I wonder if the headline writer at Haaretz read even the first paragragh of the story. Hezbollah didn't say they would drop arms if Israel left Shebaa, it said it would be willing to (meet and) discuss disarmament after Israel left Shebaa. Also, the story later noted another pre-condition to discussion -- Lebanon security:

"We will discuss [Hezbollah's] arms after Shebaa but on condition that a credible alternative is found to protect Lebanon," Kassem told the Financial Times."

And, Kassem has a good way to address his latter concern:

"Sheikh Naim Kassem told the Financial Times that disarmament, called for by Washington and the United Nations, could pave the way for Hezbollah's fighters to become a kind of reservist army working with Lebanese authorities. ...

"A reservist army doesn't mean the resistance becomes part of the army but it is a formula of co-ordination with the army. It is resistance by another name," he said."

"resistance by another name" is right; it's just a lot of smoke and mirrors.

I suppose it's notable that Kassem has revised his position since the Hariri murder, but Kassem didn't need that to do the Janus routine and I doubt his conception of a reservist army is one without their weapons. Btw, anyone know what he has said in Arabic.

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