important to help Lebanon who took this historic decision of restricting the possession of arms in the hands : P.M siniora

Al Arabiya English TV channel conducted an interview with President Siniora to discuss the latest developments. The following is the text of the interview:

I'm now joined by former Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Siniora. Thank you so much for joining us and taking the time this evening. Hezbollah's Secretary General has vowed to fight efforts to disarm the group. Can the US and Lebanese governments convince them to do so?

Well, first, good evening to you and to whoever is watching. It's very correct what Mr. Barak said today that the Lebanese government has made a historic announcement and an important decision, and that it is ready to comply with this announcement. And in turn, it is time for Israel to take the necessary measures in order to stop its aggression against Lebanon. In this respect and on the one hand for Israel to really start withdrawing from some of the points in Lebanon and as well to stop bombarding Lebanon. Besides that there are definitely a number of other requirements that Israel has to comply with toward the complete withdrawal from Lebanon.

On the other hand, Lebanon practically now is more or less like between the rock and the hard place. The rock is the continued Israeli aggression, and the hard place is the position that's being taken by Iran and by Hezbollah who are really pressuring Lebanon. Actually, they are still in a state of denial and in a state of arrogance, not realizing yet what really has happened in Lebanon and in Syria and in the region at large. So, it is very important to help Lebanon who took this historic decision of restricting the possession of arms in the hands of Lebanese army and the Internal security. So it is necessary for the US to pressure Israel to take the necessary steps thus making it really helpful to Lebanon in facilitating the process for the handing over of the weapons of Hezbollah to the Lebanese state, and at the same time in making it possible for the US to really provide the necessary and proper assistance to the Lebanese legitimate forces. I mean the Lebanese army and the internal security forces. Moreover to help Lebanon in order to avoid any sedition or internal disorder or unrest that may be instigated by Hezbollah in order to make it difficult for Lebanon to start and complete the process of handing over of the weapons to the Lebanese army.

But sorry can I just ask you. Do you think that it is possible to disarm Hezbollah because they don't want to be disarmed and they're saying they're going to fight this and could Hezbollah fighting this lead to social unrest more social unrest in Lebanon?

 Yes. Well, this is the position that has been taken by Hezbollah up till now, and its position was actually instigated and encouraged by the trip that was made by Ali Larijani the Iranian envoy, in his latest trip to Lebanon. Accordingly, and sadly this is how Hezbollah is behaving now. This is why I say that Lebanon has to be helped in order to avoid any misbehavior by Hezbollah leading to a social unrest in Lebanon. Definitely, the firm position taken by the Lebanese government is against any such action or behavior to be taken by Hezbollah towards social unrest. But nevertheless, one has to take every position or measure in order to facilitate or to make it easier to Hezbollah to hand over its weapons to the Lebanese Army. The Lebanese government is committed and it is firm in its position. What is required now is the wisdom in the implementation of this decision, i.e. in phasing, in setting the priorities. This should be encouraged by the position that should be taken by Israel to facilitate the process because we want to avoid any internal disorder that is definitely very costly in every sense and to all parties.

Can I just ask you, sorry to interrupt you, but another question I want to ask you is a lot of people in Lebanon point to Israel's actions in Syria, Gaza, and also in the West Bank. And they say Lebanon needs a strong resistance against Israel's aggression. What do you say to those people who say Lebanon actually needs Hezbollah because of Israel's aggression that they're seeing in the region?

Well, what they are saying is correct. But what they are concluding is incorrect. I mean what Israel is doing in the West Bank and in Syria is definitely is an act of aggression and it is not acceptable. But what they are concluding that Hezbollah needs the weapons to protect Lebanon is incorrect. I can say that it has been proven over the past few months that the arms of Hezbollah has proven to be a liability and not a deterrence or protection. It didn't really help them to protect Lebanon or to deter Israel. At the same time, it didn't help them to protect themselves. You see, what Israel is doing in Lebanon now is like hunting the members of Hezbollah one by one like birds, and they are unable to retaliate. Actually, Hezbollah started with a wrong assumption when they really pushed Lebanon into this war on the 8th of October 2023 and without realizing what are the consequences of such an action and without realizing the military abilities of the Israeli army. It became actually clear what Israel did in investing in technology and in its ability to infiltrate in the positions and the personnel of Hezbollah, and ultimately it managed to defeat Hezbollah. That's why I would say the weapon of Hezbollah is a liability to Hezbollah and a liability to Lebanon. This fact has to be made clear to Hezbollah and to the supporters of Hezbollah particularly to the Lebanese who were really obliged to leave their houses and their properties and their villages in the south. It is not possible for them to go back as long as the situation is not peaceful there. The contrary, as long as Israel is continuing its aggression.

Moreover, this is the only way in which the Lebanese Government can with the help of the Arab brothers and the friends of Lebanon to enhance the capabilities of the Lebanese army and as well to start the reconstruction process of the destroyed buildings in the South and other parts of Lebanon.