NNA - In an interview with Al Arabiya’s “Out of the Box,” Industry Minister Joe Issa El Khoury said U.S. envoy Morgan Ortagus’s recent visit to Lebanon marked a turning point, describing her stance as firm and unequivocal. 

El Khoury stressed the urgency of addressing illegal arms, declaring that both Palestinian factions and Hezbollah no longer have a legitimate role for heavy weaponry in Lebanon.

“Such weapons must be under the exclusive authority of the Lebanese Army,” he stated, noting that Israel continues to justify its occupation of Lebanese territory through Hezbollah’s arms.

El Khoury revealed that Lebanese Forces ministers urged President Joseph Aoun to convene the Supreme Defense Council and set a six-month timeline for disarmament. He further warned that without concrete steps, Lebanon will remain cut off from reconstruction aid, investment, and stability. The Minister finally emphasized the government’s duty to enforce exclusive state control over arms and implement overdue reforms.

==========R.H.