Naim Qassem, Hezbollah’s Secretary-General spoke on Sunday evening about a variety of issues.
International Affairs
Trump’s stance on the Palestinian issue is extremely dangerous. He seeks to eliminate Palestine and the Palestinian people.
Netanyahu wants to physically eliminate the Palestinians, while Trump wants to eliminate them politically.
Internal Lebanese Affairs
Hezbollah and Amal facilitated the election of the president and the formation of the new government.
We are on the verge of an achievement: On February 18, Israel must withdraw from the lands it occupied in Lebanon.
Israel has no right to hold five points in Lebanon. This is stated in the ceasefire agreement. It must withdraw fully and completely.
We will not disclose how we will act, but everyone knows how to deal with an occupier if it does not vacate the lands by February 18.
Lebanon is responsible for rebuilding what Israel destroyed in southern Lebanon. This is the state’s responsibility. We will cooperate and assist. We will not abandon the people. We pledge that everything will be rebuilt better than it was before.
The Issue of Preventing Iranian Flights from Landing in Beirut
The Prime Minister decided to prevent Iranian flights from landing after Israel’s threat to attack the airport.
This is a problem. Where is our sovereignty? Are we just officials working for Israel?
The plane should be allowed to land, and we’ll see if Israel dares to attack the airport.
There was a peaceful protest yesterday, yet the army fired tear gas. Why?
There is no need to create problems between the Lebanese army and the Lebanese people.
This issue must be handled wisely. Iranian planes should be allowed to land here.
The Funerals of Nasrallah and Hashem Safi al-Din
This is an exceptional funeral due to the status of the two figures. I call for broad participation in the funeral. It is a show of strength. Hezbollah is strong.
We must stand with our heads held high.
I urge people not to fire into the air during the funeral to preserve its dignity and strength.
A brief summary of Hezbollah’s Secretary-General’s speech:
Naim Qassem has nothing new or interesting to offer.
He tries to tread carefully, without specifying what will happen if Israel does not withdraw from Lebanese territory by 18.2.
He attempts to smooth over the conflict between Hezbollah supporters and the Lebanese army following the airport events.
He sincerely hopes that the funeral of Nasrallah and Hashem Safi al-Din will proceed smoothly and without incidents.
A weak speech from him. No news. His demeanor reflects Hezbollah’s current state.
