Hezbollah Can't Be Disarmed Forcibly, Internally or Externally: Bassil

By Al Mayadeen English

20 May 2026 23:19

In an exclusive interview for Al Mayadeen, the leader of the Free Patriotic Movement said that “in Lebanon, it is not possible to eliminate any component."

We have not changed our political positioning, the leader of the Free Patriotic Movement, Gebran Bassil, stated on Wednesday, noting that the dispute with Hezbollah occurred “after it adopted choices that do not serve the Lebanese interest.”

In an exclusive interview for Al Mayadeen, Bassil said that “in Lebanon, it is not possible to eliminate any component,” adding that understandings between Lebanese components “must not be abolished.”

He considered that “political divergence occurs on certain points, but it should not turn into a state of enmity.” He added that Hezbollah is “a Lebanese component” and that “its choices must be Lebanese, and its Lebanese axis must take precedence over any other axis.”

Bassil stated that “the third pillar of understanding, which is the defensive strategy, collapsed when Hezbollah initiated an attack and was no longer in a defensive state.”

In his remarks to Al Mayadeen, he stressed that the Free Patriotic Movement has the right to express its disagreement with Hezbollah, “but this should not take us to a point where we end up alongside Israel against a Lebanese component.”

'Hezbollah resisting an occupier of Lebanon'

The prominent Lebanese figure stressed that “resistance cannot exist outside the framework of the state, as it loses its legitimacy in such a case,” adding that this is “something we do not accept for Hezbollah, given that it is resisting an occupier of Lebanon.” 

He said the resistance “must operate within a fully national environment,” stressing that the Free Patriotic Movement “does not want Hezbollah to be isolated or weakened,” adding, “We are keen on restoring Hezbollah’s complete national allure.”

He pointed out that “the solution lies in a Lebanese–Lebanese agreement and a realistic, logical solution,” considering that Lebanon “is capable of playing an important role in the region.”

Bassil also affirmed that “Lebanon can serve as a regional hub and a genuine economic bridge,” stressing that “we must prevent war rather than draw it in and work to keep Lebanon neutral in the conflicts of regional axes.”

'No rupture with Hezbollah'

Bassil indicated that the relationship with Hezbollah “is neither a rupture nor a fully settled relationship as it was in the past,” noting, however, that there may now be greater understanding or at least more willingness to hear our perspective."

He said Hezbollah “must be part of the necessary solution to pull Lebanon out of the cycle of wars,” adding that “Lebanon must not return to being a war zone.”

The FPM chief said that “Hezbollah must be part of the defense strategy” and that its weapons “are an integral part of it,” adding that any transfer or relinquishment of arms “must only take place when the necessary conditions for protecting Lebanon are in place.”

He stressed that “Israel’s ambitions require no proof,” adding, “We are aware of this danger to Lebanon, but what matters is how to confront it.”

He also affirmed that forcibly disarming Hezbollah “cannot happen, neither from within nor from outside,” warning that such a step would amount to a recipe “either for the complete destruction of Lebanon from the outside, or for internal war if attempted from within.”

Bassil noted that Lebanon possesses elements of strength, including its regional role and Hezbollah’s arsenal, which he said, “must not be relinquished cheaply.”

'Lebanon’s strength lies in internal unity'

The top Lebanese politician stressed that “the strength of the Lebanese negotiator lies in internal unity,” while its weakness lies in “fragmentation and division.”

He added that, in the current reality, "I see neither the capability nor the willingness on the part of the United States to restrain Israel from its aggression."

Bassil confirmed that the Free Patriotic Movement rejects, “as Christians", extremist statements directed against the popular base of the resistance, stressing that it does not accept calls for division or separation, especially during wartime.

He called on political leaders to “adhere to a unifying discourse and avoid reaching the point of division.”

'Lebanon must not be hostile to Iran'

Elsewhere in his remarks, the former Lebanese minister and current MP said that Iran is “a major country,” considering that Lebanon “should not be in a state of hostility with it.”

He added that Lebanon “must define its role within what is happening under a national security strategy,” stressing that “the time has come for that.”

Bassil spoke of "serious concerns that Israel may resort to internal security operations and that its operatives could have already infiltrated our country."

Regarding relations with Washington, he affirmed that Lebanon “needs friendly states,” considering the United States “a powerful state with which we must have relations.”

He further stressed that "the Lebanese state must not go as far as coordinating with foreign powers against its own people."

In this context, he called on the Lebanese state to “develop a domestic understanding document that would place pressure on internal actors,” referring to the need for a unified Lebanese approach to address internal disputes.