Hezbollah lashed out on Tuesday at a diplomatic statement issued by the embassies of five countries known as the Friends of Lebanon. Britain, the United States, Australia, Canada and Japan signed the declaration, which demanded that the Lebanese state hold exclusive control over weapons and all decisions concerning war and peace.
The statement called for a public commitment from all lawmakers and political parties to uphold those principles. It also addressed the Dahr al-Baidar explosives case, urging a swift, independent judicial process, free from political interference, to ensure full accountability.
A diplomatic source told Asharq Al-Awsat the statement sought to reaffirm support for the government’s efforts to strengthen state sovereignty and establish its exclusive control over weapons. Lebanese authorities had not been informed of the statement in advance, an official Lebanese source said.
The source said the statement aligned with recent positions taken by President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam against dragging Lebanon into regional conflicts. The move came amid mounting fears that Hezbollah could join a possible future war involving Iran.
The five-nation declaration drew a furious response from Hezbollah. Lawmaker Ali Ammar called it the height of vulgarity and insolence, accusing the five countries of blatant interference in Lebanon’s internal affairs.
Ammar said the statement trampled on Lebanon’s sovereignty, judicial independence, diplomatic norms and the dignity of its people. He also condemned Lebanese authorities for repeatedly turning a blind eye to such interference and treating it as routine.
Ammar said the countries should have instead condemned Israel’s continued occupation of Lebanese territory, daily attacks, killings, destruction and displacement. Rather than fueling divisions and defending Lebanon’s enemies, he said, they should have called for dialogue and national consensus.
Lawmaker Michel Douaihy described the statement as a direct message to Lebanese authorities to act on the weapons issue and translate decisions already taken into concrete measures. Douaihy said Lebanon has not yet missed the train and can still catch up through concrete steps.
On the Dahr al-Baidar explosives case, Douaihy said the matter could no longer be swept under the rug, particularly after a Hezbollah lawmaker claimed the explosives belonged to the group and demanded their return. He called for judicial action, arrests and trials.
The absence of France and Germany from the five-nation statement stood out. Sami Nader, director of the Levant Institute for Strategic Affairs, said all five signatories were aligned with Washington in demanding concrete action on Hezbollah’s weapons.
Nader said Washington believes Lebanese authorities must take at least some action on weapons and no longer accepts government justifications. He said even France was beginning to retreat from its earlier position under diplomatic pressure.
