Hezbollah Responds to Government's Decision to Disarm It: "We Treat the Decision as if It Doesn't Exist"

SadaNews - Hezbollah responded to the government's decision to disarm it, stating, "The government of President Nawaf Salam committed a grave sin by making a decision that strips Lebanon of the weaponry of the resistance against the Israeli enemy, which weakens Lebanon's ability and position in the face of the ongoing Israeli-American aggression, and enables Israel to achieve what it could not accomplish in its aggression against Lebanon, where we confronted it in the battle of the first of the defiance that led to an agreement obligating Israel to cease its aggression and withdraw from Lebanon."

The party added in a statement, "This decision contains a clear constitutional violation and contradicts the government's ministerial statement, where paragraph five states: 'The government is committed, according to the National Accord Document approved in Taif, to take all necessary measures to liberate all Lebanese territories from Israeli occupation and to establish the state's sovereignty over all its lands exclusively by its own forces and to deploy the Lebanese army in the internationally recognized Lebanese border area.' Therefore, maintaining Lebanon's strength and the weapon of resistance is part of Lebanon's strength, and it is one of the necessary measures, as well as working to increase Lebanon's strength by arming and strengthening the army so that it can expel the Israeli enemy from the state’s territories and liberate and protect them, which is also one of the necessary measures."

He continued, "This decision came as a result of the dictates of the American envoy Barack, as mentioned in the reasons for its proposal in the Cabinet and justifications for its approval, with President Salam announcing that the Cabinet 'decided to continue the discussion on the American paper next Thursday, and to assign the Lebanese army to develop an implementation plan to confine weapons before the end of this year.' This decision fully serves Israel's interests and leaves Lebanon vulnerable to the Israeli enemy without any deterrence."

He stated, "The government has disregarded the commitment of President of the Republic, General Joseph Aoun, in his oath speech regarding the discussion of the national security strategy, stating: 'My mandate is to call for a discussion of a comprehensive defense policy as part of a national security strategy at the diplomatic, economic, and military levels that will empower the Lebanese state, I repeat, the Lebanese state, to remove the Israeli occupation and repel its aggression from all Lebanese territories.' What the government has decided is part of a strategy of surrender, and an explicit undermining of Lebanon's sovereignty."

He emphasized that the exit of Hezbollah and Amal Ministers from the session is an expression of rejection of this decision, and an expression of the resistance's rejection, which represents significant segments of Lebanese society from all regions, sects, and parties, as well as a reflection of the widespread popular rejection of the decision to subject Lebanon to American tutelage and Israeli occupation.

He said, "This decision undermines Lebanon's sovereignty and allows Israel to meddle with its security, geography, politics, and future existence, and thus we will treat this decision as if it does not exist."

He added, "At the same time, we are open to dialogue, ending the Israeli aggression on Lebanon, liberating its land, and releasing the prisoners, and working to build the state, and reconstruct what has been destroyed by the brutal aggression, and we are ready to discuss the national security strategy, but not in the context of aggression."

He continued, "The agreement must be implemented by the Israeli side first, and the government must prioritize 'taking all necessary measures to liberate all Lebanese territories from Israeli occupation,' as stated in its ministerial statement. To our honorable people, we say: It is a summer cloud that will pass, God willing, and we have accustomed ourselves to patience and victory."