Hezbollah leader: Israel's election won't change our fight against them
Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem said Wednesday that the outcome of Israel's Knesset election would have no bearing on the Iran-backed terrorist organization's activities against the Jewish state, pledging to continue its armed campaign regardless of who forms the next Israeli government.
In a written statement reported by
AFP
, Qassem dismissed the significance of Israel's political leadership and demanded an Israeli withdrawal from territory claimed by Lebanon.
“We do not concern ourselves with who governs Israel, but let it be perfectly clear that it cannot continue its occupation and must leave our land," Qassem said.
He also reiterated Hezbollah's refusal to relinquish its weapons, insisting that the organization would continue what it describes as resistance against Israel.
“The resistance will continue... and will stand up to the aggression directed against it and against Lebanon, and there is no room to discuss the disarmament" of Hezbollah “as long as the occupation persists and its aggression continues," he added.
Qassem's remarks come amid continued difficulties implementing
a framework agreement
signed by Israeli and Lebanese authorities in June.
The agreement provides for Hezbollah's disarmament, a phased withdrawal of Israeli forces from territory covered by the arrangement, and the deployment of Lebanese military forces to the area.
Hezbollah was not involved in the negotiations and has maintained its opposition to direct diplomatic engagement with Israel.
The terrorist organization
has also rejected
repeated calls to surrender its weapons and has continued violating the ceasefire, undermining efforts to put the agreement into effect.
Israel, meanwhile, has continued conducting strikes against Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon in response to the ceasefire violations.
Left out here: Drops what it reported before
The outlet reported days earlier that Lebanese President Joseph Aoun asked Washington to press Israel to stop striking towns and villages in the south, to comply with the framework agreement and to stop targeting farmers. Without this, a reader believes only Hezbollah is accused of undermining the agreement and that Israel's strikes hit only Hezbollah.
How we know
- Arutz Sheva / Israel National News wrote earlier“He urged Israel to comply with the framework agreement signed between the two countries and to refrain from targeting farmers in southern Lebanon”Rubio to Lebanon's President: Confiscated explosives must not be returned to Hezbollah (opens in a new tab)