Hezbollah Secretary General Naim Qassem has laid out five strict conditions for a permanent ceasefire, and he also officially rejected any sort of direct negotiations with Israel, like outright. In a recent address to military commanders and fighters, Qassem said the group is still, uh undefeated and it will not surrender even after months of very intense fighting.  

He then went on to say Hezbollah will keep its military operations going until its own terms are met, and he brushed off direct diplomacy as “gratuitous concessions” , basically things that only help the interests of Israel and the United States, not anyone else.

Five Pillars for Lebanese Sovereignty

Qassem laid out five kinda non negotiable points, needed to stop the present aggression and protect Lebanon’s sovereignty:

• First, a total pause of all Israeli military moves, by land, sea, and air, no exceptions.
• Second, the full withdrawal of Israeli forces from every occupied area inside Lebanon.
• Third, the immediate release of all Lebanese prisoners being held by Israel.
• Fourth, the unconditional return of all displaced citizens back to their original towns, and villages.
• Fifth, a full and comprehensive plan to rebuild the zones that were devastated during the war. 

After those goals are met, Qassem said Hezbollah can then be prepared to talk about a wider national defense approach, with the Lebanese government.

He also pointed directly to President Joseph Aoun’s inaugural address, and tied it to the president’s call for a unified national policy, to end the Israeli occupation and to effectively defend the borders.

Stance on Negotiations and Foreign Influence

In Qassem’s speech, the central theme was his steady refusal of what he called the existing diplomatic deals. He kept urging Lebanese authorities to pull back from the ongoing direct talks and he basically said that only indirect negotiations keep Lebanon’s “ cards of power ” safe, and that this is what really helps the negotiating position stay strong. 

While also talking about wider regional currents, the Hezbollah leader referenced the recent US-Iran agreement as a kind of decisive lever for stopping the war. He said he was thankful to Iran for its continued backing, but then he drew a hard line when it comes to domestic politics. 

Qassem went on to stress that internal Lebanese matters, including the standing of Hezbollah’s weapons, are strictly off-limits for any foreign bargaining. And then he wrapped up by restating that the group is still ready to cooperate with the Lebanese state, so the nation’s independence can be protected.