כיכר השבת

Lebanon to U.S.: All Arms Must Be State-Controlled, Israel Must Withdraw

Lebanese officials told the pro-Qatari newspaper Al-Araby Al-Jadeed that U.S. envoy to Syria, Tom Barrack, is expected to meet with senior Lebanese leaders tomorrow to receive their response to the proposal he recently submitted. According to these sources, the Lebanese response reaffirms the state’s commitment to centralize all weapons solely under its authority and to reserve decisions of war and peace exclusively for the Lebanese government. The reply also calls for an end to Israeli airstrikes and demands Israel withdraw from five specific locations it still occupies in southern Lebanon. The officials added that Lebanon’s response takes into account Hezbollah’s positions on the existing agreement, but stresses that the issue of arms is a domestic Lebanese matter. (Roi Kais)