Hezbollah Rejects Israel Ties, Demands Full Lebanon Withdrawal

Hezbollah leader Naim Kasim said on Friday that Israel had “no choice” but to unconditionally withdraw from occupied Lebanese areas and ruled out any normalization in relations between the countries.

“Israel has no choice but to completely withdraw from every square centimeter of our Lebanese territory… Israel must leave unconditionally,” he said in a televised address to tens of thousands of supporters commemorating Ashura.

As Lebanese and Israeli officials held direct talks in Washington, Qasim said his group “will not accept any normalization, no end of hostilities, no gains for Israel, no partial presence on Lebanese territory… Israel must leave humiliated and defeated, that is what will happen.”