Behind closed doors: Can Lebanon craft a unified response to the US proposal in time?
Report by Joe Farchakh, English adaptation by Karine Keuchkerian
Lebanon's leadership is racing against time to finalize a unified response to the proposal put forward by U.S. envoy Tom Barrack amid ongoing internal consultations.
Following Friday's meeting between President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, consultations continued Saturday with a sit-down between Salam and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri.
According to LBCI, the Ain el-Tineh meeting did not produce a finalized official Lebanese response to the U.S. proposal, but it laid important groundwork as officials await Hezbollah's position, particularly on the disarmament issue.
Sources told LBCI that Salam's visit was coordinated with the presidency and aimed at hearing the concerns of the Hezbollah-Amal Movement political duo, especially regarding Barrack's proposal.
The discussions centered on three key points. The first was the Barrack proposal. Negotiations over its contents remain unresolved. Hezbollah is reportedly demanding clear American guarantees, particularly regarding the release of detainees, Israeli withdrawal from five hilltop positions, and an end to assassinations and daily violations.
Lebanon's main reservations center on the need for synchronizing steps: weapons handover on one side, matched by Israeli commitments on the other — a 'step-for-step' framework.
The second point was the urgent need for economic reforms, especially those targeting the cash economy, smuggling control, and banking sector restructuring. According to LBCI, the United States and Saudi Arabia are pressing for the swift passage of long-overdue financial reforms.
These are seen as essential, alongside disarmament, for unlocking international aid and jump-starting reconstruction efforts.
The third point was Monday's legislative session, which is considered critical, as key reform laws are expected to be passed amid increasing international pressure not to waste more time.
Against this backdrop, July is shaping up to be decisive for the fate of Hezbollah's weapons, both south and north of the Litani River. Washington is pushing for a swift, official government statement confirming the launch of the disarmament process under Barrack's roadmap, with the envoy expected in Beirut soon.
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