The 43rd anniversary of the Agreement of Humiliation and Shame on May 17, 1983 comes amid extremely dangerous Lebanese and regional circumstances and conditions, due to the escalating American-“Israeli” aggression against our region and our country, alongside the continued Zionist enemy occupation of our land, and its ongoing crimes of killing, destruction, and bulldozing parts of our country, especially in the south, in addition to the complete violation of our airspace and waters and the roaming assassinations targeting civilians and resistance fighters from among the sons of the nation.
Amid attempts to reproduce something even more dangerous and deviant than the May 17 Agreement through talk of a “full and comprehensive” peace agreement between the Lebanese authority and the Zionist entity — the enemy of the land, people, culture, and history — the Lebanese authority would have drifted far astray and cast aside the lessons and examples of history. It would have absolved the enemy of its aggression and occupation and dealt with it as though it were a peaceful and recognized entity, in explicit, clear, and scandalous violation of the Lebanese Constitution and laws, while completely denying Lebanon’s history, culture, the sacrifices of its people, the steadfastness and resilience of its population, and the greatness of its Resistance.
In light of these dangerous developments, Hezbollah affirms the following:
First: Hezbollah completely rejects any American or non-American external dictates, pressures, or guardianship attempts seeking to forcibly impose upon Lebanon a path and destiny that undermine its sovereignty, independence, and dignity, and that contradict the most basic national principles and constants upon which all Lebanese are supposed to agree.
What the enemy leaders openly declare regarding their settlement projects in Lebanese territory confirms the enemy’s fixed ambitions toward our land, waters, and natural resources, and that it seeks to strip Lebanon of its sources of strength and resources. Lebanon’s acceptance of direct negotiations serves only to reinforce and increase “Israeli” gains at the expense of Lebanon and its people.
Second: We call on the Lebanese authority not to go too far in deviant choices with the enemy, due to the dangerous repercussions this would have on Lebanon’s stability as both a state and a society. We also call on it to stop the series of free concessions and the scenario of relinquishing rights and the dignity of the homeland, as it is entrusted with protecting them by law. We demand that it place the national interest first and abandon the illusion that a peace agreement can be reached with this usurping, greedy, and occupying enemy.
Third: The major question posed today by the Lebanese in general, and the people of the south in particular, to the Lebanese authority is: what has its involvement in this path of concessions achieved for Lebanon since the ceasefire agreement on 27-11-2024 in Lebanon’s interest? What have its disastrous decisions on August 5 and August 7 achieved, along with accepting the participation of a civilian in the mechanism and then proceeding to direct negotiations? And what has Lebanon and its people gained from this course other than more pressure, concessions, aggression, and destruction?
The authority adopted this path under the pretext that it was the only way to stop the fire and halt the “Israeli” attacks, despite the constitutional violations and lack of national consensus surrounding this option. Today, after a month of pursuing this approach, what has it achieved for Lebanon? Instead of retreating from this option, it is preparing to move toward a political and security track, adding further free concessions offered to the enemy, which responds after every round of negotiations by escalating its attacks, expanding the scope of its targeting of Lebanese villages and towns, continuing to kill Lebanese people, destroy their homes, and violate Lebanese sovereignty. Many Lebanese now view the extension of the ceasefire through this process as an extension of the continuation of their killing and a cover for aggression against them and their homeland.
Fourth: We call on the Lebanese authority to cooperate within the framework of national consensus in order to achieve the national constants represented by guaranteeing the complete withdrawal of the enemy from all Lebanese territories, the total and final cessation of aggression, the liberation of our heroic prisoners, the immediate return of our people to their villages and towns with dignity and honor, and reconstruction without restrictions, conditions, or obstacles of any kind.
Fifth: Hezbollah affirms that the Zionist occupation will never settle permanently on our land so long as this valiant Resistance, its heroic fighters, its sacrificing and courageous people, all national forces, and all honorable free people from every sect and region of this country remain present.
The dawn of liberation, freedom, and full independence will rise, whether sooner or later, and Lebanon will return sovereign, free, and independent.