US asks Israel to create 'positive momentum' with Lebanon

U.S. envoy to Lebanon Tom Barrack and U.S. diplomat Morgan Ortagus, who arrived Monday in Beirut, had stressed in their meetings with Israeli officials the necessity of "creating positive momentum", American news portal Axios said.

Barrack and Ortagus had met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, and Israel's defense and foreign ministers in Israel on Sunday.

Axios quoted an Israeli official as saying that the Israeli side "expressed willingness" to take some of the steps the U.S. is requesting, but said progress would depend on the ability of Lebanon's army to rein in Hezbollah.

The U.S. had asked the Israeli government to reciprocate a decision taken by the Lebanese government to disarm Hezbollah by scaling down its strikes on Lebanon and starting a gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from five hills they are still occupying in south Lebanon.

Barrack's assignment in Lebanon, according to Axios, was to strengthen Prime Minister Nawaf Salam's government, push it towards disarming Hezbollah and build foundations for future normalization with Israel.

On Monday, before Barrack and Ortagus arrived in Beirut, Netanyahu issued a statement praising the Lebanese government's decision to disarm Hezbollah by the year end as "a momentous decision."