AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): The issue of disarming the Resistance in Lebanon has become highly complex, dividing the country’s government, authorities, and people between supporters and opponents. Meanwhile, the Zionist regime and the United States continue to strongly insist on the disarmament of the Resistance.
In recent days, the Lebanese government’s stance on the matter has shifted, with the President declaring that disarming Hezbollah is impossible. The Lebanese government has also instructed the army to respond to any Israeli aggression or infiltration, with Israel’s repeated violations of the ceasefire agreement.
In this context, Munir Shehadeh, former Lebanese government coordinator with the UNIFIL and former head of the country’s military court, discussed and analyzed Lebanon’s current situation and the Resistance in an interview with ABNA.
Shehadeh stressed that the Lebanese Army cannot confront any foreign aggression without the support of the Resistance. He said the issue of disarming Hezbollah has reached a point where even the government and army consider its implementation impossible.
Explaining the reason behind the U.S. and Israeli insistence on Hezbollah’s disarmament, Shehadeh stated, “We live in the Zio-American and bullying Zio-American era. Israel wants neighboring countries to have only light weapons for domestic security. The regime does not want any country in the region to possess a deterrent military capability against it.”
He emphasized that Tel Aviv’s objective extends beyond Lebanon and targets all fronts of the Resistance. “Israel seeks to disarm all Resistance movements from Lebanon to Syria, Yemen, and Iraq. This is an Israeli American project pursued in various countries under the slogan of ‘exclusive possession of arms by the state,’ just as was proposed in Iraq regarding PMF. The ultimate goal of this plan is to rid the region of any force bearing the name ‘Resistance’,” he said.
Shehadeh noted that these pressures continue while the international community remains silent toward Israel’s repeated aggressions and even justifies them.
The retired brigadier general also commented on the Lebanese government’s changing position regarding Hezbollah’s disarmament, saying, “The United States and some Arab countries pressured Lebanon’s government to raise the issue of exclusive state control over weapons in parliament. During the vote, ministers from the two Shiite parties, Hezbollah and Amal, left the session, but the decision was approved in their absence, an act those parties deemed unconstitutional.”
According to the decision, the Lebanese Army was tasked with preparing a plan to enforce exclusive state control over weapons by the end of the year. However, the Resistance openly declared that it would not surrender its arms, even if it meant engaging in a decisive battle.
“Over the past year, Israel has violated the ceasefire agreement signed on November 27 more than 3,500 times,” Shehadeh explained, “Through attacks, assassinations, bulldozer demolitions, and targeting of civilians and children, the regime has turned most border villages into rubble.”
He concluded by citing recent Lebanese opinion polls, saying, “According to data from reputable polling firms, 98 percent of the Lebanese people oppose disarming the Resistance, especially when Israel continues to evade every law and agreement. The Lebanese Army cannot independently confront external aggression, and recent violations have proven that Israel does not even recognize international borders.”
In conclusion, Shehadeh asserted, “The Resistance in Lebanon is no longer a choice but a national necessity to preserve sovereignty and deterrence against Israeli aggression. The army and the Resistance are two complementary pillars of national defense, and neither can fulfill its mission without the other.”
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