Hezbollah on constitution's centenary: Plans for partition, federalism and naturalization must be rejected
On the centenary of the Lebanese constitution, Hezbollah stated that "the Lebanese people stand at a crucial juncture in a highly sensitive domestic and regional moment" that "necessitates, more than ever, adherence to the Lebanese constitution, as amended by the Taif Agreement, as the binding framework for regulating disputes among the Lebanese, managing their state's affairs, and preserving their unity and sovereignty."
"It also requires leaving behind the era of mandates, high commissioners, and foreign tutelage, because that era has ended and will never return to Lebanon in any form or guise," Hezbollah stressed.
It asserted that "Lebanon, as its constitution stipulates today, is the final homeland for all its citizens."
"This finality does not merely mean the establishment of a geographical entity, but rather, before and after that, the existence of a genuine national partnership among all its citizens -- a just and balanced partnership that preserves dignity, safeguards rights, and acknowledges the existential concerns of Lebanese communities," the Iran-backed party said.
It added: "These concerns should not be treated as sectarian issues or fleeting political demands, but rather as a supreme constitutional matter connected to the very nature of the state, the meaning of partnership, and the guarantees of coexistence."
The group also asserted that "Lebanon cannot be a true homeland for all its citizens through mere slogans, but rather through the protection of its land and people, a clear national consensus rejecting occupation and aggression, and a firm commitment to the Lebanese people's right to defend their country, sovereignty, and dignity, especially against the occupation and Zionist ambitions that are so clearly evident today."
"Therefore, all projects of fragmentation, division, federalism, or resettlement, regardless of their titles or approaches, are undeniably incompatible with the essence of the Lebanese constitution and the concept of a unified Lebanon for all its citizens. There is no place within it for opposing entities, sectarian cantons, security zones, or disguised secessionist projects that would transform Lebanese diversity into a pretext for disintegration, internal conflict, or reliance on foreign powers, and would threaten the unity of the land, the people, and the institutions," Hezbollah stressed.
It pointed out that "the Lebanese experience has proven that the sectarian system is no longer capable of producing a just, effective, and stable state."
It added that "therefore, true adherence to the constitution is not achieved by freezing its provisions or selectively applying them, but rather by fully implementing the constitutional reforms stipulated in the Taif Agreement, without any reduction, omission, or political manipulation."
"Foremost among these reforms is the clear national objective enshrined in the constitution: the abolition of political sectarianism, as a fundamental prerequisite for developing the political and social contract and guaranteeing fair and equitable participation for all Lebanese in managing their nation and its institutions," Hezbollah said.
It added that "the call to abolish political sectarianism is not a call to eliminate particularities or disregard guarantees, but rather a call to build a just state of citizenship that reassures everyone, preserves everyone's rights, and prevents the state from being monopolized, hijacked, or transformed into a tool for one party to dominate another."
"There can be no genuine reform without genuine partnership, no genuine partnership without justice, and no justice without a serious development of the political system, in accordance with the constitution, the spirit of the Taif Agreement, and the requirements of coexistence," Hezbollah emphasized.
It also affirmed that "resisting occupation and aggression is not a transgression against the state, nor a violation of the constitution, but rather a legitimate national right, protected by the principles of the Lebanese constitution and Lebanon's Arab and international obligations."
"No political or governmental decision can deprive our people of their natural right to defend their land, nor can it delegitimize resistance against occupation," it added, apparently referring to the current government's unprecedented decisions against Hezbollah's military and security activities.
Hezbollah further stated that "the Taif Agreement, with its emphasis on the necessity of taking the necessary measures to liberate Lebanese territory and its reaffirmation of adherence to the 1949 Armistice Agreement, leaves no room for ambiguity in defining the relationship with the Zionist entity as one of enmity, occupation, and constant threat—not one of normalization, surrender, or acceptance of the status quo."
"Therefore, the insistence of some on dismantling Lebanon's elements of strength while aggression, occupation, and threats persist constitute a violation of the Taif Agreement and the constitution as amended according to its provisions," the group warned.
