Qmati: French initiative born dead, normalization a major sin

Mahmoud Qmati, the deputy head of Hezbollah's Political Council, has rejected the reported French proposal to end the war between his group and Israel, saying it was "born dead."

In an interview with Al-Jazeera, he emphasized that Hezbollah will not accept any formula that includes disarming the group or normalizing Lebanon's relations with Israel.

Qmati also accused Paris and Washington of failing to compel Israel to implement U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701 (2006) and the 2024 cessation of hostilities agreement.

He added that calls to disarm Hezbollah and normalize relations with Israel are completely rejected by "the resistance and the Lebanese people," stressing that they will not lead to any result.

Qmati also criticized what he described as the Lebanese government's steps toward direct negotiations with Israel, considering any such move while the war continues a grave mistake and, in his words, a concession that harms Lebanese sovereignty and undermines "the resistance."

He emphasized that Hezbollah endured more than 15 months of bombardment and destruction, hoping for the success of the diplomatic track. However, he said that the Lebanese state failed to achieve its declared objectives of liberating the land and halting Israeli violations, which, according to him, prompted Hezbollah to resume its military operations.

Noting that "the resistance now represents a powerful card for the Lebanese state in any negotiation process," Qmati stated that Lebanon had previously negotiated with no leverage, while it now possesses a military pressure point.

He also rejected accusations that Hezbollah is fighting on behalf of Iran, noting that "Iran is a major power that does not need support from anyone," and asserting that Hezbollah is benefitting from the regional confrontation to achieve its goals related to "liberating land and prisoners and stopping aggression."

Regarding the government's decisions to ban Hezbollah's military wing and disarm it, and the potential for this to lead to a confrontation with the Lebanese Army, Qmati dismissed this scenario, emphasizing that the Lebanese Army's leadership is "a patriotic leadership that understands the danger of such a step."

He said that "the army is comprised of the people and that they know the resistance is fighting in defense of Lebanon," adding that the party does not expect a confrontation with the military establishment, despite ongoing political disagreements regarding Hezbollah's role in the current war.