The head of the Free Patriotic Movement, MP Gebran Bassil, a former key ally of Hezbollah announced the following:
“The movement adopts a clear position affirming the inevitability of restricting weapons and their command to the state alone, with no partnership or involvement by anyone “.
He added : “We reject internal strife and the isolation of any Lebanese component.”
He also emphasized the necessity of embracing any group that feels uneasy, whether internally or externally.
In a press conference, Bassil emphasized his “rejection of the threat of weapons aimed at obstructing the arms control process,” and called for “the adoption of a gradual solution to restrict weapons, based on the capabilities of the Lebanese Army, and to benefit from these weapons, not waste them.”
He explained that the government gained confidence based on its ministerial statement, which stipulates the exclusivity of arms, while executive measures remain its responsibility. It has begun to implement these measures, and based on this, Parliament will decide whether to withdraw confidence from it. Since it has not done so, the government, regardless of our position opposing it, continues to enjoy the confidence of Parliament.
The disarmament push followed last year’s war between Israel and Hezbollah, which left the group, once a powerful political and military force, extremely weakened.
Bassil’s comments come after the Lebanese cabinet met for the second time in days on Thursday as it discusses ways of disarming Hezbollah, a day after the Iran-backed militant group rejected the government’s decision to take away its weapons.
Source Rl Nashra) , translated from Arabic