The leader of the Lebanese Forces (LF), Samir Geagea. (Credit: NNA.)
BEIRUT - The leader of the Lebanese Forces (LF), Samir Geagea, has once again called for the disarmament of Hezbollah throughout Lebanon, not just south of the Litani, urging the government to adopt a 'clear and frank' stance on this issue.
'There is a fundamental point that has been much discussed, especially over the last two weeks, and it is a very bad point that threatens any hope of salvation for Lebanon: it is the return of some discourses saying there are Hezbollah weapons 'north of the Litani' and others 'south of the Litani.' There is no such thing as south or north of the Litani,' argued Samir Geagea during a dinner at Meerab on Friday, according to remarks reported by the state-run National News Agency (NNA).
'Resolution 1701 is very clear. Just as the cease-fire agreement adopted by the Lebanese government on November 27, 2024. There must be no weapons throughout Lebanese territory other than those of the Lebanese army,' he emphasized, advocating for the 'dismantling of all illegal military structures,' whether they are of Hezbollah or weapons in Palestinian camps in Lebanon.
'Fixing the prestige of the state'
Geagea thus stressed that 'this tone we have started to hear again is destructive and has nothing to do with the inauguration speech (of Joseph Aoun), the ministerial declaration, Resolution 1701, international resolutions, and especially the ceasefire agreement.' He also argued that 'if the new state loses its credibility, we will face a big problem, as we will need a lot of time to have a new chance, to regain our credibility and our friends, and to try to rebuild the country.'
'The issue is very delicate and serious,' he continued, urging the government to 'express, as soon as possible, its position clearly and openly, regardless of what it can now implement.' 'Its position must be clear and frank, as only clarity and frankness will lead to a result,' he added.
The LF leader thus estimated that 'if the image and prestige of the Lebanese state are not fixed, the security situation will remain as fragile as we see it: one attack here, one attack there,' in a reference to Israeli strikes that continue to target Lebanon despite the truce with Israel. Geagea finally stated that the state becomes serious 'when there are no more weapons, no more security cells, and no more decisions of war or peace outside of it.' 'It is only at that moment that countries will return to establish relations with us and our situation will improve,' he concluded.
U.N. Resolution 1701 (2006) ended a war between Hezbollah and Israel in 2006 and serves as the framework for the cease-fire agreement of November 27, 2024, following thirteen months of conflict between Hezbollah and Israel, including two months of open war in October and November. The preamble of the agreement calls for 'the disarmament of all armed groups in Lebanon.'
The LF has always made the disarmament of Hezbollah one of its main battlegrounds. During his meeting with U.S. special envoy Morgan Ortagus on Saturday in Meerab, Geagea also stated that 'the collection of illegal weapons is a fundamental Lebanese demand.'