Bassil says Hezbollah arms have become a 'source of threat'

Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil stressed Tuesday that “any arms outside the state are illegitimate,” adding that “the Movement adopts a clear stance on the inevitability of restricting arms and their command to the state alone without any partnership or interference.”

“The FPM’s stance also stems from the Taif Agreement, which stipulated the dissolution of all militias but was not fully implemented, which led to overlooking the resistance’s arms and other clauses,” Bassil added in a televised address.

“The successive governments legitimized these weapons and the time has come for implementing this clause as well as other clauses, such as decentralization, the abolition of sectarianism and establishing a senate,” the FPM chief said.

He clarified that “realistic changes have happened and have necessitated a change in the FPM’s approach on the issue of arms.”

Noting that “the deterrent mission of Hezbollah’s arms fell due to its unilateral participation in the ‘war of support’ (for Gaza)” and the war with Israel that followed, , Bassil warned that “the idea of the presence of arms itself has become a source of threat, danger and great harm for Lebanon.”

“These arms must be placed in the hand of the state exclusively and should not stay in the service of any axis,” the FPM chief said.

He also rejected “blackmail and threats of civil war from any group with the aim of preventing the unity of arms in the hand of the state.”