Secretary General Hezbollah Naim Qassem: We Will Not Bow To Israel

JAKARTA - Secretary General Hezbollah Sheikh Naim Qassem confirmed his group would not bow and Lebanon could not be held hostage by Israel.

Speaking on Wednesday, Qassem said calls for weapons removal of its group only benefited Israel, while the United States stepped up pressure to take steps to withdraw its weapons.

"Those who called for the handover of arms basically demanded his surrender to Israel. We will not bow to Israel," Qassem said in a televised address.

Hezbollah suffered severe damage from a war with Israel last year that killed most of its leaders and thousands of fighters, while tens of thousands of supporters fled from their destroyed homes.

The US is now urging Lebanon to issue an official cabinet decision committed to dismantling Hezbollah's weapons, before negotiations can resume regarding the halt to Israeli military operations in the country, five sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.

Hezbollah has publicly refused to hand over its weapons in full, but is personally considering reducing it.

"Those calling for gunfire at the domestic, global, or Arab levels serve the Israeli project," Qassem said.

He also said the US demanded the removal of the Hezbollah missiles and drones for "scarying" Israel, accusing US Special Envoy Thomas Barrack of calling for a ceasefire for Israel and not for the safety of Lebanon itself.

"Israel will not be able to beat us and will not be able to take Lebanon hostage," he added.

In early July, Barrack met with Lebanese officials in Beirut to discuss a proposal for weapons cuts.

The proposal will leave Hezbollah completely stripped within four months in exchange for the withdrawal of Israeli troops occupying several posts in southern Lebanon and the halt to Israeli airstrikes.

Hezbollah has been under pressure in recent months, both in Lebanon and from Washington, to fully release its weapons.