Fadlallah says Beirut's 'incompetent' authority now has blood on its hands

Hezbollah MP Hassan Fadlallah called Wednesday for a referendum, claiming that more than half of the Lebanese people are against the direct Lebanese-Israeli talks that took place Tuesday in Washington.

Fadlallah lashed out at Lebanese authorities who "are giving free concessions" to Israel, saying they now "have blood on their hands".

He accused the Lebanese authorities of complicity in the deadly Wednesday's strikes that killed more than 300 people, noting that Lebanon was excluded from the Iran ceasefire at the request of both Israel and the Lebanese government, placing the weight of the subsequent bloodshed squarely on the shoulders of the Beirut administration.

Fadlallah argued that Lebanon's current trajectory is deepening internal rifts and fails to reflect the true identity or aspirations of the Lebanese people. He criticized the authorities in Beirut for their incompetence, asserting that their decisions are driven by sectarian interests and personal gain rather than the national interest.

Israeli strikes targeted south Lebanon during and after the talks, while Hezbollah attacked north Israel and clashed with troops in south Lebanon.

Fadlallah said the Israelis were trying to compensate for their losses on the battlefield in south Lebanon with the talks in Washington.

He said the southern town of Bint Jbeil, which Israeli forces said they have encircled, is still resisting and standing firm and that Israeli soldiers who pose for photos in southern villages, including in Bint Jbeil, are ultimately forced to withdraw due to Hezbollah’s resistance.