Hezbollah has reportedly informed Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri that it will never give up its weapons, even in the event of an Israeli withdrawal.
According to sources who spoke with Al Arabiya, the group’s military wing made it clear that disarmament is not an option under any circumstances.
The same sources said that Hezbollah told Berri (who is a Shiite and leader of a Shiite militia, Amal who is an ally of Hezbollah) it is fully prepared for a confrontation if the Lebanese state insists on trying to strip the group of its arms. This statement signals the group’s continued defiance of international calls to disarm and reinforces its independent military posture within Lebanon.
In discussions with U.S. envoy Tom Burke earlier this week, Berri reportedly admitted that he cannot guarantee Hezbollah’s disarmament, especially in areas north of the Litani River — a region where U.N. Resolution 1701 forbids armed groups other than the Lebanese Army.