Speech of Hezbollah Secretary General His Eminence Sheikh Naim Qassem on 14-12-2024
By Staff
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds. May prayers and salutations be upon the most deserving of creatures, our master and beloved leader, Abu al-Qasim Muhammad, upon his pure and noble family, upon his chosen and pious companions, and upon all the prophets and righteous until the Day of Judgment.
Peace and Allah’s mercy and blessings be upon you.
I will talk about four points. The first point is our evaluation of the aggression on Lebanon and our current and future situation. Second, what is the future of the Resistance in Lebanon? Third, what is Hezbollah's work program for the next stage? Fourth, what is our stance regarding the developments in Syria?
- Evaluation of situation in Lebanon:
I will start by evaluating our current and future situation. Our support for Gaza was an honorable and noble act. It was our duty and the entire Ummah’s duty, including the Arabs and Muslims. When they did not do their duties, the Zionists penetrated and committed attrocities.
We knew that an aggression against Lebanon was being planned – a criminal “Israeli” aggression, but we were unsure about the timing the Zionists will choose. This was before the Al-Aqsa Flood and continued after the Al-Aqsa Flood. The aggression began in September. However, it was not merely the result of our support for Gaza, but part of the enemy's expansionist plots because it wants to eliminate any resistance that stands in the way of its expansionist project throughout the region. What has the enemy achieved in terms of aggression against Lebanon?
The enemy's achievements include the assassination of many of our leaders, most prominently, the Sayyed of the nation’s martyrs, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, and several leaders and Mujahideen. It was also able to breach the communication network and inflict severe harm through the pagers and walkie-talkie explosions. These were the enemy's achievements, and the price was great and painful. However, it did not achieve its goals through these operations that took place in late September. So it committed brutal crimes against civilians, villages, homes, as well as children and women.
However, the “Israeli” enemy’s main objective, which is to crush the Resistance, was not achieved. Hence, the “Israeli” crimes are not an achievement. On the other hand, we succeeded in preventing the enemy from eliminating and crushing the Resistance as it mentined several times that it wanted to end the existence of Hezbollah. Our Mujahideen succeeded in preventing the enemy from making any progress through the ground invasion.
Their missiles reached the home front and caused them a lot of pain and displaced many settlers, approximately more than 200,000 settlers. The Resistance also killed hundreds of soldiers and wounded hundreds of others. They inflicted economic and social damages and other types of damage inside “Israel”.
Therefore, what we have accomplished is preventing the enemy from achieving its goal of crushing the Resistance. What the enemy has accomplished is hurting us by killing our leaders and breaching the communication network. Our people have made great sacrifices to prevent the Resistance from being broken.
Here, I salute all these brave people who protected the Resistance and considered it their only and main option in this confrontation. They made these sacrifices and were a support for the heroic Resistance fighters and Mujahideen who stood firm in the battlefield. To those who ask us what is the other option other than endurance, we say it is surrender and losing everything.
It is far from the Resistance to submit or to accept humiliation; this is far from Hezbollah! Those who believe that the losses are great in Lebanon and are asking Hezbollah what it is going to do with these great losses, the question should be: what do we do with this great aggression? The aggression is the problem, not confrontation.
God Almighty said in His Noble Book: {Do not falter or grieve, for you will have the upper hand, if you are [true] believers. If you have suffered injuries [at Uhud], they suffered similarly [at Badr]. We alternate these days [of victory and defeat] among people.}
By God's Grace, we remained steadfast and were able to inflict harm on the enemy until they realized there is no hope in continuing to fight against Hezbollah’s Resistance, and so, the enemy resorted to an agreement to end the battle.
For your information, [Amos] Hochstein brought the agreement, and it was made between the US and “Israel”. Then, it was presented to us via the Lebanese state and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri. Speaker Berri had remarks, and we had remarks. We amended what we could in the agreement.
Therefore, he brought the agreement, and we agreed to it and added details to it. What made the enemy go to an agreement and stop the aggression? Three factors made the enemy and those behind it despair of continuing [the war].
