Lebanon calls for ‘reciprocal’ progress on Israel deal as disarming Hezbollah remains stalled
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio hosted Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam in Washington on Monday as the US tries to advance a peace deal between Beirut and Israel. Negotiations on the US-brokered Israel-Lebanon framework that was initially agreed to in June have slowed amid continuing Israeli bombing of southern Lebanon, despite a supposed ceasefire. Meanwhile, Lebanon has failed to disarm…
Lebanon has called for reciprocal progress in the Israel peace deal as the disarming of Hezbollah remains stuck. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam in Washington to discuss advancing the US-brokered Israel-Lebanon framework. However, negotiations are stalled due to ongoing Israeli bombing of southern Lebanon and Lebanon's failure to disarm Hezbollah, a crucial component of the deal.
Salam expressed optimism about a "renewed partnership" with the US, aiming for a gradual and timetable-bound process with credible verification. Lebanon insists on Israel's withdrawal before disarming Hezbollah, while Israel prefers disarming Hezbollah first. Former Friedmann senior fellow Hanin Ghaddar stated that the sequence now requires Lebanon to disarm Hezbollah before seeking further Israeli withdrawal.
Despite Lebanon's army presence in a pilot zone, it has not completed disarming Hezbollah. The US appears to have a passive role, and Ghaddar suggests establishing a verification mechanism and using sanctions to curb Hezbollah's influence in Lebanese institutions. Lebanon's Finance Minister Yassine Jaber was in Washington to meet with IMF managing director Kristalina Georgieva and discuss a new staff-level agreement.
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