Shafaq News/ The Secretary-General of Iraqi Kataib Hezbollah, Abu Hussein al-Hamidawi, confirmed on Wednesday that the party is “skeptical” of the negotiations mediated by US envoy Amos Hochstein for a ceasefire in Lebanon.
Al-Hamidawi’s remarks follow Hochstein’s recent visit to Lebanon, where he called discussions with Lebanon’s parliamentary speaker, Nabih Berri, "very constructive" and expressed optimism about ending the war with Israel.
In an interview with his party's media office, al-Hamidawi said the United States has brought only “destruction, deceit, and deception," stressing that the Lebanese Hezbollah holds the final say in the negotiations and can define its immediate and future interests.
Regarding the impact of negotiations on the "Unity of Fronts" strategy, al-Hamidawi pointed out that “Hezbollah will not neglect Arab issues, especially Gaza…The Lebanese Resistance will remain committed to the oppressed peoples.”
The pro-Iranian Axis of Resistance, which includes Iraqi Hezbollah, advocates for the "Unity of Fronts" strategy. This approach focuses on coordinating and consolidating efforts among allied groups across Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, and Palestine to counter common adversaries, primarily Israel and the United States. According to Al-Hamidawi, this strategy is “a core principle” established by IRGC Commander Gen. Qassem Soleimani, and his group “will remain faithful to these values."
Commenting on potential changes after the indirect Lebanese-Israeli negotiations, the Secretary-General confirmed that “Kataib Hezbollah is engaged in ongoing discussions internally and with the Iraqi Resistance Coordination Committee, as well as maintaining communication with Lebanon's Hezbollah, Yemen's Ansarallah, and Palestinian Resistance leaders to form a unified stance aligned with future developments.”
Notably, since October 7, 2023, the Iraqi Islamic Resistance (IRI), an umbrella organization encompassing all Iran-backed Iraqi armed groups including Kataib Hezbollah, Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba, and Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada, has ramped up its support for the Palestinian resistance in Gaza, intensifying military actions against Israel, with strikes escalating as Israel’s offensive against Lebanon unfolded.
Recently, Israel warned Iraq about the repeated Resistance attacks. Tel Aviv also claimed that Iraq allowed Iran to use its airspace to target Israel, a charge the Iraqi government has firmly rejected.
On Monday, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar held the Iraqi government accountable for "everything happening on its territory," emphasizing Tel Aviv's right to "self-defense."
In response, Prime Minister Al-Sudani dismissed Israel's statement as a "pretext for aggression against Iraq," asserting that the decision of war and peace is solely within the jurisdiction of the Iraqi state, and no foreign entity is permitted to usurp that right.