Hizbullah Secretary-General Naim Qassem Rejects President Aoun's Call For Hizbullah To Surrender Its Arms: The State Has A Monopoly On Enforcing Security In Lebanon, But We Use Our Weapons Against Israel; Israel Constitutes A Danger Even Within Its Borders

In a March 9, 2025, interview with Al-Manar TV (Hizbullah-Lebanon), Hizbullah Secretary-General Naim Qassem stated that Hizbullah agrees with the principle that the state must have a monopoly over security and rejects the concept of militias. However, he clarified that this does not apply to Hizbullah, as it is a resistance movement focused on resisting the Israeli enemy and defending Lebanon from its threats. Qassem emphasized that if the Lebanese state is strong enough to confront Israel, Hizbullah has no issue with it doing so. He argued that as long as Israel exists, it remains a danger, and Hizbullah reserves the right to fight it. Qassem further explained that Hizbullah does not consider President Aoun's statements against militias or calls for surrendering weapons to be directed at them.

Naim Qassem: "I would like to explain something to the public, as well as to the state. We are also saying that the weapons should be the monopoly of the Internal Security Forces and the Lebanese army, so that they can enforce security in Lebanon and defend it.

"We are not opposed to them being responsible for that. We reject the logic of militias, and reject anyone sharing with the state the responsibility of maintaining its security.

"We have nothing to do will all of this. We are a resistance [movement]. The resistance is against the Israeli enemy. It attacks our land, and we defend it. If you say that the state is enough against the Israeli enemy – go ahead and show us what you can do with this enemy. We have no problem with you confronting this enemy.

"However, as a resistance movement, we consider Israel to be a danger whether it occupies [Lebanese land], prepares to occupy it, or stays in the heart of the Israeli entity... Sorry, in the heart of Palestine, within [the borders] of its entity. Israel is a danger according to every criterion, and the resistance has the right to continue [fighting], and this has nothing to do with running the state, the state's weapons, or the enforcement of internal security [in Lebanon]. If anyone thinks that what President [Aoun] said was directed against us – we don't see it this way."