Qassem says only 'battlefield' can stop war, renews support for Berri's 'political resistance'
Hezbollah chief Sheikh Naim Qasem said Wednesday his group has tens of thousands of combatants ready to fight Israel, in a speech marking 40 days since his predecessor Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah was killed in an Israeli strike.
"We have tens of thousands of trained resistance combatants" ready to fight, he said, adding that nowhere in Israel was "off-limits" to the group’s attacks.
“Hezbollah resists and works to build the country … The resistance shall remain and get bigger,” Qassem added.
Noting that Israeli Prime Minister Benjami Netanyahu “has said that he wants to change the face of the Middle East,” Hezbollah’s leader warned that “Netanyahu aims to occupy Lebanon and end Hezbollah's presence.”
“We are now in a defensive state to confront the aggression and its expansionist goals,” Qassem said, adding that “the Israeli army wanted to reach the Litani River but faced a firm resistance.”
“We believe that only one thing can stop this aggressive war, which is the battlefield -- both on the border and inside Israel,” Qassem stressed.
“We will not beg for halting the aggression and we will make the enemy ask for it,” he said, adding that Hezbollah is “not counting on the U.S. election or the general political efforts.”
“Our only choice is to prevent Israel from achieving its goals,” Qassem added, emphasizing that Hezbollah “cannot be defeated” while “right” is on its side and the land is its land.
He added: “Lebanon is strong although it is in pain, but it is also inflicting pain on the enemy.”
As for the U.S.-led diplomatic efforts, Qassem said the basis of any negotiations should be “halting the aggression and protecting sovereignty,” noting that Speaker Nabih Berri is “carrying the banner of political resistance.”
As for the abduction of a Lebanese sea captain from Batroun, Qassem called on the Lebanese Army to “inform us of its stance on the incident,” while wondering about “the role of UNIFIL,” especially its German naval contingent.
Source: Naharnet
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