'Army's plan achievable within four months,' Salam says during iftar at the Grand Serail

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said that that the Lebanese army’s plan is achievable within four months, while speaking at an iftar held at the Grand Serail Wednesday, the state-run National News Agency reported.

Salam said that "the recent Cabinet session, the army informed us of its readiness to implement the second phase of its plan to confine weapons, north of the Litani, between the Litani and Awali rivers. Some have asked about the required timeframe. This mission is achievable within four months if our armed forces are provided with the same conditions," Salam said.

He added: “To complete the plan to restrict weapons in all its phases, we as a government will work to ensure that our armed forces receive all the necessary capabilities, and we will continue to provide them with the broadest political and popular support.”

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He explained that "at the end of last year, the army completed the first phase of the plan south of the Litani River. This is the first time since 1969 that our armed forces have regained full operational control over this area. They deserve our highest salute.”

In mid-February, the Lebanese army presented to Cabinet its plan for the second phase of Hezbollah’s disarmament, estimating four to eight months of work to restore the state’s arms monopoly between the Litani and Awali rivers. Between last August and January, the army completely disarmed the party from the border to the Litani river.

Hezbollah, which has dismissed efforts to disarm it as a U.S.-Israeli plan, has rejected calls to surrender weapons north of the Litani River, saying it understands the cease-fire agreement to apply “exclusively south” of the waterway.

'We do not claim to have achieved miracles'

Salam also said: “We meet today after a year has passed since our government won the confidence of Parliament and began its work. It has been an extraordinary year in terms of events and challenges. Lebanon has emerged from a devastating war, yet Israeli attacks continue.”

He added: “For decades, a culture of impunity, the misuse of public funds, and the absence of accountability prevailed. This reality deepened the lack of trust in the state, both among citizens, who form the basis of the social contract and the legitimacy of governance, and among our Arab brothers and the international community.”

He continued: “After a year, we do not claim to have achieved miracles. We recognize that people’s suffering is greater than any accomplishment we could mention today. However, we must emphasize that by laying the necessary foundations to confront these challenges, we have begun to change a course that was inevitably leading to the complete collapse of the state and society.”