Naeem Qassim says talks with Israel are ‘equivalent to imposing surrender on Lebanon’.
Published on 25 March 2026
Hezbollah chief Naim Qassim has called for national unity as Israel continues its military offensive on Lebanon, vowing to continue fighting “without limits” as Israeli air and ground attacks have killed more than 1,000 people across the country.
In a statement on Wednesday, Qasim said the country faced two options: “Either surrender and give up our lands… or inevitable confrontation and resistance against Israel”.
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Qassim also said that Lebanon should not agree to talks with the Israeli government amid Israel’s continued bombing of its northern neighbor.
“Negotiating with the Israeli enemy is tantamount to capitulation and depriving Lebanon of its capabilities, especially when fundamentally rejecting negotiations with an enemy that occupies land and continues daily aggression,” he said.
“We call at this stage for national unity against the Israeli-American enemy under one heading: stopping aggression to liberate lands and peoples. All other issues can be discussed later.”
Israeli attacks on Lebanon intensified in early March after Hezbollah launched rockets toward Israeli territory following the start of the US-Israeli war on Iran on February 28.
In addition to air strikes, Israeli forces have penetrated deep into Lebanese territory as part of a ground offensive, which Israel says aims to root out Hezbollah fighters.
Lebanese armed groups have continued firing into northern Israel while clashing with Israeli troops on the ground in Lebanon.
The escalating conflict, which has killed at least 1,072 people and displaced more than 1.2 million across Lebanon, has drawn global condemnation and growing calls for de-escalation.
Far-right Israeli lawmakers, including Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, have called for the capture of southern Lebanon amid escalating military operations in the region.
The attempted occupation has been condemned by foreign leaders including French President Emmanuel Macron, who is calling for negotiations to end the deadly violence.
Meanwhile, the Lebanese government has declared Hezbollah’s military activity illegal and said it wants direct talks with Israel.
The Israeli government has shown no signs of slowing its military offensive, with Defense Minister Israel Katz saying last week that displaced residents of southern Lebanon would not be able to return to their homes until northern Israel was secured.
