Hezbollah Secretary General, His Eminence Sheikh Naim Qassem, affirmed that Lebanon and its Resistance, army, and people have entered a new phase titled “Breaking the Israeli Project,” considering that the project which sought over the past years to eliminate Hezbollah militarily, politically, culturally, socially, and humanly has failed.
Sheikh Qassem said: “We are now in a new phase in the history of Lebanon, its Resistance, its army, its people, and its future, a phase called ‘Breaking the Israeli Project.’ We can say that after all the attempts by the Israeli entity over the past two or three years, we have reached a stage where the project has been broken. This does not mean that they will not try again or that there will not be other phases, but there was a major project called the military, political, cultural, social, and human elimination of Hezbollah, and erasing its existence and the existence of all those with it on the path to Greater Israel. This project has been broken.”
His Eminence added: “Now they need a long period of time to try to return, whether they can or cannot, let them try their luck. But I say that we are in a phase of breaking the Israeli project.”
Sheikh Qassem stressed that the role of the battlefield was the essential factor in reaching this result, saying: “Had the Resistance not been on the battlefield, and had there not been the legendary, great martyrdom-seeking youth who filled the world with their noble example, ready to sacrifice themselves, money, shed blood, lose homes and families and everything, just so that they would remain standing and prevent the occupation from achieving its goals, had these people not been on the battlefield, we would not have reached this result.”
He continued: “And had we not had Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah and the martyred leaders, the wounded, the captives, and the great families that rallied around the Resistance, and had we not had this exceptional readiness, we would not have broken the project. So the battlefield is the foundation.”
He noted that some used to respond to the Resistance’s talk about the battlefield by saying that it is not stronger than the Israeli entity, adding: “Who said that we are stronger than the Israeli entity? We are saying that we are on the battlefield, and the Israeli entity on the battlefield will not endure, and cannot achieve its goals even if time drags on. So, had the battlefield collapsed, the Israeli entity would have taken a step in its project to eliminate Hezbollah and achieve the ‘Greater Israel’ project. But the steadfastness of the battlefield broke the project.”
He pointed out that political pressures were exerted on the Resistance during the war, saying: “They were pressuring us a lot, some politicians and some countries and some of those who contact us, saying: Brother, what are you doing? The Israeli entity is strong and you are not stronger than it. Yes, we know that the Israeli entity is strong, but who said that we accept giving in to the Israeli entity because it is strong? This is our right, and we do not relinquish our right.”
He added: “Let it take care of its affairs, and you take care of your affairs if you are afraid or incapable or complicit, that is your affair and its affair. They say there are victims and great costs, and we tell them: Rest easy, we have made our decision and we are ready to pay the price.”
He affirmed that “if the stronger party takes at a time when we concede, it will take more and more after the concession. And whoever you give to and do not stand in its face, who will stand in its face later?”
He considered that the Resistance constitutes the only guarantee for liberating the land and preserving independence and sovereignty, saying: “From here, we are convinced that the only guarantee for liberating the land, independence, and sovereignty is the Resistance in confronting the occupation.
Resistance is the path to liberating the land and restoring rights, and there is no contradiction between intellectual convictions and national belonging
The Secretary General of Hezbollah affirmed that resistance in all its forms is the only path to liberating the land and holy sites and restoring rights, citing what the former Secretary-General of Hezbollah, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, used to say: “Resistance in all its forms is alone the path to liberating the land and holy sites and restoring rights, and all other paths are a waste of time and a squandering of opportunities. The length of the battle must not be a reason for despair nor a justification for impotence. Generations must bear this responsibility, and the banner must be passed from generation to generation, and resistance must continue.”
Sheikh Qassem added: “So, when we say that we are on the path of Imam Hussein, peace be upon him, this means that we work with three pillars: leadership, the goal, and the path, and these are our steps.”
He continued: “Here a question is usually raised: You extend beyond the homeland and talk about a global project, so how can we be citizens and cooperate within one homeland while you hold these ideas? My brother, these are foundational ideas related to convictions. You who have other ideas, where did you get your foundational ideas from? You got them from a global thinker, and from capitalism, and from communism, and from France, and from Britain, I don’t know where. You bring ideas from everywhere, and no one asks you where you get your ideas from. All of this is nothing but a fundamental component of the premises on which we work.”
