📰 3 sources 3 articles · 27 Sep 2026, 14:08 → 20 days ago

Lebanese Reactions to Naim Qassem's Speech: Geagea and Rifi Respond

On 27-28 September 2026, Lebanese political figures made a series of statements about Hezbollah's weapons, following a speech by Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem on the anniversary of Hassan Nasrallah's assassination. Samir Geagea said no decent life can be imagined with Hezbollah's weapon present, then responded to Qassem, accusing Hezbollah of violating the constitution and Taif Agreement and serving the Israeli project. MP Ashraf Rifi also responded to Qassem's speech, stressing that decision and weapon must be in the hands of the state and that Lebanon's decision is in Beirut, not Tehran.

📍 Where things stand: Positions remain exchanged with no indication of a change in stances, and Hezbollah's weapons remain the central point of political contention in Lebanon.

⏱️ Timeline

27 Sep 2026, 14:08 Lebanese Forces Party leader Samir Geagea said that no decent life can be imagined as long as Hezbollah's weapon still exists.
28 Sep 2026, 13:16 Lebanese Forces Party leader Samir Geagea responded to the statements of Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem, considering that Hezbollah violated the constitution and the Taif Agreement for decades, and that its military and security presence outside national consensus serves the Israeli project. He stressed that dismantling the party's military and security wings is a condition for liberating the land and the return of people, noting that the Lebanese government was elected by the majority of Lebanese and that its decisions to disarm the party express the will of the Lebanese.
28 Sep 2026, 14:51 Lebanese MP Ashraf Rifi sharply criticized Hezbollah Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem, following his positions on the anniversary of the assassination of Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, considering that Lebanon is a pluralistic homeland that cannot be reduced to a party or an axis, and stressing that decision and weapon must be in the hands of the state, and that Lebanon's decision is in Beirut, not Tehran.

Timeline written by AI from the sources below; updated as new reports arrive.

How the sources covered it

Coverage varied between focusing on Geagea's statement before Qassem's speech (صوت بيروت إنترناشونال), Geagea's detailed response to Qassem (annahar.com), and Rifi's emphasis on sovereignty (Lebanon Debate).

صوت بيروت إنترناشونال Focused on Samir Geagea's statement that no decent life can be imagined with Hezbollah's weapon present, without mentioning Naim Qassem's speech or the anniversary of Nasrallah's assassination.
annahar.com Covered Geagea's response to Naim Qassem in detail, highlighting the accusation that Hezbollah violated the constitution and Taif Agreement and serves the Israeli project, and the condition of dismantling its military and security wings to liberate the land and return people.
Lebanon Debate Focused on MP Ashraf Rifi's response to Qassem's speech, stressing that Lebanon is a pluralistic homeland that cannot be reduced to a party or an axis, that decision and weapon must be in the hands of the state, and that decision is in Beirut, not Tehran.

AI comparison of what each outlet emphasized. It describes emphasis, not accuracy.

صوت بيروت إنترناشونالannahar.comLebanon Debate

📰 All coverage

📅 2026-09-28

Lebanon Debate 14:51

"You are not a guardian, nor is Lebanon a battlefield"... Rifi responds to Qassem's speech

Lebanese MP Ashraf Rifi launched sharp criticism at Hezbollah Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem over his remarks on the anniversary of Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah's assassination, c…

annahar.com 13:16

Geagea responds to Naim Qassem: You are the only ones acting against the will of the people

Lebanese Forces Party leader Samir Geagea responded to statements by Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem, considering that Hezbollah is the one that violated the constitution a…

📅 2026-09-27

صوت بيروت إنترناشونال 14:08

Samir Geagea: We cannot imagine any decent life as long as Hezbollah's weapons remain

Samir Geagea said that no decent life can be imagined as long as Hezbollah's weapons remain, in remarks reported by Sawt Beirut International.