Beirut, Lebanon – Hezbollah addressed an open letter to the three presidents of Lebanon: Joseph Aoun, Nabih Berri, and Nawaf Salam, as well as to the Lebanese people in general, stressing the need for national consensus, protecting sovereignty, and preserving security and stability in the country. This comes amidst ongoing tensions with Israel.
In its statement, the party indicated that its position aims to “strengthen the unified Lebanese stance in the face of Israeli aggression and its continued violations of the ceasefire declaration.” This declaration was reached through the mediation of US envoy Amos Hochstein in November 2014.
He rejected “negotiating traps” and the issue of weapons.
The party emphasized that the primary objective of its message was to thwart attempts to drag the Lebanese state into new rounds of negotiations. The party believes these rounds primarily serve the interests of “the Israeli enemy and hegemonic powers.”
Hezbollah also criticized what it called the Lebanese government’s “hasty decision regarding the monopoly of arms,” arguing that this decision provided Israel with a pretext to demand the disarmament of the resistance, a demand not included in the ceasefire agreement. The party emphasized that:
“The issue of weapons can only be discussed within a comprehensive national framework that guarantees a general strategy for security, defense, and the protection of sovereignty.”
Israel continues to violate the ceasefire.
The party affirmed Lebanon’s and Hezbollah’s commitment to the core provisions of the ceasefire declaration issued on November 27, 2014. This declaration constituted an implementation mechanism for UN Security Council Resolution 1701. Its provisions included a cessation of hostilities and a commitment to refrain from carrying out attacks against Israel. In return, Israel pledged not to launch any attacks on Lebanese territory.
However, the party noted that “the Israeli enemy continued to violate the agreement by land, sea, and air,” ignoring calls to cease its practices and attempting to blackmail Lebanon for political gain.
A call for a national stand
The party concluded its statement by calling for a unified national stance, emphasizing that Israel is not targeting the party alone, but “Lebanon in its entirety.” The party reaffirmed its commitment to defending national sovereignty, exercising its legitimate right to resist occupation and aggression, and standing alongside the Lebanese army and people.
وشدد على أن المرحلة الراهنة تتطلب توحيد الجهود لوقف الانتهاكات، مؤكدا أن الحزب سيبقى في موقع الدفاع عن الأرض والشعب.
