‘Page has been turned’ on Hezbollah’s weapons, Israel should withdraw from Lebanon: PM

Lebanon’s prime minister said Friday that the “page has been turned” on Hezbollah’s weapons and slammed Israel for continuing to occupy parts of southern Lebanon.

“The slogan ‘people, army, and resistance’ is now a thing of the past,” Nawaf Salam, referring to Hezbollah’s previous demands to include it in every government’s policy statement, effectively legitimizing its weapons.

In an interview with Al Arabiya, Salam called on Israel to completely withdraw from Lebanon, adding that Beirut was pushing for Arab and international pressure against Israel.

“The continued Israeli presence in the south violates international law and recent agreements,” Salam said.

Washington brokered a ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel late last year, calling for Hezbollah to withdraw its fighters and weapons some 20 miles north of the Lebanese border with Israel. The Lebanese Armed Forces were also supposed to deploy along the border, and Israel was to fully withdraw from Lebanon.

However, Israel has not done so and remains in at least five different points inside Lebanon. They have continued airstrikes against Hezbollah weapons depots and officials and accuse Hezbollah of not abiding by the truce.

Salam said the state would be the sole possessor of weapons, and it would decide when to go to war or not. “The issue of the monopoly of weapons under the state will not happen overnight.”

He added: “The page on Hezbollah’s weapons has been turned after the cabinet statement.”