Vice president of Higher Shiite Council denounces 'partition projects'

BEIRUT — The vice president of the Higher Shiite Council, Sheikh Ali al-Khatib, launched a scathing diatribe Sunday against "those who want partition and seek to divide the country into cantons," asserting that these demands "play into Israel's hands." He did not name any parties targeted by his remarks.

During a commemorative ceremony in the village of Nabi Chit in southern Lebanon, Sheikh Khatib criticized the fact that "some still have not understood that the real enemy is Israel, turning their hostility against the Resistance and its weapons, even going so far as to target an entire community."

The religious leader accused those "who refuse to recognize the sacrifices of the Shiites for over 50 years against Israel." "We are committed to national unity and, for that reason, we will fight any projects to partition Lebanon into sectarian cantons," he declared.

The cleric added: "For all these reasons, we remain committed to keeping our weapons and aspire to a common Lebanese position on this. This is not a Shiite matter, but one related to Lebanese sovereignty." He nevertheless said that a monopoly on arms could be achieved once there "is a strong state capable of confronting the Israeli enemy."

The last war between Hezbollah and Israel, which ended with a cease-fire in November 2024, left Hezbollah weakened and deprived of its historic leadership. It nonetheless refuses to hand over its arsenal, even though the government made decisions to that effect at the beginning of August: The Lebanese Army is expected to present the government this week with a plan to disarm militias, especially Hezbollah, before the end of the current year.