Latest news with #MohammedRaad
Asharq Al-Awsat
28-05-2025
- Business
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Lebanon: Hezbollah Displeased with Salam's Stances
Relations between Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam and Hezbollah were shaken after the PM said in a TV statement this week that he rejected to stay silent over illegitimate arms. The head of Hezbollah's parliamentary committee, Mohammed Raad, who headed a delegation to meet with President Joseph Aoun in Baabda Palace on Monday said: 'I don't want to comment on his (Salam's) statement to preserve what remains of cordiality.' Salam said in a TV interview on Monday night that he 'rejected to stay silent on arms staying out of state control' adding that 'the era of the Iranian revolution's export has come to an end.' Raad's comment, which came in response to a reporter's question, raised questions marks about relations between the Iran-backed party and Salam who, along with the President, has insisted on establishing a state monopoly on the control of arms. But Hezbollah's dissatisfaction goes beyond the issue of arms – the party has resented strict measures taken at Beirut's Rafik Hariri International Airport that have prevented the transfer of cash to it, in addition to the delay in reconstruction following the latest war with Israel. According to political analyst Kassem Kassir, Aoun's stance on dialogue and the rejection of foreign pressure is better than that of the Prime Minister. 'It's obvious that it (Hezbollah) is displeased with the PM, and that his latest comments made things worse,' Kassir told Asharq Al-Awsat. But Raad did not want to snap back at Salam 'to keep channels of communication between the two sides open.' Yet, ministerial sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that Salam 'has come with a specific mission to carry out reforms and salvage the country, including limiting weapons to state control, in order to regain the confidence of the Lebanese people and the world, and attract investments and assistance that would not materialize' in the presence of such arms. Asked about ties between Hezbollah and Salam, the sources denied that relations have taken a turn for the worse. 'Yet, there is non-permanent communication between Salam and the party.'
Asharq Al-Awsat
28-03-2025
- Politics
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Israel Intensifies Attacks against Hezbollah Field Commanders in Lebanon
Six people were killed in Lebanon in the past two days in Israeli strikes against Hezbollah members. Lebanon's state news agency said an Israeli drone strike in the country's south hit a car, killing two people on Thursday afternoon in the village of Baraachit. The National News Agency gave no further details and it was not immediately clear if the two killed were members of Hezbollah. Israel's military said the strike targeted two members of the party. Israel had earlier in the day fired artillery at Baraachit. Also on Thursday, the Israeli army said it targeted Hezbollah members as they were transferring weapons in the Yohmor area in the South. The NNA said one person was killed overnight on Thursday in an Israeli drone strike on a car in the town of Maaroub in the Tyre region. Meanwhile, head of Hezbollah's parliamentary bloc MP Mohammed Raad said the party's priority at the moment 'lies in ending the Israeli occupation, kicking off reconstruction, consolidating sovereignty, achieving the desired reform, and ensuring national partnership.' 'The resistance in Lebanon has and will always be the resistance against occupation and injustice, and against invaders and violators,' he declared. 'The resistance has made major achievements (...) and repelled Israel's world war against Lebanon in 2006 and defeated it,' he added. The 'support front' Hezbollah had launched in solidarity with Gaza on October 8, 2023, 'was a preemptive move aimed at protecting Lebanon, the resistance and its people,' he went on to say. Moreover, Raad said Hezbollah has been firmly committed to the ceasefire since it went into effect in November 'even though it knew that the enemy will not respect it and despite its violations that have been ongoing since day one.' Furthermore, he stressed that the 'resistance was never an alternative to the state in assuming responsibility. Rather, it aided it in protecting Lebanon and forcing the enemy to withdraw' from occupied territories. The resistance also helped the state 'preserve national sovereignty and dignity,' he added. Now, the new government is prioritizing reform, 'and we will help it in achieving that,' remarked Raad.
