Hezbollah shows flexibility regarding its weapons: Lebanon’s president

BEIRUT / ANKARA

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said Thursday that the Hezbollah group has shown "a lot of flexibility" regarding cooperation over its weapons.

Lawmaker Sagih Atieh cited Aoun's comments at a press conference following the president's meeting with a parliamentary delegation in Beirut, according to a presidency statement.

Atieh said Aoun is handling the issue of Hezbollah’s disarmament "with great wisdom,” stressing that the group "has shown a lot of flexibility and willingness to cooperate within a defined timeline."

Aoun also said that Hezbollah's positivity should be met with equal positivity, and with an understanding of the new realities facing the country, Atieh added.

Earlier, lawmaker Hassan Fadlallah of the Hezbollah group said that the government’s priority must be confronting Israeli attacks and liberating occupied land.

He also stressed that Hezbollah "is ready and open to any dialogue on a national defense strategy."

Lebanon has been facing pressure from several international actors, including the US, to take action on Hezbollah weapons since last year’s ceasefire with Israel.

On Monday, Aoun stressed the importance of resorting to dialogue regarding Hezbollah weapons.

A fragile ceasefire had been in place in Lebanon since November, ending months of cross-border warfare between Israel and Hezbollah, which escalated into a full-scale conflict last September.

Lebanese authorities reported nearly 1,400 Israeli violations of the ceasefire, including at least 120 fatalities and more than 366 injuries.

Under the ceasefire deal, Israel was supposed to fully withdraw from southern Lebanon by Jan. 26, but the deadline was extended to Feb. 18 after it refused to comply. It still maintains a military presence at five border outposts.