Beirut, June 4 -- Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem has flatly rejected the newly proposed US-brokered ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon, dismissing the deal as another form of surrender. Likening it to little more than an "illusion", Qassem made clear that the Iran-backed militia had no intention of accepting the framework agreed upon by Beirut and Jerusalem.
His rejection came less than a day after Israel and Lebanon announced a renewed ceasefire arrangement, which they hoped would turn into a lasting comprehensive arrangement.
In a joint statement issued on Wednesday, the two governments said the ceasefire would be contingent on "a complete cessation of Hezbollah fire and the evacuation of all Hezbollah operatives" from areas so...