US envoy calls Hezbollah “legitimate political party” in Lebanon

The United States special envoy for Syrian affairs, Tom Barrack, has described Hezbollah as a "legitimate political party within Lebanon’s confessional power-sharing system."

Speaking exclusively to Al Jazeera Arabic, Barrack stressed that convincing Hezbollah to disarm is primarily the responsibility of the Lebanese government, and the US is not seeking to pressure any parties directly.

Barrack’s comments come amid renewed tensions after Hezbollah’s deputy leader, Naim Qassem, reiterated the group’s refusal to disarm, which was a key condition of the November ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon.

“We will never abandon our weapons, nor will we relinquish them,” Qassem said on September 27, asserting that Hezbollah would continue to “confront any project that serves Israel.” The group argues that the Lebanese government’s disarmament plan only benefits Israeli interests.

Since the outbreak of war on October 7, 2023, when Hezbollah fired rockets at Israel following the Israeli military campaign in Gaza, the US and Israel have called for Hezbollah’s complete disarmament. 

The US classifies Hezbollah as a foreign “terrorist” organisation, but Barrack highlighted that this designation contrasts with its political legitimacy within Lebanon, calling the situation “a complex problem for Lebanese political leaders.”

Despite Hezbollah’s outright refusal to disarm, Lebanon’s cabinet approved a US-backed disarmament plan on August 7, a move that has raised concerns about possible escalation in Israeli attacks on Lebanon.

By Sabina Mammadli