Tensions flared in Lebanon’s cabinet as ministers from Hezbollah, the Amal Movement, and Minister of State for Administrative Development Fadi Makki walked out of a session on Thursday, protesting a US-proposed disarmament plan.

The dramatic exit, reported by Al Mayadeen, occurred during a meeting led by Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, who pushed to discuss the controversial proposal from US envoy Tom Barrack.

The Shiite ministers rejected the plan, demanding the cabinet prioritize national issues and reverse a prior decision to instruct the Lebanese Army to consolidate all weapons under state control by year-end—a move perceived as targeting Hezbollah’s arsenal. The walkout, echoing a partial boycott two days earlier, has raised questions about the constitutional legitimacy of the session, as Lebanon’s political tradition requires full sectarian representation for valid decisions.

Hezbollah’s Loyalty to the Resistance Bloc condemned the proposal as a violation of Lebanon’s sovereignty and the Taif Accord, warning that disarming the resistance would be a “free gift to the Israeli enemy.” The bloc highlighted escalating Israeli aggression, including airspace violations and targeted killings, as evidence of the resistance’s necessity for national defense. It criticized the government’s endorsement of the US plan as a betrayal of ministerial commitments and the presidential oath.

A broad coalition of political parties, independents, and civil society groups has also rejected the US initiative, viewing it as an attempt to weaken Lebanon amid rising regional threats. The walkout underscores deep divisions, with Hezbollah and its allies vowing to protect Lebanon’s defensive capabilities against foreign pressure. (ILKHA)