Lebanese Christian opposition sees Israel deal as end to Hezbollah's armed power

Lebanon's main Christian opposition party, the Lebanese Forces, has endorsed a framework agreement with Israel, asserting that it will dismantle the armed influence of the Shiite group Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. The party, a staunch opponent of Hezbollah, considers the deal a pivotal moment for the nation.

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this agreement framework is not limited to the withdrawal of the Israelis from Lebanon, allowing the people of the south to return to their homes and villages. Rather, once implemented, it will definitively close the open wound in our south, which has affected all Lebanese.

Samir Geagea, leader of the Lebanese Forces, stated that the agreement, negotiated by President Joseph Aoun in consultation with Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, represents "the most important political step taken by the Lebanese state in half a century." He emphasized that the agreement's goal is to "pull Lebanon and the Lebanese people out of the tragic situation and its repercussions caused by the successive 'resistance' movements in the south," a clear reference to Hezbollah's activities.

Geagea argued that the agreement goes beyond merely facilitating the withdrawal of Israeli forces and the return of displaced residents. He believes that its full implementation will "definitively close the open wound in our south, which has affected all Lebanese." He countered claims from "resistance" factions by stating that these actions have not aided the Palestinian cause but have instead repeatedly devastated Lebanon.

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This open wound, contrary to the claims of the various factions of the so-called 'resistance,' has not contributed in the slightest to the Palestinian cause, while at the same time, it has destroyed Lebanon repeatedly.

The Lebanese Forces' stance contrasts sharply with Hezbollah's reaction. Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem denounced the agreement as a "humiliation, a shame, and a renunciation of sovereignty." However, Geagea sees the deal as a dual solution: expelling Israeli forces and liberating Lebanon from the "serious national problem" of armed groups operating independently of the state, primarily Hezbollah.

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This agreement will not only expel the Israelis from territory and close the open wound in the south, but it will also rid them of a serious national problem with which they have lived for the past fifty years: the presence of armed groups outside the state, mainly Hezbollah.

The agreement, mediated by the U.S. and signed last Friday, outlines a roadmap for lasting peace and security. It includes provisions for the Lebanese Armed Forces to gradually assume control in designated southern zones, preceding an Israeli withdrawal. The pact also commits the Lebanese state to asserting full sovereignty over its territory and moving towards the disarmament of non-state armed groups.

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a humiliation, a shame, and a renunciation of sovereignty.