Beirut – Saba:
The Secretary-General of Lebanon’s Hezbollah, Sheikh Naim Qassem, affirmed on Wednesday that the resistance’s weapons are a Lebanese matter, and those demanding their surrender serve the Israeli agenda.
He stated that America does not help Lebanon but rather destroys it to aid the Israeli entity.
During a memorial ceremony marking the first anniversary of the martyrdom of commander Fouad Shukr (Sayyed Mohsen), Sheikh Qassem said, “Today, Lebanon faces an existential threat—not just to the resistance but to all of Lebanon, its sects, and its people. The threat comes from Israel, from ISIS, and from the Americans who seek to turn Lebanon into a subservient tool integrated into their so-called ‘New Middle East’ project.”
He added, “This threat goes beyond the issue of disarmament—it is a threat to Lebanon itself, to its land.”
Sheikh Qassem emphasized, “We will not accept Lebanon becoming an appendage to Israel. Even if we are all killed, Israel will not be able to defeat us or take Lebanon hostage, as long as we are alive, as long as we proclaim ‘There is no god but Allah,’ and as long as we believe that truth must be defended and the blood of martyrs must be honored.”
He reiterated that Hezbollah’s weapons are solely for resisting Israel and have no relation to Lebanon’s internal affairs, stating, “These arms are Lebanon’s strength, and we are ready to discuss how they can remain part of Lebanon’s power.”
“We will never surrender our weapons to Israel,” he declared. “Today, anyone demanding disarmament is effectively demanding we hand our weapons to Israel.”
Sheikh Qassim pointed out that the U.S. insists on disarming the resistance, with its envoy Amos Hochstein claiming these weapons “frighten Israel,” proving that “America’s goal is to serve Israeli security.”
He stressed that “the occupation will not last, nor will foreign hegemony, but we will remain,” warning that “the imminent danger is Israeli aggression, which must stop. The political discourse should focus on ending the aggression, not disarming the resistance.”
“At this stage, any call for disarmament while aggression continues is a call to strip Lebanon of its strength and hand it to Israel,” he said.
Sheikh Qassem outlined two key duties for the Lebanese state: halting Israeli aggression through all diplomatic and military means while protecting civilians, and undertaking reconstruction efforts. “If America tightens its blockade and prevents international aid, the state must find alternative solutions—this is its responsibility,” he said.
He warned that “anyone, whether domestic or foreign, Arab or international, demanding disarmament serves Israel’s interests, regardless of their title or position.”
Recalling the Syrian conflict, he accused the U.S. of “destroying Syria while giving Israel free rein,” alleging American complicity in atrocities.
Sheikh Qassem affirmed Hezbollah’s dual-track approach: resistance to liberate land and political efforts to build the state, rejecting any trade-off between the two.
On Gaza, he condemned Israel’s “live-streamed genocide” and U.S. complicity, asking, “Where are the human rights organizations?” He called for concrete action, not just statements, to stop the aggression and curb Israeli tyranny.
| more of (International) |