Hezbollah fighters during a military demonstration before the media on Sunday, May 21, 2023, in Aaramta, southern Lebanon. (Credit: Jad Abou Jaoudé.)
BEIRUT — Jaafarite Mufti Ahmad Kabalan, close to Amal and Hezbollah, issued a veiled warning to Lebanese authorities against any "miscalculation" in their political decisions that could lead to a "security and national catastrophe."
As Lebanon is currently studying the American proposal presented by envoy Tom Barrack, which demands the withdrawal of weapons from all Lebanese and non-Lebanese factions before November.
Lebanon must be saved from the "most dangerous phase in its history, and any miscalculation risks bringing the country into a security and national catastrophe," he declared, adding that the "state bears the responsibility for the most perilous policy in its history."
Hezbollah claims to have already complied with the cease-fire concluded on Nov. 27, 2024, by depositing its weapons south of the Litani. It considers the question of its arsenal in the north to be part of an internal dialogue with President Joseph Aoun, embedded in a national defense strategy, and refuses any imposed constraints or deadlines.
Hezbollah sets several conditions, including Israeli withdrawal from occupied areas, liberation of prisoners, and an end to violations. Lebanon is expected to respond to Barrack's proposal on Monday during his visit to Beirut.
The Jaafarite mufti further stated that Lebanon is at the heart of the "fire" and accused "international and regional policies" of wanting to drag Lebanon into "internal and sectarian crises to reuse it in the chaos of the region."
He therefore declared that President Aoun possesses "great national capabilities" and said he "places great trust in his wisdom."
"Without an agreement between Iran, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt, the region will be filled with international projects that will increase the level of discord and destruction in an already shaken area on the brink of major crises," he warned.
This statement is in line with the speech by Naim Qassem on Wednesday evening, broadcast on the occasion of the seventh night of Ashoura commemorations at the Sayyed al-Shouwada complex in the southern suburbs of Beirut.
The Party of God's number highlighted that "internal Lebanese issue"' must be "handled and decided internally, without any Israeli or foreign intervention" after declaring that "threats do not work with us, and we do not accept handing over our weapons to Israel."
Hezbollah and Israel fought a devastating war of over 13 months between October 2023 and November 2024, following the conflict in Gaza, which weakened Hezbollah. Despite a cease-fire in effect since Nov. 27, the Israeli army still occupies five positions in southern Lebanon and continues to violate the agreement with almost daily bombings in this region and more sporadically in the Bekaa and the southern suburbs of Beirut.
