In Beirut, on Wednesday, Lebanon’s freshly appointed government secured a vote of confidence from Parliament. This pivotal support included backing from Hezbollah’s parliamentary bloc, despite the fact that the official government policy statement made a pointed criticism about the group’s possession of arms. Out of Lebanon’s 128-member Parliament, 95 lawmakers showed support for the government under the leadership of Prime Minister Nawaf Salam. Salam, a distinguished jurist, renown for his time at the helm of the International Court of Justice, was appointed last month following a brutal conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. The aftermath of this war resulted in substantial casualties, exceeding 4,000 lives, and left numerous infrastructures in ruins.
The newly adopted governmental declaration stated explicitly that the defense of Lebanon rests solely in the hands of its national armed forces. Notably absent from this statement was the phrase “armed resistance,” historically used as justification for Hezbollah’s continued maintenance of an armed cadre beyond the purview of Lebanon’s state apparatus. For decades, Hezbollah has justified its arsenal as essential for national defense against Israel. Yet, the recent conflict, culminating in a U.S.-mediated ceasefire on November 27, 2024, has fueled growing demands for the group’s disarmament.
While Hezbollah did not initially endorse Salam for the premiership, its parliamentary leader, Mohammad Raad, declared the group’s confidence in the Cabinet. Salam espoused that Lebanon reserves the sovereign right to self-defense against any external attack, asserting that only state-sanctioned forces should wield weapons. Moreover, he emphasized the government’s strategy to reclaim territories occupied by Israel, relying exclusively on national forces. Support for the government also came from legislative members of the Amal movement, led by Nabih Berri, the Parliament speaker instrumental in mediating the ceasefire and a Hezbollah ally. Hezbollah and the Amal Movement jointly occupy approximately 27 parliamentary seats allocated for the Shi’ite demographic.
Backing for the new government extended to parties such as the Marada Movement, a Christian faction aligned with Hezbollah, and the Syrian Social Nationalist Party, a secular nationalist party in the same political orbit. Interestingly, the Lebanese Forces and the Kataeb Party, traditionally adverse to Hezbollah and proponents of diminished Iranian sway, also endorsed Salam’s administration. However, 12 lawmakers opted to withhold their endorsement, and four abstained, critiquing the ministerial statement for its ambiguity and absence of a definitive strategy. The “Strong Lebanon” bloc, headed by Gebran Bassil of the Free Patriotic Movement, a previous Hezbollah ally, voted against the government.
Highlighted among the pressing issues for the new government to tackle are Israel’s alleged ceasefire violations and the push for a complete Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese soil. Despite adherence to ceasefire stipulations, Israeli troops maintain strategic positions along the shared border, carrying out airstrikes purportedly aimed at Hezbollah forces and weapons stockpiles. Moreover, legislators urged the government to prioritize post-war reconstruction, address Lebanon’s dire economic plight, and usher in much-needed judicial and banking reforms.
