Hezbollah leader says Israel will withdraw from Lebanon, rejects direct negotiations, and vows continued resistance.
Key Developments
- Naim Qassem says Israel “will not remain on one inch” of Lebanese territory.
- He outlines five demands, including Israeli withdrawal, an end to aggression, and reconstruction.
- He rejects direct negotiations, calling them a “humiliating concession.”
- Hezbollah vows to keep its weapons and continue resistance operations.
Qassem: ‘Israel Will Not Remain’
Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem said on Monday that Israeli forces “will not remain on one inch of our occupied land,” pledging that displaced residents will return and reconstruction will follow.
Addressing supporters, he said: “Just as we resisted together, we will rebuild it together,” framing the current phase as one of both confrontation and recovery.
According to the Lebanese news network Al Mayadeen, Qassem outlined five core demands as the basis for any resolution: an end to Israeli aggression by land, sea, and air; full withdrawal from Lebanese territory; release of detainees; return of displaced residents; and reconstruction.
‘Humiliating Concessions’
Qassem sharply criticized Lebanese authorities for entering direct talks with Israel, describing the move as a “gratuitous and humiliating concession.”
According to Al Mayadeen, he warned that such negotiations would deepen internal divisions and serve neither Lebanon nor its leadership.
He called for an immediate halt to direct talks and a return to indirect negotiations, insisting that current agreements “do not concern us in any way.”
Qassem reaffirmed that Hezbollah’s weapons are defensive and essential in confronting what he described as a broader Israeli project to occupy Lebanon.
“We will not give up our weapons,” he said, adding that resistance capabilities are rooted in “faith, will, and capacity,” and are not subject to time constraints.
He framed the choice facing Lebanon as one between “liberation and dignity” or “occupation and humiliation.”
Resistance to Continue
According to Al Mayadeen, Qassem credited Iran’s role in securing the ceasefire, saying it would not have been achieved without Tehran’s intervention during negotiations.
He also criticized Lebanese authorities’ conduct in Washington, describing a meeting with Israeli officials as “a day of disgrace” and accusing them of accepting terms that allowed Israel to continue its attacks.
He questioned whether the authorities were aligning with Israeli objectives against their own population.
Qassem concluded by affirming that Hezbollah will continue its operations in response to Israeli actions, warning that there will be “no return to the pre–March 2 reality.”
“Threaten as you wish,” he said. “We will not retreat, we will not bow, and we will not be defeated.”
He also emphasized unity with the Amal Movement and other Lebanese political forces, framing resistance as a national effort to defend sovereignty and territory.
(PC, Al Mayadeen)
