Shafaq News/ On Friday, HezbollahSecretary-General Naim Qassem warned that disarming the group would sparkinternal unrest and is “non-negotiable.”
In a televised address, Qassem rejecteddemands for Hezbollah to surrender its weapons, saying, “The word‘disarmament’—remove it from your dictionary.” He described such calls asproducts of “American guardianship” and argued that Lebanon’s core issue is“ending the Israeli occupation, not our weapons.”
Qassem revealed Hezbollah is grantingdiplomacy a temporary window, but warned it is not an open-ended option. “Weare patiently giving diplomacy its opportunity, balancing losses and gains …but our position is not based on that; it is based on principle.”
UN Security Council Resolution 1701,adopted in 2006 and reaffirmed in a November 27, 2024 agreement, applies solelyto areas south of the Litani River, according to Qassem. “The party and thestate have fulfilled their obligations under resolution 1701, but Israel hasnot.”
He added that the Lebanese state “mustfulfill its commitments regarding reconstruction,” and said Hezbollah is readyto fight alongside the army “to expel [Israel] by force.”
Qassem outlined three principles forany future national dialogue: protecting Lebanese sovereignty and liberatingoccupied territory, integrating resistance within a national defense strategy,and rejecting any steps that “weaken Lebanon or surrender it to the Israelienemy.”
He also called on the United States to“respect Lebanon’s sovereignty and not overstep its boundaries.”
The Secretary-General’s remarks comeamid heightened domestic debate over Hezbollah’s role in Lebanon followingmonths of cross-border fire with Israel and rising political pressure to limitor remove the group’s arms.
While Hezbollah and the Lebanesegovernment say they have complied with Resolution 1701, officials haverepeatedly accused Israel of ongoing violations.
Hezbollah joined the conflict withIsrael in October 2023 in support of Gaza. Nearly a year later, the conflictescalated into full-scale war, in which Israeli strikes killed thousands ofcivilians and leveled homes, schools, and infrastructure, displacing nearly 1.5million people.
A ceasefire agreement was reached on November27, 2024, yet Israel continued launching airstrikes across Lebanon. Lebaneseauthorities say Israel has committed 2,740 violations since theceasefire took effect, resulting in the deaths of at least 180 people.Officials have described the strikes—many targeting residential areas—asbreaches of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Hezbollah’s Secretary-General rejects calls to disarm )
Also on site :
- Beloved brand ends controversial 50 cent fee on popular breakfast staple as it gets ahead of Waffle House
- Russia’s international reserves hit all-time high – central bank
- Rihanna and ASAP Rocky's Son RZA, 3, Studies French on Family Road Trip