He explained: “How can you translate your intellectual and cultural differences within one country? When we are in one country, either we are all of one opinion and we apply these ideas, or we are different and we try to find common ground to cooperate with each other so that we live on one land by agreement among us, and this is what happens in Lebanon and in many countries.”
He pointed out that “Hezbollah has declared several times that it is for the Taif Agreement, and for the Constitution, and for the way it deals with public affairs, but it remains a group that believes in these ideas and convictions and wants to apply them, and it deals with others in accordance with the area of commonality that exists in the different convictions.”
He said: “There is absolutely no contradiction, and we have one of the most important experiences, which is the experience of Hezbollah in Lebanon, and how it worked on the basis of its convictions, while at the same time it is part of the Lebanese composition and the Lebanese political situation, and it adheres to the controls and laws. There is no contradiction in this matter.”
He added: “You tell me nationalism, nationalism is on the battlefield. The one who fights is more nationalist than any other nationalist, and the one who gives his blood for the land is more than any other nationalist. As for the one who gives lectures about nationalism, and when faced with difficulty packs his bags and travels, is this nationalism? Nationalism must give.”
He continued: “Our experience is glaring and clear. Some people who talk about nationalism inside Lebanon, look at their history, they did not carry anyone, and they committed massacres to remain alone, and they call for partition and federalism and raise certain concerns. Why my brother? Because you are not dominant and not in control. Why do you want hegemony and control? Cooperate with others, there are rules, controls, and laws.”
Sheikh Qassem stressed by saying: “When we fought battles against the Israeli enemy in order to liberate our land, our country, ourselves, and our lives and defend our existence, they left no conspiracy without conspiring to create strife in the country and incite against others, and they are with the Israeli entity against us. Why my brother? Can’t you live like this? The Israeli entity originally does not respect anyone, and will not leave anyone. At least we can understand with you and deal with you to reach a result, and the experience is before us.”
Patience was part of the strategy, and Iran refused to end the war against it before ending the war on Lebanon
The Secretary-General of Hezbollah emphasized that the 15-month period of patience was part of the confrontation on the ground, not a retreat. He pointed out that the decision to engage in combat was made at the time the resistance deemed most appropriate for waging the battle.
Sheikh Qassem said, “We exercised patience for 15 months. Patience was part of the strategy, and don’t think that patience was a retreat. Rather, it was part of the strategy, preparation and readiness, because we had made our choice. When we saw that the opportune moment arrived on March 2nd, we fought this battle and seized this opportunity.”
He added, “I will not discuss its reasons and precursors, but I want to tell you something: we moved from patience on the ground to fighting on the ground on March 2nd with a clear and decisive decision, because we considered this timing and these circumstances to be appropriate. Thank God, it became clear that we had entered into a movement relying on Iran, thus adding strength to the three forces we already possessed.”
He continued, “They started asking us: Why did you enter now?” And why did you and Iran get involved? Do you know that, about two or three weeks before the battle against Iran and the war on it, every Arab and international envoy, and even some pillars of the Palestinian Authority, asked us: “If the United States fights Iran, and if the Israeli entity fights Iran, will you intervene?”
He pointed out that the resistance did not provide an answer to these questions, adding: “No one got an answer from us. We asked them why they were asking this question. They said that the Israeli entity says that if we don’t intervene, it won’t attack us, and thus it will continue its battle with Iran while we remain neutral during this period.”
He added: “We asked them: And what happens after this period? They said: We don’t know. You don’t know? What do you intend to do? You say you want to confront Iran to weaken its capabilities and the people who can fight alongside it, on the basis that you will finish off Iran and then come and finish off us, killing us one by one.”
Sheikh Qassem emphasized that the resistance had not given a predetermined answer regarding its position, saying, “We didn’t give an answer, nor should we. When we entered the battle, and Iran was on the ground, we benefited from them, and they benefited from us, and these were the results.”
