Lebanon May Have A Will To Disarm Hezbollah But Does It Have A Way?

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — The Yisrael Hayom newspaper reports that Lebanon is now in the midst of political upheaval as it seeks to comply with US demands to demilitarize Hezbollah, weaken its political influence and resolve the country’s border disputes with Israel.

“The confusion is not among the Americans or the Israelis, but within Lebanon itself,” lamented an editorial this week in Al-Akhbar, a newspaper affiliated with Hezbollah. Anonymous sources indicated that despite Beirut’s official opposition to normalization with Israel, “Lebanon’s political leadership is experiencing a state of confusion and helplessness.”

For example, concerns were raised about the price Beirut might pay if it rejects the American proposal to upgrade the representation level in the military committee which is conducting indirect talks with Israel.

The month of Ramadan will conclude this Saturday, followed by the Eid al-Fitr holiday, lasting three days. U.S. envoy Morgan Ortagus is expected to visit Lebanon again shortly after, in early April. Hezbollah circles fear that the envoy will demand a timeline for disarming the terror organization. Just this week, she reportedly asked: “What can the Lebanese army do to uphold the ceasefire and disarm Hezbollah in the south?”

Diplomatic sources in Lebanon reported that she is indeed expected to present a roadmap based on three pillars:Disarming Hezbollah, drying up its funding sources and preparing to weaken it in the upcoming parliamentary elections.

This plan doesn’t exist in a vacuum, and support for Hezbollah’s disarmament is growing in Lebanon. It’s no longer just Hezbollah’s Christian rivals pushing for this, but top government figures as well.

Just last weekend, Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam stated in an interview with Al-Arabiya that Hezbollah’s slogan — “People, Army, and Resistance” — belongs to the past. He declared that the state would not surrender or accept compromises on the matter. He warned that no foreign investments would come to Lebanon as long as any weapons remain outside the state’s control. He further emphasized that Lebanon “must extend its authority over all borders to prevent becoming a corridor or platform for drug smuggling” — a clear jab at Hezbollah, which profits immensely from the Captagon drug trade.

From the outside, one might believe that a new era is dawning in the Land of the Cedars — but the reality on the ground tells a different story.

For example, while in some areas of southern Lebanon the Lebanese army works against illegal arms stockpiles, in other areas it allows Hezbollah to rearm freely. The reason? The army has a Shiite majority that sympathizes with the terror group.

Hezbollah also continues to smuggle weapons from Syria and entangle Lebanon in dangerous conflicts with Syria’s Islamist regime. Moreover, Hezbollah still holds two ministerial positions in the Lebanese government, maintaining its political influence.

Lebanon’s leadership wants to escape the crisis, but words alone won’t suffice.

As long as Lebanon’s security apparatus avoids decisive action against Hezbollah, the terror group will keep dragging the fragile nation into wars.

It seems that Beirut is waiting for someone else to pull the chestnuts from the fire — whether it’s the U.S., through tough action against Iran, Hezbollah’s sponsor, or Israel, should it resume fighting on the northern front.