Jumblatt Attacks Washington: What Was Proposed to Lebanon is an 'Israeli Imposition'.. and No Surrender to the Conditions of Disarming Hezbollah

Druse leader Walid Jumblatt considered that what the American delegation brought to Beirut constitutes an 'Israeli imposition that forces surrender on Lebanon', emphasizing that the solution does not lie in pressuring Hezbollah but rather in dialogue and implementing international resolutions.

In an interview with L'Orient-Le Jour, Jumblatt clarified that the American delegation – which included members of Congress and envoys from the administration – stressed the necessity of disarming Hezbollah as a condition for discussing Israel's withdrawal from the territories it still occupies.

Jumblatt said: 'We cannot be forced to surrender; we want to liberate the occupied territories and implement international resolutions, while focusing solely on the party's weapons will not be accepted by a large segment of the Shiite community.'

The former head of the Progressive Socialist Party emphasized that 'the solution lies in strengthening the Lebanese army and equipping it in parallel with any disarmament process, provided that it is accompanied by a complete Israeli withdrawal', affirming that the army must remain distant from internal divisions.

Political assistant to the Secretary-General of Hezbollah, Hussein Khalil, warned of 'deadly American traps' aimed at sowing discord between the army and the resistance, accusing Washington of seeking to 'weaken Lebanon and turn it into an American-Israeli colony'.

On the other hand, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam emphasized during his meeting with the American delegation that the path of restricting weapons to the state and asserting its sovereignty 'has begun and there is no turning back', affirming that it is a national commitment before being an external demand.