Lebanese Lawmakers Sue Hezbollah Leader Over 'Civil War' Threats Amid Disarmament Crisis

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – In a dramatic escalation of Lebanon’s deeply entrenched political turmoil, a coalition of Members of Parliament and prominent political figures has initiated legal proceedings against Hezbollah’s second-in-command, Naim Qassem, accusing him of endangering the state and inciting civil war following his defiant rejection of a government plan to disarm militias.

According to reports by Al Arabiya, the complaint, set to be filed with the Public Prosecution of Cassation, marks a direct and unprecedented legal challenge to Hezbollah's authority and its heavily armed status, pushing the fragile nation into a period of profound uncertainty as sovereignist forces confront the powerful Iran-backed group.

The move thrusts Lebanon’s judiciary into the heart of a volatile standoff between the official state institutions and Hezbollah, which has long operated as a state within a state.

The lawsuit is a direct consequence of recent incendiary rhetoric from Qassem, who warned that the government's disarmament mandate could lead to an "internal explosion" and vowed that his organization would never surrender its weapons, opting to "fight" if necessary.

This confrontation unfolds as Hezbollah's own allies, notably Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, are reportedly urging restraint, signaling potential fractures within the political camp that has long dominated Lebanese politics.

The Legal Offensive

As detailed by Al Arabiya, the decision to pursue legal action was solidified in a meeting on Tuesday attended by a number of MPs and representatives of the "Sovereign Front" parties. The attendees, including prominent figures such as Ashraf Rifi, George Okais, Camille Chamoun, and Elie Mahfoud, concluded that Qassem’s recent statements had "bordered on exposing the country to civil war and inciting sectarian strife."

Elie Mahfoud, the head of the "Change" Movement, articulated the gravity of the situation in a statement reported by Al Arabiya. "Remaining silent or turning a blind eye to what Qassem and his armed organization are perpetrating will expose the Lebanese to imminent danger," Mahfoud declared. "Therefore we decided to resort to the judiciary so that it acts immediately before it's too late."

He confirmed that the complaint would be filed against Qassem and any other individuals implicated by a potential investigation.

The legal basis for the suit is robust, citing multiple articles of the Lebanese penal code. According to Al Arabiya, the plaintiffs will press charges under articles 288, 295, 303, 307, and 317 of the law, which pertain to acts that endanger the state, incite sectarian strife, and undermine national unity.

The attendees tasked MP Major General Ashraf Rifi with coordinating the formal filing of the complaint.

The Catalyst: Qassem's Defiant Speech

This legal maneuver did not occur in a vacuum.

It was a direct response to a fiery speech delivered by Naim Qassem in the eastern city of Baalbek on August 15. In his address, Qassem launched a scathing attack on the Lebanese government, framing its decision to restrict arms as a capitulation to foreign powers.

"How can you accept a government that facilitates the killing of your partners in the homeland?" he asked, accusing the government of protecting their own lives "at the expense of the lives of your partners."

Qassem explicitly charged that "the government is implementing the order of America and Israel to end Hezbollah, even if this leads to civil war and internal conflict."

He described the disarmament decision as "very dangerous," claiming it "violates the national pact, disrupts national security, damages coexistence, and leads the country towards a very major crisis."

His defiance was unequivocal. "Hezbollah will not surrender its weapons," Qassem announced. "If necessary, we will fight, and we are certain that we will be victorious."

In the same speech, he openly thanked the Islamic Republic of Iran "for its support with money, weapons, political stances, and martyrs," while criticizing Arab nations that he claimed "support Israel in striking Hezbollah."

This direct acknowledgment of material support from Tehran further fueled the arguments of his opponents, who contend that Hezbollah's allegiance lies outside of Lebanon's national interests.

The Government's Mandate and a Key Ally's Caution

The entire crisis was precipitated by a landmark decision from the Lebanese Council of Ministers earlier in August.

The government tasked the Lebanese Army with developing a comprehensive implementation plan to restrict the possession of all weapons to state security forces, with a deadline for the plan's implementation set for the end of the current year.

Hezbollah’s rejection was swift and absolute. As Al Arabiya noted, the group's leadership held the government "fully responsible for any strife that might occur," with Qassem stating, "We do not want strife, but there are those who are working towards it. And we hold the government responsible for any internal explosion, and any ruin of Lebanon."

In the days that followed, Hezbollah supporters staged motorcycle rallies in various regions to condemn the government's decision, showcasing the group's ability to mobilize on the streets.

However, in a significant political development reported by Al Arabiya on Wednesday, sources revealed that Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, head of the Amal Movement and a crucial ally of Hezbollah, has intervened to de-escalate the situation on the ground.

Berri reportedly called on Hezbollah to cooperate with the Lebanese Army and stressed that there is "no benefit from using the street with the aim of objecting to the disarmament decision or bringing it down." The sources also added that Berri urged Hezbollah to support the government's efforts to secure an extension for the mandate of the UNIFIL peacekeeping forces in Southern Lebanon.

Berri's intervention suggests a growing unease even within Hezbollah's political orbit about the potential for the crisis to spiral out of control.

While the Amal Movement and Hezbollah are long-standing partners, Berri's position as Parliament Speaker places him at the center of the state's institutional framework, and his appeal for restraint indicates a desire to avoid a direct, and potentially violent, clash between Hezbollah's supporters and the Lebanese Army.

The escalating legal and political confrontation has placed Lebanon at a perilous crossroads.

The lawsuit against Naim Qassem represents a bold attempt by sovereignist forces to use the country's own legal system to hold Hezbollah accountable for what they view as seditious and dangerous rhetoric.

Simultaneously, the government’s disarmament mandate tests the very definition of state sovereignty in a country where a non-state actor wields more military power than the national army. With Hezbollah vowing to fight, its opponents turning to the courts, and its allies urging caution, the coming weeks will be critical in determining whether Lebanon can navigate this crisis through political means or if it will descend further into instability.