BEIRUT — The US intervention in the Middle East is “very bad” and has led to “genocide and massacres,” Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem said Tuesday.
According to a report by Hezbollah’s al-Manar TV channel, Qassem, speaking at a local book launch, said the Israeli government’s policies are “in the service of” Washington’s, and that Lebanon “cannot give Israel or America what they want.”
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“Israel has not achieved its goals and will not achieve its goals,” he said, reaffirming the group’s rejection of disarmament and insisting its weapons “are part of Lebanon’s strength.”
Accusing Israel of violating the US- and French-brokered ceasefire that took effect on Nov 27, 2024, Qassem said: “Implement the agreement; Lebanon has implemented it. All maneuvers and pressures are a waste of time.”
It would be unacceptable for anyone in Lebanon to “be under the command and administration of America,” he added.
Although the Hezbollah-Israel ceasefire has largely halted clashes triggered by the Gaza war, the Israeli army continues to conduct occasional strikes in Lebanon, citing operations against Hezbollah “threats,” while maintaining forces at five main positions along the Lebanese border.
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On Monday, Lebanon’s Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri said proposed negotiations between Lebanon and Israel had collapsed after Israel rejected an initiative put forward by US envoy Thomas Barrack aimed at reviving talks.
Meanwhile, Barrack warned Beirut that hesitation over Hezbollah’s disarmament could trigger unilateral Israeli action.
