Lebanese PM Demands Israeli Withdrawal, State Control Over Arms

Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati, addressing the UN General Assembly, outlined three "existential challenges" facing his government. These include restoring public trust after the nation's financial collapse and the 2020 Beirut port explosion, regaining control over state decisions, and securing the liberation of territories from Israeli presence. Mikati emphasized the state's exclusive right to possess weapons, asserting that only state armed forces should be armed and that non-state actors cannot decide on matters of war.

He stated that Lebanon's full sovereignty over all its territories relies on UN Security Council Resolution 1701, adopted after the 2006 war. This resolution called for the disarmament of Hezbollah and its withdrawal north of the Litani River. The Lebanese premier also urged the prevention of a "security vacuum" that could emerge following the planned withdrawal of the UN peacekeeping force (UNIFIL) from southern Lebanon at the end of the year.

Israeli officials have repeatedly stated that Lebanon and UNIFIL have failed to enforce Resolution 1701. In June, a framework agreement was reached between Israel and Lebanon, stipulating that the Lebanese army would gradually take control of southern Lebanon as Hezbollah disarmed and Israeli forces withdrew. However, the implementation of this agreement is progressing slowly, with Israel indicating its intention to maintain its presence in the region as long as Hezbollah poses a threat.