Hezbollah MP Ali Fayad. (Credit: National News Agency)
Received by Maronite Church leader Bechara al-Rai, Hezbollah MP Ali Fayad declared on Wednesday that "the north of the Litani is a Lebanese sovereign matter," as the army is expected to soon proceed with disarming the party in this area. This is a stage in the weapons monopoly plan that Hezbollah rejects as long as Israel continues to occupy several positions in southern Lebanon militarily and keeps violating the cease-fire.
"We are not closing doors, but we are saying that Lebanon has fully fulfilled its obligations south of the Litani, while the Israeli enemy has never respected its commitments, has not withdrawn from its occupied areas, and carries out daily assassinations across Lebanese territory," Fayad said, accompanied by an entourage including MP Raed Berro and members of the party's political bureau.
He also stated that "Israel must respect [Resolution] 1701 and allow the state to exercise its authority south of the Litani River fully. As for the north of the Litani, that is a Lebanese sovereign affair. The government, the Lebanese Army, we, and all other components are discussing the necessary measures for the state to exercise its authority over the entire territory in accordance with the second phase [of the disarmament plan]," according to comments reported by the state-run National News Agency (NNA).
He reiterated: "So we have not closed the doors, but we always maintain a positive and proactive position to help the state extend its authority, while discussing as part of a national strategy how to protect the country and what tools are capable of doing so."
'Positive and proactive position'
Fayad said that "the natural approach for the process of recovery, rebuilding stability, and addressing all outstanding issues is that the Lebanese position should be unified so that Israel respects 1701 and withdraws from our land." Hezbollah will then be "ready, in a positive and proactive position, to examine other outstanding points necessary for the state to exercise its authority and protect internal stability."
He also stated that "as long as this Israeli withdrawal does not take place and hostile acts do not cease, we believe moving on to other steps would be inappropriate and, in fact, impossible due to Israeli practices."
Regarding legislative elections, scheduled in principle for May 2026, the delegation was "in favor" of holding the vote as planned.
"Some people are seeking to postpone it, and one of the reasons is to target us, as, according to their estimate, our electorate is coherent and highly mobilized," he noted.
He also stressed that "the electoral law is clear and stipulates the election of six MPs representing the diaspora, and absolutely nothing prevents an expatriate from coming to the country and voting like any other citizen."
The question of expatriates' right to vote for the 128 MPs according to their original district in Lebanon has divided the political class for several months.
The law in force provides for six specific seats for expatriates, but no executive measure has been taken to implement it.
The main opponents of an amendment to allow the diaspora to vote for all 128 seats in Parliament are Amal, Hezbollah and the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM).
The blocs advocating for the amendment, including the Lebanese Forces (LF), the Kataeb, and others, suspect their opponents fear the expatriate vote.
