More than 400 leaders call for state authority, Hezbollah disarmament and full control by legitimate institutions
More than 400 Lebanese public figures, including politicians, clerics and other prominent personalities, have declared support for a new sovereignty campaign that rejects both Iranian interference and the continued Israeli presence in southern Lebanon.
The initiative, titled A Call to Save Lebanon, urges civilians to publicly back the Lebanese state, its legitimate institutions and diplomatic efforts aimed at restoring national authority. It also calls for an end to all foreign interference in Lebanon and stresses that only the state should possess weapons, a direct challenge to Hezbollah’s armed role and a push for the implementation of the March law ordering the group’s demilitarisation.
The campaign comes at a sensitive moment as Beirut continues talks in Washington over a ceasefire with Israel, while political pressure grows at home for the Lebanese state to reassert control over war and peace decisions.
Leaders say Hezbollah has weakened the state and tied Lebanon to Iran’s agenda
Supporters of the campaign argue that Hezbollah has repeatedly dragged Lebanon into conflict in service of Iranian interests rather than Lebanese priorities. They say the group’s weapons have undermined state institutions, blocked the rise of an effective government and exposed the country to repeated wars with Israel.
Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea, in a public letter to US Vice President JD Vance, accused Hezbollah of usurping national decision-making and entangling Lebanon in conflicts linked to Tehran. He urged Washington to support Lebanese authorities by helping remove foreign influence from the country’s political system.
Calls grow for army deployment and a single national authority over arms
Parliamentarian Fouad Makhzoumi said Lebanon cannot reclaim sovereign decision-making while Hezbollah retains arms outside state control. He called on the government to deploy the Lebanese army across Nabatieh and nearby areas to prevent military provocations that could justify further Israeli action.
Kataeb leader Sami Gemayel also said most Lebanese refuse to remain “hostages” to Hezbollah, insisting that the country cannot continue with an armed group operating beyond state authority. He urged the army and government to implement existing decisions without delay, saying Lebanon must prove that it has a functioning state capable of acting independently.
