Hezbollah on Wednesday strongly criticized the Lebanese government’s decision to engage in talks with Israel, calling it a “national sin” that risks widening divisions within Lebanon.
Hezbollah lawmaker Hassan Fadlallah said the U.S.-mediated meeting between Lebanon’s ambassador to Washington and her Israeli counterpart did not reflect the will of the Lebanese people or the country’s national identity.
The talks, hosted by Marco Rubio, marked the first direct contact between Lebanon and Israel in decades. The two countries have technically remained in a state of war since Israel’s establishment in 1948.
While both sides described the discussions as positive, Hezbollah dismissed them as ineffective, accusing the government of gaining nothing beyond “praise” from Israel without securing any meaningful concessions.
The meeting comes at a sensitive moment in the region, amid a fragile ceasefire involving the United States, Israel, and Iran following escalating hostilities that began with strikes on Iran in late February.
Fadlallah reiterated Hezbollah’s demand for a comprehensive ceasefire, warning against a return to intermittent Israeli strikes and targeted assassinations, similar to the situation following a previous truce in 2024.
Lebanon’s government has been attempting to disarm Hezbollah through peaceful means since the last major conflict. However, analysts warn that any forceful attempt could trigger renewed internal conflict, recalling the country’s Lebanese Civil War and a brief resurgence of violence in 2008.
The ongoing Israeli offensive in Lebanon has reportedly killed over 2,000 people and displaced more than a million, according to Lebanese authorities, further intensifying political and social tensions.
Hezbollah’s latest remarks underscore the deep polarization within Lebanon as the country navigates both internal divisions and mounting regional instability.