Dr Samir Geagea: I will meet with Hezbollah “two minutes after it hands over its weapons”

MAARAB, Lebanon — In remarks seen by observers as charting the course for the next stage, Lebanese Forces leader Dr. Samir Geagea stressed that the Lebanese government’s recent decision to place all weapons under state control marks a pivotal moment, not only in the domestic debate over the role of arms, but also in Lebanon’s repositioning on the regional and international stage. 

Speaking to Lebanon’s Al Jadeed TV’s Georges Salibi, Geagea said the decision was taken at the highest level of government. While it does not necessarily mean war is imminent, he noted, it places all armed groups, including the Iranian-backed Hezbollah, outside the bounds of legitimacy. He added that by aligning itself with the objectives of the US plan, the Lebanese government has spared the country both internal and external isolation and opened a new path that could ultimately lead to an end to Israeli operations and a withdrawal from south Lebanon. 

According to Geagea, the decision, which secured broad national backing, represents “the strongest chance yet” to achieve a ceasefire. He said Prime Minister Nawaf Salam and President Joseph Aoun worked to secure guarantees for Lebanon from the US Ambassador to Turkey and Special Envoy to Syria Tom Barrack, and that the maximum possible concessions were obtained. He also commended what he called Hezbollah’s “minimum level of responsibility” in avoiding clashes with the army or street confrontations. 

Geagea did not shy away from the political implications, saying the move means state institutions must now treat Hezbollah like any other political actor, ending special privileges, cutting off access to state resources, and targeting weapons stockpiles. “The government has taken the fireball into its hands,” he said, adding that the army must now develop a clear plan for implementation. 

On the public front, Geagea drew a distinction between his dispute with Hezbollah as a political-military organization and the Shiite community as an integral part of Lebanon’s social fabric, stressing that the state is “the greatest guarantor” for all communities. He declared his willingness to meet with Hezbollah “two minutes after it hands over its weapons.” 

He further told Al Jadeed TV that “the only period when the people of the south lived in peace was between 1949 and 1969, under state authority,” pointing to the link between stability in the south and exclusive state control of arms. 

Politically, Geagea revealed that he recently met former Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblatt to coordinate positions in the effort to “build the state,” though no electoral alliances were discussed at this stage. 

On the economy, he criticized banks for manipulating depositors’ funds, while holding both the state and the central bank partially responsible. 

Geagea also called for speeding up border demarcation and deploying the Lebanese Armed Forces along the frontier, arguing that resolving the weapons issue should pave the way for deep structural reforms — from decentralization to abolishing political sectarianism. 

While acknowledging that the step comes late, Geagea said that if implemented, the weapons decision could be the turning point that finally puts Lebanon on the path to a functioning state after decades of paralysis and division.