Hezbollah official says group will work to defeat Lebanon-Israel framework agreement

Alsharq Tribune-Al Otaify 

Hezbollah will oppose the recently signed Lebanon-Israel framework agreement and work to defeat it politically and practically, considering the deal unacceptable and unenforceable, Mahmoud Qomati, deputy head of Hezbollah's Political Council, said on Sunday.

In an interview with Lebanese broadcaster Al-Jadeed TV, Qomati said that the group had opposed the U.S.-brokered agreement from the outset, rejecting the negotiations that led to it and describing the process as a mistaken approach.

He said Hezbollah does not intend to mobilize supporters in the streets or take escalatory measures, arguing that the agreement will fail on its own because it is not viable and cannot be imposed on the Lebanese people.

Qomati described the agreement as "humiliating" and "surrenderist," saying it was shaped by external dictates. He said there are two approaches in Lebanon: one pursued by the authorities through agreements and negotiations, and another pursued by the resistance through what he described as resistance on the ground against Israel.

He rejected linking Israel's withdrawal from Lebanese territory to any domestic Lebanese issue, saying Lebanon should not be forced to choose between giving up its weapons or its land. He called for an unconditional Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory.

Qomati said Hezbollah supports the deployment of the Lebanese army to every point along the Lebanese border following a full Israeli withdrawal, but stressed that such a deployment or the start of withdrawal measures should not be interpreted as acceptance of the agreement. He said the group's objection is to the agreement itself, its terms, and the circumstances surrounding it.

He added that Hezbollah remains ready to discuss a national defense strategy with the Lebanese state, noting that both the presidential inaugural address and the government's ministerial statement refer to a national security and defense strategy.

Qomati reiterated Hezbollah's rejection of direct negotiations with Israel and opposed what he described as Israeli attempts to impose conditions on Lebanon. He said the group's position would remain unchanged regardless of any external developments.