Hezbollah categorically denies report on its 'readiness to clash with state' over arms

Hezbollah on Wednesday categorically denied remarks attributed to it by Al-Arabiya and its Al-Hadath channel about its “readiness to clash with the Lebanese state” if it wants to remove its weapons.

Hezbollah also denied what it called the “other lies” reported by the two networks.

“These reports are totally baseless and are mere false accusations fabricated by the imagination of those channels to serve suspicious agendas seeking to sow confusion and undermine stability in Lebanon,” Hezbollah’s media relations department said in a statement.

“Accordingly, the media relations department calls on all media outlets to ignore those fabricated reports and not to capitalize on them in analyses and stances, reiterating the importance of contacting the relevant department in Hezbollah to inquire about its stances and viewpoints on the events and developments, especially amid these critical and sensitive circumstances,” the Hezbollah statement added.

Al-Hadath had earlier reported that Hezbollah’s “military wing” had informed Speaker Nabih Berri that it would not hand over its arms and that it is “not interested in an economic conference or in reconstruction,” quoting unnamed sources.

“No one in Hezbollah’s leadership can take a decision to hand over the weapons and Hezbollah will not implement any decision even if anyone pledges that,” the sources said.

“Hezbollah is saying that it will not turn in its arms even if Israel withdraws and that it is ready to clash with the (Lebanese) state,” the sources claimed, adding that Berri has informed U.S. envoy Tom Barrack that “he does not promise that arms will be removed north of the Litani before the year’s end even if Israel withdraws.”

President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, however, intend to press on with “declaring a pledge to monopolize weapons,” the sources said, adding that Aoun and Salam will not allow “Hezbollah’s intransigence” to prevent “the return to the Arab and international fold.”

“The Lebanese state has been infuriated by Hezbollah’s insistence on wasting the chance,” the sources alleged.