Hezbollah Deputy SG: The July Victory Opened the Floodgates of Liberation

Hezbollah Deputy Secretary General His Eminence Sheikh Naim Qassem writes an exclusive letter to al-Ahed, recalling the July 2006 War.

In The Name of Allah Most Gracious Most Merciful

“Israel” is an aggressive entity created through the occupation of Palestine by the Zionists and under an international auspices led by Britain. This occupation was solidified by a UN resolution in 1948 when Palestine was divided into the territories granted to the “Israeli” usurper entity and the remainder of the Palestinian land, which was occupied by “Israel” in 1967. The occupied territories become the subject of conflict and compromise in order to establish a state for the Palestinians according to specifications suitable for the usurper “Israeli” entity.

“Israel's” history consists of attacks and wars against the Palestinians and neighboring countries, including Egypt, Syria, Jordan and Lebanon. “Israel” completely invaded Lebanon during the 1982 war. It reached the capital Beirut with the aim of eradicating the presence of the Palestinian resistance and initiating a new era in the region based on the notion that “Israel” is the undisputed power. Within the framework of agreements with Arab countries that will be its political and economic incubator, “Israel” imposes the conditions and borders of its entity as well as the borders and reality of Palestine. This enables the enemy entity to use the geography of occupied Palestine as a starting point to control the capabilities of surrounding countries and all Arab countries culturally, politically and economically.

1. The birth of Hezbollah

“Israel” and the world were surprised by the birth of Hezbollah in the same year that the invasion took place. The Islamic Resistance grew with Hezbollah’s Islamic ideology to an extent that confused the occupation in Lebanon and presented it with existential challenges. In 1985, it withdrew from part of Lebanon to alleviate the burden. But the resistance’s strength and determination grew. So “Israel” launched a war against Hezbollah in July 1993, thinking it could terminate this phenomenon with its capabilities. The result was the unwritten July understanding, which created the formula – “Israel” will not bomb civilians and in return the resistance will not launch rockets at “Israeli” settlements.

Then there was “Israel's” aggressive war against Lebanon in April 1996, which had the same objective: terminating the resistance. The result was the written April Understanding, which solidified the equation of civilians for civilians.

“Israel” could not withstand the resolve and jihad of the Islamic Resistance and its continually successful operations against the Zionists and their agents. Thus, “Israel” was forced to withdraw from Lebanon on May 25, 2000. That day was the day of the great and first liberation, which was achieved unconditionally and without any agreements. This gave the resistance a great position in the conflict with “Israel”. It also underscored the usefulness of resistance in liberating land, instead of wasting efforts and hanging false hopes on international resolutions, the UN Security Council and major powers, which did nothing to force “Israel” to withdraw from Lebanon in accordance with resolution 425 in 1978.

“Israel” thought that its withdrawal from Lebanon in 2000 would bring about an end to Hezbollah's pretext to continue resisting. It also thought that the Shebaa Farms and Kfar Shuba Hills, which remained occupied, would not affect the pressure exerted on the party [Hezbollah] to let go of its weapons and resistance. The leaders in “Israel” believed that their withdrawal was the end of the Lebanese resistance. But they were surprised when the resistance continued to prepare for the next phase. Liberation was not a period of respite for the resistance! Rather it was a juncture to accumulate strength and prepare for a possible new round of fighting with the “Israeli” enemy whose approach centers on occupation, aggression, protecting the occupation and unleashing further aggression.

2. The July War

The capture of the two “Israeli” soldiers by Hezbollah in July 2006 was aimed at securing the release of detainees in “Israeli” jails. This action was related to the fortification of the resistance and its people. It was designed to keep the enemy from gaining the upper hand in imposing the rules of captivity and assaults. The prisoners must be free and the aggression must be met with resistance. These are the necessary steps for the work of the resistance to be fruitful and for achieving complete liberation.

The Zionists protested the capture of the two soldiers as a pretext to wage a fierce war against Lebanon and Hezbollah on July 12, 2006. The war lasted 33 days. It was then revealed that the war was planned for September or October 2006, with full US supervision and coordination. However, the Americans decided to change the timetable and bring the war forward despite the reluctance from “Israeli” leaders who felt underprepared. In any case, “Israel” does not need a pretext to fight a war that it views as serving its interests. It has fought all its wars under false pretenses that serve “Israel’s” interests and the timing of the expansion.

Hezbollah and Lebanon achieved a resounding victory, surprising the world, “Israel” and the US. “Israel” was defeated and did not achieve its objective to crush Hezbollah. The tripartite force – the army, the people and the resistance – emerged with heightened morale and a defined power enabling it to withstand and resist Israel and protect Lebanon from “Israeli” aggression. It was the fruit of war and a positive outcome from the aggression.

The resistance proved that when power and righteousness come together, they will achieve great victories. Victory is not only measured by capabilities. Despite “Israel’s” military superiority, it has been defeated several times in Lebanon and Gaza. Victory, however, is measured by the will of the people of truth and land and their readiness to sacrifice with their capabilities to achieve victory. Allah Almighty says: {O you who have believed, if you support Allah, He will support you and plant firmly your feet.}

3. “Israel’s” Defeat

The July 2006 victory marked a new era of resistance. It can be said that it is the beginning of the era of the resistance’s victories in the face of the most difficult challenges. The July victory marked a turning point in the resistance’s place in the region. The resistance inspires its people. It expands in various countries by the hands of its citizens. It motivates the Palestinian resistance to make more sacrifices and exercise more patience. It is the resistance of the steadfast and great Palestinian people.

The July victory marked the beginning of “Israel’s” defeats. It posed a threat to the “Israeli” project’s continuity and stability. It weakened its ability to launch aggressions at all times. The July victory laid the foundation of a new stage of balanced deterrence. It made “Israel” reconsider any attack on Lebanon, distancing Lebanon from “Israel” and its aids’ strikes for thirteen years.

Hezbollah's victory in July 2006 not only defeated “Israel”, but also America and all of the Arab conspirators. Hezbollah's victory crushed an extensive project against Lebanon. US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice spoke about this project on the tenth day of the war when she refused an immediate halt to the “Israeli” war on Lebanon. She described the aggression against it as: “the birth pangs of a new Middle East.” This new Middle East project was defeated by Hezbollah in July 2006. It is a project made to destroy and break the will in order to weaken Lebanon and to create a model for all countries and peoples of the region to submit to the American-“Israeli” project. This project was intended to spread despair among the Palestinians and to make the whole region subordinate and in the service of “Israel”, which will built its state at the expense of the Palestinian people and conquer the Arabs by taking al-Quds and Palestine.

Hezbollah owes its victory to the Mujahideen, the martyrs, the detainees and their families. It owes its victory to the brave, courageous and steadfast Lebanese people. It owes its victory to the wise leadership of His Eminence, dear brother, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah as well as his will, confidence, his wise and influential guidance. It owes its victory to this cohesion between the tripartite – the army, the people and the resistance. Hezbollah’s victory is the victory of Palestine and al-Quds. It is the victory of the Arabs and the Muslims. It is the victory of the free and oppressed people who are longing for glory.

The July victory disrupted Zionist international political options. These options were replaced by the choices and hopes of the people of the region. These hopes and choices can be fulfilled with sacrifice, patience and resistance. All that caused the failure of the “Israeli”-American project in the region since the July victory stems from the blessings of the resistance’s victory and the liberation.  

Deputy Secretary-General of Hezbollah

His Eminence Sheikh Naim Qassem

July 8, 2019