Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem on Wednesday rejected talks with Israel while Lebanon remains under fire, deeming any negotiation in current conflict conditions “forced surrender,” CNN reports.
“When the exclusivity of weapons is demanded to meet ‘Israeli’ demands while the occupation and aggression continue, it is a step toward Lebanon’s demise,” Qassem wrote in a statement shared on Telegram.
“Negotiating with the ‘Israeli’ enemy under fire constitutes forced surrender and the deprivation of all Lebanon’s capabilities; negotiations with an enemy that occupies land and attacks daily are entirely unacceptable,” he added.
Qassem also claimed that Hezbollah fighters are “determined to continue without limits” if the conflict escalates.
