Kataeb slams partial disarmament proposals, presses government for clear timeline
The Political Bureau reaffirms its support for every firm and swift action taken by the Lebanese state in line with the president's inaugural speech, the ministerial statement, the Taif Agreement, and the international agreements signed and ratified by Lebanon, particularly those related to the removal of illegal weapons. This position is rooted in the duty to uphold the Constitution, build a state governed by law and institutions, and guarantee equality among all Lebanese.
The Kataeb Party calls on the international community to assist Lebanon in countering regional interference that continues to obstruct efforts to restore the state's sovereign decision-making authority.
The Political Bureau urges the government to convene without delay, adopt a clear and unequivocal position, and set a defined timeline for disarmament, ensuring that all weapons are placed exclusively in the hands of the Lebanese Armed Forces and legitimate security institutions, to be dealt with in accordance with Lebanon's highest national interest.
The Bureau stresses that any attempt to fragment the solution or categorize weapons as heavy, medium, or light is merely a gateway to a deeper crisis. If heavy weapons threaten Lebanon's political and regional security, then light arms pose an even greater threat to the state-building process. The recent armed displays on the streets of the capital are a stark reminder of the severity of this threat.
The Kataeb Party demands a Lebanon that is completely free of any Lebanese or Palestinian weapons—regardless of the group or faction—in every part of the country. The persistence of the current reality continues to weaken the state, render it ineffective, and strip it of its sovereign core.
The party also views the escalatory rhetoric of Hezbollah's Secretary-General, his outright rejection of disarmament, and his insistence on confronting Israel independently of the state, as a desperate attempt to revive a bygone era that will not return.
Accordingly, the Political Bureau holds Hezbollah directly responsible for creating the kind of hollow pretexts Israel may use to justify its ongoing threats and aggressions.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
L'Orient-Le Jour
2 hours ago
- L'Orient-Le Jour
Interpol puts Lebanese man wanted by Angola on red notice
Interpol put a 53-year-old Lebanese man named Mohamed Lakkis, wanted by Angolan authorities for murder, on red notice on Monday. According to information published by two Angolan media outlets, Novo Jornal and Imparcial Press, a man named Mohamed Lakkis, of a similar age, is accused of killing a woman in her thirties, Anabela Marques Barbosa, bribing a judge, and being involved in a corruption case linked to the decision of his release. Interpol red notices alert police authorities worldwide about wanted individuals, especially those who have taken refuge in another country. Interpol as an organization has 196 member states and functions as a facilitator among its members' police forces. There are currently 11 people of Lebanese nationality on Interpol's red notice, wanted by a range of countries for charges including drug trafficking, terrorism, sexual assault and corruption. Among them is former BDL governor Riad Salameh. The red notice for Lakkis contains scant details, mentioning only his nationality and the charge of murder. The judge mentioned in the Angolan reports publicly defended himself, claiming to have committed no wrongdoing and stating that he had forbidden Lakkis from leaving the country. The Imparcial Press article specifies that the man is a diamond dealer, citing traces of information found online. Novo Jornal claims Lakkis might also hold Belgian nationality.
L'Orient-Le Jour
2 hours ago
- L'Orient-Le Jour
Derian warns against 'slander, violence, accusations of treason' derailing reform
BEIRUT — Grand Mufti of Lebanon Abdel-Latif Derian, the country's highest Sunni authority, called for cooperation among Lebanese factions to support the government's attempts to reform and recover, as he left for Egypt on Monday at the invitation of Egypt's mufti, Nazir Ayad, to participate in the international Islamic conference. "Lebanon is living through decisive days and the children of the shared homeland must cooperate to build the state by gathering around legitimate institutions and supporting the government in the process of reform and recovery," he said, referring to in particular to Hezbollah's opposition to a Cabinet decision last week that set the end of the year as a deadline for the party's disarmament. "Slander, accusations of treason, incitement to violence, and escalation do not contribute to building the country and do not serve Lebanese interests," he said. What people need instead, he argued, is kindness, wisdom, and the easing of tensions. "Lebanon needs the help of all its people to support the state's institutions in order to relaunch and restore public order within its infrastructure, especially electricity, water, and health services," Derian added. "Things can only work properly through firm decisions aimed at implementing reforms so that the country can return to normal." On Monday, the deputy head of Hezbollah's political council, Mahmoud Comati, warned that it would be impossible to force Hezbollah to relinquish its weapons "without bloodshed" and accused Cabinet of "selling out the homeland."
L'Orient-Le Jour
2 hours ago
- L'Orient-Le Jour
Disarming Hezbollah would spark 'bloodshed,' warns Qomati
BEIRUT — Hezbollah political council vice president Mahmoud Qomati on Monday warned that disarming the group 'won't happen without bloodshed,' accusing the Lebanese government of having 'sold out the homeland' with its recent decision to disarm Hezbollah by the end of 2025. After a meeting with the secretary-general of the Communist Party, Hanna Gharib, Qomati declared that "the Lebanese government will not be able to remove the weapons of the resistance, because it would be impossible without shedding blood, in the face of the external enemy," meaning Israel. On Aug. 5, the Cabinet instructed the Lebanese Army to prepare by the end of August a plan to restore the monopoly of arms, with implementation expected by the end of the year. On Aug. 7, the government adopted a proposal from U.S. envoy Tom Barrack consisting of 11 articles. It focuses primarily on ending the armed presence of all non-state factions in Lebanon and securing Israel's withdrawal from five positions it occupies in the south. Call to 'correct course' "The resistance is neither isolated nor besieged, but is part of a broad national front," added Qomati, adding that the Nawaf Salam government "sold out the homeland and handed a bad check to the foreign powers," as the international community, led by the U.S., pushes for Hezbollah's disarmament. The cabinet "will not be able to achieve what it wants," insisted the former minister of state for parliamentary affairs, warning that "all the Lebanese people will oppose the government if it tries to implement its decision." "The resistance was born from occupation, while the state was not able to protect citizens and deter aggression," recalled Qomati, calling on the government, "despite its failure," to "correct course and avoid decisions that harm Lebanon." The vice president of Hezbollah's political council is not new to strongly criticizing the government's decision to remove Hezbollah's weapons. On Friday night, he said in an interview on Al-Jazeera that the cabinet's decision "will not lead to escalation or confrontation" internally in Lebanon, but that it constituted a "humiliation." "We are studying our options regarding whether or not to remain in the government" He noted that three ministers from the Hezbollah-Amal coalition — walked out when the government began discussing the American proposal.
