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BEIRUT: Lebanon entered a new phase on Thursday evening after approving the restriction of all weapons to state control, including those held by Hezbollah and other militias, and endorsing the objectives outlined in the US-brokered executive mechanism.

President Joseph Aoun underscored this shift on Friday, stressing the importance of “linking Lebanon to its regional environment,” adding that though reform is underway, “no one can deny that the road ahead will be difficult.”

Following Tuesday’s marathon session, the Lebanese Cabinet reconvened on Thursday evening to continue discussing US Special Envoy Thomas Barrack’s proposal to “ensure that the possession of weapons is restricted solely to the state.”

All ministers were present, including representatives of Hezbollah and the Amal Movement.

The Cabinet ultimately approved the proposal’s objectives after four ministers aligned with Amal and Hezbollah left in protest, claiming the government had “insisted on approving this section” without granting them ”the opportunity to review it.”

The walkout was followed by protests on Thursday night in Beirut’s southern suburbs, as well as in the Bekaa and southern regions, with Hezbollah and Amal supporters taking to the streets on motorcycles, chanting slogans against the decision.

The protests persisted until nearly midnight, remaining contained and not extending into the capital, amid security measures taken by the Lebanese Armed Forces.

Social media platforms were flooded with activist posts denouncing the surrender of Hezbollah’s weapons.

Overnight, Hezbollah and the Amal Movement, through their sources, leaked to the media the announcement that “the withdrawal of our four ministers from the Cabinet session will not lead to a resignation.

“The decisions taken are clearly aimed at pushing us into a confrontation with the army, and that will not happen,” they said. “We are committed to: no surrender of weapons, no clashes in the streets, no confrontation with the army, and no resignation from the government. The weapons issue requires thorough and comprehensive discussion, with Lebanon’s national interest as the top priority, and this is being addressed in coordination with the Lebanese army through agreement on a national strategy.”

A political source who attended Thursday night’s Cabinet session told Arab News: “The Shiite ministers’ actions were merely a way to register their objection, nothing beyond that.

“The Lebanese Army Command has been tasked with preparing a plan to enforce the state’s exclusive control over weapons, which will be presented to the Cabinet at the end of this month, followed by detailed discussions.”

The source added that the decision is final, with a clear implementation deadline set for the end of the year.

Information Minister Paul Morcos said that, during its Thursday evening session, the Cabinet “approved the objectives outlined in the introduction of the US paper aimed at consolidating the cessation of hostilities agreement,” but that final decisions will be made once the Army Command submits its executive plan.

Morcos explained that Aoun had hoped the four ministers would remain and take part in the session, but they opted to walk out to avoid being present when the decision was finalized.

The Cabinet approved the preamble to the US paper without delving into its detailed provisions.

The proposal’s key objectives include establishing the state’s exclusive control over all arms, extending state sovereignty across all Lebanese territory, ensuring the durability of the cessation of hostilities, and ending the armed presence of all non-governmental actors, including Hezbollah, throughout the country.

It also includes securing Israel’s withdrawal from the five disputed points in southern Lebanon, resolving border and prisoner issues diplomatically through indirect negotiations, enabling the return of civilians to border villages and towns, completing border demarcation, and convening an economic conference to support Lebanon’s economy and reconstruction efforts.

Hezbollah, however, considers “the US paper to be a substitute for the ceasefire agreement reached in November 2024” and has repeatedly rejected it. The party insists that “Israel must first implement the terms of that agreement before any discussion can take place regarding the withdrawal of Hezbollah’s weapons.”

Former MP Fares Souaid, a leader of the Cedar Revolution that emerged after the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, stated: “The Cabinet’s decision closes a chapter that began with the 1969 Cairo Agreement, followed by successive resistance movements on Lebanese soil and culminating in the Islamic Resistance. This is the moment marking the end of resistance movements and the dawn of a new era for the entire region.”

Souaid described the protests by ministers and activists as “calculated moves and predictable reactions.” He said that while Hezbollah may continue to protest, it will be unable to alter the course of events, calling Thursday’s demonstrations “a protest with no prospects”.

He continued: “Hezbollah has lost its existential purpose. It cannot engage in politics dressed in camouflage, and even if it removes the uniform, the reality remains unchanged. Its continued existence is meaningless, a mere illusion. We may soon witness the rise of a new, alternative party to fill the void.”

Academic and political writer Hareth Sleiman dismissed the protests and the withdrawal of the ministers as “a storm in a teacup that blew over the very next day.”

He explained: “Given its mobilization, ideology, and rhetoric, Hezbollah cannot openly tell its supporters that it will surrender its weapons. Instead, it seeks to frame the decision as something imposed upon it, while portraying itself as acting to preserve civil peace in the country.”

Hezbollah, represented by Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, played a key role in negotiating and approving the ceasefire deal with Israel. Although the party has started to follow through on the agreement, dissent within its ranks has since emerged. Still, the move toward consolidating all arms under state control is now underway.

“Hezbollah may accept defeat in the face of Israel, but it cannot afford to appear defeated before its own supporters,” continued Sleiman. “Notably, many of the activists protesting on social media are not defending the party’s weapons, but rather their own salaries.”

Sleiman stressed that the majority of the Shia community in Lebanon does not support the continuation of the current reality.

“What is gained by holding onto the weapons? The south is devastated, Israel continues to kill, assassinate, and violate sovereignty, and there is no longer any possibility of rearming or transferring Iranian weapons through Syria. Waiting for the cards to be reshuffled only means prolonging the catastrophe,” he said.

“Today, the Lebanese state is working to erase Hezbollah’s past sins, save the south and its people, and put the country on the road to recovery, while those protesting do so shamelessly. The Shiites of Lebanon refuse to see their fate become that of the people of Gaza. Enough.”

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