Barrack reportedly pressing Israel on 'step-for-step' approach

U.S. envoy Tom Barrack is still pressing Israel to obtain a final answer regarding the so-called step-for-step proposals related to Hezbollah’s disarmament and Israel’s withdrawal from south Lebanon, Lebanese media reports said.

“The Lebanese-American contacts are also still ongoing, although in a low-intensity manner,” al-Liwaa newspaper reported on Monday.

Speaker Nabih Berri on Wednesday expressed frustration and said Barrack and his fellow U.S. envoy Morgan Ortagus "brought nothing from Israel" and "came with something contrary to what they had promised us."

“Things have once again become complicated,” Berri said in an interview with Asharq al-Awsat newspaper.

Ortagus said on Tuesday that Lebanese authorities must execute their decision to disarm Hezbollah, adding that Israel would respond in kind to any government steps.

Last Monday, Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu offered a phased pullout of troops from Lebanon if Beirut implements its decision to disarm Hezbollah -- part of a November ceasefire agreement brokered by Washington.

Ortagus said that Israel was "willing to go step by step, it might be small steps... but they're willing to go step by step with this government."

Barrack, who was also part of the visiting delegation, said that when the Israelis see action from Lebanon, "they will give their counterproposal" on troop withdrawal and security arrangements.

The Lebanese government's decision to disarm Hezbollah by the end of the year was made under heavy U.S. pressure and amid fears of expanded military action by Israel, which has continued to carry out attacks in Lebanon despite the November ceasefire.

Hezbollah has strongly opposed the Lebanese government’s decisions and said that it will deal with them as if they do not exist.