Naim Qassem rejects direct negotiations, reaffirms Hezbollah’s armed resistance and conditions for ceasefire
Hezbollah Secretary General denounces Lebanese authorities’ approach to talks with Israel, insists the group will retain its weapons and continue what it describes as defensive resistance, and outlines conditions including ending aggression, withdrawal from occupied areas, and reconstruction.
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Hezbollah Secretary General Naim Qassem said that the Lebanese authorities rushed into what he described as a humiliating and gratuitous concession, firmly rejecting any direct negotiations.
Qassem called on Lebanon to halt direct talks with the Israeli enemy, stressing that Hezbollah will not give up its weapons.
In a statement, he added that the ceasefire would not have been achieved without Iran in the Pakistan talks, expressing welcome for anyone who helps Lebanon, supports its liberation, and contributes to its reconstruction. He said that the Israeli enemy will not remain on a single inch of occupied land, and that residents will return to their homes up to the last inch of the southern border with occupied Palestine.
In a statement, Hezbollah Secretary General Naim Qassem said:
“The Israeli enemy, backed by what he described as American tyranny, bet on eliminating Hezbollah, its fighters, and the public that stands with it in dignity and honor. It left no method, crime, conspiracy, or path unused, yet it has failed since the start of the 2024 war until now.”
He continued: “The decisive bet for the enemy came on March 2, 2026, and we confronted it as Hezbollah. The Israeli enemy, its sponsors, the defeated, and the whole world were surprised by the resilience, bravery, and strength of the fighters, the diversity and effectiveness of their combat methods, the disciplined command and control of the battle, and the strong public support despite displacement and major sacrifices. The enemy has reached a dead end. This force remains strong and cannot be defeated.”
He added: “In this atmosphere of sacrifice, dignity, and the enemy’s defeat, the authorities rushed into a humiliating and unnecessary concession. Its only justification is submission without any return, not even the smallest gain. We categorically reject direct negotiations. Those in power should know that their approach will not benefit Lebanon or themselves. What the Israeli American enemy wants from them is not in their hands, and what they want from it will not be granted.”
Qassem stressed that “the entry point and solution lie in securing five points before anything else: stopping the aggression on land, at sea, and in the air; Israel’s withdrawal from occupied territories; the release of detainees; the return of residents to all their villages and towns; and reconstruction.” He added that “this authority cannot continue while it compromises Lebanon’s rights, concedes land, and confronts its own resistant people.”
He called on the authorities to “return to their people and unite them, so they become a government of the whole people rather than a partial authority, in line with the consensus on which the Taif Agreement built our current constitution.” He stressed that “they must reverse their serious mistakes that are pushing Lebanon into instability, stop direct negotiations with the Israeli enemy and adopt indirect ones, and revoke their March 2 decision that criminalizes the resistance and its supporters, meaning more than half of the Lebanese people, so that an internal dialogue can proceed with Lebanon’s interests placed above all else and without submission to Israeli and external dictates.”
