Posted on 04/18/25
| News Source: Arutz-7
Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem gave a speech on Friday in which he made clear that the terrorist organization will not disarm.
"Do you expect us to become defenseless and allow Israel to enter all of Lebanon? That will not happen. If anyone thinks Israel will achieve its goal, they are deceiving themselves. The resistance will remain," Qassem declared, claiming that Hezbollah's weapons are necessary because Lebanon itself "is unable to defend itself."
Qassem also accused Israel of violating the ceasefire agreement, stating, "The whole world sees that Hezbollah and Lebanon are committed to the agreement, while Israel violates it."
"Hezbollah, along with the Lebanese state, is committed to the ceasefire agreement. The ceasefire agreement applies only to the area south of the Litani River. We have implemented everything we committed to. Lebanon is implementing what it committed to. But Israel is not implementing the agreement. Resolution 1701 includes obligations for both Lebanon and Israel. According to the resolution, Israel must withdraw from all Lebanese territories, cease its attacks, and stop violating Lebanese sovereignty," Hezbollah's Secretary-General said.
Qassem further stated that he would be willing to discuss the issue of the organization’s weapons only after a full Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory.
"After Israel fulfills its obligations, Lebanon will begin discussing the other conditions of 1701. There are basic rules for any dialogue. The first is protecting Lebanon’s sovereignty, liberating its land, and stopping all forms of aggression against it. The second is to invest the strength of the resistance and its weapons in any defensive strategy. When we are called for dialogue, we will be ready, but it will not be under the pressure of Israel and its aggression."
Last week, a senior Hezbollah official claimed that the terrorist organization is prepared to enter discussions with Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun regarding its military arsenal, contingent on Israel pulling out of key areas in southern Lebanon nd halting its military activity there.
The comments marked the first time Hezbollah has openly signaled willingness to negotiate over its weapons stockpile, which remains a contentious issue in Lebanese politics.
Pressure on Hezbollah to disarm has increased in the wake of the war with Israel. While Israel withdrew from southern Lebanon in February, it has retained control over five strategic hilltop locations in the area.
Deputy United States Special Envoy to the Middle East Morgan Ortagus last week called for the immediate disarmament of Hezbollah and other non-state militias in Lebanon, warning that their continued operations undermine both Lebanese sovereignty and regional peace.
In a televised interview with Lebanon's LBCI, Ortagus asserted, "It's clear that Hezbollah has to be disarmed and it's clear that Israel is not going to accept terrorists shooting at them, into their country, and that's a position we understand."
The interview came at the conclusion of Ortagus's three-day diplomatic mission to Beirut, during which she held discussions with Aoun, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, and other senior officials and political figures.
Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar had previously issued a sharp warning to Lebanon, demanding that it take immediate action to dismantle terrorist organizations operating within its territory.