The Lebanese government stands up to Hezbollah. This is a big deal. ~ Elder Of Ziyon

Friday, August 08, 2025

The Lebanese government stands up to Hezbollah. This is a big deal.

Just half an hour after all Shiite ministers walked out of a Cabinet meeting on the state's attempts to achieve a monopoly on arms, which specifically centers around Hezbollah's disarmament, the government announced on Thursday that it had approved the "objectives set out" by a U.S. proposal on how to do so.

The proposal, often described as a "roadmap" was presented to Lebanon by U.S. envoy Tom Barrack in June, amid increasing domestic and international pressure on the Lebanese government to speed up the process of establishing an arms monopoly, on which sorely needed foreign financial support has been conditioned.

President Joseph Aoun has led discussions with Hezbollah, insisting on a dialogue-based approach that doesn't exacerbate existing tensions amid a shifting political landscape. However, Hezbollah, for its part, insists it will not disarm so long as Israel continues it aggression against the country and its occupation of land in southern Lebanon.

Upon leaving the Cabinet meeting, Information Minister Paul Morcos read out the objectives Cabinet had adopted from the U.S. proposal.

Two of the ten points are:

1 : Lebanon commits to implementing the Taif Agreement, as well as the Lebanese Constitution and U.N. Security Council resolutions, in particular Resolution 1701 (2006), and to taking necessary measures to extend its full sovereignty over its entire territory, with the aim of reinforcing the role of legitimate institutions, establishing the state's monopoly over decisions of war and peace, and ensuring the exclusive possession of arms by the state throughout Lebanese territory.

3 : Gradually end the armed presence of all non-state factions, including Hezbollah, throughout Lebanese territory, both south and north of the Litani River, while providing appropriate support to the Lebanese Army and Internal Security Forces.

Hezbollah made a half-hearted protest:

Convoys of motorcycles are riding through the southern suburbs of Beirut this evening, its riders waving Hezbollah flags and chanting slogans against Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, according to reports by local outlets.

🎥 #Video | Hezbollah supporters gather in front of Mar Mikahel church in Chiyah (Beirut) to protest against the Lebanese government's adoption of the US plan for the movement's disarmament pic.twitter.com/heJmF7wvVs
— L'Orient Today (@lorienttoday) August 7, 2025

In the past, Hezbollah could bully the government and the people. But it always claimed that it did this to defend Lebanon. Now everyone sees that Hezbollah's presence makes Lebanon less safe from attacks by Israel - and Israel still strikes Hezbollah forces in Lebanon multiple times a week.