Aoun says that effort on 'arms monopoly is progressing'

BEIRUT — President Joseph Aoun reiterated Friday his commitment to the monopoly of arms, stating that "the decision has been made and its implementation is progressing," as he received a German delegation that included, notably, MP Jens Spahn and Germany's ambassador to Lebanon, Kurt Georg Stöckl-Stillfried.

"The decision on the arms monopoly has been made and its implementation is proceeding gradually, taking into account the preservation of civil peace, stability, and the country's security," Aoun said. He added that "the Lebanese Army has completed its deployment south of the Litani, except for the occupied zones, and has eliminated all armed presence, fully extending its authority."

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"Since this deployment, no shots have been fired from Lebanese territory, while Israel continues to deliberately destroy homes in border villages and spray pesticides," President Aoun said. He also recalled that "so far, Israel has not responded to calls to end its aggression" and urged the international community to "pressure Israel so that the cease-fire and Resolution 1701 are respected."

The Lebanese Army is due to present its vision for implementing the second phase of the arms monopoly plan to the Cabinet, as Hezbollah stands firm in its refusal to disarm and even claims it could intervene alongside Iran if the Tehran regime is attacked.

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Despite a truce reached in November 2024, which was supposed to end more than a year of hostilities with Hezbollah, Israel continues to regularly carry out strikes on Lebanese territory, saying it is targeting the Shiite party it accuses of rearming.

At the beginning of January, the Lebanese Army announced it had completed the first phase of its disarmament plan for Hezbollah, covering the area south of the Litani River, about 30 kilometers from the Israeli border. However, Israel deemed the army's progress "insufficient," while the Shiite party rejected calls to hand over its arsenal.

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Aoun also stressed "the importance of support in materials and equipment for the Lebanese Army to enable it to carry out its missions throughout the country, in particular maintaining security, combating smuggling and drugs, protecting institutions, and controlling borders."

He recalled that Lebanon "attaches great importance to the support conference for the army and internal security forces, scheduled in Paris on March 5, as well as Germany's participation in it."

According to the al-Markaziya agency, Aoun will lead the Lebanese delegation to the conference. French President Emmanuel Macron has sent invitations to 50 countries expected to attend, along with about a dozen international and regional organizations that have expressed their willingness to participate and support Lebanese military and security institutions.

« La décision a été prise et le monopole des armes se fait progressivement », assure Aoun