Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem has threatened to dismantle a historic peace framework agreement between Lebanon and Israel, declaring the deal “null and void” and a “grave blunder” just one day after its signing. Qassem stated that linking Israel’s withdrawal from occupied territories to the disarmament of Hezbollah forces was an unacceptable proposition that crossed “all red lines.”
Hezbollah vowed to continue fighting Israel and refused to disarm, with Qassem asserting, “We did not leave the battlefield in the most difficult circumstances, and we will not leave it.” He called for the agreement to be replaced with a memorandum of understanding between Iran and the United States, which he stated should include the “immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon.”
The framework agreement, announced Friday, outlined a plan for the Lebanese Armed Forces to gradually assume control of areas in southern Lebanon currently occupied by Israel. This handover was conditioned on the disarmament and removal of Hezbollah forces from these regions.
Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, whose Amal party maintains close ties with Hezbollah, warned that the deal amounted to “an incitement to civil war.”
Dozens of Hezbollah supporters demonstrated in Beirut on Friday night, blocking roads, burning tires, and waving the group’s flag to protest the agreement. The Lebanese military issued a statement asserting its commitment to maintaining order and preventing any breaches of security or threats to civil peace, stating that it would not permit actions with unpredictable consequences, road blockages, or attacks on public or private property.
Israeli defense officials have cautioned that Hezbollah might initiate attacks against Israeli soldiers or into Israel itself in an attempt to undermine the agreement. According to Lebanese health officials, an Israeli drone strike in Southern Lebanon on Saturday resulted in one death and two injuries.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had previously hailed the deal as a “historic achievement for Israel” and the initial step toward peace between the two nations. He added that Israel would maintain full freedom of action in Lebanon and characterized the agreement as a significant setback for Iran and Hezbollah, stating, “[We] are essentially telling Iran, ‘This is none of your business. You have no status here, no involvement and no role. Not you, not Hezbollah, not any terror group.’”