Lebanon cabinet reconvenes on Hezbollah disarmament talks
Lebanon’s Cabinet Pushes Hezbollah’s Disarmament Amid Public Protest
Government Meets U.S. Text on Hezbollah’s Arms Removal
The Lebanese cabinet convened for a second time in days to confront the Iran‑backed militia’s refusal to relinquish its arsenal. The meeting reviewed a U.S. proposal that outlines a timetable for Hezbollah’s disarmament, pressing Beirut to act decisively.
Information Minister Paul Morcos announced that the cabinet endorsed the U.S. text without specifying exact timelines, while the government declares that disarmament should conclude by the end of this year.
Proposed “Objectives” and Border Demands
- Ensuring the sustainability of the November ceasefire with Israel.
- Gradual elimination of armed presence of all non‑government entities, including Hezbollah, throughout Lebanese territory.
- Deployment of Lebanese troops in border areas.
- Withdrawal of Israeli forces from five southern locations occupied since last year’s war.
Ceasefire Limits and Government Review
The November ceasefire limited weapons to six military and security agencies. After the cabinet decision, Morcos said the Lebanese government awaits an executive plan on Hezbollah’s disarmament. The army is tasked with presenting a plan to restrict weapons possession to government forces by the end of August. Only then would the government review the full U.S. proposal, whose implementation depends on approval from each concerned country.
Four Shiite Ministers Walk Out in Protest
Hezbollah’s Al Manar television reported that four Shiite ministers, three directly affiliated with Hezbollah or its ally Amal, walked out of Thursday’s meeting to protest the government’s disarmament push. They also refused to discuss the proposal submitted by U.S. envoy Tom Barrack.
Amal‑close Environment Minister Tamara Elzein told Al Manar that the government “first hoped to consolidate the ceasefire and the Israeli withdrawal, before completing the remaining points” in Barrack’s proposal, such as taking away Hezbollah’s weapons.
International Praise for Lebanon’s Initiative
- U.S. envoy Tom Barrack hailed Lebanon’s decision as “historic, bold, and correct.”
- France’s foreign minister Jean‑Noël Barrot praised the initiative as a “brave and historic decision.”
Under Lebanon’s sect‑based power‑sharing system, the absence of Shiite ministers attending recent cabinet meetings could question the consensual legitimacy of the decisions taken.
Hezbollah’s Call to “Correct the Situation”
Hezbollah’s parliamentary bloc urged the government to “correct the situation” it has put itself and Lebanon in by accepting American demands that serve “the interests of the Zionist enemy.” The group declared it would treat the cabinet’s decision to disarm it as if it did not exist, accusing the cabinet of committing a “grave sin.”
Public Protests and Security Response
Hundreds of Hezbollah supporters marched in Beirut’s southern suburbs to protest the government’s disarmament decision. Lebanese media showed footage of similar rallies elsewhere in the country, with troops deployed to maintain order.
Israel, which routinely conducts air strikes in Lebanon despite the November ceasefire, has signaled it could launch military operations if Beirut fails to disarm the group. The Lebanese health ministry reported several strikes on eastern Lebanon, killing at least seven people.
UN Peacekeepers Spot Military Installations
United Nations spokesperson Farhan Haq reported that peacekeepers and Lebanese troops uncovered a vast network of fortified tunnels in the south, including three bunkers, artillery, rocket launchers, hundreds of explosive shells and rockets, anti‑tank mines, and about 250 ready‑to‑use improvised explosive devices.
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam mentioned that the Lebanese army had dismantled more than 500 Hezbollah military positions and weapons depots in the south.
