An American Plan to Disarm Hezbollah in Exchange for Israeli Withdrawal and Border Demarcation

SadaNews: The Israeli public broadcasting agency "Kan" revealed on Thursday the details of a new American proposal aimed at establishing a ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel. The proposal includes a comprehensive agreement that entails the withdrawal of the Israeli army from Lebanese territories in exchange for the complete disarmament of Hezbollah, along with the demarcation of clear international borders between the two sides.

According to Lebanese media reports on Wednesday evening, the U.S. special envoy to Syria, Tom Barack, delivered the proposed agreement text to the Lebanese government. The agreement consists of four gradual phases aimed at ending the armed conflict along Lebanon's southern border and enhancing the sovereignty of the Lebanese state over its entire territory.

The agreement stipulates the complete disarmament of Hezbollah and all non-governmental entities in Lebanon by December 31, 2025, in exchange for a gradual withdrawal of the Israeli army from five positions within Lebanese territory.

The proposal also includes indirect negotiations under the auspices of the United States, France, and the United Nations, addressing issues such as prisoners and border demarcation. It also includes the launch of an international economic conference to financially and security support Lebanon, with the participation of countries like France, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar.

Details of the four phases of the proposal:

Phase One (15 days):

Approval by the Lebanese government of the objectives of the agreement.

Cease military operations by Israel on land, air, and sea.

Commencement of meetings of the ceasefire monitoring committee.

Phase Two (within 60 days):

Beginning the collection of Hezbollah's weapons and deploying the Lebanese army in various areas.

Israel's withdrawal from three border points and the return of Lebanese civilians to their villages.

Beginning the demarcation of borders in the Shebaa Farms area.

Phase Three (within 90 days):

Verification of the absence of any armed presence of Hezbollah in southern Litani.

Israel's withdrawal from the last two border points.

Reinforcing the deployment of the Lebanese army on the border with Syria.

Phase Four (within 120 days):

Dismantling the remaining heavy weapons, rockets, drones, and tunnels.

Granting full security control to the Lebanese authorities over all territories.

Conditional International Support

The proposal includes providing international support to the Lebanese army and security forces, "through suitable military means" that enable them to implement the agreement and ensure security. Progress in implementing the agreement is also linked to achieving full sovereignty for the Lebanese state, making it the sole authority over decisions concerning war and peace.

It is expected that the Lebanese government will vote on the proposal during a session held on Thursday, amid internal debate about the feasibility of implementing such provisions and the fate of Hezbollah in the Lebanese political and security landscape.