Naim Qassem: Disarming Hezbollah is an Israeli demand, be patient with the exclusivity of weapons

Hezbollah's Secretary-General, Sheikh Naim Qassem, declared that the group had fully met its obligations under the current ceasefire agreement, stating, "The Lebanese Army had been deployed wherever possible in South Lebanon, reinforcing the group's commitment to national defense."

In a speech rejecting calls for Hezbollah to disarm, Qassem said the United States was now proposing a new ceasefire framework after realizing the original terms favored Lebanon and the resistance. 

"Disarming Hezbollah is an Israeli demand," he said, adding that the resistance remains primarily focused on "liberation and the protection of Lebanon from occupation."

He accused the U.S. envoy Tom Barrack of inciting the Lebanese military to forcibly strip Hezbollah of its weapons, a move Qassem claimed would risk igniting civil war.

"We, in Hezbollah and Amal, feel there is an existential threat facing the resistance, its environment, and Lebanon as a whole," he said, identifying multiple dangers: Israel from the south, ISIS-linked elements near the eastern border, and what he described as American hegemony over Lebanon's internal affairs.

Qassem warned that Hezbollah would not surrender its arms and remains ready for confrontation. "Israel will not take our weapons. We will not give up our strength," he said.

He called for unity in the face of external threats, urging Lebanese factions to accept the current status of Hezbollah's arms in exchange for national stability. 

He concluded, "Be patient with the exclusivity of weapons," he said. "Let us speak with one voice and focus on our priorities."