Hamas shows openness to cease-fire proposal; Lebanese Army to present Hezbollah disarmament plan on Sept. 2: Everything you need to know this Friday
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L'Orient-Le Jour
3 hours ago
- L'Orient-Le Jour
New wave of condemnations after Qassem's speech
Reactions condemning the speech of the Hezbollah leader, who on Friday threatened confrontation if disarmament were imposed on his group, continued for the second consecutive day. These remarks were, however, supported by Iran's ambassador to Beirut, Mojtaba Amani, who said, 'American pressure will not break Lebanon.' The leader of the Lebanese Forces (LF), Samir Geagea, on Saturday called the statements of Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem 'unacceptable.' Kassem had declared on Friday that his organization was ready for confrontation, especially after the government tasked the Lebanese Army with drafting a plan to disarm it. 'The speech delivered yesterday by Sheikh Naim Kassem is unacceptable in every respect, as it constitutes a direct threat, first and foremost, to the Lebanese government, then to the parliamentary majority that has placed its trust in this government, and finally to all of Lebanon's constitutional institutions, including the presidency of the Republic and the presidency of the Council of Ministers,' Geagea said in a statement. 'It is also a direct threat to all free Lebanese,' he added. 'Supporting constitutional institutions' 'If Sheikh Naïm assumes that there are no longer any free Lebanese in Lebanon, he is gravely mistaken. If he assumes that he can thereby impose his authority, which does not exist, on these free Lebanese, he is also gravely mistaken,' added the LF leader, of the Christian sovereignist party opposed to Hezbollah's arsenal. In a barely veiled threat directed at Hezbollah's secretary-general, Geagea also promised to 'redouble efforts to support constitutional institutions' and to do everything possible 'to prevent anyone from undermining support for constitutional institutions again,' considering that the current phase is 'foundational' for Lebanon. 'These institutions, represented by the heads of state and government, are striving, with all their patriotism, energy, and strength, to restore Lebanon to itself, to reestablish order in the state, to bring Lebanon's friends back to its side, and also to bring the international community back with it,' he concluded. After more than a year of war between Israel and Hezbollah, the party, which has lost much of its leadership—including its chief Hassan Nasrallah, eliminated by the Israeli army on Sep. 27, 2024— continues to refuse to hand over its arsenal to the Lebanese Army, despite pressure from authorities and the international community. Beirut MP Ibrahim Mneimneh (opposition) said that Hezbollah 'should clearly declare that it is handing over its weapons and limit discussion on this matter to the Council of Ministers.' 'But Hezbollah continues to break its promises and move in a vicious circle,' he added in a radio interview. He also noted: 'The main problem still lies in the lack of trust in a state that is trying to recover. Therefore, Hezbollah should no longer make all Lebanese bear the burden of its crisis.' 'Threatening official authorities' Metn MP Elias Hankache, a member of the parliamentary group of the Kataeb Party, said, 'We cannot let pass an opportunity to build a country worthy of our ambitions in the face of a regional Iranian agenda.' In an interview with the Lebanese channel al-Jadeed, he accused Naim Qassem of 'threatening official authorities in Lebanon, the entire country, and all Lebanese,' noting that this escalation coincided with the visit of Iranian official Ali Larijani to Beirut. Meanwhile, MP Hadi Abou el-Hosn of the Democratic Gathering bloc (aligned with Jumblatt) said Qassem's speech is 'condemnable and unacceptable,' questioning why he used language from a bygone era, referring to the civil war invoked by the Hezbollah chief. 'This escalatory speech, which traps us in the Israeli game, is in total contradiction with Hezbollah's participation in the government, in which we are all integrated and whose ministerial declaration we have all approved,' he said in a statement. 'American pressure will not break Lebanon' Iran's ambassador to Beirut, Mojtaba Amani, stated that 'American pressure will not break Lebanon and its resistance.' In an interview with Al-Alam, reported by various Lebanese media, the diplomat said that his 'country resists pressures, government and people united, and wishes the same for Lebanon.' 'Iran supports Lebanon and its people without distinction between different communities, and its support for Lebanon is not a slogan but a concrete reality,' he added. Amani also said, 'If houses belonging to Christians, Druze, or other communities are destroyed, Iran is ready to help them, as it does for the oppressed people of Gaza.' Meanwhile, Hezbollah's deputy head of the political council, Mahmoud Comati, said on Saturday that Hezbollah is not 'in an internal Lebanese confrontation.' Naïm Kassem 'did not threaten, but said that we are ready, if cornered, to wage a Battle of Karbala,' referring to the battle in which Imam Hussein and his men were killed in 680 AD.
L'Orient-Le Jour
3 hours ago
- L'Orient-Le Jour
Palestinian refugees call for a ‘comprehensive dialogue with the Lebanese government'
The Hamas media official in Lebanon, Ra'fat Mara, stated on Saturday that Palestinian refugees are calling for a 'comprehensive dialogue with the Lebanese government.' 'Resistance remains faithful to its principles and vision. Our unity and resistance are essential pillars to thwart the occupation's plans,' Mara said, according to the National News Agency (NNA, official). 'Palestinian refugees in Lebanon are committed to security and stability and are calling for a comprehensive dialogue with the Lebanese government to address various issues,' he added. He also noted that 'the great sacrifices made by our people reflect the level of brutal Israeli terrorism, as well as our people's attachment to their land and identity.' On Oct. 8, 2023, Hezbollah opened a front in support of Hamas against Israel by firing rockets into northern Israel from southern Lebanon. After a year of cross-border attacks and weakening Hamas, the Israeli army concentrated its operations in Lebanon, conducting intense strikes mainly on Hezbollah strongholds. Despite the cease-fire reached last November, Israel continues strikes in Lebanon and maintains a presence at five locations it considers strategic. Lebanese authorities recently requested the army to develop a plan to disarm the party, a decision Hezbollah contests.
L'Orient-Le Jour
3 hours ago
- L'Orient-Le Jour
Axes of influence converge on Lebanon once more
Despite a hostile campaign ahead of his trip, Ali Larijani, head of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, carried out all his planned meetings in Beirut, including a final discussion with Hezbollah's deputy leader, Naim Iranian official's visit, including both public and private meetings with Hezbollah leaders, marked a key moment in Lebanon's internal politics. However, his main goal was to show regional and global powers that Iran still has significant strength and main message sent by the Iranian official was precisely to say that the "axis of resistance" should not be written off too quickly, and that Lebanon cannot completely switch to the opposing camp. Moreover, it is clear that the country is divided over its place on the regional and international chessboard. Since the 66-day war between...
