Kataeb Party leader MP Samy Gemayel renewed his call for Hezbollah to hand over its weapons, saying the group should cease holding Lebanon “hostage” to a militarized status quo that threatens national stability, impedes governance, and blocks vital reforms.

Speaking during a parliamentary session convened to question government policies, Gemayel delivered a forceful speech, addressing his remarks directly to Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and lawmakers affiliated with Hezbollah.

“If we do a quick count, we see that only one bloc stands against confining weapons to the state,” Gemayel said. “We cannot remain hostage to 10% of Parliament. The will of the Lebanese people, represented here in this chamber, cannot be hijacked by one faction.”

Gemayel directly blamed Hezbollah for Lebanon’s continued paralysis.

“You are responsible for obstructing the government, for crippling the state, and for exposing the country to the threat of war. The government, of which you are part, cannot function, and the people cannot rise. You bear a direct responsibility.”

He reiterated that no Lebanese group seeks confrontation with Hezbollah.

“We are not here to fight you. No one wants war,” he said. “We are afraid for our country. We don’t want to go back to the black days of violence and bloodshed.”

Calling on Hezbollah to transform the disarmament challenge into an opportunity, Gemayel said, “Please don’t drag the country toward more destruction. Handing over your weapons is not an act of surrender, but it’s rather a step toward rebuilding our country, protecting yourselves, and protecting all of us. Like it or not, we are all in the same boat.”

Gemayel recalled a national roadmap he had laid out four months earlier during the government’s confidence session; a plan that had resonated with many Lebanese, he said. The proposed path includes disarmament, followed by a national truth and reconciliation conference, the establishment of justice and sovereignty, political reform, and economic recovery.

“Nonetheless, that roadmap starts with a first step: monopoly over arms,” he said. “How can we have honest dialogue or reconciliation if one group is armed while others are not? How can we speak freely when one party holds weapons capable of coercion and intimidation?”

Gemayel emphasized that his intention was not to criticize the government publicly.

“We’re represented in the cabinet and committed to ministerial solidarity. If we have concerns, we raise them privately with Prime Minister Nawaf Salam and President Joseph Aoun. Our goal is to improve, not to score points.”

He noted that every major government file, ranging from depositor rights and wage correction to electricity, waste management, education, tourism, and reconstruction, requires funding that cannot be secured in a state of insecurity.

“How can we attract investments under the constant threat of war? How can we receive aid if we don’t even control our own land? How can we export agricultural or industrial goods when the Gulf markets are closed due to the presence of militias?” he asked.

“No money will come, no matter the reforms, as long as arms remain outside the control of the state. No reform is possible, either political, economic, or institutional, until the weapons are surrendered.”

Gemayel highlighted growing consensus within Parliament in favor of placing all weapons under state authority.

“The FPM’s Gebran Bassil said he supports state monopoly over arms. The Lebanese Forces said the same. The Democratic Gathering, the Kataeb Party, most independents, and a majority of the reformist MPs all agree.”

Turning to Berri, he said: “You yourself have said you support weapons being confined to the state. So if we tally up the blocs, only one is against. How can we allow a single group to paralyze the will of the majority?”

Gemayel invoked the principle of democracy, insisting that “one team cannot oppose the rest of the country and obstruct national reform.”

Closing his speech, Gemayel made an emotional appeal to Hezbollah MPs, warning that the so-called “resistance weapons” have not protected Lebanon, but have instead become a national liability.

“There is a real threat. These weapons no longer defend Lebanon; they’ve become a burden on you and on all of us,” he said.

“Turn this into an opportunity to build the nation. We want to protect you and protect the country. This is the dream of every Lebanese. Don’t steer the country toward disaster; you’ll pay the price just as we will, because, whether we like it or not, we’re all in this together.”