The “Shiite duo” of Hezbollah and Amal retracted a call for streets protests against the Lebanese government’s decisions to impose state monopoly over weapons, which effectively calls for the disarmament of all armed groups, including Hezbollah.
The allies had called for a “major national stand” on Wednesday in protest against the government’s decision earlier this month but soon postponed it out of a sense of “national responsibly” given the circumstances the country is going through.
They also delayed it at the behest of “national authorities that are keen on unity and stability” and to give way for “deep and constructive dialogue over fateful issues facing our nation.”
The postponement reflects the state of “disarray” within the duo. Asharq Al-Awsat learned that Amal leader and parliament Speaker Nabih Berri is not keen on taking to the street, while the leadership of Iran-backed Hezbollah believes “the time is right for it.”
Berri is hoping to avoid a clash with the government, which had tasked the army with submitting a plan over the monopoly of arms before the end of the month. The cabinet will meet on September 2 to follow up on the issue.
Hezbollah MPs have remained insistent on the government to go back on its decision. Meanwhile, deputy commander of the Quds Force for Iranian Coordination Brigadier General Iraj Masjedi declared on Monday that the disarmament of Hezbollah was a “American -Zionist plot that will never be implemented.”
Pressure from Berri
Parliamentary sources from Berri’s Development and Liberation bloc told Asharq Al-Awsat that the speaker was always against street action to protest the government’s decision and he intervened to stop Wednesday’s rally.
Bloc MP Qassem Hashem said the protest was postponed because US special envoy Tom Barrack was visiting Lebanon and because the duo wanted to avoid a “fifth column intervening in the rally to stir unrest.”
He told Asharq Al-Awsat that the protest call “reflects a certain segment’s rejection” of the government’s decisions.
At the moment, “everyone is awaiting the Israeli response to the American proposals and the government session on September 2 before making any move,” he revealed.
Director of the Institute for Near East and Gulf Military Analysis (INEGMA) Dr. Riad Kahwaji said that Hezbollah and Amal have had divergent stances ever since the government took the disarmament decision.
In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, he noted that Hezbollah has leaned towards escalation and organizing motorcycle convoys, while Amal has said that it was not involved in any of these actions.
It had also said that it opposed Hezbollah’s threat of civil war when its leader Sheikh Naim Qassem warned that there can be “no life in Lebanon” without the party should the government go ahead with the disarmament.
Finance Minister Yassine Jaber, who is associated with Amal, later backed the government’s decision, sparking Hezbollah’s ire.
Kahwaji added: “Berri is evidently still against taking to the streets because the situation could spiral out of control” at a time when Israel is still carrying out attacks against Lebanon.
“Resorting to the streets is illogical and would put the Shiites in Lebanon in danger,” he said.
