Hezbollah: The Resistance’s Weapons Are a Legitimate Right and Non-Negotiable
In a speech that balanced political rhetoric with legal grounding, Mahmoud Qomati, Deputy Head of Hezbollah’s Political Council, affirmed this evening at the Arab-European Resistance Forum in Beirut that the Lebanese Resistance rejects any demand to surrender its weapons, as Lebanon remains under threat from the Israeli enemy and its Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu — a war criminal wanted by the International Criminal Court. Qomati stressed that the legitimacy of the Resistance’s arms is derived from international law and from peoples’ right to self-defense.
Legitimacy of the Arms: A Legal and Human Right
Qomati explained that the legitimacy of the Resistance’s weapons stems from international law and human rights, emphasizing that defending one’s people and land grants those weapons both legal and moral status in the face of an existential threat. He warned that any call to disarm Lebanon would expose its security and sovereignty to grave dangers, particularly when facing “a war-criminal prime minister,” referring to Netanyahu — a sign that Lebanon remains targeted by ongoing aggressive schemes.
Strategic and Political Readings: Rejecting Normalization, Upholding Resistance
He added that the Resistance’s policy has thwarted projects of normalization and partial settlements, reaffirming Lebanon’s position that “there can be no peace with occupation and no normalization at the expense of rights.”
Qomati noted that the Resistance remains open to cooperation with the state, the Arab world, and all honorable forces, but without compromising its deterrent capabilities needed to protect the people and borders.
Regional Threats and Fragmentation Efforts: Who Stands Behind the Disarmament Agenda?
According to Qomati, hostile powers are working to fragment the region and destroy its sources of strength. He pointed to ongoing attempts to undermine resistant states and movements in Lebanon, Syria, and Palestine — preparing the ground for territorial domination or invasion by isolating national forces. He affirmed that such schemes cannot succeed so long as resistance options and tools remain active and available.
Dual Message: Steadfastness and Readiness
Qomati directed a twofold message: Domestically, he reassured the Lebanese public that the Resistance remains committed to defending the nation. Externally, he warned that any effort to disarm Lebanon or impose unilateral solutions will be met with stronger adherence to legitimacy and sovereignty. He asserted that the Resistance will continue confronting the American project of domination and its regional allies, reaffirming its unwavering resistance principles.
The Resistance’s Weapons: A Pillar of Sovereignty, Not a Bargaining Chip
He concluded by declaring that the Resistance’s arms are neither partisan nor sectarian property, but a cornerstone of national sovereignty in the face of ongoing aggression and threats. Any discussion about them, he said, must begin with the premise of protecting the people and the state above all else.
Thus, Hezbollah reaffirmed its firm stance: there will be no surrender of the weapons that the Lebanese people view as their first line of defense amid a volatile regional landscape and renewed Israeli hostilities.