Salam to Qassem: Hand over weapons to Lebanon, not to Israel
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam has noted that the paper presented to Lebanon by U.S. envoy Tom Barrack is for "the implementation of the cessation of hostilities arrangements and not a new agreement" as Hezbollah chief Sheikh Naim Qassem has suggested.
Responding to Qassem's remarks that Hezbollah will not "hand over its weapons to Israel," Salam said: "Who has called for handing over the arms to Israel? It not requires to hand over the weapons to Israel but rather to the Lebanese state, and the current (Israeli) attacks against these weapons are regrettable."
"We call for the monopolization of arms in the hand of the Lebanese state exclusively, not in the hand of Israel, the U.S. or the devils," Salam added.
"The majority of the Lebanese are very clear in demanding the monopolization of arms and the concentration of the war and peace decisions in the hands of the state exclusively," the premier said.
Admitting that the continued presence of arms in Hezbollah's hands is hindering the reconstruction process, Salam said there are fears of a possible Israeli escalation.
"But in return we have a chance to seriouslu work on implementing Resolution 1701 and engage positively with ideas presented by Barrack, because they would lead to a full Israeli withdrawal and a cessation of hostilities," Salam added.
"We have reservations over the paper and we're working on improving it and adding balance to some of its points," the PM said, reassuring that "no one will give up the Lebanese principles."
Acknowledging that "had it not been for the resistance's arms, the South would not have been liberated in 2000," Salam lamented that "afterwards we missed a major chance to monopolize arms and equip the Lebanese Army."
"And over the past two years, it turned out that arms have not deterred Israel, because it has done what it has done," Salam added.
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