Hezbollah Leader Rejects Israel-Lebanon Ceasefire, Demands Israeli Withdrawal

(Central News Agency, Beirut, 4th, combined foreign reports) Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem today rejected the latest ceasefire agreement between Lebanon and Israel. He demanded a full ceasefire and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanon, urging the authorities to abandon direct talks with Israel.

According to AFP, Qassem said in a televised address: "The ceasefire must be comprehensive... The Israeli enemy cannot be given the freedom to kill," and urged the government to end "that farce and humiliation called direct negotiations."

He further vowed: "As long as our villages are not safe, for example, being bombed, destroyed, and people killed, the settlements (in northern Israel) will not be safe."

Israel and Lebanon held a fourth round of US-brokered talks in Washington yesterday, agreeing to implement a ceasefire agreement on the condition that the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah stops its attacks.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said earlier today that the ceasefire agreement announced in Washington between Lebanon and Israel was the "last chance" to achieve a comprehensive truce.

In a statement released by his office, Aoun said: "The results of the fourth round of negotiations and the statement issued based on them contain important content that is very favorable to Lebanon. This represents the last chance to enter a final, comprehensive ceasefire."

The statement emphasized that if there is no positive response to this, "all relevant parties must bear responsibility." (Editor: Hong Qiyuan) 1150604