logo
Hezbollah rejects US push for disarmament in Lebanon-Israel ceasefire framework

Hezbollah rejects US push for disarmament in Lebanon-Israel ceasefire framework

Saudi Gazette4 days ago
BEIRUT — Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem said Friday that the United States is pressuring Lebanon to accept a new agreement with Israel that would begin with Hezbollah's disarmament in exchange for a partial Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon.
In a televised speech aired by Hezbollah's Al-Manar channel during a ceremony honoring slain commander Ali Karaki, Qassem warned that disarmament would amount to facilitating Israeli expansion.
'We fully implemented the ceasefire agreement in southern Lebanon, south of the Litani River,' he said. 'Now the U.S. wants a new deal starting with disarming us for a partial withdrawal by Israel.'
Qassem reiterated Hezbollah's refusal to respond to any calls to hand over its weapons unless Israeli aggression on Lebanon stops.
The remarks come ahead of a scheduled visit by U.S. Special Envoy Tom Barrack to Beirut next week.
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam confirmed the visit Friday, saying that the Lebanese government had reviewed and commented on a U.S. proposal Barrack submitted via President Joseph Aoun.
According to Salam, the American paper proposes a phased process tied to key elements: a complete Israeli withdrawal from occupied Lebanese territory, extension of Lebanese state authority across the entire country, and exclusive control of weapons by the state.
'The proposal includes ideas related to arrangements for the cessation of hostilities, and we have conveyed our observations,' Salam said in comments reported by the National News Agency.
He emphasized transparency, stating, 'We do not work in black rooms,' without disclosing the full content of Lebanon's feedback.
A Lebanese official earlier told Anadolu Agency that Barrack's proposal, submitted June 19, links Hezbollah's disarmament and state monopoly over weapons to Israel's withdrawal from five remaining positions in southern Lebanon.
It also includes provisions for releasing funds to rebuild war-damaged areas and implementing reforms in border control, smuggling prevention, customs collection, and public facility oversight.
Hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces erupted into full-scale warfare last September, despite a ceasefire agreement brokered in November.
Israeli strikes have continued in southern Lebanon, with Tel Aviv citing Hezbollah activities as justification.
Lebanese authorities have documented nearly 3,000 Israeli violations of the ceasefire, with more than 250 deaths and over 560 injuries reported since the truce began. Israel was supposed to fully withdraw by Jan. 26 but extended the deadline to Feb. 18, refusing to vacate five military outposts along the border. — Agencies
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Trump says US agrees trade deal with Japan
Trump says US agrees trade deal with Japan

Saudi Gazette

time42 minutes ago

  • Saudi Gazette

Trump says US agrees trade deal with Japan

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump says the US has agreed to a "massive" trade deal with Japan, one of the country's largest trading partners. Japan has agreed to invest $550bn (£407bn) in the US while its goods sold to America would be taxed at 15% when they reach the country - below the 25% tariff Trump had threatened. Trump said on social media that Japan would open its economy to US goods, including cars, trucks, rice and certain agricultural products. Japan's Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba welcomed the announcement, saying it was "the lowest figure to date among countries with trade surpluses with the US". "I just signed the largest trade deal in history, I think maybe the largest deal in history with Japan," Trump touted at a White House event on Tuesday evening. "They had their top people here, and we worked on it long and hard. And it's a great deal for everybody. I always say it has to be great for everybody. It's a great deal," he said on Wednesday the agreement would mean US tariffs on vehicles and parts would be cut to 15% from 25%.However, the tax is above the 10% Trump levied on Japan and other countries when he suspended higher so-called reciprocal tariffs between April and said: "We were the first in the world to reduce tariffs on cars and auto parts without any quantity restrictions."UK cars sent to the US are taxed at a lower 10% rate when they reach American shores but this is limited to 100,000 vehicle added: "The agreement does not include any reduction of tariffs on the Japanese side."The BBC has contacted the White House and Japan's embassy in Washington for more details of the trade its main tariff rate down to 15% is Japan's "best compromise at this stage", Shigeto Nagai from research firm Oxford Economics told BBC planned investment in the US by Japan included in the announcement "will be a huge boost to restore the US, fitting in with Trump's story of reviving US manufacturing with more jobs," he a letter sent to Japan this month, Trump threatened a 25% tariff on the country's exports to the US if there wasn't a new trade deal struck before 1 August, just above the rate he announced during his so-called Liberation Day on 2 April tariffs plan, which included duties on many US trading partners across the globe, were paused for 90 days following worldwide market turmoil. It allowed Tokyo's trade representatives time to negotiate with their counterparts in benchmark share index, the Nikkei 225, was more than 3% higher on Wednesday in Tokyo, with strong gains for shares in motor industry giants - including Toyota, Nissan and apparent deal comes as Ishiba is under pressure to step down after his Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) lost its majority in the country's upper house in elections over the LDP had already lost its majority in Japan's more powerful lower house last year. — BBC

Israel's allies see evidence of war crimes in Gaza mounting up
Israel's allies see evidence of war crimes in Gaza mounting up

