On Army National Day: Lebanese President calls for Hezbollah disarmament
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun urged, on Thursday, Hezbollah to hand over weapons to the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF), calling for an end to the cycle of violence in the country.
'Hezbollah and other political parties must support placing all weapons under the exclusive authority of the army,' he noted on the occasion of Army National Day, framing the move as essential to liberating Lebanese territory and building a functioning state.
While calling on all Lebanese to unite behind the army, he pledged its loyalty and full support exclusively to the state. 'Our army has extended control over the south up to the Litani River and remains determined to restore full sovereignty across Lebanon,' he stated.
Aoun criticized Israel for blocking the return of displaced residents to southern villages and hindering reconstruction efforts, calling simultaneously for an immediate halt to hostilities, withdrawal of Israeli forces, and the release of Lebanese prisoners.
He also disclosed that the United States presented Lebanon with a draft proposal aimed at easing regional tensions, which Lebanon amended significantly before submitting it to the cabinet.
On Wednesday, Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem defended the group's combined approach of armed resistance and political engagement, describing both as 'inseparable pillars' of its identity. He also emphasized Hezbollah's role as a 'core element' of Lebanon's national defense alongside the army and the people.
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