Hezbollah continues to reject any talks about disarmament, insisting that the issue is off the table until Israel fully withdraws from southern Lebanon. Wafiq Safa, a senior Hezbollah official, reiterated this stance on Friday, dismissing any suggestion of giving up the group’s weapons.
“There will be no disarmament. In fact, the only people using that word are those trying to provoke debate on social media,” Safa said during a radio interview. His comments came ahead of a scheduled appearance by Hezbollah’s Secretary-General, Naim Qassem, who is expected to address the same issue in an interview on al-Manar TV later in the evening.
The ceasefire agreement that ended over a year of hostilities – including two months of open warfare – on November 27 includes a provision calling for the dismantling of Hezbollah’s military infrastructure, mainly between the Litani River and the Israeli border.
Safa said Hezbollah had communicated its position directly to President Joseph Aoun, who earlier this week declared that 2025 should see the “monopoly of arms” in the hands of the state. “Wouldn’t it make more sense for Israel to first withdraw, then release prisoners and stop its aggression, before we start discussing a national defense strategy?” Safa said, stressing the need for a broader conversation on how best to protect Lebanon.
He went on to claim that both Hezbollah and the Lebanese Army are adhering to the terms of the ceasefire. “The problem is that Israel has not done the same,” he added.
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