Hezbollah is hindering Lebanon's ability to negotiate from a position of strength: Adel Nassar

BEIRUT — Justice Minister Adel Nassar said in an interview with Saudi channel Al-Arabiya on Sunday that Lebanon's willingness to engage in direct negotiations with Israel does not mean the country is prepared to submit to Israeli conditions, as opponents to the talks claim.

Nassar said diplomacy remains the most appropriate way at this stage to address the crisis and prevent a new escalation.

He condemned what he described as the systematic Israeli shelling of neighborhoods, residential buildings, and archaeological sites, saying it was hindering the negotiation process.

At the same time, he said Hezbollah was undermining the Lebanese state's ability to negotiate from a position of strength. He called on the party to "stop its adventures" and support the decisions of the state and its institutions.

"Hezbollah sacrificed the Lebanese in Syria and is fighting only for its own interests," Nassar said. He added that the group's leaders were "dragging Lebanon into wars that the people have not chosen." He attributed the resumption of the war with Israel on March 2 to its firing of six rockets into Israeli territory.

Nassar also called for strengthening the role of the Lebanese state and restricting security and military decisions to its legitimate institutions in order to preserve the country's sovereignty and avoid new crises.

Israel and Lebanon are engaging in their first direct talks in decades to reach an agreement, amid a fragile cease-fire in place since April 17. The negotiations are being held in Washington under U.S. auspices, the first of which were held on Friday, as political negotiations are set for Tuesday and Wednesday.

Since the cease-fire, Israel has struck Lebanon daily and maintains its occupation in the South. Its attacks on Lebanon have killed over 3,412 people since March 2, according to the Health Ministry.