The Lebanese government approved an intended strategy crafted by the Army Command on Friday for the disarming of the Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran. However, it has opted to not disclose further details of the plan. The Information Minister, in a post-meeting statement, relayed that the plan was welcomed by the Council of Ministers who recognized the vision of Army Command and the progressive approach to control armament exclusively under proper authority.
The army will regulate the plan according to its restricted and finite resources. To maintain transparency, the government requested the Army Command to provide a progress report on a monthly basis. Further discussions on the proposed military plan were elected to remain undisclosed, emphasizing the delicate and strategic nature of the initiative.
A protest ensued by the five Shiite ministers, featuring four who extend affiliation toward Hezbollah and its primary ally, the Amal Movement. These ministers claimed that the aforementioned military plan’s timing was inconsiderate. The Labor Minister of Hezbollah argued that a comprehensive defense strategy to ensure Lebanon’s security should precede any monopolization of weapons.
As of a month prior, the Lebanese Cabinet affirmed its alignment with an American-devised plan, with the intended objective to disarm Hezbollah. Consequently, the task of establishing a state monopoly on armament by the year’s end was assigned to the Army. However, the military strategy did not provide a precise schedule for its execution, seemingly a strategic decision to mitigate intensifying disputes with Hezbollah.
Hezbollah continues to oppose the disarming and has rejected any imposed timelines by the authorities due to ongoing Israeli encroachments in southern Lebanon, sustained air rage, and incarceration of Lebanese citizens. The initial steps for the implementation of the disarmament will take into account the existing and glaring constraints on the army’s limited logistical, financial, and human resources.
Multiple restrictions have been perceived, with the most salient being Israel’s persistent violation of the cease-fire agreement dated Nov. 27. This agreement was mediated by the United States and France as a resolution to a 14-month-long war fought between Israel and Hezbollah. The ensuing challenges to the plan’s execution, as Hezbollah begrudgingly agreed for armament discussions as part of the broader national defense blueprint, revealed an underlying resilience to government attempts to timetable disarming.
This disarmament timetable was crucial to the U.S. for unlocking much-needed international and Gulf Arab financing to aid in supporting Lebanon’s economic reconstruction and revival. Despite Lebanon’s efforts to take ‘two fundamental unilateral steps’ — sanctioning the U.S.’s disarmament proposal and entrusting its army to extend state jurisdiction across all Lebanese territories – there has not been any demonstrative commitment from Israel to the proposal.
Instead, Israel has defaulted in taking any reciprocal actions. It has been stressed that Israel is bound by obligations under the U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701 and the cease-fire agreement. The ongoing violations signal potential dangers to regional security and equilibrium.
The foremost priorities for Lebanon are securing nationwide military control, pushing reconstruction efforts forward, curtailing Israeli aggression, and discussing matters pertaining to detained citizens. An internal consensus is paramount to prevent potential division, which would be detrimental to the nation’s interest and its rebuilding efforts.
Lebanon is under increased pressure from the U.S. and neighboring countries to disarm Hezbollah, with the risk of causing internal strife and jeopardizing its security due to the militant group’s defiance to forfeit its armament. This potential for conflict and its aftereffects primarily motivated the decision to set a disarmament schedule for Hezbollah.
U.S. officials have cautioned that the Lebanese leaders are operating against the clock to disarm Hezbollah, which could lead to a loss of financial backing from the U.S. and Gulf Arab states, and possibly incur a re-initiated military offensive. The government is urged to take decisive action to fend off the pressure from the U.S., Israel, and Gulf Arab states, and to resist Hezbollah’s threats of inciting violence.
One U.S. official contended that any reluctance or evasive actions from Lebanon may push the U.S. Congress to stop the approximate $150 million annual funding for the Lebanese Armed Forces. There is a general consensus among other U.S. authorities that a greater risk lies in Israel deciding to ‘finish the job’ through a subsequent military expedition that may result in extensive damages and casualties.
The repercussions of the war are daunting, with more than 21,500 residents either injured or dead, over 1.2 million displaced, and a large area of border villages in southern Lebanon destroyed. The estimate for reconstruction and economic revival stands at around $11 billion as per the World Bank, whereas Lebanese officials expect something closer to $14 billion.
The post Lebanese Government Approves Army’s Disarmament Plan for Hezbollah appeared first on Real News Now.
About Author
