Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem has firmly rejected any prospect of direct negotiations with Israel, urging the Lebanese government to halt such efforts and reverse its stance on the group’s military wing.
In a written statement, Qassem said Hezbollah does not recognize the legitimacy of ongoing or proposed talks with Israel, describing them as unacceptable and without binding effect on the group.
He called on Lebanese authorities to rescind any decision that criminalizes Hezbollah’s armed wing, stressing that the group remains committed to its resistance strategy.
“We categorically reject direct negotiations with Israel,” Qassem said, adding that Hezbollah would not return to what he described as the “pre–March 2 situation,” without elaborating on the reference.
The Hezbollah leader also reiterated the group’s long-standing position on disarmament, declaring that it would not abandon its weapons under any circumstances. He further vowed that Israeli forces would not remain on “a single inch” of what he described as occupied Lebanese land.
Qassem emphasized that displaced residents would return to their territories “to the very last inch,” underscoring Hezbollah’s continued focus on territorial claims and resistance against Israel.
The statement comes amid heightened regional tensions and ongoing debates within Lebanon over the role of Hezbollah’s armed wing and the country’s approach to Israel.
