Beirut (TDI): Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem on Monday vowed the group would not surrender its weapons, rejecting a Lebanese government decision to disarm the movement under heavy US and Israeli pressure.
In a televised speech, Qassem declared, “We will not give up the weapons that protect us from attack. These weapons are our soul, our honour, our land, our dignity, our children’s future. Whoever wants to take them away wants to take away our souls.”
Earlier this month, Lebanon’s cabinet tasked the army with drafting a plan to dismantle Hezbollah’s military arsenal by year’s end, part of a broader effort to stabilize the country after more than a year of clashes with Israel left the group weakened. Hezbollah is the only faction allowed to retain arms after Lebanon’s 1975–1990 civil war, arguing its arsenal is essential for “resistance” against Israel.
Qassem condemned the government’s move as “a US-Israeli dictate” and urged it to reverse the decision. His remarks came a day before US envoys Thomas Barrack and Morgan Ortagus were due in Beirut for talks with Lebanese officials. Washington has proposed a step-by-step approach to disarmament, linked to Israeli withdrawals under a November ceasefire.
Read More: US Envoy Presents Lebanon with Hezbollah Disarmament Plan
“There is no step for step,” Qassem said, rejecting the proposal. “Let them implement the ceasefire agreement, end their aggression, release our prisoners, and withdraw from occupied areas, then we can discuss a defense strategy.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday his government would support Lebanon’s disarmament plan if it were fully implemented, offering a phased withdrawal of Israeli forces from five southern areas they continue to occupy.
Read More: No One Can Disarm Hezbollah: Qassem
“Israel stands ready to support Lebanon in its efforts to disarm Hezbollah and to work towards a more secure and stable future,” Netanyahu’s office said. He added that Israel would consider reducing its military presence in coordination with a US-led security mechanism.
Despite the November ceasefire, Israeli strikes on Lebanese territory have continued, with Tel Aviv insisting operations will only end once Hezbollah is disarmed. Meanwhile, the Lebanese army has deployed in the south and begun dismantling Hezbollah infrastructure there, though the group’s leadership shows no sign of complying with the government order.
Farkhund Yousafzai is an Associate Editor at The Diplomatic Insight.
