Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem on Saturday denounced the understandings reached in Washington between Israeli and Lebanese representatives, calling them "humiliating, shameful, and illegitimate." He described linking Israel's withdrawal from southern Lebanon to Hezbollah's disarmament as a "red line," called for implementing the U.S.-Iran ceasefire understandings, and pledged to ramp up international and Arab pressure to force an Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon.
Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem on Saturday afternoon issued a sharp rejection of the U.S.-brokered understandings between Israel and Lebanon, branding them "humiliating, shameful, and illegitimate." Speaking while representatives continue talks in Washington, Qassem specifically objected to any framework linking Israel's withdrawal from southern Lebanon to Hezbollah's disarmament — calling that linkage a "red line."
Qassem's remarks build on weeks of escalating rhetoric. As The Zioneer reported on June 17, he urged exploiting the U.S.-Iran agreement to drive Israel from Lebanon, and on June 23 he demanded a total, time-bound Israeli withdrawal while dismissing U.S. guarantees. On June 24, he similarly called for a withdrawal timetable, tying it to Iranian-U.S. negotiations.
The speech Saturday also called for implementing the U.S.-Iran ceasefire understandings and promised intensified international and Arab pressure to force an Israeli withdrawal. Qassem did not specify new operational steps, but maintained the maximalist position that security arrangements for southern Lebanon cannot include limits on Hezbollah's weapons.
3 developments
- StrongHezbollah chief Qassem: new US-Iran deal is 'humiliating,' vows to impose its terms on Israel
- StrongHezbollah says it is not committed to the framework deal with Israel
- StrongIran demands full IDF withdrawal from Lebanon; Israel publicly rejects, says it will not retreat
- DevelopingHezbollah MP says US-Israel agreement is attempt to disrupt Iran deal
Source and signal
- Internal intake