Marwan Abdallah, head of the Lebanese Kataeb Party’s Foreign Affairs Department, said the issue of Hezbollah’s weapons must be resolved before upcoming parliamentary elections, warning that the group’s continued status as an armed non-state actor undermines Lebanon’s sovereignty and stalls reconstruction efforts.

In an interview with LBCI, Abdallah said the international community has naturally focused on Hezbollah’s arsenal since the devastating 2006 war with Israel. As Lebanon underwent reconstruction after that conflict, he said, state institutions remained too weak to challenge Hezbollah’s influence. The group later waged another war in support of Gaza, which caused renewed destruction across the country.

“But this time, any rebuilding will happen on new terms,” he said.

Abdallah emphasized that Lebanon’s state authority is constitutionally vested in the president and prime minister, with the current government including parties like the Kataeb, which play a role in pressing for disarmament.

“Hezbollah, as a leadership and organization, must acknowledge the necessity of handing over its weapons,” Abdallah said.

He described Hezbollah as having become “the weakest link” in Lebanon over the past ten months, increasingly targeted by the Lebanese army, UN peacekeepers, the public, and even Israel.

“It has lost its funding sources, lost its key ally Bashar al-Assad, and faced the shutdown of illegal border crossings and Captagon drug operations with Syria,” Abdallah said. “All military supply routes from Syria have been cut.”

Abdallah also called for expanding the mandate and operational role of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), saying Hezbollah must accept that the days of obstructing the peacekeeping mission are over.

“Now, the Lebanese army handles any confrontation. Hezbollah’s media tactics no longer fool anyone. Eventually, it will have to relinquish its weapons and dismantle its positions,” he said.

He said Hezbollah’s insistence on continuing its current course was puzzling, especially given repeated breaches of its ranks by foreign intelligence and ongoing Israeli strikes targeting its operatives.

“Today, the opposition is the state itself,” Abdallah said. “It seeks to be a state for all Lebanese. All ministers are carrying out their duties. When the state functions effectively, everyone benefits — and the international community will support it.”

He blamed Hezbollah for delaying post-conflict reconstruction by undermining a ceasefire agreement it initially accepted without objection.

“Hezbollah must respect that agreement, especially now that global power dynamics have shifted,” he added.

Abdallah noted that Arab countries want Lebanon to regain its role as a regional tourism and economic hub.

“That requires a functioning state and stable security,” he said. “Arab states are eager to help Lebanon, but their support comes with clear conditions. Any failure to meet those commitments could cause them to withdraw.”

He questioned whether Israel would accept Hezbollah maintaining its weapons and military threat.

“Israel has shown it can handle multiple fronts, including Hezbollah’s. Will it allow Hezbollah to remain armed and confrontational?” he asked.

Abdallah stressed the need to rebuild Lebanon’s state institutions and strengthen the Lebanese army to protect all communities.

“Who has inflicted suffering on the Shiite community? Hezbollah. Who led them to believe they could defeat Israel? Hezbollah. They bear responsibility for that wound,” he said. “We, however, are ready to embrace the Shiite community and help heal the pain Hezbollah has caused.”

Responding to comments from Sheikh Ahmad Qabalan, Abdallah said Lebanon’s army has been held back from becoming a true national force by the presence of an armed faction within the state.

“The army cannot grow stronger without a robust economy and solid institutions. Only then can we properly equip and empower it,” he said.

Abdallah concluded by warning that the issue of non-state weapons must be settled before the next parliamentary elections, which will face many national priorities including a reconciliation conference.

“The next Parliament cannot be consumed by the weapons debate. This must be resolved beforehand,” he said.