U.S. Rejects Lebanon’s Plan to Halt Israeli Violations
The United States has rejected Lebanese proposals submitted by Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri during the visit of U.S. envoy Thomas Barak to Beirut, which aimed at halting Israeli violations on Lebanese territory and initiating practical steps toward disarmament of Hezbollah. According to parliamentary and governmental sources, this rejection—though unofficial—was revealed through ongoing communications and Barak’s latest positions, confirming Washington’s unwillingness to accept Lebanon’s demands.
Berri’s proposals clearly called for Israel to cease its violations of the ceasefire agreement signed last November and to begin withdrawing from occupied Lebanese lands. In return, the proposals suggested persuading Hezbollah to participate in a cabinet session and begin practical steps toward exclusive state control over arms, applying a “step-by-step” principle between both sides.
However, the United States has insisted on its position that Lebanon must first implement the principle of exclusive arms control, meaning that the Lebanese government should be the sole armed authority within its territory—without any prior steps from Hezbollah. This directly contradicts Hezbollah’s stance, which maintains that it will not take any disarmament action until Israel fulfills its own obligations under the ceasefire agreement.
Sources say that the ongoing dialogue between Lebanese political factions and American representatives was aimed at preventing a potential Israeli escalation on the border. However, the U.S. response to Berri’s proposals created a significant obstacle to making progress on this complex issue.
Despite this, government and parliamentary sources stress that dialogue between Lebanon and the United States continues, and the situation is not entirely bleak. There remains room for solutions that serve Lebanon’s national interest, particularly in light of Beirut’s efforts to implement financial and administrative reforms and combat corruption—issues that align with American demands.
It is worth noting that the dispute over Hezbollah’s arms and the exclusivity of weapons in Lebanon remains a key point of tension between the Lebanese government and Washington, and a major obstacle to security and political stability in the country. The U.S. insists on full implementation of exclusive arms control, while Hezbollah refuses to disarm without tangible Israeli steps such as withdrawal and ceasefire compliance.
In this reality, relations between Lebanese parties and the United States remain in ongoing negotiation, with all sides seeking to avoid escalation and prevent further crises that could undermine Lebanon’s fragile stability and that of the broader region.
The biggest challenge remains in finding a consensus formula that meets the security and political concerns of all parties—one that respects Lebanon’s sovereignty, preserves stability, and avoids unbalanced compromises. This will require continuous, serious dialogue between Beirut and Washington to protect Lebanon’s interests and maintain national unity.
