Hezbollah Warns Against Shifting Lebanon-Israel Talks Beyond Israeli Withdrawal
A senior Hezbollah official has warned that diverting the course of negotiations in the so-called Mechanism Committee—from discussions on Israeli troop withdrawals to political and security matters—could have severe consequences for Lebanon.
According to Lebanese media, Ali Fayyad, a representative of the Loyalty to the Resistance bloc, stated that dragging Lebanon into talks with Israel under the leadership of a civilian figure is a concerning development carrying risks that must be seriously considered.
He added that the positions of the United States and Israel in these negotiations go beyond technical issues and focus on expanding economic and military cooperation as well as establishing communication channels in security and political fields—an approach he believes contradicts Lebanon’s national interests.
Fayyad emphasized that turning the Mechanism Committee into a framework for such discussions constitutes a clear deviation from UN Security Council Resolution 1701 and the November 27, 2006 ceasefire agreement, placing Lebanon on a dangerous slope that will lead to the imposition of Israeli demands and dictates.
The Hezbollah official cautioned that broadening the scope of negotiations from core issues—such as the withdrawal of Israeli forces from occupied areas, cessation of hostile acts, and the release of Lebanese prisoners—to any other economic or political agendas could weaken Lebanon’s position.
He further stated that the unconditional return of residents to border villages, full government sovereignty over all Lebanese territory, deployment of the Lebanese army across all areas—especially border regions—and the right to legitimate self-defense must remain fixed and non-negotiable principles in any negotiation process.
Fayyad concluded by asserting that continuing talks while Israel persists in daily assassinations and airstrikes on Lebanese soil is a fatal vulnerability that could upset the balance to Lebanon’s detriment.
