ISTANBUL

Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem said Friday that the US wants a new agreement in Lebanon that begins with disarming Hezbollah in exchange for a "partial" Israeli withdrawal from the south.

Qassem’s remarks came in a televised speech that was broadcast by the Al-Manar channel during a ceremony honoring Hezbollah leader Ali Karaki, who was killed by Israel in 2024.

"We fully implemented the ceasefire agreement (with Israel) in southern Lebanon, south of the Litani River,” said Qassem.

He pointed out that "the US wants a new agreement in Lebanon that starts with disarmament in exchange for some partial Israeli withdrawals."

"Disarming (Hezbollah) is a step in Israel’s expansion because its presence prevents that,” he said.

Qassem said July 6 that the group will not respond to calls to hand over its weapons unless Israel ceases attacks on Lebanon.

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam announced Friday that US Special Envoy Tom Barrack will visit Beirut next week.

In media remarks reported by Lebanon's National News Agency, NNA, Salam noted that Barrack had received, via President Joseph Aoun, his observations on the paper Barrack submitted regarding the arrangements for the ceasefire agreement between Lebanon and Israel.

He added, “The paper presented by Barrack is a collection of ideas related to implementing the declaration of arrangements for the cessation of hostilities (the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah), which was adopted by the previous government, and our government has affirmed Lebanon’s commitment to it.”

Salam explained that the American paper “is based on the principle of the linkage between the complete Israeli withdrawal from the occupied Lebanese territories, the extension of Lebanese state authority over all territories, and the monopoly of arms by the state.”

He emphasized that “Barrack’s paper includes ideas related to phases, and we discussed it and provided, through President Joseph Aoun, comments on this paper. We do not work in black rooms,” without revealing the nature of the comments or details about the paper.

On June 19, Barrack presented an American proposal to the Lebanese government focusing on several points, according to statements from a Lebanese official to Anadolu. They include the disarmament of Hezbollah and restricting arms to the state, in exchange for Israel’s withdrawal from the five positions it occupies in southern Lebanon, and the release of funds allocated for rebuilding areas damaged by the recent Israeli war.

The proposal also calls for completing financial and economic reforms, controlling borders and preventing smuggling, increasing customs collection, and tightening procedures at crossings and public facilities.

Cross-border warfare between Israel and the Lebanese resistance group escalated into a full-scale war last September. Despite a November ceasefire, Israeli forces have carried out near-daily attacks in southern Lebanon, claiming to target Hezbollah activities.

Lebanese authorities have since reported nearly 3,000 Israeli violations of the truce, including the deaths of at least 250 people and injuries to more than 560.

Under the ceasefire deal, Israel was supposed to fully withdraw from southern Lebanon by Jan. 26, but the deadline was extended to Feb. 18 after Tel Aviv refused to comply.

Israel maintains a military presence at five border outposts.