News- Middle East: A Hezbollah member of Lebanon’s parliament has affirmed the country’s commitment to the ceasefire agreement with Israel, emphasizing that it is now the occupying regime’s responsibility to honor the deal by halting hostilities and withdrawing from Lebanese territory to enable progress in negotiations.

Ali Fayyad made the statement following a meeting with former Lebanese President Michel Aoun in Rabieh on Monday. The meeting was also attended by Hezbollah MP Raed Berro and the party’s Christian relations officer, Abu Saeed al-Khansa.

Noting that Lebanon abides by the ceasefire agreement reached last November, Fayyad said the Israeli regime must fully adhere to the terms of the deal.

“The first step must be Israel’s commitment to its withdrawal from Lebanese territories, the cessation of hostilities and the release of captives,” he said.

Fayyad stressed that these steps must be taken before moving on to discuss anything else.

“We are open to addressing [the issues] based on Resolution 1701 and the ceasefire agreement.”

The lawmaker also condemned the disproportionate pressure being placed solely on the Lebanese side, criticizing the approach as if the ceasefire were “a unilateral agreement.”

“They are demanding more than the agreement, while the other party acts as if it is not concerned with the accord,” he said.

Fayyad noted that there are “no guarantees or indications of [Israel’s] withdrawal or future commitment to ending hostilities.”

He urged the Lebanese side to unite behind “the priority of the Israeli withdrawal and the cessation of hostilities.”

His remarks came amid US pressure on Lebanon to issue a formal cabinet decision committing to disarm Hezbollah, saying it is needed before talks can resume on a halt to Israel's strikes in Lebanon, which are still taking place despite the ceasefire.

Hezbollah’s extensive arsenal of missiles has long bolstered its role as Lebanon’s main defender against Israel, cementing its position as one of the most powerful political factions in the country.

However, Israel and its main patron, the United States, have been mounting pressure on the Lebanese government to persuade Hezbollah to lay down its arms, a move the resistance group has rejected in light of Israel’s continued attacks on southern Lebanon.

Hezbollah Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem said last week that the resistance movement will never accept laying down its weapons.

The Hezbollah chief emphasized that the munitions are necessary in order to preserve Lebanon’s national sovereignty in the face of the Tel Aviv regime’s aggression.

Sheikh Qassem highlighted that the Israeli enemy will not stop at its occupation of five significant regions in southern Lebanon, namely Labbouneh, Mount Blat, Owayda Hill, Aaziyyeh, and Hammamis Hill, and is awaiting Hezbollah’s disarmament to expand its illegal settlement construction activities.

Israel and Hezbollah agreed to a ceasefire that took effect on November 27, 2024. Under the deal, Tel Aviv was required to withdraw fully from Lebanese territory—but has kept forces stationed at five sites, in clear violation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701 and the terms of last November’s agreement.

Since the implementation of the ceasefire, Israel has violated the agreement more than 3,700 times through repeated assaults on Lebanese territory. Lebanese authorities have warned that the regime’s violations of the ceasefire threaten national stability.

Source: Press TV