Lebanon has set a year-end deadline for the disarmament of all militias, tasking the Lebanese Army with presenting an implementation plan to the Cabinet by August 31.
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam confirmed the decision following a six-hour Cabinet session at Baabda Palace, chaired by President Joseph Aoun. Salam said the army had been commissioned to draft a paper outlining the mechanism for disarmament. He reaffirmed Lebanon’s right to self-defense in case of aggression.
The meeting sparked heated debate. Ministers Tamara Elzein and Rakan Nassereddine, both affiliated with the Shiite alliance, opposed the move and withdrew from the session. Administrative Development Minister Fadi Makki also objected to setting a timeline before the army had presented its plan.
Calls for Unity, Justice and State Authority
Information Minister Paul Morcos said President Aoun emphasized Lebanon’s strengths and stressed that national unity is key to solving internal challenges. He also praised Parliament for recently passing several laws.
According to Morcos, Salam reaffirmed his commitment to justice in the Beirut Port explosion case, supported the president’s stance on the financial gap law, and stressed the urgent need to extend state authority across all Lebanese territory.
The Cabinet approved a symbolic gesture to rename “Hafez al-Assad Avenue,” near Beirut Airport, “Ziad Rahbani Avenue.” Discussions on the telecom sector and Starlink services were deferred to next week.
While the US proposals delivered by envoy Tom Barrack have not yet been formally adopted, Salam stated that “clear decisions” were made and added, “We’re not done yet.”
Hezbollah Pushes Back
Hezbollah’s Secretary-General, Naim Qassem, strongly rejected the disarmament effort, calling it a foreign-backed “dictate.” He warned, “We will not accept any new agreement other than the November 27 ceasefire.”
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