Hezbollah rejects Israel talks under fire, calls move ‘surrender

Beirut— Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem said on Wednesday that entering negotiations with Israel while hostilities continue would amount to “surrender,” rejecting a Lebanese government-backed initiative for direct talks and urging a reversal of restrictions on the group’s military activities.

Qassem said proposals to negotiate “under fire” were unacceptable, describing them as an imposed capitulation rather than a pathway to de-escalation. He criticized the Lebanese president’s push for direct engagement with Israel, which he said remains an adversary occupying Lebanese land and conducting ongoing attacks.

The Hezbollah chief framed the timing of the proposed talks as coercive, arguing that dialogue cannot take place under active military pressure. His remarks underscore deep divisions within Lebanon’s political leadership over how to respond to the escalating conflict and external threats.

Qassem also called on the Lebanese government to reverse its March 2 decision banning Hezbollah’s military activities, presenting the move as necessary for safeguarding national interests during a period of heightened regional instability.

Appealing to the public, Qassem urged Lebanese citizens to rally around “national unity,” linking internal cohesion to the country’s ability to withstand external pressures.

He said unity would require political alignment on the role of Hezbollah’s armed wing in Lebanon’s defense posture.

His comments come as displacement rises across the country, with makeshift encampments expanding in Beirut and other areas amid continued cross-border hostilities and airstrikes.