Salam to Hezbollah: Enough accusations of treason, this will never intimidate us

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam delivered harsher than usual remarks Friday evening against Hezbollah, implicitly calling on the group to stop its "absurd adventures in the service of foreign interests" and not to "insult our intelligence" by calling "deaths, destruction, displacement and tragedies victories."

His comments, made during the traditional dinner of the Makassed Islamic Charitable Society in Beirut, coincided with direct negotiations between Lebanon and Israel in Washington, which resulted in a 45-day extension of the cease-fire.

"Enough grandstanding and accusations of treason. This will not impress us and will never intimidate us," he said, a clear reference to statements made by Hezbollah officials in recent weeks. The party is firmly opposed to the principle of direct negotiations with Israel and has repeatedly criticized President Joseph Aoun, who is leading these negotiations in concert with Salam.

"We remain firmly attached to our national choices and are strengthened by the support of the majority of Lebanese in these choices," the prime minister said. "The state can only exist through a single national decision, that of its constitutional institutions; a single weapon, that of its national army; and a single law," the head of government thundered again.

He continued: "Enough of these absurd adventures in the service of foreign projects and interests. The latest is a war we did not choose but was imposed upon us, which led to the occupation by Israel of 68 villages, towns and positions, whereas we were previously seeking to have it withdraw from just five points."

Despite the cease-fire agreement that came into effect in late November 2024, which called for the complete withdrawal of the Israeli army from southern Lebanon over a two-month period, the Israeli army had remained positioned on at least five hills near the border before launching a ground offensive in March 2026, after Hezbollah entered the regional war on March 2, alongside the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Since mid-May, Israel has controlled areas in Lebanon to a depth of nearly eight kilometers and has made no secret of its intention to turn the occupied territories into a "buffer zone." Beirut ultimately aims to secure, through negotiations, a full withdrawal of the Israeli army, which is waiting beforehand for the effective disarmament of Hezbollah.