The first factor is the legendary steadfastness of the resistance fighters in the battlefield. The second factor is the blood of the martyrs and the sacrifices, including the blood of the Sayyed of the martyrs of the Resistance, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, who gave great motivation to our youth, our nation, and our people to stand firm and confront. The third factor is the integrated and effective political and jihadi management in managing the Uli Al-Ba’as Battle in a way that led to this result.
The “Israelis” chose a ceasefire due to the factors of strength and steadfastness. What is our evaluation? The resistance achieved victory because the enemy was unable to achieve its central goal, which was to eliminate Hezbollah. It was also unable to bring the settlers back [to the north] without an agreement and failed to enter the new Middle East through Lebanon.
The Resistance remained in the battlefield until the last moment, and the Mujahideen remained fircely resisting on the border edge, with their heads held high.
[Imam] Ali (peace be upon him) said, “When God saw our truthfulness, He brought down oppression upon our enemy and brought victory upon us.”
The agreement is to stop the aggression and to end the Resistance. It based on the existing Resolution 1701 and is limited to the area south of the Litani River. It [Resolution 1701] stipulates that “Israel” withdraw from the Lebanese border and the Lebanese army deploys as the only authority carrying weapons, so that there are no militants or weapons in this area.
This agreement has nothing to do with the Lebanese interior, internal Lebanese issues, the relationship between the Resistance and the state and army, the presence of weapons, and all other issues that require dialogue and discussion.
During this period, we’ve observed the enemy's many breaches of the agreement and have remained patient in order to hold everyone responsible accountable, make room for the success of the agreement, and expose the “Israeli” enemy. The government is concerned with following up on preventing “Israeli” violations, and the committee charged with monitoring the agreement is concerned with preventing “Israeli” violations and implementing the agreement. Hezbollah is following up on what is happening and act in accordance with the country’s interest. This is the first point.
- Future of the Resistance:
The second point is the future of the Resistance. It seems that we need to know the truth about the Resistance. What is the Resistance? Resistance is faith, faith in God Almighty, freedom, pride, and defending the right, land, and homeland. {But all honor and power belongs to Allah, His Messenger, and the believers.}
Preparation is to be prepared with weapons and capabilities to protect this faith in the face of enemies because they will not stop at any thing. The enemy will keep attacking and will always try to change beliefs, opinions, and convictions. They will steal our goods and capabilities.
How do you confront the enemy? How do you resist them? With words, complaints? That is not enough. They must be confronted by preparing the appropriate force. We have said repeatedly, and I will say it again. Palestine is the focal point in this region. Why?
Because “Israel”, the aggressor and occupier of Palestine, uses its aggression against Palestine as a pivot point to occupy the entire region. It is thus better for us to confront this cancerous tumor together to prevent it from expanding on the one hand, and to thwart its occupation on the other hand, each according to their capabilities, circumstances, and reality, than to watch and be eaten by “Israel” one by one.
The Resistance derives its legitimacy from its belief in its cause, regardless of its capabilities. When we talk about resistance, we are talking about confrontation, rights, land, a group that wants to reclaim what is theirs and confront the enemies who want to deprive them of their rights. This is legitimate at all levels – faith, humanitarian, global.
This resistance does not win by knocking out its enemy. This resistance wins by scoring points. The resistance can continue for 10 years, and it may continue for 50 years. We do not know the period of time during which the resistance will continue to overthrow the idol, the tyrant, and the occupier. Therefore, it sometimes wins and sometimes loses. It wins a round and loses another. This is normal in the resistance work. What is important is its continuity. The important thing is it remains in the battlefield no matter how limited its capabilities are.
When the Resistance makes sacrifices, it does not mean it lost. Rather, it paid the price for its continuity because sacrifices are what make the Resistance crystallize. They enable the Resistance to stand on its feet. When the enemy strikes the Resistance and kill people, it is trying to surround it with weapons, with force, with capabilities. What does it want? It wants to weaken the principles of the Resistance. It wants to weaken the will of the Resistance until it falls. Hence, sacrifices are the natural price for the continuity of the Resistance.
