— 🇱🇧/🇱🇧 NEW: The Lebanese government has begun its deliberations on a possible framework for the disarmament of Hezbollah

Hezbollah strongly condemned this, stating that it will never give up its weapons, and that its weapons are only directed at Israel and never at the Lebanese state, but vows that it will do 'everything needed' to keep its arms.

@Middle_East_Spectator

— 🇱🇧/🇱🇧 A few important points:

1. It is not guaranteed that the Lebanese government will reach a consensus regarding Hezbollah's disarmament. There are still many opponents to this, including obviously Hezbollah and Amal, which make up a significant portion of the government. If a decision is reached to disarm, then Hezbollah and Amal will quit the government.

2. If the decision is reached that Hezbollah should be fully disarmed, this will be extremely difficult (almost impossible) to implement, because the party will never voluntarily give up its weapons, and this has been clearly stated.

3. If the Lebanese state insists on disarming Hezbollah, and it wants to do so forcefully, then they are officially allying with Israel and every Lebanese soldier unfortunately becomes complicit — and no action will remain off-limits.

4. The Lebanese Army is not capable of confronting Hezbollah on the field. The only way they can forcefully disarm Hezbollah is by openly inviting Israeli or American intervention. In that case, a civil war is a real possibility. Hezbollah will not be the one to blame, Joseph Aoun and Nawaf Salam forced their hand, and the party will do what it must.

5. Hezbollah has never directed its weapons at any Lebanese unless directly provoked or existentially threatened. Hezbollah's weapons have only been a threat to Israel, and in fact, these same weapons guaranteed southern Lebanon's independence and liberated the Lebanese from the occupier. It was Hezbollah's weapons that protected Lebanon's dignity and protected the Lebanese when the government was silent.

@Middle_East_Spectator

—❗️🇱🇧 Secretary General of Hezbollah, Sheikh Naim Qassem: 'We will not accept any new agreement, they must implement the existing one — which Israel has violated thousands of times'

@Middle_East_Spectator

—❗️🇱🇧/🇮🇱 Secretary General of Hezbollah, Sheikh Naim Qassem: 'I promise the Zionist entity, it is not in their interest to launch a renewed aggression against Lebanon. Our missiles will once again rain down in Israel, and the security they've built up for the past 8 months will collapse in one hour'

@Middle_East_Spectator

—❗️🇱🇧/🇮🇱 Secretary General of Hezbollah, Sheikh Naim Qassem: 'Even if Hezbollah surrenders its weapons, which it will not, Lebanon will never be left alone. Israel's aggression won't stop, and Lebanon's stability is not tied to what we concede.'

@Middle_East_Spectator

—❗️🇱🇧/🇱🇧/🇮🇱 Secretary General of Hezbollah, Sheikh Naim Qassem:

'The cabinet statement speaks about strengthening Lebanon's sovereignty. Does giving up weapons at the request of Israel, America, and some puny Arab states constitute strengthening sovereignty?

The cabinet statement talks about deterring aggressors, but where is the state that is supposed to protect Lebanon from harm?

Where is the defense of our borders and frontiers? And if you say it is beyond your capacity, then it is simple: Let us maintain, strengthen, and build our capabilities.'

@Middle_East_Spectator

—❗️🇱🇧/🇱🇧 Secretary General of Hezbollah, Sheikh Naim Qassem:

'The Prime Minister boasts about the government's commitment to taking 'all measures' to liberate our territories from Israeli' occupation. But where are these so-called measures?

The state must provide protection, not strip its people and resistance of their strength. The state should benefit from the resistance, instead of disarming it for the sake of Israel, America, and the Arab states.'

@Middle_East_Spectator

—❗️🇱🇧/🇱🇧 Secretary General of Hezbollah, Sheikh Naim Qassem:

I say to the President and the Prime Minister, whom we are always willing to work with for the benefit of Lebanon: Let's discuss a national security strategy, not a strategy for a timetable for disarmament.

Let it be known that no solution can be reached without national consensus, and the resistance is an inseparable part of Lebanon's fabric.'

@Middle_East_Spectator

—❗️🇱🇧/🇱🇧 Secretary General of Hezbollah, Sheikh Naim Qassem:

'No one can deprive Lebanon of its strength, and no one can prevent Lebanon from being dignified.

Those who made sacrifices and liberated the land are far more patriotic than those who toyed with the nation and killed its citizens.

We managed to stop the Israeli aggression; otherwise, the IDF would have reached Beirut. The resistance, army, and people prevented the enemy from advancing.'

@Middle_East_Spectator

—❗️🇱🇧 Secretary General of Hezbollah, Sheikh Naim Qassem: 'The resistance is in good shape, strong, dignified, and with faith and determination, to be sovereign in its country, to make Lebanon a sovereign, dignified, independent state, with its supporters steadfast and united. And our fighters remain ready for the ultimate sacrifices.'

@Middle_East_Spectator

—❗️🇱🇧/🇱🇧 Secretary General of Hezbollah, Sheikh Naim Qassem: 'Lebanon becomes strong and stable when all of its people work together, not when one side is deprived at the expense of another.'

@Middle_East_Spectator

—❗️🇱🇧/🇱🇧 NEW: The Lebanese government has not yet reached a decision on disarming Hezbollah, and has postponed further discussions until Thursday, August 14

@Middle_East_Spectator