BEIRUT. Ongoing efforts to secure a truce in Lebanon have highlighted the role of the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF), which are expected to maintain a Hezbollah-free southern region but lack the capacity and willingness to confront the Iran-backed group militarily, according to seven informed sources.
Hezbollah, despite being weakened by Israel’s extended offensive, remains more powerful than the LAF, which has largely stayed neutral since Israel’s ground forces entered southern Lebanon on October 1. A senior Lebanese official disclosed that both Hezbollah and the Lebanese government have recently agreed to a U.S.-drafted ceasefire proposal, though Lebanon has expressed “comments” on the document. Hezbollah’s approval is deemed crucial for the ceasefire’s implementation, given its arsenal and significant sway over the Lebanese state.
A second Lebanese official noted that discussions on how the army will be deployed in the south are ongoing. However, any move for the LAF to confront Hezbollah directly is viewed as potentially disastrous. “Scenes of the army ‘storming into houses looking for Hezbollah weapons’ would lead to a civil war,” a Western diplomat warned, suggesting instead that the army work alongside U.N. peacekeeping forces to patrol the area without engaging Hezbollah.
According to two Western diplomats and a source close to the army, the United States has pushed for a stronger stance from the LAF against Hezbollah. However, Hezbollah’s significant military strength, influence in Lebanon’s government, and the Shi’ite army composition present major hurdles.
Hezbollah spokesman Mohammad Afif emphasized the group’s close ties with the LAF in a press conference last week, stating, “You will not be able to sever the connection between the army and the resistance (Hezbollah).” Afif was killed in an Israeli airstrike on Beirut on Sunday.
Efforts for a lasting truce revolve around better implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701, which ended the 2006 conflict between Hezbollah and Israel. The resolution mandates that southern Lebanon be free of weapons not controlled by the state and envisions the deployment of up to 15,000 Lebanese troops in the region. However, the resolution was never fully enacted, allowing Hezbollah to fortify its positions in the south after 2006.
The White House declined to comment on the matter, and the U.S. State Department refrained from discussing “ongoing, private negotiations.” Neither the LAF, Hezbollah, nor the Israeli military responded to requests for comment on this story.
As the truce negotiations progress, the delicate balance of maintaining peace while avoiding internal strife continues to challenge Lebanon’s army and leadership.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