Express Tribune
26-02-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Hezbollah backs new Lebanese govt
Hezbollah's parliamentary bloc on Tuesday gave its support to Lebanon's new government, which in a ministerial statement ahead of a confidence vote vowed a state monopoly on arms and the country's neutrality. "We give our confidence to the government," said Mohammed Raad, the head of Hezbollah's parliamentary bloc, expressing hope the new administration would "succeed in opening the doors to real rescue for the country". "We are keen on cooperating to the greatest extent to preserve national sovereignty and its stability and achieve reforms and take the state forward," Raad told a two-day parliamentary session that began on Tuesday and will culminate in a vote of confidence in the new government. The ministerial statement, an outline of the new government's work plan that was read out by Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, vowed to extend "state sovereignty across all its territories exclusively with its own forces". It also committed to deploy the army "in internationally recognised Lebanese border areas", and emphasised the need to work to implement a commitment by Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on "the state's duty in monopolising the bearing of weapons" and "deciding on war and peace". Hezbollah was the only faction to keep its weapons after the Lebanese civil war, using them to fight the Israeli occupation of south Lebanon that ended in 2000. It also fought a major war with Israel in 2006. The ministerial statement noted the need to take "all the necessary steps to liberate all Lebanese territories from Israeli occupation". Israel has maintained its troops in five "strategic" points along the shared border despite the ceasefire deal requiring its forces to withdraw completely. Raad said the aim of the latest war was "to finish with Hezbollah... and end its resistance presence" against Israel, adding, "That attempt failed". The new government has pledged to create a fund for rebuilding damaged and destroyed areas and is hoping for foreign assistance with the reconstruction effort, with the country mired in a five-year economic crisis. The ministerial statement also pledged to adopt a "foreign policy that works to make Lebanon neutral from axis conflicts" and ensure "Lebanon is not used as a platform for attacking" Arab and friendly countries. Hezbollah has been a key player in Iran's so-called "axis of resistance" against Israel and the United States. A number of Arab states including Saudi Arabia have for years accused Hezbollah of having too much control over Lebanese politics and being involved in activities that threatened their countries' security. AFP
Al Arabiya
25-02-2025
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
Hezbollah backs new Lebanese government ahead of confidence vote
Hezbollah's parliamentary bloc on Tuesday gave its support to Lebanon's new government, which in a ministerial statement ahead of a confidence vote vowed a state monopoly on arms and the country's neutrality. 'We give our confidence to the government,' said Mohammed Raad, the head of Hezbollah's parliamentary bloc, expressing hope the new administration would 'succeed in opening the doors to real rescue for the country.' 'We are keen on cooperating to the greatest extent to preserve national sovereignty and its stability and achieve reforms and take the state forward,' Raad told a two-day parliamentary session that began on Tuesday and will culminate in a vote of confidence in the new government. Hezbollah, once the country's most powerful military and political force, suffered major setbacks in more than a year of hostilities with Israel including two months of all-out war, including an Israeli ground invasion, that halted with a November 27 ceasefire. Israel killed a slew of senior commanders including the group's longtime chief Hassan Nasrallah and pounded the group's strongholds in the country's south and east and in Beirut's southern suburbs. The ministerial statement, an outline of the new government's work plan that was read out by Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, vowed to extend 'state sovereignty across all its territories exclusively with its own forces.' It also committed to deploy the army 'in internationally recognized Lebanese border areas,' and emphasized the need to work to implement a commitment by Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on 'the state's duty in monopolizing the bearing of weapons' and 'deciding on war and peace.' Hezbollah was the only faction to keep its weapons after the Lebanese civil war, using them to fight the Israeli occupation of south Lebanon that ended in 2000. It also fought a major war with Israel in 2006. 'Make Lebanon neutral' The ministerial statement noted the need to take 'all the necessary steps to liberate all Lebanese territories from Israeli occupation.' Israel has maintained its troops in five 'strategic' points along the shared border despite the ceasefire deal requiring its forces to withdraw completely. Raad said the aim of the latest war was 'to finish with Hezbollah... and end its resistance presence' against Israel, adding, 'that attempt failed.' The new government has pledged to create a fund for rebuilding damaged and destroyed areas and is hoping for foreign assistance with the reconstruction effort, with the country mired in a five-year economic crisis. The ministerial statement also pledged to adopt a 'foreign policy that works to make Lebanon neutral from axis conflicts' and ensure 'Lebanon is not used as a platform for attacking' Arab and friendly countries. Hezbollah has been a key player in Iran's so-called 'axis of resistance' against Israel and the United States. A number of Arab states have for years accused Hezbollah of having too much control over Lebanese politics and being involved in activities that threatened their countries' security.
Asharq Al-Awsat
25-02-2025
- Politics
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Hezbollah Backs New Lebanese Government Ahead of Confidence Vote
Hezbollah's parliamentary bloc on Tuesday gave its support to Lebanon's new government, which in a ministerial statement ahead of a confidence vote vowed a state monopoly on arms and the country's neutrality. "We give our confidence to the government," said Mohammed Raad, the head of Hezbollah's parliamentary bloc, expressing hope the new administration would "succeed in opening the doors to real rescue for the country", AFP reported. "We are keen on cooperating to the greatest extent to preserve national sovereignty and its stability and achieve reforms and take the state forward," Raad told a two-day parliamentary session that began on Tuesday and will culminate in a vote of confidence in the new government. The ministerial statement, an outline of the new government's work plan that was read out by Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, vowed to extend "state sovereignty across all its territories exclusively with its own forces". It also committed to deploy the army "in internationally recognized Lebanese border areas", and emphasized the need to work to implement a commitment by Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on "the state's duty in monopolising the bearing of weapons" and "deciding on war and peace". The ministerial statement noted the need to take "all the necessary steps to liberate all Lebanese territories from Israeli occupation". Israel has maintained its troops in five "strategic" points along the shared border despite the ceasefire deal requiring its forces to withdraw completely. Raad said the aim of the latest war was "to finish with Hezbollah... and end its resistance presence" against Israel, adding, "That attempt failed". The new government has pledged to create a fund for rebuilding damaged and destroyed areas and is hoping for foreign assistance with the reconstruction effort, with the country mired in a five-year economic crisis. The ministerial statement also pledged to adopt a "foreign policy that works to make Lebanon neutral from axis conflicts" and ensure "Lebanon is not used as a platform for attacking" Arab and friendly countries.
