In a move reminiscent of the May 5, 2008 Cabinet session that preceded violent clashes two days later, the Lebanese Cabinet convened on Tuesday at the Baabda Presidential Palace under the chairmanship of President Joseph Aoun to debate one of the country’s most politically sensitive issues: consolidating all weapons under state control, including the disarmament of Hezbollah.

The five-and-a-half-hour session ended without a formal vote but resulted in a significant step. The Cabinet tasked the Lebanese Army with preparing an implementation plan to disarm all armed groups and limit weapons to official state institutions. The plan must be submitted by August 31 and executed by the end of the year.

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, speaking after the session, said the decision drew from multiple national and international frameworks, including the Taif Accord, the government’s ministerial declaration, President Aoun’s inaugural speech, and UN-endorsed ceasefire arrangements.

The session, while tense, stopped short of outright confrontation. However, it exposed rare fractures within the government. Two ministers affiliated with the Amal-Hezbollah alliance—Environment Minister Tamara Zein and Health Minister Rakan Nasreddine—walked out just minutes before the end of the session in protest of the decision.

Government sources told Al-Modon that the ministers opposed assigning the army a specific deadline to present and implement the plan. Still, their departure does not signal a broader government boycott. Minister Zein confirmed she will attend the follow-up session scheduled for Thursday, which will continue debate on the weapons issue.

According to sources, the two ministers argued that the matter required more time for study, particularly as U.S. envoy Thomas Barrack’s proposal had only been distributed at the beginning of the session. They insisted a comprehensive national dialogue was necessary before a security plan could be finalized, comparing it to other sensitive decisions like recent top-level appointments that required multiple sessions.

Despite objections, a majority of ministers pushed for an immediate—if partial—decision, describing the move as a long-overdue breach of a major political taboo. The proposal to task the army was widely supported, though Minister of Administrative Development Fadi Makki called for allowing the army to set its own timeline, without binding it to fixed deadlines.

Makki, a Shiite minister not affiliated with the Amal-Hezbollah bloc, appeared politically caught between the two camps, according to observers.

Much of the discussion centered on the timing and feasibility of the disarmament plan. Some ministers advocated for a complete decision with clear deadlines, while others emphasized the need to thoroughly examine Barrack’s 11-point proposal. President Aoun, citing his military background, said the timelines suggested by the U.S. envoy—some as short as 15 days—were unrealistic. Most ministers agreed, opting for a more practical timetable that allows the army to complete its plan by the end of the year, with the possibility of extending the deadline if needed.

Cabinet sources described the atmosphere as “difficult but constructive.” For the first time, ministers examined the weapons issue through an economic and social lens. The economy minister warned that investment had dried up, state revenues had collapsed, and Lebanon was now operating with a third of its previous fiscal resources.

Ministers from the agriculture, industry, and social affairs portfolios pointed to an effective international blockade on Lebanon, especially in the absence of any real progress on reforms. They noted a lack of enthusiasm among international donors ahead of investment conferences planned for the fall.

Thursday’s follow-up session is expected to revisit the full details of the U.S. proposal and respond to ministerial feedback. While all agreed that Barrack’s proposed deadlines were unworkable, there was consensus that the Lebanese Army is the only institution capable of developing a credible and enforceable plan.