By: Ya Libnan Editor
Lebanon stands at a crossroads. After years of suffering under Hezbollah’s grip, the country finally has a chance to move toward stability and sovereignty. But this moment demands courage and clarity, not caution and compromise.
President Joseph Aoun is reportedly engaging in quiet communications with Hezbollah leadership, seeking to “coordinate” the group’s disarmament south of the Litani River and to develop mechanisms for limiting weapons to the Lebanese state. Some reports even suggest that a six-to-twelve-month timeline is being floated for implementing a “defense strategy.”
Let’s be clear: this approach may be diplomatic, but it is dangerously naive. Hezbollah has never given a damn about the security or sovereignty of Lebanon. Its track record of violating national consensus and dragging the country into foreign wars speaks for itself. Dialogue has failed time and again. What is needed now is not coordination, but firmness—with the rule of law, and with national interest as the guide.
Hezbollah has never honored the outcomes of any previous dialogue:
- In 2006, it launched a unilateral attack on Israel, violating the national unity agreement and triggering a devastating war.
- In 2012, it ignored the Baabda Declaration by sending thousands of fighters to support Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad, further embroiling Lebanon in regional conflict.
- In 2023, it again acted recklessly, launching attacks against Israel in support of Iran-backed Hamas, risking another war that Lebanon did not choose.
Now, after its strongholds were bombed and weakened, Hezbollah is calling for dialogue once again—not to protect Lebanon, but to buy time, rearm, and regain control. Meanwhile, no friendly nation is willing to help rebuild the destroyed areas in Lebanon as long as Hezbollah remains armed and untamed.
President Aoun must understand that dialogue with Hezbollah is a trap, not a solution. The group has shown time and again that it will only respect force, not goodwill. Soft-pedaling this issue in hopes of reaching an understanding is not leadership—it is denial.
It is time to set a firm national deadline for Hezbollah to disarm. The Lebanese Army must be restored as the sole legitimate bearer of arms across the country, south and north of the Litani River. The era of private militias and foreign-sponsored agendas must end.
Let us also stop lying to ourselves. Hezbollah was never created to liberate Palestine or to defend Lebanon. Its true purpose has always been to serve Iran’s regional ambitions. Iran, in turn, never intended to liberate Palestine—it has always aimed to destabilize the region and dominate it through proxies like Hezbollah.
Now, with Syria’s Assad out of the picture and Iran’s influence waning, Hezbollah is isolated more than ever. This is Lebanon’s moment.
In this historic moment, President Joseph Aoun stands as Lebanon’s best and only hope. He is no ordinary politician. As a former Commander of the Lebanese Army, he is highly respected, widely trusted, and uniquely qualified to lead Lebanon through this difficult but necessary transition. His popularity among the Lebanese people gives him the moral authority, and his military background gives him the strategic understanding needed to to tackle this issue
Mr. President, you have the people’s support. You have the nation’s trust. Do not allow this opportunity to slip away through endless dialogue and quiet coordination. This is the time for action.
Set a national deadline. Demand the full disarmament of Hezbollah. Ensure that the Lebanese Army is the only legitimate force bearing arms within the republic. Restore the full sovereignty of the Lebanese state.
President Aoun, you have a responsibility not to compromise. The people of Lebanon are tired of being hostages in their own land. A firm, national stand to disarm Hezbollah is not just the right thing to do—it is long overdue.
The people of Lebanon are watching—and they are ready to stand with you.