Qassem slams govt. over weapons, urges end to arms monopoly steps
Hezbollah chief Sheikh Naim Qassem on Monday criticized the Lebanese government for offering “continuous concessions” to Israel, suggesting that the Lebanese state should halt all steps related to the so-called arms monopolization plan.
“If you want to surrender, amend the constitution, because the constitution's essence is confrontation and defense for the sake of liberation,” said Qassem in a televised speech commemorating Hezbollah’s slain leaders Ragheb Harb, Abbas al-Moussawi and Imad Mughniyeh.
“The government's performance is somehow responsible for this enemy's greed due to the continuous concessions,” Qassem charged.
“What the Lebanese government is doing by focusing on disarmament is a grave mistake because this issue serves the goals of the Israeli enemy,” the Hezbollah leader said.
He delivered his speech as the Lebanese cabinet convened to discuss the second phase of a plan to disarm all armed groups in the country, in the area between the Litani and al-Awwali rivers, after the Lebanese Army said it cleared the area south of Litani of weapons.
“The responsibility for resistance falls on the shoulders of the state, the army and the people,” Qassem said.
“Israel is carrying out aggression, and since it was the Lebanese state that endorsed the 2024 agreement, the responsibility for confronting attacks falls on it,” he added.
“We in Hezbollah do not want war and are not seeking it, but we won't surrender and we're ready to defend,” Qassem went on to say, adding: “They may inflict pain on us, but we too can inflict pain on them. Do not underestimate defense when the time comes.”
“We are not in favor of gratuitous concessions, nor are we in favor of implementing the orders of the American, international, and Arab tutelage, nor are we in favor of fulfilling Israel's aggressive demands,” Qassem added.
Warning that “this situation” in which Israel is attacking Lebanon on daily basis “cannot continue,” Qassem added: “As for when, how, and what developments will change this reality, we will let the facts tell the story.”
As for why Hezbollah is not responding to Israel’s attacks, Qassem said: “We are patient for two reasons: firstly, because the state is responsible and must fulfill its duties, and secondly, out of concern for our society and our nation at this stage.”
“We stand with Lebanese national unity, with full sovereignty and liberation, and against all forms of sedition. We support empowering the Lebanese Army to protect and achieve sovereignty, along with a national security strategy and leveraging the strength of the resistance,” he said.
-
16 February 2026, 16:44
Qassem to Lebanese government: If you want to surrender, amend the constitution, because the constitution's essence is confrontation and defense for the sake of liberation.
-
16 February 2026, 16:42
Qassem: The government's performance is somehow responsible for this enemy's greed due to the continuous concessions.
-
16 February 2026, 16:41
Qassem: We stand with Lebanese national unity, with full sovereignty and liberation, and against all forms of sedition. We support empowering the Lebanese Army to protect and achieve sovereignty, along with a national security strategy and leveraging the strength of the resistance.
-
16 February 2026, 16:41
Qassem: We are not in favor of gratuitous concessions, nor are we in favor of implementing the orders of the American, international, and Arab tutelage, nor are we in favor of fulfilling Israel's aggressive demands.
-
16 February 2026, 16:40
Qassem: We are patient for two reasons: firstly, because the state is responsible and must fulfill its duties, and secondly, out of concern for our society and our nation at this stage.
-
16 February 2026, 16:40
Qassem: This situation cannot continue. As for when, how, and what developments will change this reality, we will let the facts tell the story.
-
16 February 2026, 16:38
Qassem: The principle is to defend the homeland, and defending the homeland is everyone's responsibility. We are the ones who should be asking you why you are not defending it, why you are not criticizing the aggression, why you are not standing firmly with those who are resisting.
-
16 February 2026, 16:37
Qassem: With a determined resistance and a great, steadfast people, they will not succeed. They may inflict pain on us, but we too can inflict pain on them. Do not underestimate defense when the time comes.
-
16 February 2026, 16:37
Qassem: The Zionist enemy is threatening a policy of maximum pressure to achieve its demands politically and spare itself the burdens of war.
-
16 February 2026, 16:32
Qassem: We in Hezbollah do not want war and are not seeking it, but we won't surrender and we're ready to defend.
-
16 February 2026, 16:30
Qassem: What the Lebanese government is doing by focusing on disarmament is a grave mistake because this issue serves the goals of the Israeli enemy.
-
16 February 2026, 16:28
Qassem: Israel is carrying out aggression, and since it was the Lebanese state that endorsed the 2024 agreement, the responsibility for confronting attacks falls on it.
-
16 February 2026, 16:27
Qassem: Lebanon has implemented the November 2024 agreement but Israel has not.
-
16 February 2026, 16:26
Qassem: We are facing an enemy that wants to annihilate humans and destroy structures.
-
16 February 2026, 16:25
Qassem: Israel is an expansionist entity that wants to occupy entire Palestine and the whole region.
-
16 February 2026, 16:25
Qassem: If Trump wants to prevent Israel from doing something he can do so.
-
16 February 2026, 16:24
Qassem: Do not underestimate what the occupation is doing in Gaza today.
-
16 February 2026, 16:24
Qassem: Israel does not honor its commitments.
-
16 February 2026, 16:22
Qassem: The responsibility for resistance falls on the shoulders of the state, the army and the people.
-
16 February 2026, 16:20
Qassem: Occupation anywhere requires the presence of resistance.
16 February 2026, 17:33
00
Qassem: We are patient for two reasons: firstly, because our supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei hasn't yet issued a fatwa ordering us to sacrifice ourselves,our people and the nation to his infinite glory and the survival of the Islamic Republic of Iran and its revolution and secondly, because our ass still hurts from the last time it was ravaged by the Israelis.
