Hezbollah Deputy SG: US Fueling Lebanon’s Crisis, “Israel” Doesn’t Dare to Attack Lebanon

Translated by Staff

Hezbollah’s Deputy Secretary General, His Eminence Sheikh Naim Qassem, said that if the president and prime minister-designate reached an agreement, the government would be formed instantly. This indicates that the problem is fundamentally internal.

In an interview with the Beirut-based al-Mayadeen, Sheikh Qassem underscored the need for concessions that don’t violate the government structure or the authority of both the president and the prime minister. He further explained that Hezbollah does not see any justification for delaying the agreement, which requires mutual concessions that don’t disturb the essence.

The top Hezbollah official pointed out that US pressure on Lebanon through various sanctions and preconditions is fueling the crisis. 

"One and a half million displaced people can return to Syria, but the United Nations, the European Union, and the US are preventing them," he said.

Sheikh Qassem believes that the path to solving the socio-economic crisis begins with the formation of the government, which will subsequently give birth to a reform program.

"The US influences the economic situation to a great extent, but we can deal with its pressure if we form a government," Sheikh Qassem said, stressing that the visit of the Qatari minister to Beirut has nothing to do with the formation of the government and that he did not communicate with Hezbollah.

"There is no real proof that there are regional or international conditions that hinder the formation of the Lebanese government," he explained. "If Hariri gave all his ten fingers to Saudi Arabia, the Saudis will not accept him and will not agree to a government in which Hezbollah is a member.”

“Neither Hariri or anyone else can handle Saudi demands, which is confronting Hezbollah," he said. "Who can confront Hezbollah?" Why? It is a Lebanese component that has representatives and is engaged in politics."

Regarding the media campaign against Hezbollah, His Eminence revealed that the US embassy contracted two Lebanese media outlets, both of which are required to broadcast daily reports to undermine Hezbollah.

"There is a group of Lebanese politicians whose primary job is to directly link any incident to Hezbollah."

Elsewhere in his remarks, Sheikh Qassem expressed the party’s eagerness to maintain the bilateral dialogue committee that exists between Hezbollah and the Maronite Patriarchate, stressing that internationalization is dangerous and only exacerbates the country’s misfortunes and problems.

"Can internationalization go on without an agreement among internal parties?" he asked as he reiterated Hezbollah's rejection of internationalization. 

"Many allies also say that they are against internationalization, which is an unviable idea".

Touching on the prospects of war with "Israel", Sheikh Qassem feels that Tel Aviv needs to come to terms with the fact that any future confrontation will unfold on “Israeli” territory. He stressed that Hezbollah is ready to confront "Israel" at any moment and teach it a lesson it will never forget.

He, on the other hand, ruled out that the US or "Israel" would attack Hezbollah at this stage because the party has the will to respond. Sheikh Qassem emphasized that "if America attacks, it will be included within the realm of any response."