Imam Khomeini said, “As long as we are on the right path, we will be victorious.” Victory means not to be shaken. Victory means that the Resistance remains. Victory is not to respond to those discordant voices that live in a state of disappointment, despair, fear, and terror. The important thing is to remain on the right path. Aren't we on the right path? Then, we do not care if we die on the right path, as Ali al-Akbar said in Karbala.
Based on the above, Hezbollah's Resistance will remain present and prepared. The sacrifices only increase our responsibility in confronting this expansionist enemy. This enemy can only be curbed by resistance, and the land can only be liberated through resistance. We are experienced in this regard. Lebanon was only liberated through resistance. “Israel” only left the occupied border strip through resistance.
We were only able to stop “Israel” for 17 years – from 2006 to 2023 – through resistance. The July victory that prevented the new Middle East in 2006 was only possible through resistance.
We are not asking you to establish a resistance. We are asking you to join a resistance that was established and has proved its effectiveness and showed that this enemy can only be removed from our land through resistance.
Therefore, the Resistance will remain present. Each stage has its own methods and approaches, meaning that resistance does not always have one form of confrontation. Certain developments and situations occur. We will change some methods and some ways. The important thing is that the Resistance remains, but the methods and approaches are related to each stage separately, and this is what we will work on.
Yes, we defended Lebanon. We defended Lebanon because the last aggression was against Lebanon and not against us exclusively, even if we were directly targeted. We pushed back this aggression against Lebanon and stopped it at the borders with the legendary resistance of the Mujahideen and their steadfastness and the support of our people and loved ones and the support of all the free people in Lebanon.
All the Lebanese who sheltered, supported, wished for the victory of the Resistance, and objected to “Israel” are partners in the victory because they supported the Resistance and stood by its side. If it were not for the steadfastness of the Resistance on the front, “Israel” would have reached Beirut and begun the following steps: settlement and colonization in southern Lebanon, weakening Lebanon's capabilities, and controlling its policies and future.
We are not talking about an unknown enemy or unworkable ideas. Look at the unparalled criminality of this enemy. Look at what it is doing in Gaza? 150 thousand martyrs and wounded, almost complete destruction of Gaza!
“Israel” declared that it does want to leave Gaza. It wants to norther Gaza to be a demilitarized zone, devoid of civilian presence, devoid of people, devoid of homes, devoid of life. It is thinking about settling in Gaza.
It is saying that it wants to annex the West Bank and is working on that with full cover from the biggest criminal, America, which supports it with all its capabilities.
If the US’s 850 billion dollars defense budget is in the service of “Israel”, if both parties are in the service of “Israel”, if more than approximately 500 planes came to the “Israeli” entity loaded with weapons and ammunition, as well as approximately 100 ships, this means that the crime we see is the work of America and its decision. America is always providing cover for “Israel”.
Didn't you see what happened in Syria? They destroyed all the capabilities of the Syrian army under the title of preemptive defense and fear of the future, and America is directly providing cover for them. This is evidence of the expansionist decision. They want to execute the entire region. If they had the opportunity, they would do the same thing with other Arab countries, one after the other. I will not name them now, but they would do the same thing.
They have their eyes set on all the surrounding Arab countries. This means that we are facing a dangerous expansionist enemy. It occupied a section of the Golan Heights, hundreds of kilometers. What did the world do? Why is the occupation happening?
What is the danger? “Israel” has expansionist intentions. Hence, we must continue resisting. Yes, the Resistance along with its people and army prevented “Israel” from achieving its expansionist goals in Lebanon. What I’m saying is not a slogan. Why should it continue with its people and army?
Because our army is a national army. It paid the price by giving dozens of martyrs because it is in the battlefield. Our army is the one that will deploy in the south to expel the “Israelis”. Our people are the ones who were cohesive, united, and cooperative until we reached this result.
