Lebanon is nearing completion of its official response to the US proposal addressing the disarmament of Hezbollah. According to reports by “Al-Jadeed” TV, the tripartite presidential committee convened Sunday evening at Baabda Palace to finalize the Lebanese remarks before handing them over to US envoy Tom Barrack.
Barrack, for his part, has requested further clarifications on specific elements of the Lebanese response, particularly regarding the timeline of the disarmament process. Although the response outlines the various phases of implementation, it reportedly lacks concrete start and end dates — a gap that prompted additional questions, especially from the US Department of State.
Sources close to the matter emphasized that Barrack’s early return to Beirut should not be interpreted hastily as a political signal. His visit followed his direct supervision of ceasefire arrangements in Syria’s Sweida region, where he warned Damascus of the country's precarious crossroads and urged a return to dialogue.
Regarding Hezbollah’s refusal to issue a direct response to the US paper, the same sources clarified that a separate endorsement from the party is not required at this stage. Hezbollah had already approved the government's ministerial statement affirming that only the Lebanese state may bear arms, and its MPs renewed their confidence in the government during the last parliamentary session.
Importantly, officials stress that the current discussions do not constitute a new agreement with Israel. Instead, they aim to implement the execution mechanism for the accord signed last October — one that envisions a phased and parallel process of disarmament alongside a full Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory.
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