'Lebanon Has Gained Nothing': Qassem Condemns Direct Talks With Israel
In an Arbaeen address from Baalbek, the Hezbollah leader says the negotiations have produced only concessions — and urges the government to talk to Hezbollah instead
The Secretary General of Hezbollah has categorically rejected the Lebanese government’s direct negotiations with Israel, saying the talks have yielded nothing but shame and humiliation, alongside a series of substantial concessions.
Sheikh Naim Qassem made the remarks in a televised speech from Baalbek on Tuesday, delivered on the occasion of Arbaeen, the fortieth day after the martyrdom anniversary of Imam Husayn (AS).
“What has Lebanon reaped out of all these rounds of negotiations?” he asked. “While Lebanon has gained nothing, Israel has achieved everything it desired.”
‘Stop offering concessions’
Lebanese authorities, he argued, had sought to appease Israel in the face-to-face talks rather than stand firmly for their nation’s fundamental rights. “Lebanese authorities will not achieve anything for Lebanon, as they have failed to pursue the United States’ objectives,” he said. “I call on the authorities to stop offering significant concessions, engage in dialogue with Hezbollah, restore domestic stability, and reaffirm commitment to national sovereignty.”
He pointed to Israel’s recent use of around 700 tonnes of explosives against alleged Hezbollah tunnels near Beaufort Castle in southern Lebanon as ample grounds to speak out and demand an end to the attacks. Lebanese officials, he said, hold meetings with their Israeli counterparts “at the same time as overlooking these painful outcomes, and turning a blind eye to bombardments, humiliation and disgrace.”
‘The resistance did not disintegrate’
Turning to the September 2024 offensive, Qassem said its central aim had been to destroy Hezbollah outright through the assassination of its senior figures and commanders, among them Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah. Israel, he said, also carried out cyberattacks and detonated handheld pagers across Lebanon in an effort to degrade the movement’s military capabilities.
“This is while the resistance group did not disintegrate,” he said, “and instead upset the balance of power through reliance on faith and combat preparedness.”
He credited the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, signed by Washington and Tehran on 17 June, as the decisive factor in halting Israeli attacks on Lebanon, noting that its first clause makes an end to those offensives essential to lasting regional stability.
Unity at home, and Iran’s position
Sheikh Qassem stressed the importance of national unity, praising Hezbollah’s relationship with the Amal Movement. “Unity among political parties, factions, and communities serves as an effective and formidable barrier against the Israeli aggression,” he said.
He argued that Washington and Tel Aviv are seeking to extinguish the spirit of resistance, dominate West Asia, and entrench Israel as an instrument of American hegemony — and closed by saying that Iran, under the guidance of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei, would secure major victories. “Iran has prevailed and stood firm, whilst the US has failed,” he said. “Iran was able to resist aggression, and proved it is a strong state.”
Reference: PressTv