Afghanistan, June 28 -- Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem rejected a U.S.-brokered security framework between Lebanon and Israel on Saturday, calling it "surrender to Israel" and vowing the group would continue its armed resistance despite growing international efforts to stabilize the border.
Qassem said the agreement undermines Lebanon's sovereignty by conditioning an Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon on Hezbollah's disarmament. He argued the framework grants Israel the right to maintain a military presence inside Lebanese territory while placing obligations only on Beirut.
The remarks came a day after Lebanon and Israel agreed to a U.S.-mediated framework intended to launch broader negotiations aimed at reducing tensions a...