Recent midterm setbacks for Republicans and Benjamin Netanyahu's failure to secure a 61-seat majority provide Lebanon an opening to reject foreign disarmament pressure, according to Naim Qassem. President Trump and Vice President JD Vance attributed the American electoral losses to the war with Iran and surging fuel prices. Qassem maintains that Hezbollah will retain its arms as long as Israeli forces occupy southern towns and villages. The political friction follows an intense conflict that killed over 4,300 people and displaced around one million.
Key points
Hezbollah has explicitly refused to disarm while Israeli forces remain in occupation of s…: Hezbollah has explicitly refused to disarm while Israeli forces remain in occupation of southern Lebanese territory.
Naim Qassem warned the Lebanese government against entering any diplomatic agreements tha…: Naim Qassem warned the Lebanese government against entering any diplomatic agreements that might advance Israeli regional interests.
Israeli forces continue to conduct air strikes in southern Lebanon despite a U.S.-brokere…: Israeli forces continue to conduct air strikes in southern Lebanon despite a U.S.-brokered ceasefire reached in June.
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Naim Qassem says Republican losses and Israel’s election result could help Lebanon maintain sovereignty.
Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem has welcomed Republican setbacks in US midterm elections last week and a lacklustre showing for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Israeli polls, calling them a boon for Lebanon.
During a speech on Wednesday honouring members of the group killed by Israel, along with their families, Qassem described the elections in the US as an “earthquake” and the Israeli elections as a “defeat”. The bloc of Netanyahu, an arch-nemesis of the group, fell short of the 61 seats it needed to stay in power after the October 27 vote.
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Qassem said the results were good for Lebanon and a signal that the country should resist the Trump administration’s push to disarm the group.
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