Beirut – Naim Qassem, Secretary-General of Hezbollah, has strongly criticized the Lebanese government’s decision to include a civilian representative in the tripartite committee overseeing the ceasefire mechanism with Israel. Qassem described the move as an unwarranted concession to Israel, offering political gains without any reciprocal benefit.
In a televised address delivered during a Hezbollah ceremony on Friday, Qassem stated that the participation of a Lebanese civilian in the committee represents a further misstep, compounding what he termed the ‘sin’ of the August 5th decision concerning the disarmament of Hezbollah. He argued that this development constitutes an unjustified expansion of the committee’s original mandate, which was strictly limited to monitoring field and security-related aspects.
Qassem urged a return to strict adherence to Lebanon’s previous positions and the established military-technical framework of the ceasefire committee. He asserted that the current approach is inconsistent with prior declarations made by the Lebanese state.
‘Guarantees’ to Protect Lebanon’s Position
Qassem affirmed Hezbollah’s cooperation with the state and its support for diplomatic efforts to halt Israeli attacks, but emphasized that this support is contingent upon ‘clear guarantees’ that safeguard Lebanon’s interests. He stressed that any agreement with Israel must be confined to the area south of the Litani River.
Furthermore, the Hezbollah leader stated that Washington has ‘no role’ in matters of weaponry, defense strategy, or internal Lebanese disputes, signaling a rejection of any US involvement that extends beyond the technical framework of the ceasefire mechanism.
The committee meetings concerning ceasefire monitoring reportedly included civilian envoys (Lebanese and Israeli) for the first time in decades on Wednesday, a move the Lebanese Presidency claims aims to ‘avert the specter of a second war’ in the country. President Joseph Aoun appointed Ambassador Simon Karam to lead the Lebanese delegation to the mechanism committee, noting that the appointment followed consultations with the Speakers of Parliament and the Prime Minister regarding the necessity of negotiations and the inclusion of a civilian in the committee.
Karam is the first non-military figure to represent Lebanon in these meetings, marking a shift away from the purely military-technical focus of the process.
