On March 4, after a meeting between Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, the Lebanese state-run news agency wrote:
Saudi Arabia and Lebanon on Tuesday underscored the importance of strengthening Arab cooperation and coordinating positions on key regional and international issues, according to the Saudi Press Agency. They also reaffirmed their commitment to the full implementation of the Taif Agreement, the enforcement of relevant international resolutions, the extension of state sovereignty across all Lebanese territory, and the exclusive possession of weapons by the Lebanese state.
This is a clear reference to disarming Hezbollah.
Hezbollah's leader Naim Qassem had a long interview with Al Manar about how Hezbollah has adapted to the new reality after it was defeated by Israel (which, of course, he does not admit.) In that interview, he simply denies that Lebanon meant what it explicitly said:
“We also say that weapons should be exclusive to the internal security forces and the army in Lebanon, and we reject the logic of the militias,” Sheikh Qassem said. “Therefore, we have nothing to do with this matter. We are a resistance that considers Israel a threat to Lebanon, and there is no objection to the army and the state defending Lebanon. The resistance has the right to continue to protect Lebanon,” he added. “Therefore, we do not consider the President’s words about the exclusivity of weapons to be directed at us,” he said, noting that “all wars were started by the Israeli enemy, so if they [the army] were able to prevent Israel from waging wars, this would be a good thing.”
He added, “If some believe that the president’s remarks are targeted against us, we do not consider them as so.”
He is drawing a completely random distinction between militias, which he agrees should be disarmed, and the "resistance" - Hezbollah - which must maintain a huge weapons arsenal to supposedly deter Israel. (See how well that worked out.)
Of course, if there is another war, he hopes the Lebanese army will be the one to fight Israel so it can be the one to suffer losses, not Hezbollah.
Qassem emphasized that Hezbollah hasn't changed, it is just changing tactics.
“Yes, we are in a new phase, but the principles do not change. Rather, the methods may change, but the resistance work does not cease and cannot, because Lebanon will cease to exist. What is happening in Syria is the best evidence of that. The resistance deterred the enemy and prevented it from advancing and remaining in our land. Even in the areas it occupies, the time for resistance will come. Today, we are patient.” He called on “the people to calm down and be reassured, because their leadership and youth have the ability, mind, and faith, and they will act in the appropriate manner and at the appropriate time.” He stressed that "the resistance today, and with it the people, is more heroic than when we were fighting, because we are patient, and no one thinks that it is a defeat, but rather it is a decision, because our presence is there and our capabilities are with us, and the people are present. Even if some people think that Hezbollah is acting pragmatically, this is a positive thing."
Lebanese media has been critical of Qassem's statements, which itself is notable because it was difficult to find public criticism of Hezbollah until recently - the fear from the terror group was pervasive. Still, the government remains frightened of Hezbollah and is unwilling to challenge it.
Although a new-appointed government has said the state should from now on be the sole bearer of arms after a 13-months-long war between Hezbollah and Israel, Deputy Prime Minister Tarek Mitri said the government would in no way disarm Hezbollah by force."It is not the time to take reckless risks that might take Lebanon backward, to many years ago," Metri said Monday in a televised interview.
The Lebanese government should say, clearly, that Qassem is wrong and Hezbollah must disarm. That would undercut Qassem's fantasy interpretation of the government's clear statement and put political pressure on Hezbollah without any civil war. Hezbollah's entire legitimacy is based on the lie that it is defending Lebanon; this is the exact time that the Lebanese leaders must say that they will make their own decisions on how to defend themselves.
Unfortunately, Mitri's comments appear to be the beginning of a slide back to what Lebanon was, not to what it could be.
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