{"id":19777,"date":"2025-07-03T17:41:30","date_gmt":"2025-07-03T17:41:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.watanserb.com\/en\/?p=19777"},"modified":"2025-07-03T17:41:30","modified_gmt":"2025-07-03T17:41:30","slug":"samir-geagea-hezbollahs-weapons-are-lebanons-core-disaster-and-the-diaspora-vote-must-be-rescued","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.watanserb.com\/en\/2025\/07\/03\/samir-geagea-hezbollahs-weapons-are-lebanons-core-disaster-and-the-diaspora-vote-must-be-rescued\/","title":{"rendered":"Samir Geagea: Hezbollah\u2019s Weapons Are Lebanon\u2019s Core Disaster, and the Diaspora Vote Must Be Rescued"},"content":{"rendered":"

Watan<\/strong><\/em>-Despite the heavy fog surrounding the headquarters of Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea in early July, his political clarity was unmistakable\u2014especially on the two pressing issues: Hezbollah\u2019s weapons and the diaspora vote. In a media meeting attended by Al-Quds Al-Arabi, Geagea launched a sharp critique of Hezbollah\u2019s arms, calling them unconstitutional and the main reason behind Lebanon\u2019s economic and state collapse.<\/p>\n

According to Geagea, Hezbollah\u2019s weapons were never legitimized by the 1989 Taif Agreement and directly violate Lebanon\u2019s constitution and national unity. \u201cThis arsenal monopolizes strategic decisions and led Hezbollah to ally with the most corrupt forces just to protect its arms,\u201d he said. As a result, Lebanon has shifted from being the “Switzerland of the East” to a hub for smuggling and captagon, with ungoverned borders.<\/p>\n

Geagea dismissed the outrage over the American proposal delivered by envoy Tom Barrack, which calls for Hezbollah\u2019s disarmament. He argued, \u201cBefore it is an American demand, it is a Lebanese one. Who inside Lebanon accepts this weapon?\u201d He added that Hezbollah\u2019s weapons have invited Israeli attacks and dismantled Lebanon\u2019s sovereignty.<\/p>\n

No State Without Disarmament<\/strong><\/h3>\n

He recalled being imprisoned in 1994 for raising the issue of Hezbollah\u2019s arms, highlighting how deeply Syria\u2019s regime protected the party back then. He stated bluntly: \u201cThere will be no real state unless Hezbollah gives up its weapons, from Jouya to Ain al-Remmaneh, and from Samir Kassir to Lokman Slim.\u201d<\/p>\n

Addressing Hezbollah\u2019s Deputy Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem, who often pledges patience and resistance against Israel, Geagea said: \u201cStop pretending. Your weapons are not creating balance; they\u2019re provoking attacks.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Geagea
General Joseph Aoun<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

He mocked statements by Hezbollah MP Ali Fayyad, who argued that disarmament under the ceasefire agreement starts \u201cfrom south of the Litani River\u201d\u2014while Israel continues to strike rocket depots freely.<\/p>\n

Discussion With President Joseph Aoun<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Geagea revealed that President Joseph Aoun seemed unwilling to stir internal tensions but was open to presenting the U.S. proposal to the Cabinet. \u201cI still trust the president\u2014he thinks like us,\u201d Geagea said. But he stressed the need for resolve: \u201cWe won\u2019t reach a real state without determination.\u201d<\/p>\n

He warned that five months of talks have yielded nothing and likely won\u2019t in the next five either. Negotiations are now occurring between Aoun and PM-designate Nawaf Salam on one side, and Speaker Nabih Berri and Hezbollah on the other\u2014a format Geagea rejects as \u201cnot a real state.\u201d<\/p>\n

On Palestinian Arms<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Geagea also referenced Palestinian weapons, saying that after a clear statement by President Mahmoud Abbas, the Lebanese state requested disarmament<\/a> in the camps. \u201cAren\u2019t the camps on Lebanese soil? Are they in Australia?\u201d he asked rhetorically.<\/p>\n

He rejected claims that the Lebanese army lacks capacity, noting how it effectively deployed on the Syrian border during prior threats, but now ignores domestic lawlessness.<\/p>\n

When asked whether Hezbollah might use its arms internally, Geagea said: \u201cI believe they can\u2019t\u2014neither inside nor out. They only use the threat for leverage. Lebanese leaders shouldn\u2019t act like appeasers.\u201d<\/p>\n

On Diaspora Voting<\/strong><\/h3>\n

On the issue of Lebanese expatriate voting rights, Geagea discussed the battle to end the outdated 1960 electoral law. After Michel Aoun\u2019s election, a deal was struck with the “Strong Lebanon Bloc” (which then included 30 MPs) to pass the current law.<\/p>\n

However, when Gebran Bassil feared losing diaspora votes, he proposed allocating only six parliamentary seats for expatriates. \u201cThat was the fatal compromise in 2017\u2014we either accepted it or lost the whole law,\u201d said Geagea.<\/p>\n

He now wants that provision fixed: \u201cExpatriates must vote for the full 128 MPs. What\u2019s the point of giving them six seats and keeping them outside Lebanon\u2019s political impact?\u201d<\/p>\n

He proposed that the government conduct a formal poll or international survey to learn what the diaspora wants. \u201cBassil\u2019s logic\u2014128 seats plus 6 more\u2014is nonsense,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\"Geagea
Hezbollah<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

On Parliamentary Session Management<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Geagea harshly criticized Speaker Berri\u2019s parliamentary session management, calling it \u201cdeceptive.\u201d He accused Berri of pushing 20 fast-tracked laws without proper debate while blocking the amendment of Article 112, which restricts diaspora voting.<\/p>\n

He emphasized that the amendment has already been signed by 67 MPs and backed by 62 in a formal petition: \u201cThis must be binding. Parliament is sovereign and shouldn\u2019t act like Bashar al-Assad and Rustum Ghazaleh are still around.\u201d<\/p>\n

When asked if this confrontation might prompt the Shiite duo (Hezbollah and Amal) to cancel elections, Geagea was firm: \u201cThey can\u2019t. Who would extend parliament\u2019s term? That\u2019s a huge move.\u201d<\/p>\n

Final Word: No Fear of Government Collapse<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Geagea concluded by rejecting threats from the Shiite bloc to leave the government if exclusive weapons control is enforced. \u201cLet them withdraw,\u201d he said. As for pulling his own ministers out, he replied: \u201cDon\u2019t worry, we\u2019ll do it when it no longer benefits Lebanon. But for now, we\u2019re more useful inside.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Watan-Despite the heavy fog surrounding the headquarters of Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea in early July, his political clarity was unmistakable\u2014especially on the two pressing issues: Hezbollah\u2019s weapons and the diaspora vote. In a media meeting attended by Al-Quds Al-Arabi, Geagea launched a sharp critique of Hezbollah\u2019s arms, calling them unconstitutional and the main reason …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":19779,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[6320,3361,6318,6319],"class_list":["post-19777","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-hezbollahs-arms","tag-joseph-aoun","tag-lebanese-forces-leader-samir-geagea","tag-tom-barrack"],"yoast_head":"\nSamir Geagea: Hezbollah\u2019s Weapons Are Lebanon\u2019s Core Disaster, and the Diaspora Vote Must Be Rescued - Watan<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea strongly criticizes Hezbollah\u2019s arms as unconstitutional and economically destructive,\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, 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