Elias Hankach, a member of parliament and Kataeb representative, spoke with the National Interest and reiterated this point. “I don’t think we can keep doing things the classical way; the institutional approach cannot be trusted. A change of gear needs to happen.”

Hankach did not specify what he meant but said an announcement should be made soon.

It is clear from observing the reality in Lebanon on the ground that there is no going back from Kahale. People have grown tired of mourning and burying their loved ones. They want security and prosperity. In the eyes of many Lebanese, the current formula cannot achieve either.

There is a renewed defiance coming from the opposition; one fueled by a vindication that they were right all along on the question of Hezbollah’s arms. But there is also an urgency to end this problem now before things get worse.

Otherwise, the security situation will continue to deteriorate. The most important reaction is for cooler heads to prevail and not allow passions of anger to lead to a misstep that can drag the entire country into a state of chaos. In the end, the Lebanese army must have the first and final say in handling weapons and security matters. Every party and citizen in Lebanon must respect that.