Qassem Says Hizbullah Ready to Discuss Defense Strategy but Not the Arms
Hizbullah deputy chief Sheikh Naim Qassem stressed on Saturday that his party supports dialogue among the Lebanese and expressed readiness to discuss the defense strategy but not the resistance’s arms.
“We will not discuss the resistance’s weapons issue… their hopes and demands for toppling the arms are to support the American-Israeli project,” Qassem said during a celebration in Hermel for the birth of Imam Mahdi and the anniversary of the 2006 war.
He told the audience that “there is no near war with Israel because Hizbullah’s deterrence scares them (Israelis) and they will not be able to achieve their goals. They know that the resistance’s capabilities differed from the 2006 war.”
Concerning the Special Tribunal for Lebanon probing the assassination of ex-Premier Rafik Hariri in 2005, the deputy chief said that “our political team obstructed the STL’s aim to ignite the situation in Lebanon.”
“The European Union and America will cooperate with this government because their interests will be harmed. This cabinet will have regional and international relations,” Qassem added.
He described the STL as “politicized” and not connected to Lebanon anymore, saying that it became a “political tool used by the (United Nations) Security Council especially by the U.S. and Israel.”
“They will use the tribunal whenever they wanted to raise an issue against Hizbullah,” he stated.
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