Lebanese President Aoun Reiterates Calls for Hezbollah Disarmament

Latest Developments

‘Exclusivity of Weapons’: Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has urged Iran’s terrorist proxy Hezbollah to disarm following increasing U.S. pressure on his government to fulfill its promise to establish a state monopoly on arms. In a speech on Lebanon’s Army Day, Aoun stated that his government will convene next week to discuss Lebanon’s amendments to a U.S. plan to disarm Hezbollah, including a demand for the full withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon. Urging a “push for the exclusivity of weapons in the hands of the army and security forces,” Aoun praised Hezbollah for supposedly showing restraint, describing the organization as “too honorable to risk the state-building project, and too noble to provide pretexts for an aggression that wants to continue the war against us.”
Hezbollah Leader Doubles Down on Refusal to Disarm: Aoun’s comments came a day after Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem reiterated the group’s rejection of disarmament, which he asserted would amount to “submitting to Israel.” Accusing U.S. envoy Thomas Barrack of showing more concern for the security of Israel than Lebanon, Qassem added that “Israel will not be able to defeat us and it will not be able to take Lebanon hostage.”
U.S. Pressure on Beirut Mounting: The United States has been increasing pressure on the Lebanese government to formally commit to disarming Hezbollah. Without this commitment, Washington will reportedly no longer dispatch Barrack to oversee negotiations with Beirut’s government or press Israel to halt military operations and withdraw from the country. Barrack stated on July 27, “The credibility of Lebanon’s government rests on its ability to match principle with practice” — a reference to its pledge to impose a state monopoly on weapons — adding that “as long as Hezbollah retains arms, words will not suffice.”

FDD Expert Response

“Lebanon is caught in a contest of words between Qassem and Aoun. Qassem is essentially buying time for Hezbollah, hoping to outlast international attention on the terrorist organization’s arsenal and insisting that Hezbollah won’t discuss the potential for disarmament until Israel withdraws from Lebanon. Meanwhile, Aoun continues to insist on a state monopoly on arms, but if the government does not act upon his uncompromising words to disarm Hezbollah, the group will reconstitute, much to the detriment of Lebanon and the broader region.” — David Daoud, Senior Fellow

“The United States must remain cautious when engaging with the Lebanese leadership and evaluating its responses to American demands. The Lebanese government has focused on minimizing Israeli airstrikes while simultaneously avoiding a confrontation with Hezbollah. Instead of pursuing a disarmament campaign against Hezbollah, it has deployed rhetoric aimed at appeasing American demands without implementing meaningful action.” — Ahmad Sharawi, Research Analyst