Photo courtesy of Anadolu
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said Hezbollah could surrender its weapons only after Israel ended its occupation of Lebanese territory, the army secured full control and the state led reconstruction efforts.
Aoun outlined the conditions during a dinner in Washington hosted by Lebanese Ambassador Nada Hamadeh Mouawad and attended by members of the US Congress and administration officials.
The gathering was held on the final day of his official visit, during which he met US President Donald Trump.
Aoun said Hezbollah was composed of Lebanese citizens shaped by decades of ideological, social and military organization outside state authority, making the method of disarmament as important as the objective.
He proposed a process centered on disarmament, demobilization and reintegration, drawing from peace efforts involving armed groups in Colombia and Northern Ireland.
The president said Israel’s withdrawal must come first, followed by the Lebanese army assuming exclusive security control with immediate international support.
He added that former fighters should be reintegrated through a state-run reconstruction program that would provide economic opportunities and reduce dependence on armed groups.
Separately, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said the initial Israeli pullout and the deployment of Lebanese troops in southern Lebanon marked the start of a broader effort to restore full state authority and secure the return of displaced residents.