A Hezbollah MP said the group will defend the strategic hill by all means and will not cede it to Israel, while welcoming Iranian support.
Hezbollah will defend Ali al-Taher against Israel by all means possible and will not relinquish the strategic hill, Hassan Ezzeddine, a Hezbollah MP, said Tuesday. He stated that the group welcomes any Iranian assistance in the matter and suggested that Iran could establish a deterrence equation at Ali al-Taher similar to the one it has established in Dahieh.
Ezzeddine criticized the framework agreement between Lebanon and Israel as shameful and humiliating. He threatened that Hezbollah would take to the streets when the time was right, though he did not specify what circumstances would prompt such action.
The MP also said that Hezbollah maintains good relations with Turkey and that Turkey is leading an initiative aimed at reconciling the group with Syria's new regime. The comments come as the geopolitical situation in the region remains tense, with Israeli forces active near the Lebanese border.
Ali al-Taher is a hill in the border region between Lebanon and Israel that has been a point of contention between the two countries. The strategic importance of the location has made it a focal point in recent military and political tensions.
The framework agreement between Lebanon and Israel, which Ezzeddine attacked as shameful and humiliating, represents a formal arrangement between the two states on border demarcation and other issues. Hezbollah has opposed such agreements as inconsistent with its stated resistance against Israeli actions.
Ezzeddine's comments reflect Hezbollah's position that it will not accept any territorial concessions or strategic losses in border areas. The party has framed its stance as essential to defending Lebanese sovereignty and protecting the population from Israeli threats.
The reference to Iranian support underscores the role that Hezbollah's regional backers play in its military posture. Iran has provided financial and military assistance to Hezbollah, and Ezzeddine's statement suggests the group expects such support to continue.
Turkey's mediation efforts between Hezbollah and Syria's new government represent a separate diplomatic track in the region. The success or failure of such initiatives could affect the broader strategic balance in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Levant.
The threat to mobilize supporters into the streets suggests that Hezbollah may use mass demonstrations as a political tool if negotiations or military developments require a show of public support. Such actions have been used by the group in the past to pressure the Lebanese government or demonstrate popular backing for its positions.
