Hezbollah a ‘legitimate political party’ within Lebanon, US envoy says | Israel-Palestine conflict News

Convincing Hezbollah to give up its weapons is the job of the Lebanese government, and the United States is not interested in pressuring anybody, the US special envoy for Syrian affairs, Tom Barrack, has told Al Jazeera.

Barrack’s comments come a day after Hezbollah’s leader, Naim Qassem, once again rejected the Lebanese government’s attempts for the group to disarm, which was one of the key parts of the November ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon.

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“We will never abandon our weapons, nor will we relinquish them,” Naim said on Saturday, adding that Hezbollah would continue to “confront any project that serves Israel”. Hezbollah maintains that the disarmament plan approved by the Lebanese government only serves Israel’s interests.

The US and its closest regional ally, Israel, have been seeking the complete disarmament of Hezbollah, which started firing rockets at Israel a day after Israel launched its war on Gaza on October 7, 2023. By the time a ceasefire was agreed to on November 27, Israel’s strikes on Lebanon had crippled Hezbollah’s military capability and killed more than 4,000 people.

Though weakened by the war, Hezbollah remains a major political force representing the Shia community, and its allies hold seats in the parliament.

In an exclusive interview with Al Jazeera Arabic, Barrack said that Hezbollah is “a legitimate political party in Lebanon”, adding that its legitimacy within the confessional power-sharing system, where political position is divided among sects, complicates ending the ongoing conflict with Israel.

Near-daily Israeli attacks

The US envoy described Hezbollah, which the US classifies as a foreign “terrorist” organisation, as “an essential part of the Lebanese political system”.

This constitutes “a complex problem for Lebanese political leaders”, who agreed to the objectives of a US-backed plan for Hezbollah to hand in their arsenal.

Lebanon’s cabinet approved the plan on August 7, despite Hezbollah’s outright refusal to disarm, raising fears that Israel could intensify attacks on Lebanon.

Israel continues to occupy Lebanese territory and has carried out near-daily attacks in southern Lebanon since the November ceasefire agreement.

Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency on Sunday reported “a series” of Israeli air strikes near the towns of Kfar Rumman and Jarmak, and a drone strike on a home in Humin, all in the country’s south.

Barrack, the US envoy, said the US was ready to help Lebanon “resolve the conflict”, but that it was “not our responsibility”. “We don’t pressure anyone, and we won’t dictate what Lebanon should do, nor will Israel,” he said.

“As for Lebanon, we said this is your internal problem. If you want a unified army and a real state, you have to disarm the parties and groups that don’t comply.”

The envoy said the simmering conflict with Israel would continue “as long as Israel feels that Hezbollah is hostile, rebuilding and rearming”.

US looking at future of Syria, Gaza

Barrack said that US President Donald Trump was “eager” to end the war in Gaza, and was looking for “the right answer” that would deliver that result.

“I believe that the president, after listening to the Arab leaders, realised the importance of moving forward and getting it done quickly,” he told Al Jazeera.

The envoy also welcomed Syria’s first appearance at the United Nations General Assembly in nearly 60 years, after the ousting of former President Bashar al-Assad paved the way for the country’s readmission.

Syria’s interim president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, has taken several steps in the months since al-Assad’s removal in January, including establishing new institutions, planning to hold elections and encouraging foreign investment.

The US removed the Syrian armed group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which al-Sharaa headed, from its list of “foreign terrorist organisations” in July, reflecting a shift in policy towards post-Assad Syria.

Barrack said that Trump had chosen to “give them a chance” and welcomed al-Sharaa’s efforts to solve lingering conflicts in the southern and northeastern parts of the country.

“It takes time, but they’re doing everything they can do,” the envoy said.