Hezbollah’s Secretary-General Naim Qassem reaffirmed his militia’s categorical refusal to hand over its weapons to the Lebanese state and criticized the appointment of a civilian—former ambassador Simon Karam—to the ceasefire supervision mechanism. He described the decision as “illegal,” “baseless,” and “another mistake,” reflecting the attitude of an armed group that places itself above state institutions and challenges the role of civilian diplomacy in national security.
Speaking at a festival honoring “martyred scholars” on Friday, Qassem stressed respect for Lebanese sovereignty while reiterating that “the limits in any agreement with the enemy apply exclusively to the area south of the Litani.” He accused Israel of seeking to weaken Lebanon and Hezbollah, vowing to “defend ourselves and make sacrifices until the end.”
Despite his statements, Hezbollah’s refusal to accept a civilian representative on the supervision committee highlights the militia’s continued determination to control military affairs and retain absolute decision-making power, at the expense of the state and any institutional framework. Qassem said political disagreements must be resolved “according to the Constitution and the laws,” yet continues to keep Hezbollah outside any form of civilian oversight, while denouncing Israel and the United States for their actions.
He described Israel as an “expansionist enemy” and accused its allies of seeking to “eliminate” the militia by cutting its resources and obstructing reconstruction efforts. He stressed that Hezbollah will continue its struggle and protect Lebanon “at any cost”, adding that “the Lebanese state has decided to control weapons, and no foreign party has the right to interfere in how we organize ourselves internally and cooperate with the state.”
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