{"id":74342,"date":"2026-11-08T12:08:15","date_gmt":"2026-11-08T16:08:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/lebanon-asserts-sovereignty-foreign-minister-rejects-external-bargaining-and-illegal-arms\/74342\/"},"modified":"2026-11-08T12:08:15","modified_gmt":"2026-11-08T16:08:15","slug":"lebanon-asserts-sovereignty-foreign-minister-rejects-external-bargaining-and-illegal-arms","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/lebanon-asserts-sovereignty-foreign-minister-rejects-external-bargaining-and-illegal-arms\/74342\/","title":{"rendered":"Lebanon Asserts Sovereignty: Foreign Minister Rejects External Bargaining and Illegal Arms"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Lebanese Foreign Minister Youssef Rajji<\/strong> declared that the state will no longer accept any weapons outside the authority of the <strong>Lebanese Army<\/strong>, signaling a decisive move toward nationalizing security.<\/li>\n<li>The government has officially rejected any attempts by external parties to <strong>negotiate or bargain<\/strong> on Lebanon&#39;s behalf, emphasizing that diplomatic decisions are now &quot;one hundred percent Lebanese.&quot;<\/li>\n<li>Minister Rajji warned that Lebanon&#39;s national interests must not be compromised to serve the <strong>ambitions of expansionist regimes<\/strong> or regional leaders.<\/li>\n<li>Economic forecasts for 2026 remain dire, with the <strong>World Bank<\/strong> projecting a <strong>6.4% GDP contraction<\/strong> and inflation reaching <strong>17.5%<\/strong> amid ongoing regional instability.<\/li>\n<li>Direct damage from recent conflicts is estimated at <strong>$20 billion<\/strong>, a figure that could climb to <strong>$27 billion<\/strong> if reconstruction efforts are further delayed by security vacuums.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>In a landmark address to the Lebanese community in Montreal on <strong>November 8, 2026<\/strong>, Foreign Minister <strong>Youssef Rajji<\/strong> articulated a shift in the nation&#39;s foreign policy, asserting that Lebanon will no longer serve as a &quot;forward defense line&quot; for the interests of others. The Minister emphasized that the era of allowing militias and illegal weapons to supersede state authority has ended, stating that the government will only recognize the legitimacy of the <strong>Lebanese Armed Forces<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><em>The Minister&#39;s remarks come at a critical juncture as Lebanon seeks to navigate a path toward recovery following years of systemic economic crisis and regional warfare.<\/em> Rajji clarified that the state&#39;s security decisions are now exclusive to its constitutional institutions, a move aimed at reclaiming sovereignty from non-state actors like <strong>Hezbollah<\/strong>. He noted that the government has already taken &quot;courageous decisions&quot; to categorize the operations of illegal organizations as outside the law.<\/p>\n<p>The diplomatic stance is particularly aimed at preventing Lebanon from being used as a &quot;bargaining chip&quot; in broader negotiations between international powers. <em>Analysts suggest this is a direct reference to previous instances where Lebanese security was tied to Iranian or regional geopolitical maneuvers.<\/em> Rajji insisted that Lebanon&#39;s file must be separated from external issues, asserting that the country will not pay the price for the expansionist ambitions of any authoritarian regime.<\/p>\n<p>On the economic front, the cost of the recent conflicts continues to weigh heavily on the nation&#39;s outlook. <strong>Prime Minister Nawaf Salam<\/strong> recently reported to Parliament that direct damage to infrastructure and property has reached <strong>$20 billion<\/strong>. With the <strong>World Bank<\/strong> forecasting significant economic contraction and high inflation, the Lebanese government is under immense pressure to secure international aid that does not inadvertently benefit sanctioned groups.<\/p>\n<p>The international community remains watchful as the mandate for the <strong>UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL)<\/strong> approaches its year-end expiration. <strong>UN Peacekeeping Chief Jean-Pierre Lacroix<\/strong> has warned of a potential security vacuum in the south if a third-party buffer is not maintained. The Lebanese government is currently advocating for a permanent ceasefire and a full withdrawal of foreign forces to allow for the deployment of the <strong>Lebanese Army<\/strong> across all territories.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Key Takeaways Lebanese Foreign Minister Youssef Rajji declared that the state will no longer accept any weapons outside the authority 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