Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem addressed the public tonight for the first time since the collapse of the Assad regime in Syria. Speaking on the current regional dynamics, he stated, “The enemy wanted to eliminate the opposition which stands in its way of expanding into the entire area.” While acknowledging the loss of a critical weapons supply route from Iran via Syria, Qassem asserted that the group’s resistance efforts would persist despite this setback.
Qassem emphasized that Israel’s efforts during the conflict failed to “break Hezbollah.” He elaborated, “The enemy understood that the horizon for fighting Hezbollah was blocked, so they reached an agreement.” He framed Hezbollah’s endurance as a victory, explaining, “Hezbollah was victorious because the enemy did not achieve its central goal: To eliminate Hezbollah and return the settlers home without an agreement.”
Discussing the terms of the agreement reached with Israel, Qassem remarked, “The goal of the agreement achieved [with Israel] is to stop the strikes, not to eliminate Hezbollah. This agreement is the implementation of Resolution 1701 and is connected only to the area south of the Litani.” He justified Hezbollah’s measured response to repeated Israeli actions, stating, “We were patient with the hundreds of Israeli violations, in order to aid the implementation of the agreement and not present an obstacle – so that those responsible will be forced to bear responsibility.”
Qassem also accused Israel of exploiting the conflict in Syria to achieve broader destructive aims. “Israel destroyed all of the abilities of the Syrian army, using the excuse of self-defense and concern for the future, with American backing. They want to destroy the entire area,” he charged. Despite acknowledging the loss of the group’s Syrian supply line, he insisted, “The opposition is flexible and what is important is continuity. We do not believe that what is happening in Syria will affect Lebanon, and we hope that Syria will be stable, in accordance with what the people want.”
Looking ahead, Qassem expressed hope that the emerging Syrian leadership would adopt a firm stance against Israel. “We hope that Syria will be stable, in accordance with what the people want,” he reiterated, adding, “and that the new Syrian regime will see Israel as an enemy and not normalize relations with it.”
{Matzav.com}