BEIRUT: Hezbollah’s Deputy Secretary-General, Sheikh Naim Qassem, has firmly declared that the group will never accept normalisation with Israel, even as temporary ceasefire efforts unfold across the region.
In a speech delivered amid rising tensions along the Lebanon-Israel border, Qassem reiterated Hezbollah’s long-standing position against recognising or legitimising the Israeli occupation.
“We are confronting the Israeli enemy in defence of our country and will continue even if the entire world unites to dissuade us,” he said.
Qassem’s statement comes as international powers, including the United States and France, intensify diplomatic pressure on Lebanon to rein in Hezbollah and prevent further escalation. However, the group insists it will not compromise on its principles — especially not on issues of sovereignty and national dignity.
‘Prepared for Peace, But Ready for War’
While Qassem stressed that Hezbollah is open to peace and to building a stronger Lebanon, he made it clear that any peace must come on Lebanon’s terms, not under pressure from foreign agendas or in exchange for recognition of Israeli occupation.
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“We are ready for peace and for building Lebanon, but we are also prepared to confront and defend our country,” he asserted.
Hezbollah’s resistance rhetoric has grown more intense in recent months, especially as Israeli airstrikes have occasionally targeted southern Lebanon and Hezbollah has responded with its own operations.
The group says its military actions are defensive, aimed at deterring Israeli aggression and asserting Lebanese sovereignty — particularly in the context of the long-standing Israeli occupation of Shebaa Farms and Kfar Shuba hills.
Hezbollah Opposes Ceasefire ‘Legitimising Occupation’
Qassem also addressed the ongoing efforts for a ceasefire in Gaza and potential spillovers into Lebanon. While not opposing a ceasefire in principle, he warned against any deal that could be interpreted as a political win for Israel or a step toward normalisation.
“Once the first phase of the ceasefire agreement is achieved, we will discuss Lebanon’s defence strategy,” Qassem stated.
“But we will not be part of legitimising the occupation in Lebanon, and we will not accept normalisation.”
His remarks reflect Hezbollah’s deep mistrust of Western-brokered deals and its firm rejection of the Abraham Accords, through which several Arab countries, including the UAE and Bahrain, have normalised ties with Israel.
For Hezbollah, resistance is not merely about armed struggle — it’s a strategic, ideological stance that shapes the group’s view of Lebanon’s future, Israel’s role in the region, and the rights of Palestinians.
As regional powers continue to push for a broader peace and stability framework in the Middle East, Hezbollah’s position underscores the deep divisions that still remain — especially when it comes to Israel’s legitimacy and the price of peace.
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