In a statement to Al Jadeed TV , Deputy US Special Representative for the Middle East Policy Morgan Ortagus stated, “Lebanon must move quickly toward the complete disarmament of Hezbollah, and there must be a monopoly on arms in the hands of the state alone.”
She noted that “economic and financial reforms are the only path to building a state, and their impact will reduce corruption and undermine Hezbollah’s illicit funding sources.” She stated that “Hezbollah’s disarmament must occur soon, otherwise Lebanon risks being left behind.” She added, “Take Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa as an example. He was able to move quickly, and today he is ready to rebuild Syria and open its markets to economic growth and lasting peace in the region.”
In response to a question about her statements in Qatar regarding the International Monetary Fund, Ortagus said, “My words were taken completely out of context. I never said that we were bypassing reforms. Quite the contrary. I affirm my support for the necessary reforms.”
She stated that “the United States remains steadfast in its position that Parliament must move quickly to pass a law restructuring the banking sector, and that the government must expedite the drafting of a law to bridge the financial gap,” considering that “disarming the militias and passing reforms represent the key to any real investment in Lebanon.”
Disarming Palestinian refugee camps
Ortagus also stated t that “the weapons possessed by armed factions in refugee camps in Lebanon are at risk of being exploited by Hezbollah and other terrorist groups aimed at destabilizing Lebanon and undermining its sovereignty.”
She said, “We are encouraged by recent efforts to eliminate them. The people of Lebanon deserve a future free from the threat of violence by terrorists and criminal gangs.”
Ortagus’s remarks follow the decision to withdraw Palestinian weapons from the camps.
Earlier today, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam participated in the first meeting of the joint committee monitoring the situation in Palestinian camps in Lebanon, where he issued directives regarding “the need to expedite practical steps by establishing a clear implementation mechanism and according to a specific timetable.”
According to what Agence France-Presse reported earlier, citing a Lebanese government source, the Lebanese and Palestinian sides agreed to begin withdrawing weapons from Palestinian refugee camps in mid-June, based on an agreement with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who is on an official visit to Lebanon.
El Nashra