Saudi & Qatar Pledge Investment for Hezbollah Disarmament

Beirut, Aug 26 (AP) — Saudi Arabia and Qatar have expressed their readiness to invest in an economic zone located in southern Lebanon, near the Israeli border. This initiative aims to provide employment opportunities for Hezbollah members and their supporters, contingent upon them disarming, as articulated by President Donald Trump's Middle East envoy on Tuesday.

Tom Barrack, the envoy, made these remarks in Beirut following visits to Israel and Syria. During these trips, he engaged in discussions concerning Lebanon's recent decision to disarm Hezbollah by the year's end. The decision met with resistance from Hezbollah's leader, who has vowed to retain their weapons.

On Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signaled that Israeli forces might soon withdraw from territories they occupy in southern Lebanon, following what he described as Lebanon’s “momentous decision” to disarm Hezbollah.

The US-supported Lebanese army is in the process of finalizing a disarmament plan for Hezbollah, which is expected to be reviewed and approved in a government meeting scheduled for September 2.

“We must introduce financial resources into the system, and this funding will originate from the Gulf,” Barrack stated after meeting with President Joseph Aoun. “Qatar and Saudi Arabia have partnered and agreed to invest in southern Lebanon if we expect a segment of the Lebanese community to relinquish their main source of income.”

Barrack referenced the approximately 40,000 Hezbollah members funded by Iran since the early 1980s, highlighting the challenge of assimilating them into civilian life. “It’s impractical to simply disarm them and suggest they engage in agriculture. We need to support them,” he emphasized.

Barrack also mentioned a collaborative effort involving the Gulf states, the US, and Lebanon to establish an economic forum aimed at providing sustainable livelihoods.

Regarding direct negotiations with Iran on the Hezbollah issue, Barrack coyly remarked, “You think that's not happening? Goodbye,” before ending his news conference.

Barrack also reiterated the US preference for supporting the Lebanese army over the United Nations peacekeeping force, UNIFIL, stationed in southern Lebanon since 1978. He indicated US support for a one-year extension of UNIFIL’s mandate during the upcoming UN vote in New York.

A low-intensity conflict between Israel and Hezbollah ensued following the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led assault on Israel from Gaza. This conflict escalated into a full-scale war in September 2024, resulting in over 4,000 casualties and causing $11 billion in damages in Lebanon, as reported by the World Bank.

A US-mediated ceasefire in November marked the end of the war. While Hezbollah announced its withdrawal from border areas, Israel has maintained its airstrikes, claiming the lives of many Hezbollah members.

In a report issued Tuesday, Amnesty International identified over 10,000 severely damaged or destroyed buildings in southern Lebanon between October 2024 and January 2025.

Israeli forces lingered in significant parts of the border region post-ceasefire and currently hold five key positions. Amnesty's report suggests that Israeli forces might have breached international law by demolishing civilian properties in controlled areas using “manually laid explosives and bulldozers” when no “imperative military necessity” existed. (AP) SCY SCY

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