israelis don’t listen to what the Americans have to say, even when the Americans somewhat escalate their tone.”
Rizk said he would be surprised if the Israeli army withdraws from the five points it occupies in Lebanon, even after the Lebanese government publicly committed to disarming Hezbollah by the end of the year.
He stressed that a dialogue needs to take place inside Lebanon because the Lebanese government does not have the ability to fully strip Hezbollah of its arms, and the army is reluctant to take on the Lebanese group.
Israel bombs southern Lebanon, wounding four Syrians
At least four Syrian workers were injured after an Israeli drone dropped a bomb in Wadi al-Asafir, near stone factories in Khiam, Lebanon’s Health Ministry says.
Daily Israeli attacks in south Lebanon in violation of last year’s ceasefire agreement have not relented as the Lebanese government pushes to disarm Hezbollah.
