Hezbollah’s Open Letter: We Stress our Legitimate Right to Resist ‘Israeli’ Occupation, Aggression

Translated by Al-Ahed News, Hezbollah Media Relations 

In the Name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

An Open Letter from Hezbollah:

To His Excellency the President of the Lebanese Republic, General Joseph Aoun

To His Excellency the Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament, Mr Nabih Berri

To His Excellency the Prime Minister of Lebanon, Mr Nawaf Salam

To our proud and steadfast people of Lebanon,

Greetings and respect,

Out of Hezbollah’s keenness for national understanding, the protection of sovereignty, and the preservation of security and stability in Lebanon; and in contribution to strengthening and supporting a unified Lebanese position against the Zionist aggression and its ongoing violations of the ceasefire declared following the mediation efforts of US envoy Amos Hochstein after indirect negotiations between the Lebanese State and the Zionist entity—and in order to block attempts to drag the Lebanese State into new rounds of negotiations serving only the interests and objectives of the Zionist enemy and the forces of domination hostile to truth and justice—we hereby express to you, esteemed leaders, and through you to all our beloved people of Lebanon, our vision regarding the national stance required, which we are committed to and consider the effective path to safeguarding Lebanon’s interests during this critical period our region and the world are passing through.

The ceasefire declaration of November 27, 2024, which was agreed upon to halt the Zionist aggression against Lebanon, constituted- according to the parties to the agreement, individually and collectively- an implementation mechanism for UN Security Council Resolution 1701, issued in 2006. That resolution defined the area of operations exclusively as South of the Litani River in Lebanon, stipulating that this area be cleared of weapons and armed elements, and that the “Israeli” enemy withdraw beyond the well-known Blue Line.

While the declaration stated in its preamble that its provisions were steps toward implementing Resolution 1701, Article 1 of the declaration provided as follows:

“‘Israel’ and Lebanon shall implement a cessation of hostilities as of 4:00 am on Wednesday, November 27, 2024, in accordance with the detailed commitments set forth below.”

Article 2 stated:

“As of 4:00 am on Wednesday, November 27, 2024, and thereafter, the Lebanese government shall prevent Hezbollah and all other armed groups in Lebanese territory from carrying out any operations against ‘Israel’, and ‘Israel’ shall not conduct any offensive military operations against Lebanese territory—including civilian, military, or other targets belonging to the State—by land, air, or sea.”

The provisions continued through Article 13.

While facts on the ground confirm that Lebanon and Hezbollah have strictly abided by the contents of the ceasefire declaration from the moment of its issuance until today, the Zionist enemy has nonetheless continued its violations and breaches of the declaration [in land, sea, and air]. It continues to do so to this moment, disregarding all calls to cease these hostile practices. Instead, the enemy has exploited these calls to blackmail Lebanon, imposing conditions and demands to evade halting its aggression, persisting in its project to subjugate Lebanon, humiliate its state, people, and army, and drag it into a political agreement through which it would extract Lebanese recognition of the enemy’s interests in our country and region—along with recognition of the legitimacy of its forcible occupation of others’ land in Palestine.

Although the government’s hasty decision regarding the exclusivity of arms was presented by some as a gesture of Lebanese goodwill toward the enemy, the latter exploited this governmental mistake to impose the issue of disarming the resistance throughout Lebanon as a precondition for ending its hostilities. This was neither stipulated in the ceasefire declaration nor can ever be accepted or imposed.

The matter of arms’ exclusiveness can’t be discussed in response to foreign pressure or “Israeli” blackmail, but rather only within a national framework of consensus, as part of a comprehensive strategy for security, defense, and the protection of national sovereignty.

Let it be clear to all Lebanese that the “Israeli” enemy does not target Hezbollah alone, but all of Lebanon.

It further seeks to strip Lebanon of every capacity to reject the Zionist entity’s extortionist demands and to impose submission to its policies and interests in Lebanon and the region. This demands a unified, dignified national stance that compels respect for our country and people and safeguards Lebanon’s sovereignty and honor.

As for becoming entangled in the traps of new negotiations, this would only bring further gains to the “Israeli” enemy, which always takes and never honors its obligations, giving nothing in return. With this ferocious enemy, supported by American tyranny, no maneuver or pretense can succeed.

Thus, Lebanon’s duty at present is to insist on the cessation of aggression in accordance with the ceasefire text and to pressure the Zionist enemy to abide by it and not to submit to extortion or to enter political negotiations with the Zionist entity under any circumstances. Such a course serves no national interest and poses existential risks that threaten Lebanon’s very sovereignty and survival.

In conclusion, as a founding component of Lebanon- our final homeland for all its sons- we reaffirm our legitimate right to resist occupation and aggression, and to stand beside our army and our people in defending the sovereignty of our country. Legitimate defense does not fall under the rubric of “a decision of war or peace,” but is rather an exercise of our right to resist an enemy that wages war upon us, continues its aggression, and seeks to subjugate our State.