Lebanon has set a deadline of the end of this year for the disarmament of all militias, based on a disarmament roadmap to be prepared by the Lebanese Army and submitted to the Cabinet for review before August 31.
The announcement was made by Prime Minister Nawaf Salam following a nearly six-hour cabinet session held at the Baabda Presidential Palace, chaired by President Joseph Aoun. The decision came despite Hezbollah’s rejection of any timetable for disarmament.
The session witnessed a heated debate lasting over two hours on the weapons file. Health Minister Rakan Nassereddine and Environment Minister Tamara el-Zein, both aligned with the Shiite political duo, argued for a national defense strategy that would address the weapons issue consensually. Administrative Development Minister Fadi Makki also objected to setting a disarmament deadline before the Army had formally presented its plan to the Cabinet.
Faced with the government’s determination to move forward, Ministers Zein and Nassereddine walked out of the session.
U.S. Proposal on Thursday’s Cabinet Agenda
The Cabinet will reconvene Thursday to continue reviewing U.S. proposals conveyed by envoy Tom Barrack. These include key provisions on disarming armed groups, most notably Hezbollah, the Israeli withdrawal from five contested border points, and the release of Lebanese prisoners held by Israel.
“After reviewing the U.S. document presented via Ambassador Tom Barrack, which aims to extend and reinforce the November 2024 ceasefire agreement and promote a lasting resolution with Israel, and after incorporating Lebanese amendments, the Cabinet has decided to continue deliberations on the proposal Thursday,” said Prime Minister Salam.
This marks the first time Lebanon has formally engaged in a debate on disarming armed groups, coinciding with increased Hezbollah rhetoric aimed at pressuring state institutions.
In the Bekaa Valley and Beirut’s southern suburbs, Hezbollah supporters staged protests using motorcycle convoys to denounce the government’s direction on disarmament. Hezbollah Deputy Secretary-General Naim Qassem intensified the party’s tone, issuing warnings and asserting that giving up its weapons would amount to surrendering to Israeli pressure.
Qassem claimed Hezbollah’s arms are a “source of strength” and suggested that what benefits Hezbollah is in the interest of all Lebanese. He went so far as to invoke what he called a “constitutional” right for the party to retain its arsenal, referencing his own interpretation of the Taif Agreement and the ministerial declaration to justify Hezbollah's armed status.
Prime Minister Salam indirectly responded by citing the same texts, as well as President Joseph Aoun’s inaugural speech and the American proposals, to assert the legitimacy of the government’s decision.
While the Cabinet deliberated, Qassem reiterated Hezbollah’s refusal to accept any disarmament schedule or new agreement beyond the November 27 ceasefire accord between Lebanon and Israel. He called for a “national defense strategy” discussion – an approach critics say is designed to stall for time and extract political concessions without committing to real disarmament.
Renaming Hafez al-Assad Avenue
In a symbolic move, the government approved renaming Hafez al-Assad Avenue – located on the road to Beirut’s airport – after Ziad Rahbani, the iconic Lebanese playwright and composer who died on July 26.
The Cabinet also approved holding a recruitment competition to hire 25 firefighters for the Directorate General of Civil Aviation and will continue reviewing offers submitted to the Telecommunications Ministry for satellite-based internet services.
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