Joelle Bou Abboud, a member of the Kataeb Party’s Political Bureau, called for Lebanon to immediately enforce national neutrality and disarm Hezbollah, warning that the group’s actions have weakened the state and fueled renewed Israeli attacks.

“Neutrality has always been central to Lebanon’s interests,” Bou Abboud said in an interview with REDTV. “As far back as 1959, the Kataeb Party proposed neutrality at its general conference, affirming that Lebanon comes first. Neither East nor West should dictate the country’s path. Lebanon itself must remain the compass guiding its policies.”

She blamed Hezbollah for violating Lebanon’s neutrality, saying the group’s alignment with Iran has undermined the country’s sovereignty.

“Those who betray us are betraying Lebanon itself,” she said, noting that Hezbollah has effectively “divorced the Lebanese state through its open declarations.”

Bou Abboud described the disarmament of Hezbollah as a primary Lebanese demand, predating any U.S. or European expectations, and argued that the group has provided Israel with justification for military strikes.

“Weapons have not prevented Israel from carrying out attacks. The choice of armed resistance has failed. Hezbollah must embrace legality and diplomacy, returning authority to the Lebanese state,” she said.

She emphasized that neutrality does not mean weakness, citing Switzerland as an example of a neutral country with a strong defensive military.

“Neutrality does not mean the army stands by. On the contrary, it strengthens the army’s role and supports its armament,” Bou Abboud said.

She drew a clear distinction between Kataeb-style defense and Hezbollah’s military interventions abroad.

“We never waged war outside Lebanon. Our resistance was always defensive. Hezbollah, however, has used its weapons domestically while fighting abroad in Syria, Iraq, and Yemen. That is why it has failed,” she said.

Bou Abboud also criticized the ideology of martyrdom promoted by armed groups, saying “Hezbollah has destroyed itself before it destroyed Lebanon. Our children are not a project for martyrdom. Anyone claiming victimhood while wielding weapons cannot genuinely consider themselves a victim.”

Reaffirming her party’s commitment to state authority, she stressed that the Kataeb's choice "is to remain alongside the state and call on Hezbollah to join the state-building project. We will not relent in persuading them.”

She accused Hezbollah of destroying Lebanon rather than defending it, arguing that the group must surrender its weapons to the Lebanese state rather than Israel to ensure equality among all Lebanese parties.

“Pressure must be placed on Iran, which ultimately controls Hezbollah,” Bou Abboud said.

She stressed that war is not Lebanon’s objective, noting that “history has shown that Israel cannot erase Lebanon or Palestine, nor can Lebanon or Palestine erase Israel. Therefore, war is not the objective.”

Bou Abboud said that disarming Hezbollah is critical to regional peace, adding that Lebanon has resolved to restore state legitimacy, assert sovereignty across its territory, and ensure that only lawful forces maintain arms.

On negotiations with Israel, she said the process itself is not controversial, but emphasized the importance of tangible results to protect Lebanon.

Acknowledging challenges in army-led disarmament, Bou Abboud said “Hezbollah is not cooperating with the Lebanese Army, which delays the plan to centralize weapons. Nevertheless, this plan will be completed. We have full confidence in the army.”

On parliamentary elections, she called for the legislature to reflect political change, particularly in the presidency, premiership, and cabinet, and criticized the abolition of expatriate voting, warning it could preserve the current parliamentary majority.

She also condemned the obstruction of legislative and executive work by Speaker Nabih Berri, noting that his defiance disrupts the work of MPs and the government and ignores the parliamentary majority.