The US has been increasing pressure on the Lebanese government to disarm Hezbollah, which has rejected any surrender of its weapons
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun told a visiting French delegation that a decision has been made to establish a state monopoly on all weapons in the country, while also calling for an Israeli withdrawal from south Lebanon.
“Limiting the possession of weapons to the Lebanese state is a decision that has been made, and it is not permissible to return to the language of war,” Aoun told the delegation, according to a statement released on 28 April by the Lebanese presidency account on X.
Aoun also said that “Israeli withdrawal from the five hills is a necessity to expedite the completion of the army's deployment to the border, so that the state alone assumes responsibility for border security.”
“We have begun to implement the necessary reforms, and they will be completed because they are a Lebanese need before they are an external demand,” he added.
The president also vowed that the government is working to combat corruption, and is working with Syria to address “outstanding issues” including border demarcation and the presence of Syrian refugees in Lebanon.
The president’s statement came one day after Israel bombed Beirut’s southern suburb on Sunday, the third Israeli attack on the Lebanese capital since the ceasefire agreement was reached in November 2024...
While launching near-daily attacks on southern Lebanon, Israeli troops also remain positioned in five locations along the border in the south, where they established themselves following the ceasefire deal. This is aside from the Lebanese land that Israel has already been illegally occupying for decades, including the Kfar Shuba hills and Shebaa Farms.
The violations have been coupled with an escalation of US pressure on the Lebanese government to disarm Hezbollah. The resistance movement says its weapons are an internal matter, which will eventually be discussed within the framework of ensuring the arms are incorporated into a national defensive strategy aimed at protecting Lebanon from Israel.
During a speech, Hezbollah MP Ihab Hamadeh... said some people, “instead of standing as Lebanese in this moment, have nothing to offer but intimidation, by showcasing the enemy’s power, to tell us: ‘Hand over your weapons’ – and the true meaning of that is: ‘Hand over your very existence.’”
🔗SOURCE ➡️ The Cradle
Related: 4/30 — "This is the [ceasefire] agreement of humiliation ... where is (Lebanese President Joseph) Aoun? Having lunch in Rome?"
4/16 — ‘New Page In History’: Lebanese PM Visits Damascus For Talks With Sharaa
4/16 — Lebanese President Vows To 'Bring All Weapons Under State Control' In 2025
3/4 — IMF, World Bank Reconstruction Funds For Lebanon Contingent On 'Normalization': Report
Western officials have stated that Lebanon's access to international funding will be tied to political pressure to normalize ties with Israel and to disarm the resistance
2/10 — 2/8 — Lebanese PM Forms New Government Including Hezbollah Allies
2/2 — South Lebanon Homes Burn, Fisherman Captured As Israel Ceasefire Violations Continue
2/2 — 1/27 — Israel Still Isn't Ready To Withdraw From Lebanon, But Saudi Involvement Could Be Decisive / Haaretz / Zvi Bar'el
2/1 — In Lebanon, Civilians Amass To Secure Liberation
1/30 — 'We Will Not Withdraw Until We See Fit': Israel Digs Heels In South Lebanon
1/17 - Saudi Arabia, Kuwait Offer 'Conditional Funding' For Lebanon's Reconstruction
1/10 — US Embassy Urges Lebanon To 'Revive' Energy Deals Stalled By Washington Since 2022
1/8 — Cards Stack In Favor Of Lebanese Army Chief On Eve Of Presidential Vote
Aoun, who is backed by the United States and Saudi Arabia, secured 99 votes out of a total of 128 in parliament.
1/9 — Lebanese army chief Joseph Aoun was voted in as the country’s 14th president on Thursday, ending more than two years of political vacuum.
Follow ➡️ @PsyopDaily