In conclusion, Hezbollah is strong and recovering from its wounds. Hezbollah and the Resistance will remain present, and Lebanon, with its elements of strength, will remain. Lebanon is strong with its army, people, and resistance. It should not allow strife to spread in the structure of this trio and Lebanon’s structure.
Whoever was hoping for the end of Hezbollah was disappointed; whoever relied on “Israel” to impose its political power over others failed in his reading and choices; we welcome whoever sees Hezbollah as an effective and influential force in political life, and we will cooperate with them in the interest of the rise of a strong and stable Lebanon politically, economically and socially. Lebanon will rise with all its sons and components.
- Hezbollah’s program in Lebanon:
What is Hezbollah's program in the next stage? I will briefly mention five points. We will be an essential partner in building the state.
- Implementing the agreement in the south of the Litani River.
- Reconstruction with the help of the state, which is responsible for reconstruction and cooperation with all countries, organizations, brothers, and friends that wish to help Lebanon rebuild.
- Working hard to elect a president on January 9 to get the wheel of the state moving.
- Participating through the state with a rescue, economic and social reform program based on citizenship and equality under the rule of law and the Taif Agreement and in confronting corruption and holding the corrupt accountable
- Positive dialogue on problematic issues. Of course, we have several problematic issues that need dialogue, including Lebanon's position on the “Israeli” occupation of its land and strengthening the Lebanese army. We want to engage in dialogue to unify our point of view on how to confront the occupation, liberate the land, and not coexist with the continuation of the occupation. How do we strengthen the Lebanese army to be a pillar of protecting Lebanon? How can Lebanon benefit from the resistance and the people as a support for liberation in its defensive strategy? These questions and others require dialogue among the Lebanese.
- Hezbollah’s stance regarding developments in Syria:
We supported Syria because of its hostile position toward “Israel”. It also contributed to strengthening the capabilities of the Resistance across its lands in Lebanon and Palestine. Now, the regime has fallen at the hands of new forces.
We cannot assess these new forces until stability is achieved and their positions are clarified and the regime’s situation in Syria is organized. Hence, what I will mention is our opinion and position.
First, we hope that the new regime and the Syrian people choose cooperation between the people and government of Lebanon and Syria on the basis of equality and exchange of capabilities.
Secondly, we hope that all parties in Syria, all sects, and all components will participate in forming the new government and take part in it so that the Syrian government will be based on the Syrian citizen and not on the seat of one group over another.
Thirdly, we hope that this new party in power will see “Israel” as an enemy and not normalize relations with it.
These points will affect the nature of our relationship with Syria. The Syrian people have the right to choose their leadership, government, constitution, and future. We hope that they will succeed in making choices that are not controlled by any of the other countries that have ambitions in Syria and that want to serve the “Israeli” enemy.
Yes, Hezbollah has lost the military supply line via Syria at this stage, but this loss is a detail in the resistance work. This route can return to normal when the new regime is established. We can look for other ways.
The resistance is flexible and does not stop at a certain limit. The important thing is the continuity of the Resistance. As for the methods and approaches, they can change and shift. The resistance must adapt to the circumstances to strengthen its capabilities. The important thing is to remain persistent and address its requirements in different ways.
We do not believe that what the developments in Syria will affect Lebanon. On the contrary, there is now a preoccupation with Syria. There are special conditions in Syria. God willing, Syria will emerge stable, doing what its people want.
The region in general is under pressure. America and “Israel” control many paths in the region. This means that we are facing great pressure in the entire region. However, we have faith that the living forces in the region will remain present and will take action. These living forces must review their calculations and methods of work. It is not right for the living groups to remain imitative and follow old patterns. Whoever sees that his previous pattern is not productive must modify it and change it. Whoever sees gaps should address them. It is good to have a reading after this great development in the region. God willing, the results will be positive.
Peace to all the lovers of freedom and liberation; peace to the righteous martyrs; peace to our people who made sacrifices and struggled; and peace to the legendary resistance fighters who raised our heads high. The Resistance will persevere, God willing.
May Allah’s peace, mercy, and blessings be upon you.
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