Shafaq News- Beirut
Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem on Saturday criticized the recently signed Lebanon–Israel framework agreement, describing its terms as “free concessions” aligned with US and Israeli demands rather than balanced negotiations.
In a statement, Qassem argued that the talks are taking place amid deep political divisions in Lebanon and run contrary to the country’s constitution, which designates Israel as an enemy and criminalizes any form of engagement with it.
Accusing the Lebanese authorities of sidelining the group, he condemned the March 2 government decision that outlawed Hezbollah, calling it a turning point that served Israeli objectives.
On the US–Iran Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), Qassem maintained that the arrangement prioritized ending the Israeli war on Lebanon, stressing that Tehran has repeatedly suspended the framework after Israel refused to comply.
“The MoU included guarantees over Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” he stated, warning that the Lebanese–Israeli framework could entrench Israel’s presence in the south for an extended period, while potentially paving the way for annexation and preventing displaced residents from returning to their villages.
He further rejected any link between Israeli withdrawal and the disarmament of Hezbollah nationwide, calling such a linkage “highly dangerous,” and cautioned that it could expose Lebanon to sustained external pressure tied to implementation conditions.
On Friday, Lebanon and Israel signed a US-mediated framework agreement in Washington following a fifth round of negotiations, outlining a phased Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon conditioned on Hezbollah’s disarmament. The process begins with two pilot zones —one south of the Litani River and another to its north— to be transferred to the Lebanese army after armed groups are disarmed and their infrastructure dismantled, while Israeli forces remain in place during implementation.
The framework runs alongside a separate US–Iran memorandum of understanding signed on June 17, committing both sides to end hostilities on all fronts, including Lebanon, and respect Lebanese sovereignty. While Tehran has described a ceasefire in Lebanon as one of its red lines, Beirut has maintained that the two tracks remain separate and that Lebanon alone negotiates with Israel. Hezbollah, which was not involved in the negotiations, has categorically rejected the framework, arguing that its obligations under the November 2024 ceasefire are limited to areas south of the Litani River.