Hezbollah’s Qassem: Lebanon’s Defense is Not Up for Foreign Negotiation
Sheikh Naim Qassem rejects calls to disarm, insisting resistance arms are a sovereign matter and Israel remains the real threat.
Hezbollah Deputy Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem reaffirmed on Friday that Lebanon’s defense is a sovereign matter that does not require permission from any external party. He asserted that the Islamic Resistance is open to discussions, but only when credible, alternative defense strategies are presented.
In a speech delivered Friday evening, Sheikh Qassem responded to renewed calls for Hezbollah to disarm.
“Those demanding that the resistance lay down its arms should instead be calling for the enemy’s withdrawal,” he said. “It is not our people who must surrender, but the occupation that must end.”
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Addressing critics aligned with foreign agendas, Qassem warned, “You’ve miscalculated by trying to defeat us. The people of the resistance do not fear their enemies. Hiding behind them will not bring you success.”
He added that real victories come not through submission but through liberation: “Freeing our land and our nation is the achievement that matters. We invite you to join a national dialogue—we are ready.”
Reaffirming Hezbollah’s core stance, Qassem said the Israeli occupation must be resisted until it ends entirely. “There is no choice but to resist the Israeli occupation. We and our supporters will never accept submission.”
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He also criticized Lebanese factions willing to align with foreign powers: “If others choose to live in servitude, that is their decision, not ours.”
Sheikh Qassem emphasized that Hezbollah remains a legitimate part of Lebanon’s political fabric. “We are rooted in this country—we live at its heart, not on its margins. We are active in parliament and government.”
He reiterated that Lebanon’s path forward must be shaped through mutual understanding, not foreign diktats. “We are close, not far, from dialogue on the way ahead.”
In remarks made earlier this week, Qassem firmly rejected any notion of disarming under pressure. “Lebanon’s sovereignty and defense are internal matters. We will not be humiliated, we will not give up our land, and we will not bow to threats,” he said.
He emphasized that discussions about resistance arms are solely a domestic issue: “These matters are handled internally, on our own terms. Israel has no place in shaping, supervising, or monitoring any agreement.”
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Over 3,700 Israeli Violations
Qassem condemned Israel’s repeated breaches of its ceasefire agreement with Lebanon, stating that the occupation has committed over 3,700 violations since the deal was signed. He urged Israel to uphold the terms it agreed to and to halt its aggression.
Hezbollah’s confrontation with Israel, he explained, is about more than territorial disputes. It is about countering a long-term threat to the entire region, including Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Egypt, Jordan, and beyond.
Qassem concluded by framing Israel’s role as a destabilizing force not only in the Middle East but globally: “Israel is a danger not just to Muslims, but also to Christians and Jews. Its ideology, conduct, and ambitions threaten regional stability and global peace.”
(PC, Al Mayadeen)
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