Hezbollah MP Hajj Hassan: Government’s decision 'pleases enemy, provokes part of its people'

BEIRUT — Hezbollah MP Hussein Hajj Hassan on Tuesday sharply criticized the Lebanese government over its monopoly decisions, calling it “catastrophic” and accusing officials of bowing to Israeli and American pressure while failing to protect the population of southern Lebanon from ongoing Israeli attacks.

Speaking on the sidelines of a commemoration ceremony in Choueifate, in the Alley district, Hajj Hassan’s remarks are part of Hezbollah’s broader campaign against the government and its leadership over the party’s disarmament. The decisions he referred to instructed the Lebanese Army to prepare a disarmament plan by the end of the year, with a report detailing the mechanism to be submitted to the government by the end of August.

"With the catastrophic decisions of Aug. 5 and 7, the government has pleased the Israeli enemy and provoked the anger of part of its people, to the point that [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu congratulated it for its decisions and said he was ready to cooperate with it to disarm the Resistance," Hajj Hassan said.

"Worse yet, he threatened to consider as a target any reconstruction efforts in villages along the southern border of Lebanon, whether by the government, an association, or an individual. What are you doing about these threats, while claiming to be a government of sovereignty? You are far from any sovereignty," he continued.

Hajj Hassan dismissed Salam’s announcements of the disarmament decisions as “hollow.”

"You promised to retaliate against any Israeli aggression, yet since the two decisions, there have been around 80 aggressions and 30 martyrs, and we have heard of no response from the government, while we see you buckling under Israeli and American pressures," he said.

He also condemned the government for handing over an Israeli detainee of Arab origins to Israeli authorities, saying “the Cabinet is not interested in freeing Lebanese detainees in Israeli prisons.” On Aug. 21, Lebanese authorities transferred Saleh Abou Hussein, who had illegally crossed into Lebanon in July 2024 during the war between Hezbollah and Israel to protest Israeli policy. Hezbollah described his release as “a free gift to Israel,” noting that around 10 Lebanese, mostly senior party members, remain imprisoned in Israel since the war.

Hajj Hassan criticized a Lebanese official’s appeal to an American delegation to pressure Israel to end attacks on Lebanese territory, likening it to “asking a ferocious wolf to force its equally ferocious pup to abide by peace directives,” alluding to the close U.S.-Israel relationship. “We refuse to yield to the Americans and Israelis or give up our strength while waiting to see what they will do to us,” he said.

The MP also targeted Foreign Minister Joe Rajji (affiliated with the Lebanese Forces), saying he “responds on social media to Iranian citizens commenting on Lebanon” but “says nothing in response to provocations from the enemy.” Rajji had previously criticized several Iranian officials, including the foreign minister, accusing them of interfering in Lebanon’s internal affairs. He also sparked controversy in an interview by questioning whether the Foreign Ministry should issue a condemnation each time Israel attacks Lebanon, which has become a routine occurrence.