Parliament Approves Arms Trade Treaty after Controversy

Lebanon’s Parliament ratified on Tuesday the international Arms Trade Treaty, amid objection from several MPs including Hizbullah lawmakers who cited concerns for the Resistance’s arms, the National News Agency reported.

The draft law was rebuffed by lawmakers of the Marada Movement, Loyalty to the Resistance bloc, Syrian Social Nationalist Party (SSNP), MP Jamil Assayed, independent Sunni deputies and Hizbullah, amid the abstention of AMAL Movement and Free Patriotic Movement lawmakers.

The 2014 treaty seeks to regulate international trade in conventional arms and prevent illicit trade. Hizbullah legislator Ali Ammar walked out of the parliament Tuesday, saying it "infringes on the weapons of the resistance."

Loyalty to the Resistance MPs demanded the law be returned to the committees.

MP Nawaf Mousawi said: “The Israeli enemy is a partner in this treaty. Signing it would not fall in Lebanon’s interest.”

On objection of lawmakers, PM-designate Saad Hariri said after the treaty was approved: “The treaty has nothing to do with the arms of the Resistance. Lebanon must sign it because it falls in its interest.”

After Lebanon's 15-year civil war ended in 1990, Hizbullah was allowed to keep its weapons since it was fighting Israeli forces occupying parts of southern Lebanon.

Hizbullah today has a massive arsenal including tens of thousands of rockets and missiles. The group sent thousands of its fighters to Syria to fight along President Bashar Assad's forces.