By: Dr. Sabir Abu Maryam
Secretary General, Palestine Foundation Pakistan
(), The recent framework agreement signed in Washington by the Lebanese government with Israel marks a dark chapter in Lebanon’s history. It is a direct blow to the country’s sovereignty, an insult to its resilient people, and a stab in the back of the resistance, specifically Hezbollah which has stood firmly against the occupying Zionist forces.
Orchestrated under American auspices and Zionist pressure, the clauses of this agreement are not merely words on paper; they represent a calculated blueprint to leave Lebanon permanently defenseless and to paralyze its national defense framework.
By entering into this pseudo-agreement with the Zionist regime under US patronage, the current Lebanese administration has effectively bartered away the nation’s sovereignty and independence. Lebanon’s current rulers have demonstrated that they prioritize personal interests over the dignity and immense sacrifices of their citizens. The Lebanese people, who have endured decades of brutal Zionist aggression and sacrificed immensely for every inch of their homeland, have every right to demand answers from the ruling elite in Beirut: *Whose interests does this agreement serve?*
The public’s demand for accountability is entirely justified. The government must explain why it chose to compromise Lebanon’s sovereignty and what unseen pressures compelled them to trade away the blood of thousands of innocent Lebanese citizens.
According to the framework revealed recently in Washington, the terms signed by the Lebanese government strike at the very heart of the country’s independence. Chief among these conditions is a mandate tasking the Lebanese army, under foreign (US and international) supervision, with the complete disarmament of Hezbollah and other resistance factions. This condition ignores a reality recognized worldwide, and even by Lebanese officials themselves. The under-resourced Lebanese army currently lacks the capability to defend the country independently, whereas Hezbollah has historically served as the primary shield protecting Lebanon from invasion.
For the first time in official Lebanese history, the resistance groups that form an integral part of the nation’s defense have been formally labeled as internal “enemies.” This begs the question: how can those who defend the homeland be deemed the enemy? The true betrayal lies with those who sat across the table from American and Israeli hands, bargaining away the sacrifices of thousands to sign a treacherous accord.
Furthermore, hidden clauses aligned with US-Israeli strategies stipulate that if the Lebanese army fails to suppress the resistance, Israel retains the “right” to launch military operations inside Lebanese territory. This is an explicit violation of national sovereignty. In essence, the Lebanese government has signed an agreement that surrenders the country’s security oversight to Israel, effectively stripping Lebanon of its autonomy.
This move by the current administration, particularly the presidency and the prime minister, is a mockery of the sentiments of the Lebanese people. The residents of South Lebanon, who have borne the brunt of Israel’s worst atrocities, from relentless airstrikes to cluster munitions, know firsthand that their safety today is not guaranteed by hollow international assurances, but by the deterrent power of Hezbollah, which consistently repelled Zionist advancements.
Through this pact, the government has compromised the legacy of thousands of martyrs who laid down their lives for Lebanon’s liberation. By offering a false promise of peace, the administration is instead steering the public into a quagmire of permanent subjugation.
“History bears witness that whenever Beirut trusted the guarantees of Washington and Tel Aviv, Lebanon reaped nothing but destruction, mass displacement, and renewed aggression. The failed May 17, 1983 agreement remains a stark historical precedent that was overwhelmingly rejected by the public.”
Today, the proud people of Lebanon refuse to accept this administrative betrayal. Every segment of Lebanese society is in protest; no self-respecting citizen supports the bartering of their homeland. It is deeply regrettable that the Lebanese government has chosen to comprise the nation’s honor and integrity.
Every sovereign state possesses the fundamental right to formulate its own national defense strategy. Lebanon’s fragile economic state and the limited resources of its military are no secret. Under these circumstances, mobilizing the national army against its own citizens and resistance forces, rather than deploying it to face external threats, is a dangerous step that risks triggering civil strife.
It appears the Lebanese government has mortgaged its independence to Washington and Tel Aviv. Placing faith in the hollow promises of US President Donald Trump is a historic blunder that threatens to push the entire country into further ruin.
The ultimate objective of the United States and Israel is not to establish peace in Lebanon, but to dismantle Hezbollah, the sole force preventing them from exploiting Lebanon’s maritime borders, natural gas reserves, and sovereign territory. The Lebanese government has effectively endorsed this Zionist agenda in Washington.
The government of Lebanon must understand that it lacks the mandate to make such monumental and sensitive decisions without the consent of its people. This document, drafted under Washington’s dictation, will never succeed in breaking the unity between the Lebanese public and the resistance.
Hezbollah remains more deeply entrenched than ever. Israel’s attempts to weaken the movement militarily, politically, culturally, and socially through warfare have failed. Consequently, a new strategy is being deployed under the American umbrella to apply diplomatic and political pressure.
Conspiracies against the resistance have been a constant fixture since 1982, yet each attempt has only left the resistance more resilient and strategically experienced. This time will be no different; the Lebanese people and the resistance will dismantle these joint US-Zionist designs. The public recognizes this foreign interference for what it is. From Beirut and Sidon to Tyre and Baalbek, the message from the citizens is clear: *The sale of our sovereignty was, is, and will always be unacceptable.*
Before it is too late, the government must recognize the brewing public outrage and immediately withdraw from this humiliating framework. Lebanon’s survival does not lie in subservient agreements signed in Washington, but in national solidarity and a resolute defense.
