(Central News Agency, Beirut, 6th Comprehensive Foreign Media Report) The Lebanese Cabinet met yesterday and decided to assign the military to draft a plan to disarm Hezbollah, the Iran-backed domestic radical organization, by the end of the year. Hezbollah today stated that it would ignore the decision and accused the Cabinet of weakening Lebanon's sovereignty.

According to AFP, under strong pressure from the United States, the Lebanese Cabinet discussed for nearly six hours yesterday, chaired by President Aoun (Joseph Aoun), and made this difficult decision.

This will also implement the ceasefire agreement reached between Lebanon and Israel in November last year. At that time, the purpose of the agreement was to end the conflict between Hezbollah and Israel, which had lasted more than a year, including two months of full-scale warfare. After the war, Hezbollah's strength has greatly weakened, its armed forces have been severely damaged, and many senior leaders have been eliminated.

Lebanese Prime Minister Salem (Nawaf Salam) announced after the meeting that the government has assigned the military to submit an implementation plan by the end of the month for the Cabinet to discuss and approve, with the goal of achieving by the end of the year that only the national army and other national forces can possess weapons.

However, Lebanese Minister of Information Morcos (Paul Morcos) said that Health Minister Nassereldine (Rakan Nassereldine), who is associated with Hezbollah, and Environment Minister Elzein (Tamara Elzein), who is associated with Hezbollah's ally, the 'Hope Movement' (Amal Movement), both left the meeting because they disagreed with the Cabinet's decision.

Hezbollah is the only organization in Lebanon that still retains armed forces after the 1975 to 1990 civil war. In name, it is to resist until 2000 when Israel still occupied southern Lebanon.

During yesterday's Cabinet meeting, Hezbollah leader Qassem (Naim Qassem) made a televised speech stating that as long as Israel's attacks do not stop, they will not disarm.

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Hezbollah today issued another statement saying that it would treat the Cabinet's decision as non-existent, and said that 'the Salem government's decision to disarm Lebanon against Israel's enemies is a serious sin. This harms Lebanon's sovereignty and allows Israel to act arbitrarily in matters of security, geography, politics, and future existence.'

Hezbollah has long been Lebanon's most powerful political force, and opponents have accused it of using its armed forces to impose its will on domestic affairs. However, after recent clashes with Israel, Hezbollah's influence has weakened.