BEIRUT, May 13 (Xinhua) -- Deputy head of Hezbollah's political council Mahmoud Qomati said on Wednesday that the group will not allow Israel to remain on Lebanese territory, stressing that Hezbollah considers itself responsible for defending Lebanon.
In an interview with Al Jazeera Mubasher, a Doha-based public affairs television network, Qomati accused Israel of failing to fulfill its obligations under the ceasefire agreement, saying that ongoing Israeli attacks and violations prove it continues to operate through "the logic of force and military pressure."
He recalled Israel's withdrawal from southern Lebanon in 2000, which he said came under pressure from resistance forces, adding that the resistance option had since proven effective in confronting Israel and preventing it from imposing permanent realities inside Lebanese territory.
Qomati stressed that "the resistance is not responsible for Israel's presence on Lebanon's borders," adding that Hezbollah was defending Lebanese land and sovereignty against "ongoing Israeli aggression."
His remarks come amid growing domestic debate in Lebanon over the future of Hezbollah's weapons and its resistance role, as tensions persist along the southern border and international pressure mounts regarding the ceasefire implementation and post-war arrangements. ■