Saudi Gazette

timean hour ago

  • Saudi Gazette

Israel's allies see evidence of war crimes in Gaza mounting up

By Jeremy Bowen LONDON — Two years ago, Hamas was putting the finishing touches to its plan to attack Israel. In Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu believed that the Palestinians were a problem to be managed. The real threat, he insisted, was Iran. Netanyahu's rhetoric opposing Hamas was undimmed, but he had also given permission for Qatar to funnel money into Gaza. It gave him space for his real priorities in foreign policy — confronting Iran and finding a way to normalize relations with Saudi Arabia. In Washington, then-President Joe Biden and his administration believed they were close to hatching a deal between the Saudis and Israelis. It was all a series of illusions. Netanyahu has refused to establish an inquiry to look into the mistakes he made alongside his army and security chiefs that gave Hamas its opportunity to attack with such deadly effect on 7 October 2023. The century-long conflict between Zionists and Arabs for control of the land between the River Jordan and the Mediterranean was unresolved, festering, and about to explode into a war that looks to be as consequential as its other landmarks, in 1948 and 1967. The Middle East has been transformed since 7 October, and almost two years into the war, the conflict in Gaza is at another inflection point. They were taken by surprise on 7 October when Hamas attacked, and since then Israel has banned international journalists from Gaza to report freely. Palestinian journalists inside the Strip have done valiant work, and nearly 200 have been killed doing their jobs. But key facts are clear. Hamas committed a series of war crimes in the attacks it launched on 7 October, killing 1,200 people, mainly Israeli civilians. Hamas took 251 hostages, of which perhaps 20 who are still being held inside Gaza are believed to be alive. And there is clear evidence that Israel has committed a series of war crimes since then. Israel's list includes the starvation of Gaza's civilians, the failure to protect them during military operations in which Israeli forces killed tens of thousands of innocents, and the wanton destruction of entire towns in a manner that is not proportionate to the military risk Israel faces. Netanyahu and his former defence minister are the subject of arrest warrants for war crimes issued by the International Criminal Court. They insist on their innocence. Israel has also condemned a legal process at the International Court of Justice which alleges that it is committing genocide against Palestinians. Israel denies the accusations, and claims they are antisemitic "blood libels". Israel is running out of friends. Allies who rallied around after the 7 October Hamas attacks have lost patience with Israel's conduct in Gaza. Even Israel's most important ally, Donald Trump, is reported to be losing patience with Netanyahu after being taken by surprise when the Israeli leader ordered the bombing of Damascus – attacking Syria's new regime, which Trump has recognised and encouraged. Other western allies of Israel ran out of patience months ago. Another joint statement, condemning Israel's actions, was signed on 21 July by foreign ministers from the UK, much of the European Union, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Japan. They used strong words to describe civilian suffering in Gaza, and the failing and deadly aid distribution system run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) that Israel introduced to replace tried and trusted methods used by the UN and leading global relief groups. "The suffering of civilians in Gaza has reached new depths," the statement said. "The Israeli government's aid delivery model is dangerous, fuels instability and deprives Gazans of human dignity. We condemn the drip feeding of aid and the inhumane killing of civilians, including children, seeking to meet their most basic needs of water and food. It is horrifying that over 800 Palestinians have been killed while seeking aid. "The Israeli government's denial of essential humanitarian assistance to the civilian population is unacceptable. Israel must comply with its obligations under international humanitarian law." David Lammy, Britain's foreign secretary, followed the joint statement with one of his own, using similar language, in the House of Commons in Westminster. It was not enough for Labour MPs, who want strong words to be backed by strong actions. One told me there was "fury" at the government's reluctance to act more decisively. Top of their agenda is recognition of a Palestinian state, which has already been done by a majority of members of the United Nations. The UK and France have discussed doing so jointly, but so far seem to believe the time is not right. Israel's parliament, known as the Knesset, is only days away from its summer recess, which will last until October. That means Benjamin Netanyahu will have a break from the threat of a vote of no confidence from the extremist nationalists in his coalition who oppose a ceasefire in Gaza. His reluctance to negotiate a truce is a result of their threats to quit his government. If Netanyahu lost power in an election, his day of reckoning for his 7 October mistakes - as well as the end of his long running corruption trial - would race towards him. A ceasefire is looking more possible, a chance of survival for Gaza's civilians and for the Israeli hostages who have been prisoners of Hamas for so long. None of that means the conflict will end. The war has taken it to new depths. But if there is a ceasefire there will be another chance to switch from killing to diplomacy. — BBC

Trump Withdraws US from UNESCO Amid Clash over Ideological Priorities
Trump Withdraws US from UNESCO Amid Clash over Ideological Priorities

Leaders

time12 hours ago

  • Leaders

Trump Withdraws US from UNESCO Amid Clash over Ideological Priorities

President Donald Trump announced the US will withdraw from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), citing the organization's anti-American and anti-Israel bias, along with its woke agenda. The decision follows a 90-day review initiated in February, focusing on anti-Semitism and anti-Israel sentiment within UNESCO. Concerns Over DEI Policies Administration officials expressed concerns about UNESCO's diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies. White House deputy spokesperson Anna Kelly stated that the organization's pro-Palestinian and pro-China stance influenced the decision, emphasizing that Trump prioritizes American interests in international organizations. UNESCO's recent initiatives raised alarms, as the 2023 'anti-racism toolkit' urged member states to adopt anti-racist policies. Additionally, the 2024 'Transforming MEN'talities' initiative aimed to reshape perceptions of gender issues in India, which also included a report on using video games to promote gender equality. Anti-Israel Actions UNESCO has faced criticism for its anti-Israel actions, including designating Jewish holy sites as 'Palestinian World Heritage' sites, with the organization frequently describing Palestine as 'occupied' by Israel while failing to condemn Hamas's actions in Gaza. Moreover, China, the second-largest funder of UNESCO, has leveraged its influence to promote its interests. The Chinese Communist Party has faced scrutiny for downplaying the role of minorities, such as Uyghur Muslims, in its history. Trump previously withdrew the US from UNESCO in 2017, citing similar concerns. The US first left the organization in 1983 under President Reagan, who criticized its politicization and hostility toward free societies. President Biden rejoined UNESCO in 2023, arguing that American presence was essential to counter China's influence, with his administration also pledging to repay over $600 million in dues since 2011. Short link :

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store