Aoun called for all political parties to hand in their weapons, and for the Lebanese army to hold a monopoly on arms in the country [PETROS KARADJIAS/POOL/AFP via Getty Images]
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on Thursday issued his strongest remarks yet on the issue of Hezbollah’s weapons, unveiling Lebanon’s proposed amendments to a US-drafted framework aimed at resolving the group’s future.
He confirmed the revised plan would be presented to the cabinet early next week, along with a timeline for implementation.
Speaking at a ceremony marking the Lebanese army’s 80th anniversary, Aoun directly called on Hezbollah to hand over its weapons to the military, while stressing to the group’s supporters that they remain an integral part of the Lebanese state.
The president described the current period as “critical” and warned against “provocations or political posturing that serve no purpose”.
Aoun outlined eight core Lebanese demands in the negotiations with US envoy Tom Barrack. These include a full Israeli withdrawal to internationally recognised borders, an end to air, land and sea attacks, including assassinations, the release of Lebanese prisoners, and the disarmament of all armed groups, including Hezbollah.
The weapons, he said, must be handed over to the army, which would be the sole authority over arms across the country.
Among the key requests, Lebanon is also seeking $1 billion annually for ten years from international partners to support its military and internal security forces.
Aoun also proposed holding a donors’ conference in the autumn to rebuild infrastructure, resolving the Syrian refugee crisis, defining the country’s borders with Syria, and supporting alternative agriculture and industry to curb smuggling and drug trafficking.
“These are the key points in the memorandum we intend to move forward with,” Aoun said. “They represent a path to finally marking and securing Lebanon’s borders from south to north and restoring public trust in the state, beginning with the army.”
He said the plan would give Lebanon “a chance at lasting stability”, which he called essential for economic recovery and reform.
He urged political leaders to seize the moment by backing the army’s exclusive right to bear arms “today, not tomorrow”, and to prove to the international community that Lebanon can defend its sovereignty without non-state forces.
In a message directed at Hezbollah’s base, Aoun said: “Your struggle and sacrifice must not be wasted. Betting on the state is the only way forward.”
He added that Lebanon could not afford to lose international and Arab support by refusing disarmament, nor fracture national unity at such a moment.
He reiterated that his call for weapons to be placed solely in state hands comes from a commitment to defend Lebanon’s borders, liberate occupied land, and build a state that includes all citizens, including Hezbollah’s constituency, which he described as a “cornerstone” of the country.
He called on all political factions to approach the disarmament issue with “seriousness and responsibility”, urging unity over polarisation. “The stakes are too high for grandstanding,” he said.
Regarding the army’s role since last November’s ceasefire, Aoun said it had succeeded, despite limited resources, in enforcing the truce south of the Litani River and collecting weapons from the area. The army plans to recruit and train more than 4,500 new soldiers to expand its presence.
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam’s government, Aoun added, had identified six short-term priorities: rebuilding public trust in the judiciary, consolidating security and weapons control, preparing for reconstruction, administrative reform, elections, and restoring Lebanon’s standing with Arab and international partners.
Closing his speech to military personnel, Aoun warned that the country stood at a crossroads.
“The region is teetering between collapse and renewal. We must choose,” he said. “I have chosen to cross with you toward a better future.”
His remarks came just hours after Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem rejected any call for disarmament, saying such demands, whether internal or external, served “the Israeli project”.
Qassem said the priority should be ending Israeli attacks and launching reconstruction, accusing the US envoy of using threats to pressure Lebanese leaders.
Aoun, however, appears to be moving ahead. A key cabinet meeting next week will place the weapons issue on the agenda, with opposition parties inside government expected to demand a clear timetable and implementation mechanism in line with US proposals.
In a related statement, Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri backed the army as the country’s “guarantor of peace and stability”.