He asserted that the United States, the Israeli entity, and their allies did not anticipate the steadfastness of Iran or Hezbollah, adding, “They were astonished at how Hezbollah entered the fray on March 2nd with such exceptional strength and such sincere resolve, because they don’t know us, and they don’t know that we had made our choices.”
He said, “Thank God, we were able to reach a stage where the timing, the choice, the conduct of the battle, and all the steps we took were very important factors that yielded results on the ground, leading to the current ceasefire as a first step. This must be followed by a complete withdrawal from Lebanese territory.”
Sheikh Qassem expressed his gratitude to Iran, saying, “We thank Iran, and we tell you that you are the most honorable people in the world.” All the countries surrounding you will build the best relations with you, because it has become clear that those who promised them protection and the objective of confronting Iran—a confrontation that is unnecessary—were not sincere.
He added: “They are brothers in faith, brothers in the region, and brothers in the shared life in our region. But because they want to tear the world apart and use everything for the benefit of the Israeli entity and the United States, they have now discovered that Iran is reliable, that it can stand firm, and that it possesses loyalty and integrity.”
He pointed out that Iran “did not agree to any agreement to end the war against it except by ending the war on Lebanon,” asking: “Is there any other country or group in the world that would do that?”
He continued: “We used to read analyses saying that Iran makes deals, sells out Hezbollah, and stops funding because its interests are more important than Hezbollah’s. But these people don’t know Iran, nor Supreme Leader Khamenei, nor the Iranian people, nor the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.”
He said: “These are a noble and honorable group, raised on the path of Imam Hussein, peace be upon him, and they supported Palestine and the oppressed and bore all the burdens for 47 years because they want to establish the truth on the path of Imam Hussein, peace be upon him.”
There is no option for the Israeli entity except full withdrawal from Lebanese territories and implementation of the ceasefire terms
The Secretary General of Hezbollah affirmed that the Israeli aggression failed to achieve its goals and its project has been broken, stressing that the Resistance remains standing, ready, and continuing, and that what is required today is the full restoration of Lebanese rights and the cessation of aggressions.
Sheikh Qassem said: “The result we want to reach, what is the scene now? First, there is Israeli aggression that failed to achieve its goals and its project has been broken. Second, there is a Resistance, a people, and a homeland that paid great sacrifices and endured, and the Resistance remains standing, ready, and will continue.”
He added: “What we want is our rights, our land, and our sovereignty. We want to liberate Lebanon and stop the aggression. As for the claims that it is afraid for its security and has the right to protect its security, if it is afraid for its security then it has blown up all of our security. Do we treat the one who blew up everything or do we treat the one who says he is worried?”
He continued: “It is also an occupier in Palestine, meaning it has no legitimacy at all in the region, we are the legitimacy, and the Palestinians are the legitimacy.”
He pointed out that the current phase requires the full implementation of the ceasefire, saying: “We now have a ceasefire, and withdrawal must be carried out according to a timetable. There is no option for the Israeli entity except full withdrawal from all Lebanese territories, without keeping a single inch and under no pretext whatsoever.”
He stressed the need to implement the “five points,” which are: “Complete cessation of aggression by air, land, and sea, Israeli withdrawal, deployment of the Lebanese army, return of captives, return of residents to the last borders, and reconstruction.”
He added: “These points are our right to be implemented. The Israeli entity withdraws and the Lebanese army deploys south of the Litani exclusively, and we cooperate with the Lebanese army to the utmost limits within the ceiling of mutual security, as we cooperated since November 27 and after it for 15 months.”
Sheikh Qassem affirmed that what is agreed upon internally is a Lebanese affair, saying: “The Israeli entity has no business in what we agree on at the Lebanese internal level, and it must be prevented from intervening, or asking, or knowing. It has no relation to knowing what we will do in the future, and it has no right to this interference.”
He said, “Now the political authority in Lebanon has a tried-and-tested guarantee called the Resistance, the most honorable Resistance that broke the arrogance of the United States and the Israeli entity, and prevented the Israeli entity from achieving its goals. We tell you: benefit from this Resistance to be strong in confronting challenges, and we are present, and everything has its account and lentils have their soil” [a Lebanese proverb meaning everything has its price].
Source: Al-Manar English Website