Hezbollah on Thursday issued an open letter to President Joseph Aoun, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, and the Lebanese people, reaffirming its right to resist occupation and aggression while rejecting any “negotiation trap” with Israel.

The letter comes nearly a year after a ceasefire was agreed on November 27, 2024, following indirect negotiations between Lebanon and Israel mediated by U.S. envoy Houghtstein. Hezbollah said the ceasefire was meant to enforce United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701, which called for the disarmament of all militias and the withdrawal of Israeli forces south of the Litani River.

Hezbollah emphasized that both Lebanon and the group have strictly adhered to the ceasefire, while Israel has continued to violate its terms.

“The enemy keeps violating the agreement on land, at sea, and in the air, ignoring repeated calls to stop its attacks. Instead, it has tried to pressure Lebanon, setting conditions and demands to avoid halting its aggression,” the letter said.

The group strongly rejected Israeli and foreign pressure to disarm Hezbollah, framing the issue of “arms exclusivity” as a matter for national consensus.

“This isn’t something that can be dictated under foreign pressure or Israeli coercion. It has to be decided nationally, through agreement on a comprehensive security and defense strategy to protect Lebanon’s sovereignty,” the letter said.

“Even though some tried to present the government’s rushed decision on arms as a gesture of goodwill, Israel exploited it to demand Hezbollah’s disarmament as a precondition for ending hostilities; a demand that was never part of the ceasefire and is unacceptable,” it added.

Hezbollah also accused Israel of targeting Lebanon as a whole, not just the group.

“Everyone in Lebanon should understand that Israel is not aiming at Hezbollah alone. Its goal is Lebanon as a whole. Israel wants to strip Lebanon of the ability to resist its coercive demands and force the country to comply with its policies and interests,” the statement said.

The group warned against entering further negotiations with Israel, arguing such engagement would only serve Israeli interests.

“Engaging in more negotiation traps only benefits Israel, which always takes and never gives. With an adversary this ruthless, backed by the U.S., there’s no room for compromise. Lebanon’s current priority is to stop the aggressions under the terms of the ceasefire and pressure Israel to comply, not to bow to extortion or enter political negotiations that carry existential risks to the Lebanese state and its sovereignty."

Hezbollah concluded by reaffirming its support for the Lebanese army and the people, asserting its right to resist occupation and aggression.

“We reaffirm our legitimate right to resist occupation, stand with the Lebanese army and our people, and defend our national sovereignty. This isn’t about declaring war or peace. It’s about exercising our right to defend ourselves against an enemy that imposes war on our country while refusing to stop its attacks, trying to subjugate our state,” the statement said.

The letter called on all Lebanese to unite against Israeli violations and aggression, underscoring the need to preserve the nation’s sovereignty and dignity.

“We pledge to remain steadfast in defending our land and our people, and in securing a future for our generations,” Hezbollah said.