Hezbollah’s Qassem: No debate on arms outside national security strategy

Shafaq News – Beirut

Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem stated on Wednesday that the party's weapons are not open for negotiation outside the framework of Lebanon’s national security strategy, describing this approach as the only viable path forward.

Speaking during a ceremony marking the Prophet Muhammad's birthday, Qassem outlined what he called four essential steps to place Lebanon on the right course: halting the "Israeli-American aggression," ensuring Israel’s withdrawal from southern Lebanon and territories occupied during the war, securing the release of Lebanese prisoners, and initiating reconstruction efforts.

He criticized the current mechanism for implementing the ceasefire agreement, questioning its effectiveness. “After more than 4,500 violations of the agreement, what has the mechanism done? Or is it merely there to raise concerns about Hezbollah’s weapons?” he added.

Qassem also rejected the constitutionality of the Lebanese government’s decisions on August 5 and 7, attributing the avoidance of a security collapse to the efforts of Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, as well as the positions of Hezbollah, the Amal Movement, the Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, and the army Commander.

Commenting on the recent Israeli airstrikes on Doha, Qassem expressed Hezbollah’s support for Qatar and Hamas, describing the attacks as part of what he called "the Greater Israel project."

Despite a formal ceasefire that took effect on November 27, 2024, the UN peacekeeping mission UNIFIL has documented more than 4,800 Israeli violations, resulting in over 235 deaths and 480 injuries, including women and children.