Protests Erupt in Lebanon against Gov’t Disarmament plan for Hezbollah

By Staff, Agencies

People have taken to the streets in several Lebanese cities to protest the government’s controversial decision to implement a US proposal aimed at disarming anti-Israel resistance movements.

On Thursday evening, supporters of Hezbollah and the Amal Movement demonstrated in various locations, including Beirut, South Lebanon, and the eastern Bekaa region, demanding that the government overturn the decision that undermines national defense against Israeli aggression.

Protesters warned that if Hezbollah is stripped of its weapons, Southern Lebanon will be defenseless against continual “Israeli” attacks.

Hezbollah has made it clear that disarming the resistance strips Lebanon of its deterrence power against “Israel”, leaving the country vulnerable to further attacks.

Lebanon's cabinet has reconvened to discuss disarmament, despite Hezbollah's previous rejections of such moves, which are largely driven by US demands.

Lebanon’s Prime Minister Nawaf Salam announced that ministers approved the “objectives” of the US proposal, which would restrict weapon possession strictly to the state.

The Lebanese government plans to move forward with the proposal that aims to limit arms to six official forces by the end of the year.

Under this plan, the Lebanese government would issue a decree committing to full disarmament and work toward a peaceful resolution of tensions in the region.

Addressing demands by some Lebanese politicians for Hezbollah to disarm, Hezbollah Secretary General His Eminence Sheikh Naim Qassem on Tuesday rejected calls for the Lebanese resistance to disarm, urging the government to prioritize confronting decades-long “Israeli” aggression as the root cause of Lebanon’s problems.

He emphasized that resistance is a covenantal matter requiring national consensus, not unilateral decisions.

Sheikh Qassem said the resistance is a cornerstone of the 1989 Taif Agreement, which ended years of civil war.

He urged the Lebanese government to focus on confronting “Israeli” aggression rather than disarming the resistance, criticizing external pressures from the United States and certain Arab states.