Sources told Sputnik that they expect ministers from Hezbollah and the Amal Movement to withdraw from the session, indicating that ministers from the Lebanese Forces and the Progressive Socialist Party are considering escalatory options if the Lebanese government does not set a three-month deadline for Hezbollah to hand over its weapons. The sources added that Hezbollah and Amal ministers will attend the cabinet session if there is a commitment not to vote on the deadline for handing over Hezbollah’s weapons.
The political leadership of the duo confirmed during night calls with the President and the government that they will not allow their ministers to sign a decision to disarm, making Lebanon vulnerable to control by Israel and terrorism.
Last Sunday, Hezbollah released a video saying, “They demand we hand over our weapons. Our decision is clear, and our message is clear: Liberating Lebanon, protecting its sovereignty, stopping all forms of Israeli aggression, and utilizing the strength of resistance and its weapons within a defensive strategy.” It emphasized that “Lebanon cannot remain without confronting the enemy,” asserting that “resistance is the only option.”
Hezbollah denied reports in some Arab media about its readiness to clash with the Lebanese state and its refusal to disarm. Hezbollah’s Secretary-General, Naim Qassem, stated that “the exclusivity of weapons should be considered in the context of confronting a significant threat that could eliminate Lebanon,” calling for “unity and working according to a clear national priority.”
The ceasefire agreement between Hezbollah and Israel came into effect on November 27, 2024, after more than a year of Hezbollah opening what it called the “Gaza Front.” The Israeli army was supposed to complete its withdrawal from the areas it occupied in southern Lebanon by January 26, but Israel did not adhere to the deadline, maintaining its military presence in five strategic points in the south, citing the need to protect northern settlements and continuing to launch attacks on Lebanon from time to time.
