Hezbollah's Head: No compromise with Israel
Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem on Sunday reaffirmed the group's refusal to compromise with Israel, dismissing growing international pressure for disarmament.
Speaking during Ashura commemorations in Beirut, Qassem described the large public turnout as a 'strong message' to those predicting a decline in Hezbollah's support amid regional and domestic challenges. 'We defend Lebanon, and this defense will continue even if the entire world stands against us,' he said.
Qassem condemned recent US efforts to dismantle Hezbollah's military infrastructure and rejected what he called 'threats of surrender,' referring to a US proposal submitted last month that seeks full disarmament of Hezbollah in exchange for Israeli withdrawal, economic support, and border demarcation.
He also accused Israel of repeatedly violating the November 2024 ceasefire agreement, which was brokered by the United States and France to end weeks of intense cross-border fighting. 'Thousands of violations have occurred,' he said, referencing Israeli airstrikes, surveillance flights, and troop incursions that have left nearly 200 people dead and hundreds more injured since the ceasefire took effect.
'There is no place for surrender among us,' Qassem declared. 'Normalization is humiliation and disgrace. Our stance is firm: no negotiations until Israel fully commits to the agreement's first phase—withdrawal, an end to aggression, the release of prisoners, and reconstruction in the South.'
The ceasefire, signed on November 27, 2024, followed Israel's October incursion into southern Lebanon and included commitments to halt hostilities, enforce UN Resolution 1701, and restrict armed presence south of the Litani River. While the Lebanese Army has deployed thousands of troops to the area, Israeli forces have maintained several outposts and continue to conduct operations across land, sea, and air.
The US roadmap—delivered by Special Envoy Thomas Barrack in June—calls for Hezbollah's complete disarmament by the end of 2025. In return, it promises Israeli withdrawal from disputed areas, billions in reconstruction aid, and broader diplomatic and economic incentives. However, Hezbollah's leadership has rejected the plan, framing it as a strategic attempt to dismantle the group's deterrence capabilities under the guise of peace.
'Once these steps are completed, we are ready for discussions,' Qassem said, signaling a conditional openness to talks but warning that any deal that bypasses Lebanon's sovereignty or resistance will be met with defiance.
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