Lebanese Parl’t Speaker: No Negotiations with “Israel”

By Staff, Agencies

Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri confirmed that proposed negotiations between Lebanon and “Israel” have collapsed following the latter’s rejection of a US initiative aimed at facilitating an “Israeli” withdrawal from occupied Lebanese territories and initiating border demarcation and security talks.

In an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat on Monday, Berri explained that US envoy Thomas Barrack informed him of “Israel’s” refusal to accept a proposal that included a two-month cessation of “Israeli” aggressions, a withdrawal from occupied Lebanese land and subsequent discussions on border and security arrangements.

“As a result of this rejection, any path for negotiations with ‘Israel’ has been abandoned,” Berri stated, emphasizing that “what remains is only the mechanism followed through the committee supervising the implementation of the ceasefire agreement.”

He underscored Lebanon’s commitment to the November 2024 ceasefire agreement, which ended a prolonged conflict with “Israel.” The committee tasked with overseeing the deal now convenes every two weeks, reflecting what Berri described as a “more structured and consistent framework” than before.

While acknowledging a state of stalemate, the speaker expressed both pessimism and cautious optimism about future prospects, stressing that adherence to the ceasefire remains vital—particularly in light of the heavy border clashes that erupted in October 2023.

In a related development, US envoy Thomas Barrack warned Beirut of potential unilateral “Israeli” military action should Lebanon fail to move forward with disarming the Hezbollah resistance movement.

“Should Beirut continue to hesitate [over disarming Hezbollah], ‘Israel’ may act unilaterally – and the consequences would be grave,” Barrack cautioned in a post on X.

The US administration has reportedly conveyed to Beirut that failure to implement Hezbollah’s disarmament could prompt renewed “Israeli” aggression. According to The New York Times, US officials warned that any delay or obstruction might lead “Israel” to “finish the job” through further military operations.

Under heavy US and “Israeli” pressure in August, the Lebanese government directed the army to prepare a plan for disarming Hezbollah by the end of the year. However, Hezbollah and its ally, the Amal Movement, dismissed the directive, declaring they would “treat the decision as if it did not exist,” accusing the government of yielding to US dictates.