On Tuesday afternoon, the Lebanese government convened at the presidential palace to discuss the critical issue of centralizing arms control within the state. This meeting takes place against the backdrop of increasing pressure from Washington to establish a timeline for disarming Hezbollah.
The session was presided over by President Joseph Aoun, with the agenda focusing on “continuing the review of the government statement concerning the assertion of state sovereignty over all its territories using its own means.” Additionally, the discussions included “arrangements related to the ceasefire” that concluded the conflict between Hezbollah and Israel on November 27.
Prior to the meeting, Aoun met with Prime Minister Nawaf Salam. The disarmament of Hezbollah, the only faction that retained its military arsenal after the civil war (1975-1990), presents a complex issue in Lebanon.
A Lebanese source familiar with the discussions, who chose to remain anonymous, stated that “Washington is pressuring Lebanon to have Hezbollah surrender its arms within a specified timeline.”
About two weeks ago, U.S. envoy Tom Barak urged the government to “act immediately” to fulfill its commitments to “monopolize weapons within the state.”
This meeting followed Aoun’s confirmation last Thursday of a commitment to “withdraw arms from all armed groups, including Hezbollah, and hand them over to the Lebanese army.” He emphasized that “this moment is crucial and does not allow for provocations from any party,” adding that “we must choose today between collapse or stability,” linking international aid to the disarmament of the group.
According to the Lebanese source, “Hezbollah will not surrender its arms without compensation, which is something the Americans fully understand.”