Hezbollah rejects calls to disarm before end of Israeli ‘aggression’ against Lebanon

Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem said Friday that the group will not respond to calls to hand over its weapons before the “end of the Israeli aggression” against Lebanon, Anadolu reports.

It came in a televised speech that was broadcast by Hezbollah’s Al-Manar TV channel.

“In response to those who demand that the resistance (Hezbollah) hand over its weapons, first demand the departure of the aggression. It is unreasonable not to criticize the occupation and only demand that those who resist it give up their weapons,” said Qassem. “Whoever accepts surrender must bear the consequences of that decision, but we will never accept it.”

Qassem further stated: “Defending the homeland does not require anyone’s permission, and when a serious and effective alternative for defense is proposed, we are ready to discuss all the details.”

Lebanon is preparing to send a draft response to a proposal presented by US presidential envoy to Syria, Thomas Barrack, to Lebanese officials when he visited Beirut on June 19.

On Wednesday, a Lebanese official told Anadolu that the proposal by Barrack revolves around three main points — the first being the monopoly of weapons by the Lebanese state.

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The proposal also calls for financial and economic reforms, border control, preventing smuggling, increasing customs duties and tightening procedures at crossings and public facilities, according to an official who preferred to remain anonymous.

Since the end of Israel’s recent war on Lebanon in November, which was backed by the US, Washington’s pressure to disarm Hezbollah has increased, with the group insisting on keeping its weapons as long as the Israeli occupation continues.

Israeli forces have conducted near-daily attacks in southern Lebanon, claiming to target Hezbollah’s activities despite the November between Israel and Lebanon. The truce ended months of cross-border warfare between Israel and the Lebanese resistance group.

Lebanese authorities have reported nearly 3,000 Israeli violations of the truce, including the deaths of at least 225 people and injuries to more than 500, since the agreement was signed.

Under the ceasefire deal, Israel was supposed to fully withdraw from southern Lebanon by Jan. 26, but the deadline was extended to Feb. 18 after Tel Aviv refused to comply. Israel still maintains a military presence at five border outposts.

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