Lebanon’s direct talks with Israel have yielded nothing but shame, humiliation: Hezbollah leader

The secretary general of the Hezbollah resistance movement has categorically rejected the Lebanese government’s direct negotiations with Israel, emphasizing that the talks have yielded nothing but shame, humiliation, as well as bitter disappointment for Lebanon marked by a series of substantial concessions.

Sheikh Naim Qassem made the remarks in a televised speech broadcast on the occasion of Arba’een, the 40th day after the martyrdom anniversary of Imam Hussein (AS), the third Shia Imam, from the city of Baalbek, southern Lebanon, on Tuesday.

“What has Lebanon reaped out of all these rounds of negotiations? While Lebanon has gained nothing, Israel has achieved everything it desired,” he said.

The Hezbollah chief asserted that Lebanese authorities attempted to appease Israel during the face-to-face talks rather than to firmly stand for the legitimate and fundamental rights of their nation.

“Lebanese authorities will not achieve anything for Lebanon, as they have failed to pursue the United States’ objectives. I call on the authorities to stop offering significant concessions, engage in dialogue with Hezbollah, restore domestic stability, and reaffirm commitment to national sovereignty,” Sheikh Qassem stated.

He emphasized that the fact that the Israeli army used around 700 tons of explosives to target alleged Hezbollah tunnels near Beaufort Castle in southern Lebanon provides a compelling justification to speak out against the US and demand an end to the ongoing Israeli aggression.
 
“Lebanese officials engage in discussions and hold meetings [with Israeli counterparts] at the same time as overlooking these painful outcomes, and turning a blind eye to bombardments, humiliation and disgrace,” Sheikh Qassem said.

He went on to say that the primary objective of the September 2024 offensive on Lebanon was to entirely obliterate the Hezbollah resistance movement through assassinations of its high-profile officials and commanders, including Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah.

“The Zionist enemy carried out cyberattacks and detonated handheld pagers across Lebanon as part of attempts to undermine Hezbollah's military capabilities. This is while the resistance group did not disintegrate, and instead upset the balance of power through reliance on faith and combat preparedness,” Sheikh Qassem said.

The Hezbollah chief emphasized that the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which Washington and Tehran signed on June 17, was the main factor in the cessation of Israeli attacks on Lebanon.

The first clause of the MoU stresses that halting Israeli offensives in Lebanon remains essential for achieving lasting regional stability, he said.

Sheikh Qassem also underscored the need to maintain national unity in Lebanon, hailing Hezbollah’s strong relationship with the Amal Movement.

“Unity among political parties, factions, and communities serves as an effective and formidable barrier against the Israeli aggression,” he stated.

Elsewhere in his remarks, the Hezbollah leader stated that Washington and the Tel Aviv regime are aggressively seeking to extinguish the spirit of resistance, assert complete dominance over West Asia, and entrench Israel as a proxy advancing US hegemony.
 
He stated that Iran, under the guidelines of Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Mojtaba Khamenei, will pull off major victories.
 
“Iran has prevailed and stood firm, whilst the US has failed. Iran was able to resist aggression, and proved it is a strong state,” Sheikh Qassem concluded.

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.ir