By Palestine Chronicle Staff  

Hezbollah MP warns direct talks with Israel risk internal division, rejecting negotiations ahead of US-backed Lebanon-Israel discussions.

Key Takeaways

• Hezbollah MP Hussein Fadlallah rejects direct negotiations with Israel as a “major mistake”.
• Warns talks could deepen internal divisions and risk domestic instability.
• Remarks come ahead of US-backed Lebanon-Israel negotiations.

Hezbollah Rejects Direct Negotiations

Hezbollah MP Hussein Fadlallah warned on Wednesday that entering direct negotiations with Israel would be a “major mistake” that risks deepening internal divisions in Lebanon.

Speaking at a press conference in Beirut, Fadlallah said such a move could push the country toward internal confrontation, calling instead for a reassessment of political approaches with minimal reliance on negotiations.

His remarks come just hours before the expected launch of a new round of US-backed talks between Lebanon and Israel, marking a rare instance of direct engagement between the two sides.

‘State is Not Just the Government’

Fadlallah stressed that the concept of the Lebanese state extends beyond the government, saying it encompasses “the land, the people, and the institutions,” and cannot be reduced to a single authority.

‘Normalization Talks’: Lebanon No Longer Has A Government

He argued that the current political crisis is not limited to tensions between Hezbollah and the government, but reflects broader opposition among the Lebanese population to direct negotiations with Israel.

“The problem is not with Hezbollah,” he said, adding that a large segment of Lebanese society rejects such talks.

Fadlallah also warned that outcomes linked to negotiations — including arrangements in southern Lebanon such as the so-called “yellow line” — could be overturned, suggesting that any imposed framework would lack legitimacy.

He emphasized that no authority can claim legitimacy if it contradicts national coexistence, referring to principles enshrined in the Lebanese constitution.

Resistance ‘Necessary when State Fails’

Reaffirming Hezbollah’s position, Fadlallah reiterated that resistance remains necessary when the state is unable to act.

“When the state is unable to act, resistance is needed,” he said, pointing to what he described as the movement’s role over the past four decades.

He called for unity among Lebanese actors to confront ongoing aggression, stressing the need for collective action rather than reliance on external negotiation frameworks.

(PC, Al-Jazeera, Hezbollah statement)