Hezbollah offers direct talks as Syria relations enter new phase
Key Takeaways
- Hezbollah offered direct talks with Syria's new leadership.
- Naim Qassem criticised Lebanon's negotiations with Israel and the US.
- The group rejected a new security agreement and warned against forced disarmament.
Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem called for renewed cooperation with Syria's leadership while accusing Lebanon's politicians of making repeated concessions to Israel and the United States.
Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem has said the group is ready for direct talks with Syria's new leadership, signalling a possible shift in relations after months of tensions between Beirut and Damascus.
In a recorded speech released on Tuesday to mark Arbaeen, Qassem said Hezbollah supports stronger cooperation between Lebanon and Syria and that a public meeting could take place when both sides agree the time is right.
"We affirm the importance and necessity of a fraternal, positive, and cooperative relationship between the states of Lebanon and Syria. There is no obstacle to a public meeting between Hezbollah and the Syrian leadership at a time deemed appropriate by both sides," he said.
"A stable Syria is a support for Lebanon, just as a stable Lebanon is a support for Syria," he added.
Qassem said Hezbollah hopes Syria will strengthen justice, promote cooperation among its communities and remain united, while expressing hope that displaced Syrians would be able to return home.
He then turned his attention to Lebanon's political leadership, accusing officials of repeatedly giving ground to Israel and the United States through direct negotiations.
“All direct negotiations have brought Lebanon nothing but shame, humiliation, disappointment, and successive concessions. What have all these rounds of talks achieved for Lebanon?" he said.
"I call on the political authorities in Lebanon to stop making free concessions, open the door to dialogue with the resistance, […] and work on the ground to achieve Israel’s withdrawal and the return of the land to the homeland in every sense of the matter," he concluded.
Qassem's remarks came after the United States announced the implementation of trial areas following the sixth round of Lebanon-Israel negotiations held in Rome.
The agreement calls for the Lebanese Army to gradually take control of parts of southern Lebanon as Israeli forces withdraw in phases. Under the plan, the army is expected to deploy more troops, dismantle Hezbollah's military infrastructure and prevent its return to the area, while the United States continues its support for the Lebanese Army.
Hezbollah has rejected the agreement, describing it as "humiliating" and warning that "any attempt to disarm it by force could lead to the outbreak of civil conflict," while stating it would continue its operations.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
