US Special Envoy Tom Barrack has urged Israel to fulfil its obligations under a ceasefire deal with Lebanon, warning that continued delays risk undermining fragile progress toward stability.
“I think the Lebanese government has done their part. They’ve taken the first step. Now what we need is Israel to comply with that equal handshake,” Barrack said in Beirut on Monday after meeting Lebanese President Joseph Aoun.
The truce, reached in November after a devastating war between Israel and Hezbollah, required Lebanon to begin disarming the group and restricted weapons possession to state forces.
In return, Israel was obliged to fully withdraw its troops from southern Lebanon. While Beirut has initiated the disarmament process, Israel continues to maintain military occupation at five border outposts it deems strategic, despite an extended deadline that passed in February.
The roadmap
Barrack, who also serves as US Ambassador to Türkiye, was joined in his talks by Deputy Middle East Envoy Morgan Ortagus and other US officials, according to a statement from Lebanon’s presidency.
His trip marks his fourth visit to Lebanon since June, part of Washington’s push to solidify the ceasefire and advance a broader roadmap for stability.
That roadmap—backed by Lebanon’s Cabinet earlier this month—calls for implementation of the 1989 Taif Agreement, full state sovereignty over Lebanese territory, and exclusive authority for state institutions in decisions of war and peace.
It also reaffirms UN Security Council resolutions, including Resolution 1701, which ended the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah conflict.
Hezbollah rejects handing down weapons
The plan has faced sharp resistance from Hezbollah, which has rejected surrendering its arsenal. Prime Minister Nawaf Salam accused the group of issuing “a veiled threat of civil war, which is completely unacceptable.”
Cross-border clashes between Israel and Hezbollah erupted in October 2023 before escalating into full-scale war by September 2024. The conflict left more than 4,000 people dead, including Hezbollah chief Hasan Nasrallah, and injured about 17,000 others.
Although the ceasefire curbed the worst of the fighting, Israel has continued near-daily strikes in southern Lebanon, claiming its attacks target Hezbollah activity.
Barrack’s mission aims to prevent a relapse into war by pressing both sides to abide by the deal.
