The new Lebanese government held its first meeting on Tuesday, forming a committee tasked with drafting its ministerial statement that is expected to drop the “army, people and resistance” term that justifies Hezbollah’s weapons possession in Lebanon.
Ministerial statements in recent years have all endorsed this equation, but with the Iran-backed party severely weakened after the Israeli war on Lebanon and its grip over political life slipping, the term is expected to be dropped.
There is optimism that the statement could be completed within days and that it would focus on President Joseph Aoun’s inaugural speech and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam’s remarks after he was named to his post.
Aoun had stressed during his speech the need to limit the possession of weapons in Lebanon to the state.
The committee is comprised of Salam, his deputy Tarek Mitri, Finance Minister Yassine Jaber, Culture Minister Ghassan Salameh, Industry Minister Issa al-Khoury and Transportation and Public Works Minister Fayez Rasamny. It held its first meeting on Tuesday.
The statement is expected to be “brief and to the point.”
Chairing the first cabinet meeting at the Baabda presidential palace, Aoun underscored the importance of reforms in Lebanon.
“It is important to restore trust, starting with fighting corruption and carrying out administrative, judicial and security appointments,” he told the ministers.
On Tuesday evening, Salam said during a televised interview, which included Asharq Al-Awsat, that the ministerial statement must address all challenges, starting with the continued Israeli occupation of Lebanese territories, as well as reconstruction of areas devastated by the war.
Responding to a question by Asharq Al-Awsat, he declared that the statement must “emphasize the full implementation of United Nations Security Council resolution 1701 and ceasefire understandings.”
It must also commit to the reconstruction process, he added.
Other challenges include financial, economic and political reforms, he went on to say, stressing that his government will be focused on “reform and salvation”.
Lebanon wants Israel to fully withdraw from Lebanese territories and “we will continue to resort to diplomacy and politics to make sure that happens” before the February 18 deadline for the pullout, Salam stressed.
He underlined the importance of diplomatic pressure on Israel, stressing that Lebanon is “performing its role in full by deploying the army and seriously approaching the implementation of resolution 1701. We have not shirked away from our responsibilities.”
