Hezbollah raises demands and conditions for disarmament

BEIRUT — Hezbollah Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem has declared that the Shiite group will not disarm as long as Israeli forces remain in southern Lebanon and continue airstrikes that violate Lebanese airspace. 

In a televised statement on Friday, Qassem reaffirmed Hezbollah’s stance, rejecting calls from Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, a Syriac Maronite, and the U.S. administration to hand over its weapons to the Lebanese army. “Our fighters will not surrender their arms while Israeli forces occupy southern Lebanon and violate our airspace,” Qassem stated. 

Hezbollah claims to have fulfilled its obligations under the U.S.-brokered ceasefire agreement, which ended 14 months of hostilities between Israel and the group. Qassem insisted that Israel must adhere to its commitments under the ceasefire before any dialogue can take place. “We are ready for dialogue, but not under Israeli pressure,” he added. 

In what has been described as a significant shift in Hezbollah’s position, Qassem emphasized that the group would not allow anyone to disarm, what he calls, resistance. “These weapons are what gave the Lebanese people life and freedom,” he asserted.

Under the terms of the ceasefire, Hezbollah was expected to withdraw from parts of southern Lebanon, relinquish its military positions and weapons south of the Litani River, and allow the Lebanese army to take over its positions alongside the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). In exchange, Israeli forces were to withdraw from Lebanese territory. 

Despite the agreement, Israeli troops have maintained strategic positions in southern Lebanon and continued airstrikes, complicating efforts to implement the ceasefire fully. Hezbollah’s refusal to disarm underscores the ongoing tensions and challenges in achieving lasting peace in the region.