Sheikh Naim Qassem: The Resistance’s Weapons Are a Red Line… No Direct Negotiations with the Enemy

Hezbollah Secretary General Sheikh Naim Qassem affirmed that this authority cannot continue while it squanders Lebanon’s rights, relinquishes land, and confronts its own resistant people.

In a statement, Sheikh Qassem called on this authority to return to its people and unite them, so that it is not an authority of a faction but rather an authority of the people, based on the consensus upon which the Taif Agreement, our current constitution, was founded.

He emphasized that “it is its responsibility to retract its grave mistakes that are plunging Lebanon into a spiral of instability. It is its responsibility to halt direct negotiations with the Israeli enemy and adopt indirect ones, and to rescind its March 2nd decision that criminalizes the resistance and its supporters—more than half of the Lebanese people—in order to pursue an internal dialogue that prioritizes Lebanon’s interests above all else, without succumbing to Israeli or foreign dictates.”

He emphasized that the starting point and the solution lie in achieving five points before anything else: “Stopping the aggression by land, sea, and air; Israel’s withdrawal from the occupied territories; the release of prisoners; the return of residents to all their villages and towns; and reconstruction.”

He said, “The approach to the solution begins with the understanding that the problem is the aggression, and that the resistance is a reaction to the aggression, not its cause. The resistance’s weapons are for repelling the aggression; they are defensive weapons for our very existence at this stage due to the Israeli occupation and the exposure of the aggression’s objectives as occupying Lebanon as part of Greater Israel.”

The Secretary-General of Hezbollah affirmed, “We will not relinquish our weapons and our defense. The battlefield has proven the resistance’s readiness for the Karbala-like epic. The sacrifices are great, but they are the price of liberation and a dignified life. Our great Lebanese people, along with their honorable resistance, bear this burden as one of two choices: liberation and dignity, or occupation and humiliation. And humiliation is far from us.”

He continued, “As for the advocates of surrender, their case is truly astonishing! They are not the targets, they are paying from the resources of others, and they accept crumbs of power and gains at the expense of the annihilation of their brothers and families in the homeland and the occupation of a part of Lebanon. Return to national unity, and everyone will win while the enemies will lose.”

In his statement, Sheikh Qassem explained that the Israeli enemy, with the support of the American tyrant, wagered on eliminating Hezbollah, its Islamic resistance, and the public united with the resistance, dignity, and honor. They left no means, crime, conspiracy, or path untried, yet they have failed since the beginning of the “Uli al-Ba’s” battle on September 23, 2014, until now.

He pointed out that “the enemy’s pivotal gamble was on March 2, 2026, and we confronted them with the ‘Eaten Straw’ battle. The Israeli enemy, its backers, the defeated, and indeed the entire world were surprised by the steadfastness, bravery, and strength of the resistance fighters, the diversity and effectiveness of their fighting methods, the masterful command and control of the battle, and the remarkable popular support for the resistance, despite the displacement and immense sacrifices. He said, “The enemy has reached a dead end. This resistance is ongoing, strong, and invincible.”

He continued, “In this atmosphere of sacrifice, dignity, and the enemy’s defeat, the authorities rushed into a gratuitous and humiliating concession, one that was entirely unnecessary. Its sole justification was submission without any concessions, not even the slightest.”

Sheikh Qassem emphasized, “We categorically reject direct negotiations. Let those in power know that their actions will benefit neither Lebanon nor themselves. What the Israeli-American enemy wants from them is beyond their control, and what they want from them will not be granted to them.”

In his statement, the Secretary-General of the party stressed God knows that the ceasefire would not have been possible without the Islamic Republic of Iran’s intervention in the Pakistani talks, following the legendary steadfastness of the resistance and the Lebanese people. Thank you, Iran.

He asked, “Why is the government so upset? If a ceasefire had come from any mediator, we would have accepted it. No one but Lebanon can negotiate Lebanon’s terms for a solution. Then came the bloody, dark Wednesday of Israeli aggression against Beirut and all of Lebanon, with 200 airstrikes in ten minutes, resulting in over 300 civilian martyrs and more than 1,200 wounded. The Israeli enemy justifies this by claiming the Lebanese government is not concerned with the ceasefire! The government stood its ground, and Tuesday became a day of shame and disgrace in Washington, in a direct meeting with the enemy. The US State Department subsequently issued an agreement, claiming that the Lebanese government had signed it without even convening, stipulating a ceasefire on Lebanon’s part while giving Israel free rein to continue its aggression. The agreement also included ‘the Lebanese and Israeli governments’ acknowledgment of the need to curb the activities of Hezbollah and other rogue groups.’ We haven’t heard a word from the government officials! Has the government decided to work hand in hand with the Israeli enemy against its own people?” He said, “We still hope that the authorities will retract their mistakes.”

He continued, “Let it be known clearly: these direct negotiations and their outcomes are as if they don’t exist for us, and they are of no concern to us whatsoever. We will continue our defensive resistance in defense of Lebanon and its people. We will not return to the pre-March 2nd status quo. We will respond to Israeli aggression and confront it.”

Sheikh Naim Qassem affirmed, “No matter how much the enemy threatens, we will not back down, we will not bow down, and we will not be defeated. Threaten as you wish, for the men of God in the field do not bow their heads, and they subdue the tyrants of the earth, the lowliest of humanity, and the beasts of creation. We will stand united with all honorable people, with the Amal Movement, the national political forces, and figures from all regions and sects. We will not betray the blood of the martyrs, a trust upon our shoulders, foremost among them the master of the martyrs of the nation, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, Sayyed al-Hashemi, and all the martyrs, nor the wounds of the injured, the suffering of the prisoners, the sacrifices of our displaced people, and all their efforts and contributions.”

He affirmed, “Do not ask about our capabilities, for they are not measured in months or years. They are built upon a triad: faith, will, and ability, and this triad is inexhaustible. Look at the steadfastness of the mujahideen, the greatness of our people, and God’s promise to the believers: ‘Indeed, We will support Our messengers and those who believe during this worldly life and on the Day when the witnesses will stand forth’ (Ghafir 51). Then you will understand the extent of our capabilities; they are limitless.”