Beirut, August 2026 : Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem has once again rejected a US-backed framework agreement between Israel and Lebanon, insisting that the Iran-aligned militant group will not accept any arrangement that requires it to surrender its weapons or agree to disarmament.
In a televised address broadcast by Hezbollah’s Al-Manar television on Friday, Qassem strongly criticised the framework and called for its collapse.
“We are against the framework agreement and call for its downfall,” he said, maintaining that the proposed arrangement was unacceptable to Hezbollah.
Israel and Lebanon began direct, US-sponsored talks after Hezbollah became involved in the conflict with Iran following its attack on Israel on March 2. Israel subsequently launched extensive airstrikes and a ground offensive in Lebanon. Lebanese authorities have said the fighting has killed more than 4,300 people.
The latest diplomatic framework was reached during negotiations in late June. Under the agreement, Hezbollah would be required to disarm, while Israeli forces would gradually withdraw from southern Lebanon. The Lebanese army would then expand its deployment in the region, initially establishing designated “pilot zones” as part of the implementation process.
Qassem, however, rejected the framework as illegitimate and argued that it undermined Lebanon’s sovereignty.
“The framework agreement is illegitimate, unlawful, humiliating, destructive to Lebanese sovereignty,” he said.
He also rejected the proposed “pilot zones”, saying Hezbollah would not accept them or any measures that emerged from the arrangement.
Although the intensity of fighting has declined since the framework was agreed in June, tensions along the Israel-Lebanon border remain high. Lebanese authorities continue to report Israeli airstrikes, artillery fire and the destruction of civilian structures in towns and villages across southern Lebanon.
Israeli forces are also continuing to operate within a self-declared security zone along the border, extending roughly six miles into Lebanese territory. The continued presence of Israeli troops has remained a major point of contention in discussions surrounding the implementation of any ceasefire or long-term security arrangement.
Qassem said Hezbollah remained committed to the implementation of a ceasefire agreement reached in November 2024, which was intended to end the previous conflict between the group and Israel. However, he accused Israel and its allies of attempting to introduce additional conditions through the latest framework.
The Hezbollah leader's rejection represents another obstacle to efforts aimed at establishing a durable security arrangement along the Israel-Lebanon border. The proposed framework seeks to address several longstanding issues, including Hezbollah's armed presence in southern Lebanon, the deployment of the Lebanese military and the withdrawal of Israeli forces.
Qassem's comments also underline Hezbollah's continued opposition to any settlement that would require it to relinquish its military capabilities. The group has historically maintained that its weapons are necessary to confront Israel and protect Lebanon, while Israel has repeatedly demanded that Hezbollah be disarmed and prevented from maintaining military infrastructure near the border.
“We will keep our heads high and we will not surrender,” Qassem said, reaffirming Hezbollah's position against the latest framework agreement.
(Disclaimer :The content of this article is sourced from a news agency and has not been edited by the Mavericknews30 team.)
