AiBotBeirut, Lebanon – In a stern warning, Hezbollah Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem condemned on Tuesday a proposal to link Israeli troop withdrawal from South Lebanon to the disarmament of all anti-Israeli resistance groups in the country.
According to sources close to the matter, the proposal, floated in recent days by some Lebanese officials, suggests that Israel would withdraw its troops from the disputed Shebaa Farms and Ghajar regions, if Lebanon agrees to disarm Hezbollah and other militant groups operating in the country.
Sheikh Qassem, speaking during a televised statement at the headquarters of Hezbollah in Beirut, described the plan as “a very dangerous proposal that crosses all red lines” and “turns Lebanon into a pawn in the hands of the enemy.”
The Hezbollah leader accused those behind the proposal of seeking to undermine Lebanon’s sovereignty and independence, while also targeting the resistance groups fighting Israeli occupation in the south of the country.
“This proposal is a desperate attempt to impose the will of the enemy on Lebanon, through the use of carrots and sticks,” Sheikh Qassem said. “But we assure those who proposed this plan that it will never succeed, as it is based on a gross misunderstanding of the nature of the resistance in Lebanon.”
Sheikh Qassem’s comments came as part of the ongoing debate on the proposed “disarmament” of Hezbollah and other resistance groups in Lebanon. While some officials have called for the disarmament of all groups, Hezbollah and its allies in the government argue that the resistance is a legitimate and necessary tool in the fight against Israeli occupation.
In his statement, Sheikh Qassem reiterated that Hezbollah would never agree to disarm, as this would undermine Lebanon’s ability to defend itself against Israeli aggression.
“This proposal is a thinly veiled attempt to disarm the Lebanese resistance, and render Lebanon defenseless against the Israeli threat,” the Hezbollah secretary-general said. “We will never allow this to happen, as it would amount to a betrayal of our people and our resistance.”
The latest developments come as Lebanon prepares to celebrate 15 years of withdrawal of Israeli troops from South Lebanon in May 2000. Hezbollah and other resistance groups have been demanding a complete withdrawal from the Shebaa Farms and Ghajar regions, which are still occupied by Israeli forces.
The occupation of these regions remains a point of contention between Lebanon and Israel, with Hezbollah and its allies in the government calling for a complete Israeli withdrawal as a condition for lasting peace.