Arab pressure reins in Hezbollah protests ahead of Israel-Lebanon talks

Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Qatar urge Hezbollah-allied parliament speaker to halt unrest, as demonstrations fail to sway PM Nawaf Salam against Washington negotiations

Supporters of the Iran-backed Hezbollah terror group poured out into the streets of Lebanon over the weekend in demonstrations against the first in-person negotiations between Israel and Lebanon on Tuesday in Washington, Israeli and Lebanese media reported on Sunday.

However, pressure from Arab states, especially from Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar, was placed on Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, who heads the Hezbollah-allied Amal Movement, to quell the demonstrations, the Lebanese newspaper Nidaa al Watan reported.

The pressure placed on Berri was meant to prevent anything that could promote civil unrest or destabilize the Lebanese government, the report said, and street protests constituted a red line.

The newspaper also reported that the demonstrations failed to reach the level the organizers had intended to pressure Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam against moving forward with the negotiations, which are set to begin on Tuesday.

Hezbollah and Amal issued a joint statement Saturday evening, calling on their supporters to refrain from continuing the demonstrations.

Last week, Lebanon’s cabinet instructed security forces to restrict weapons in Beirut exclusively to state institutions, a move that fell short of full demilitarization of the capital.

“The army and security forces are requested to immediately begin reinforcing the full imposition of state authority over Beirut Governorate and to monopolize weapons in the hands of legitimate authorities alone,” Salam said at the end of a cabinet meeting.

Meanwhile, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said in a statement that “the only solution to the situation Lebanon is facing is a ceasefire with Israel that would lead to direct negotiations between the two countries.”

At a meeting held earlier Thursday with representatives of Lebanon’s Maronite community, Aoun said the Lebanese proposal for a ceasefire and negotiations was beginning to receive positive responses in international circles, adding that Lebanon continued to hold international talks on the matter.

Lebanese Ambassador to Washington Nada Hamadeh-Moawad, Israeli Ambassador to Washington Yechiel Leiter, and US Ambassador to Beirut Michel Issa – respectively leading the Lebanese, Israeli, and US delegations in Washington – will be in attendance at Tuesday’s planned talks, a US official familiar with the details told The Times of Israel.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said last week that Israel would begin negotiations with Lebanon “as soon as possible,” aimed at disarming Hezbollah and reaching a full peace agreement between the countries.

Jerusalem and Beirut seemed to be at odds over the conditions under which the talks would take place, with Lebanon demanding a ceasefire first, while Israel insisted that they be held under fire.

Hezbollah, for its part, has strongly rejected any direct negotiations between Lebanon and Israel.

The move is “a blatant violation of the (national) pact, the constitution, and Lebanese laws… and it exacerbates domestic divisions at a time when Lebanon most needs solidarity and internal unity to face Israel’s aggression,” Hezbollah lawmaker Hassan Fadlallah said on Saturday.

Hezbollajh, like its Iranian patron, openly seeks to destroy Israel.