https://arab.news/zh2qy
Many people have long argued that the disarming of the Lebanese militia Hezbollah might backfire on the fragile country. But the course of Lebanon’s short yet troubled history shows that even those actors who influenced the country and imposed their ideological and military dominance over the state eventually became a part of that history themselves. The current efforts by Lebanon’s government to disarm Hezbollah should be supported by all Lebanese, as only the central state can guarantee safety, equity and stability for all.
In two crucial meetings last week, the Lebanese government moved toward ordering the army to draw up plans to disarm Hezbollah and any other armed factions in the country. No one is under any illusions that this step could not have been conceivable before 2025, but some of the recent seismic shifts in the Middle East have impacted Lebanon.
One was the end of the Assad regime in Syria, which fell last December.
The second was a result of the war in support of Gaza that Hezbollah fought and lost against Israel. This resulted in the decapitation of the militia’s leadership and the death of many top and middle-ranking commanders and foot soldiers. It led the militia to agree a ceasefire with Israel that was not negotiated through the caretaker government of the time and included an agreement to pull out of positions the armed militia held south of the Litani river, as well as to facilitate the implementation of all UN resolutions related to keeping the peace in the border areas with Israel.
