Hezbollah's Naim Qassem vows response in Tel Aviv, says ceasefire hinges on “Netanyahu's seriousness”
Shafaq News/ Lebanese Hezbollah's Secretary-General, Naim Qassem, said Wednesday that a ceasefire depends on Israel’s response and Benjamin Netanyahu’s “seriousness.”
Qassem’s remarks follow US Envoy Amos 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. Hochstein is set to visit Tel Aviv to receive Israel’s response regarding a ceasefire.
The proposed ceasefire agreement affirms commitment to UN Resolution 1701, ensures self-defense rights, regulates military activity, calls for Israel's troop withdrawal to be replaced by the Lebanese Army in the south, and requires Lebanon to disarm “unofficial armed groups” in the south within 60 days of signing.
Qassem revealed that Hezbollah had received the US proposal and submitted its feedback. “Israel expects to achieve its goals through an agreement, not on the battlefield, which is impossible...The matter now depends on Israel’s response and Netanyahu’s seriousness,” he remarked.
He stressed that Hezbollah’s focus remains on securing a complete cessation of aggression and safeguarding Lebanese sovereignty. “We remain on the battlefield whether negotiations succeed or not, with one decision: to persevere, no matter how long it takes,” he said.
“We face two choices: fight or surrender…We will raise the cost for the enemy,” Qassem pointed out. “Israel cannot defeat us or impose its terms.”
Addressing past talks, Qassem noted that Hezbollah had previously agreed to the Biden-Macron proposal as a basis to end the war. However, “Israel assassinated Secretary-General Sayyid Hassan Nasrallah.”
Qassem pledged that after halting Israel’s aggression, Hezbollah would collaborate with the Lebanese State and allied nations to rebuild Lebanon, making it “more beautiful and better than before.”
On the recent Israeli assassination of Hezbollah media official Mohammed Afif in the Lebanese capital, Qassem vowed retaliation would be in the heart of Tel Aviv,” stating, “…When the capital is under Israeli attacks, the response must be in Tel Aviv.”
Regarding the party’s tactics, Qassem affirmed Hezbollah doesn't operate like regular armies. “Its mission is not to prevent Israel's advance, but to resist wherever it advances," he clarified. "In the end, the land is ours, the youth are ours, and the enemy will pay the price in the places it is drawn into," emphasizing that the party can sustain this pace for a long time.
Qassem affirmed Hezbollah’s unwavering commitment to supporting Gaza, where Israeli actions have killed over 43,000 people, mostly women and children.
