Asia07 October, 20262 min read
Samir Geagea Calls To Dismantle Hezbollah As Noufَal Salam Debates Arms Restriction
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Samir Geagea demands Hezbollah disarmament, calling it a Lebanese necessity and majority view. He says the government should act independently, not under international pressure to disarm Hezbollah.
Disarmament dispute in Lebanon
Lebanese political leaders argued over how and whether Hezbollah should be disarmed as Lebanon’s state authority over all territory and the weapon-restriction file moved through international and domestic stages. Prime Minister Noufَal Salam said “the restriction of arms was agreed upon since 1989 in the Ta’if Agreement, and was reaffirmed in the international resolutions and the 2024 ceasefire declaration.”
Samir Geagea said “Dismantling Hezbollah is a Lebanese necessity and a priority for the Lebanese population before anyone else,” rejecting that the government is acting under international pressure. Naim Qassem said Hezbollah “will not make concessions in exchange for Israel’s withdrawal and we are prepared to discuss weapon-restriction internally,” while he added that “the solution begins with the enemy exiting in defeat.”
Geagea attacks external pressure
Samir Geagea rejected the idea that dismantling Hezbollah is driven by outside demands, saying “Many people think that the Lebanese government has to dismantle Hezbollah because the U.S., the Arabs, and Israel are asking for it.” Geagea also argued that state sovereignty cannot exist alongside a separate armed group, saying “You cannot have a state, a real state, with a military organization that confiscates strategic decisions and war and peace decisions.”
Geagea linked his position to a policy condition on aid, stating he supported “linking US aid to the Lebanese army to its performance in implementing the ‘Framework Agreement.’” Geagea criticized Speaker Nabih Berri, saying Berri “has not been playing a constructive role” and “has been hindering the amendments necessary to have elections for the last year.”
Weapon file tied to Israel
Naim Qassem framed Hezbollah’s approach to the weapon-restriction file as internal and constitutional, saying the party is ready to cooperate “within constitutional frameworks and laws,” while rejecting “patronage and American and non-American dictates.” Qassem also tied the weapon question to Israel’s actions, saying his party “will not make concessions in exchange for its withdrawal from Lebanese territory.”
عربي21 described Israel’s war aims as disarming Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in the Gaza Strip, saying Israel conditions withdrawal and lifting of the blockade on disarmament in both contexts. عربي21 argued that Hezbollah’s position differs from Hamas’s because Hezbollah has “a wider margin for maneuver, at least militarily by retreating behind the Litani River to the north,” while it suggested the outcome would depend on broader regional dynamics involving Iran.