Shafaq News- Beirut

Lebanese Defense Minister Michel Menassa said Thursday that the army had been prevented from presenting its position during the parliamentary session that approved a general amnesty law, though the exclusion would not stop the military from performing its role.

Read more: Lebanon Parliament approves sweeping General Amnesty Law

In a statement, Menassa described the army as the country's last remaining source of trust, not a political instrument, saying the military is "not a party to a dispute nor a card to be used and discarded."

Parliament passed the amnesty law on Wednesday after amending several of its provisions. Two blocs walked out over Menassa's absence: the Free Patriotic Movement, a major Christian party, and Hezbollah, a Shiite political party, and the minister left the chamber before the vote.

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said he had not barred Menassa from attending. The minister had prepared remarks on the amnesty proposal, Salam said, but was told the prime minister would speak for the government when the item came up, under Article 64 of the constitution, which names the prime minister as the government's spokesman. The two withdrawing blocs countered by invoking Article 67, which entitles ministers to address parliament at their request.

At the center of the dispute was how the law treats detainees accused of attacking or killing members of the armed forces. The army opposed extending amnesty to those convicted of killing soldiers, an issue that had divided lawmakers for years over whether such cases should qualify.

بيان صادر عن وزير الدفاع الوطني———————-أعتذرُ يا أهالي الشهداء، يا من قدّمتم للوطن فلذاتِ الأكباد،أعتذرُ لأنني وقفتُ أمامَ وجعكم، ولم أملكْ ما يوازي عظمةَ التضحيات.أعتذرُ لأن دماءَ أبنائكم أمانةٌ في أعناقنا،ولأنني لم أستطعْ أن أحميَ حقَّهم كما يستحقون،ولم أستطعْ أن أرفعَ… pic.twitter.com/bTeStFTYEO

— Ministry of Defense (@LebanonDefense) August 13, 2026