Dr. Marwa Osman
Marwa Osman/MidEaStream + Part 2

Washington's so-called ceasefire framework reveals a striking imbalance between what is being demanded of Lebanon and what is being demanded of Israel.

At its core, the proposal conditions a ceasefire on Hezbollah ending military operations and withdrawing from South Lebanon. Yet there appears to be no corresponding requirement for Israel to withdraw from Lebanese territory, no explicit commitment to cease military violations, no mention of the return of displaced civilians, and no reference to Lebanese detainees held by Israel.

The structure of the agreement is particularly revealing. The American and Israeli sections consist primarily of concrete, enforceable measures: disarmament, evacuation, security requirements, and implementation mechanisms. The Lebanese portion, by contrast, largely consists of declaratory language about sovereignty, mutual respect, and internationally recognized borders; principles that sound "reassuring" on paper but lack any meaningful enforcement provisions.

In diplomatic negotiations, this distinction matters. Binding obligations imposed on one side, while the other side receives broad statements of intent, rarely create the perception of a balanced agreement.

Dr. Marwa Osman
Marwa Osman/MidEaStream + Part 2

Statement by His Eminence Sheikh Naim Qassem, Secretary General of Hezbollah

The Israeli enemy, backed by the American hegemon, wagered on eliminating Hezbollah, its Islamic Resistance, and the people who stand united with it in dignity and honor. It spared no method, no crime, no conspiracy, no avenue, yet it has failed since the outset of the "Uli al-Ba's" battle on September 23, 2024, to this day.

The enemy's decisive bet came on March 2, 2026, which we confronted with the battle of "The Devoured Storm." The Israeli enemy, its patrons, the defeated, and indeed the entire world were taken aback by the steadfastness of the resistance fighters; their valor, intensity, diversity of tactics, operational effectiveness, and disciplined command and control, alongside the remarkable solidarity of the people who endured displacement and immense sacrifice. The enemy has reached a dead end. This resistance endures, strong and unbreakable.

Amid this atmosphere of sacrifice and dignity, and the enemy's defeat, the authorities hastened into a gratuitous and humiliating concession, one devoid of necessity, justified only by submission without return, not even by the smallest measure. We categorically reject direct negotiations. Let those in power understand: their conduct will benefit neither Lebanon nor themselves. What the Israeli-American enemy seeks from them lies beyond their capacity, and what they seek from it will not be granted.

The path to resolution begins with securing five essential points before anything else: a complete cessation of aggression, by land, sea, and air; Israel’s withdrawal from occupied territories; the release of prisoners; the return of displaced residents to all their towns and villages; and reconstruction.

No authority can endure while forfeiting Lebanon's rights, conceding land, and confronting its own people in resistance. It must return to its people, unite them, and become a government of the whole nation, not a fragment, grounded in the consensus that underpins the Taif Agreement. Its responsibility is to reverse grave missteps that threaten Lebanon's stability: halt direct negotiations with the Israeli enemy in favor of indirect ones, rescind the March 2 decision that criminalizes the resistance and its people, more than half of Lebanon, and enable a genuine internal dialogue that places Lebanon's interest above all else, free from Israeli and external dictates.

Mizan Online
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