Beirut, Lebanon – Hezbollah’s chief on Monday doubled down on his refusal to give up the group’s weapons ahead of talks between Lebanese officials and visiting US envoys after Lebanon’s government opted to disarm the Iran-backed militants.
Under heavy US pressure and fears of Israel expanding its military action, Lebanon’s government this month tasked the army with drawing up a plan to disarm Hezbollah by the end of the year.
Hezbollah was the only faction that kept its weapons after Lebanon’s 1975-1990 civil war, doing so in the name of “resistance” against Israel, and has repeatedly rejected the decision.
The move came after the balance of power in Lebanon shifted following more than a year of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah that left the group badly weakened.
Qassem urged the Lebanese government to reverse the decision, saying “it was made under US-Israeli dictates”, and accused Washington of wanting to “wreck Lebanon”.
US envoys Thomas Barrack and Morgan Ortagus are to meet Lebanese officials on Tuesday.
Lebanon has been waiting for Israel’s response to a US proposal that includes details on a timetable and mechanism for dismantling Hezbollah, as well as Israel’s withdrawal from areas it occupied during the recent conflict.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday Israel was ready to back Lebanon’s efforts to disarm Hezbollah and offered “a phased” pullout of its troops if Beirut followed through with its plans.
Qassem rejected comments by Barrack earlier this month when the US envoy spoke of a “step-by-step approach” to commitments under the November truce.
“There is no step for step,” the Hezbollah chief said. “Let them implement the (ceasefire) agreement… then after that we will discuss the defence strategy,” he added.
Hezbollah insists Israel must withdraw, stop its ongoing attacks on Lebanon, release Lebanese prisoners it captured during the hostilities and allow reconstruction to begin before the group can discuss the fate of its weapons.
