Hezbollah refuses to hand over weapons, citing Israeli threat

BEIRUT, July 30 (Xinhua) -- Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem on Wednesday rejected calls for the group to disarm, insisting its weapons are solely for confronting Israel, not for internal use.

"We will not hand over our weapons to Israel, and the issue of weapons is a purely Lebanese internal matter," said Qassem, adding that any party demanding disarmament "is serving the Israeli project."

Qassem warned that Lebanon faces an existential threat from both Israel and extremist groups, adding that "as long as we are alive, we will not allow Lebanon to be subjugated to Israel, nor will we permit Israel to defeat us."

Qassem said that Israel is waiting for Hezbollah's disarmament to begin expanding from the five points its army currently occupied, with the aim of seizing the remaining villages.

Despite a ceasefire reached on Nov. 27, 2024, Israel has maintained a military presence at five key points along the Lebanese border.

He noted that Hezbollah supported the Lebanese state in enforcing the ceasefire but blamed Israel for repeated violations. He noted the agreement applies only to areas south of the Litani River.

Qassem also criticized U.S. mediation, accusing U.S. envoys of stirring instability. While Amos Hochstein offered guarantees, his successor Tom Barrack used threats, Qassem claimed. "Barrack came with intimidation, hoping to provoke internal Lebanese discord, but he was surprised to find the Lebanese position united: stop the aggression first, then we can talk," he said. Enditem