Lebanon’s Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri, an ally of the Iran-backed Hezbollah, called on Sunday for dialogue over its weapons, days before the government is expected to approve an army plan to disarm the group.
Months after Hezbollah’s devastating war with Israel and under heavy US pressure, Lebanon’s government this month tasked the army with drawing up a plan to disarm Hezbollah by the end of the year.
Hezbollah strongly opposed the decision and Shiite ministers, including representatives from the group and Berri’s Amal Movement, withdrew from the last government session in protest.
“We reiterate that we are open to discussing the fate of those weapons … in a calm and consensual dialogue,” Berri, an influential Shiite leader, said in a speech commemorating the 1978 disappearance of Amal founder Musa al-Sadr in Libya .
Lebanon’s cabinet is set to meet again on Friday after receiving the army’s plan.
Berri criticized the government’s moves, which are based on a US proposal.
“What is proposed in the American paper goes beyond the principle of (a state) weapons monopoly, and rather appears as an alternative to the November ceasefire agreement,” he stated.
Hezbollah emerged heavily weakened from a devastating war with Israel that ended in a ceasefire signed in November.
Israel has kept up attacks in Lebanon despite the truce.
Earlier on Sunday, the Israeli army said it carried out a strike on a site run by Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.
Lebanon’s National News Agency reported intense strikes in the area, where serious damage was recorded.
A later strike on a motorcycle killed one man, according to the NNA.
The agreement states that Hezbollah is to pull its fighters north of the Litani River, around 30 kilometers (20 miles) north of Israel.
Israel was to withdraw its troops from Lebanon but has kept them at five points it deems strategic, with Washington linking a full Israeli withdrawal with the disarmament of Hezbollah.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also suggested the two issues are linked.
Berri rejected holding a dialogue under “threats” that undermine the truce agreement.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said on August 7 that “arms monopoly will be achieved despite the difficulties and obstacles,” adding that authorities are “awaiting the army’s plan” on weapons monopolization to “discuss it and approve it.”
“Achieving arms monopoly in the hand of the state does not harm Lebanon’s rights and sovereignty,” he emphasized, adding that “Cabinet’s session will continue the approval of decisions to implement arms monopolization.”
“We will press on with the implementation of the presidential inauguration speech and the Ministerial Statement,” the president went on to say.
His remarks came after the Cabinet approved a historic decision to disarm Hezbollah and all other armed groups by the year’s end, with the army being tasked with presenting a plan to the government before the end of August.
Hezbollah rejected the decision and said it will deal with it “as if it does not exist,” after the ministers of the Shiite Duo walked out of Cabinet in protest.
“Waste of time“
According to Lebanese political analyst Ali Hussein , “Hezbollah never respected any of the decisions made during dialogue talks “.
“In 2006 it launched an attack against Israel despited the decisions made during the talks and the warnings made by former PM Fouad Siniora.”
“And in 2013 it sent its fighters to Syria to help Syria’s dictator Bashar al Assad despite the decisions made during the dialogue talks against any involvements in regional conflicts during president Michel Suleiman’s term ”
“And in 2023 it launched an attack against Israel without consulting any of Lebanon’s top leaders “
The analyst believes that holding dialogue talks with Hezbollah is a “waste of time” , since its main goal is to extend Iran’s influence in the region, regardless what happens to Lebanon and the Shiite people , who suffered the most as a result of Hezbollah’s wars
Al Arabiya/ YL