Naim Qassem rejected pressure to disarm Hezbollah and said Lebanon's sovereignty requires an end to Israeli aggression. He insisted the Lebanese government must first ensure Israel complies with a November 2024 ceasefire before any talks on a national defence strategy. Qassem stated the resistance will remain a barrier preventing Israeli goals and warned Israel cannot remain in Lebanon or pursue expansion there. He dismissed proposals to integrate Hezbollah's arsenal into a national defence plan, demanding Israeli withdrawal, prisoner releases, and a halt to attacks. Beirut's cabinet approved an army plan to disarm Hezbollah; Hezbollah said it will treat that decision as if it does not exist. Israel indicated it might consider scaling back forces if Lebanon's army moved to seize Hezbollah weapons.
Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem has rejected growing pressure to disarm the group, warning that Lebanon's sovereignty could only be achieved by ending Israeli aggression. Speaking on Monday from Beirut, Qassem said the Lebanese government must first ensure Israel complies with a November 2024 ceasefire agreement before talks on a national defence strategy can take place.
The resistance will remain as a strong barrier preventing Israel from achieving its goals, and Israel will not be able to remain in Lebanon or achieve its expansionist project through Lebanon, the Hezbollah chief said. He dismissed Lebanese government and foreign proposals to integrate Hezbollah's arsenal into a national defence strategy, insisting that Israel must first withdraw from Lebanese territory, release prisoners, and halt attacks.
Collection
[
|
...
]