The Lebanese government has welcomed the army’s plan to implement the principle of the “exclusive possession of arms,” through a formula that was met with approval from the “Shiite duo.” Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri told Asharq al-Awsat that “the toxic winds are beginning to clear,” while Prime Minister Nawaf Salam affirmed the government’s commitment to continue the process of disarming Hezbollah.
According to information obtained by Asharq al-Awsat, the army’s plan is composed of five stages. The first, spanning three months, aligns with the deadline approved by the cabinet during its August 5 and 7 sessions. This initial phase will focus on completing the disarmament of the area south of the Litani River, while “containing” weapons elsewhere in Lebanon, specifically by prohibiting the carrying and transport of arms nationwide.
In his first comment on the cabinet’s decisions, Berri said, “The situation is positive... I believe the toxic winds are beginning to subside.” He added that the army’s plan helps preserve civil peace.
For his part, Salam stressed to Asharq al-Awsat that the cabinet’s decisions are clear and “allow no room for reinterpretation.” He vowed there would be no turning back on the principle of the state’s monopoly on arms, emphasizing that the government is determined to extend state authority “through its own resources,” in line with the decisions of the August 5 session.
Salam underscored that these steps are “unbound by external conditions,” since they are rooted in the Taif Agreement, the presidential oath of office, and the government’s policy statement. He also pointed to the plan drafted by US envoy Tom Barrack, which was adjusted in agreement with Washington. While its goals were approved by the Lebanese government, Salam noted that implementation requires reciprocity, something Israel has not committed to.
The formula, prepared through presidential consultations in recent days, effectively prevented a cabinet crisis after Shiite ministers walked out of the session the moment Army Commander Gen. Rudolph Haykal entered to present the plan, in an attempt to deprive the decision of “sectarian legitimacy.”
Simultaneously, the Lebanese army deployed reinforcements around Beirut’s southern suburbs, Hezbollah’s stronghold, in anticipation of potential popular backlash to the government’s decision, amid reports of calls for uncoordinated street protests.
Cabinet Resolutions
Information Minister Paul Morcos, reading from the session’s conclusions, stated: “The Council of Ministers heard the presentation by the Army Commander on his plan to enforce the exclusivity of arms. The Council welcomed the plan and its phased approach, in line with the Taif Agreement, relevant accords, the cessation of hostilities declaration, the presidential oath, and the government’s policy statement.”
He added that the cabinet decided to keep the plan’s details and deliberations confidential, while tasking the army command with submitting monthly reports on its implementation.
President Joseph Aoun, who chaired the session, reiterated his condemnation of Israeli attacks and hailed the UNIFIL mandate renewal as a “victory for Lebanon.” He also stressed the importance of holding parliamentary elections on schedule and urged preparations to avoid delays. Aoun expressed condolences to the families of “martyrs, particularly those of the Lebanese army.”
Morcos further relayed that Salam confirmed his efforts to rally Arab and international support to pressure Israel to halt its assaults and withdraw from occupied Lebanese positions.
He said the army would “begin implementing the plan within its available resources,” adding that while the plan is bound by the cabinet’s August 5 resolutions, the military retains “operational discretion.”
Government Statement
In its post-session communiqué, the government reaffirmed its “firm commitment to securing safety and stability along the southern borders, asserting state sovereignty over all Lebanese territory through its own resources, and ensuring that decisions of war and peace remain in the hands of Lebanon’s constitutional institutions.”
The statement stressed the need to fully implement UN Security Council Resolution 1701, describing it as the legal framework that protects Lebanese sovereignty and prevents repeated Israeli violations. It emphasized that a “comprehensive, multi-party implementation” of the ceasefire is the only practical path toward applying the resolution.
The government accused Israel of shirking its obligations under Resolution 1701 and the ceasefire agreement, citing its continued violations as a threat to both Lebanese and regional stability.
The statement also referred to Barrack’s paper, which was based on two principles: the simultaneity of steps by all parties to ensure good faith, and the requirement that Lebanon, Israel, and Syria each approve their respective commitments.
To this end, Lebanon has already taken two unilateral steps: adopting the paper’s objectives in the cabinet, and tasking the Lebanese army with preparing a detailed plan to extend state authority across the country exclusively through its own forces.
However, the statement noted that Israel has yet to show any commitment or take reciprocal action, despite Lebanon’s progress. “Any advancement toward implementing the paper remains contingent on the adherence of the other parties, foremost among them Israel,” the government declared.
Session Developments
During the cabinet session, as soon as the army commander entered to present his plan, the five Shiite ministers withdrew - including four aligned with Hezbollah and its ally, the Amal Movement.
Sources close to the “Shiite duo” told Asharq al-Awsat that the withdrawal came after the completion of other agenda items, but before discussion of the army plan began. They described the move as a “principled position” that any debate on such a critical issue in the absence of Shiite ministers is “unconstitutional and illegitimate.”
The sources added that the ministers would not deliberate on a decision that was itself “born illegitimate,” referring to the government’s August 5 approval of the “exclusive arms” principle and the mandate for the army to enforce it, which were approved after their earlier walkout.
