The Secretary-General of Hezbollah, Sheikh Naim Qassem, said on Friday that the fight currently underway represents a legitimate act of self-defense against zionist aggression that poses an existential threat to the region.
In a speech marking Quds Day, Sheikh Qassem rejected claims that a recent missile barrage had “provoked the occupation” into launching aggression on Lebanon, questioning the logic behind such accusations.
Below we publish highlights from the speech:—
Our Imam Khomeini said that Al-Quds Day is an international day that is not specific to Al-Quds alone, but a day for the oppressed to confront the oppressors.
This day holds symbolism in the call for the liberation of Palestine, and it holds symbolism in extending to all the oppressed in the world so they may be freed from the yoke of slavery and injustice.
The occupation of Palestine and Al-Quds is the greatest injustice in the world today.
America and the major powers are the ones who sponsored this occupation, established this cancerous growth, and legitimized it in 1948.
When we commemorate Al-Quds Day, we are declaring that the Palestinians are not alone and that the responsibility is a collective one.
This Palestinian people have made many sacrifices, and in the last battle of confronting the “israeli” enemy through the Al-Aqsa Flood, they have given—in Gaza alone—260,000 martyrs and wounded.
The genocide practiced by “israel” was under direct American and Western sponsorship.
We, as Hezbollah and the Islamic Resistance, will remain with Palestine; we support and back it for the sake of full liberation.
All Arab and Islamic peoples are responsible for standing with Al-Quds and Palestine, as are all free people in the world, because by doing so, they stand with themselves against the tyrants.
We in Lebanon are waging a legitimate battle of defense to confront the brutal “israeli” aggression, and we are facing a dangerous, brutal aggression that poses an existential threat.
We were not in a sound situation; rather, we were facing barbaric actions that have been ongoing for 15 months.
We have raised the alarm several times that the opportunity will end, that there is a limit to the continuation of the aggression, and that there is a limit to patience running out.
We met at the leadership level three times across three stations and consulted on responding to the aggression. We felt the timing was not appropriate, we were convinced of giving an additional chance, and we were convinced that the circumstances were not suitable.
There were parties that contacted us and insisted that we give them an additional chance for the political track.
In the last month, the “israeli” debate was about the necessity of carrying out a major action against Lebanon, but the debate was over the timing.
We found that in what happened after the aggression on Iran and after the martyrdom of Imam Khamenei, the circumstances became suitable for us to confront this enemy.
On one hand, the enemy has been aggressing for 15 months and it seems he will not stop. On the other hand, he killed our Imam and leader. And on the third hand, when the battle coincides with what is happening in Iran, we can weaken the enemy.
We faced it in defense. Some say you provoked the enemy with this barrage—were you not provoked by the martyrs, the wounded, and the prisoners?
The Lebanese government could neither achieve sovereignty nor protect its citizens.
The enemy resorted to destroying homes in a hideous and very dangerous manner, to the point that it reached the Al-Qard Al-Hassan association and displaced entire cities under the title of “fighting the resistance fighters,” when in reality, it is executing life.
There is no solution except through resistance, otherwise, Lebanon is headed towards erasure.
We confirm that the enemy now does not possess the ability to achieve its goals.
We have prepared ourselves for a long confrontation, they will be surprised on the battlefield, the enemy will see our might, and its threats do not frighten us.
When they kill people, they only want to turn people away from the resistance, and they will not be able to.
The displaced persons are in a position of contribution and sacrifice, and they are content with that, and they believe in it. We are one of them, and they are one of us, but endurance is the solution to overcome this stage.
To Netanyahu: Imam Ali (peace be upon him) says, “The appointed time is a sufficient guardian,” therefore your threat to assassinate me has no taste and no value.
To Netanyahu: You are the one who should fear for yourself.
There is no such thing as defeat or surrender in our dictionary. We will remain strong in the field, no matter the sacrifices and offerings.
We will not retreat, because this concerns our existence; this is an existential battle, not a limited or simple battle.
If there were no resistance, what would the “israeli” do? He would enter the houses of Al-Nabi Sheet, house by house, kill them one by one, and take whoever he wants.
The aggression must be stopped, not the resistance. This is our country, and we will not allow anyone to control its destiny, its decisions, or the way its children live.
We are fighting and are confident of victory. We will remain an impenetrable barrier in the face of the enemy’s goals. We have the faith, the will, and the ability; killing is our habit, our dignity comes from God, and martyrdom is our destiny.
The solution is clear: a complete cessation of the aggression, a complete withdrawal of “israel” from the occupied territories, the release of prisoners, the return of the people to their villages, and the start of reconstruction. This is the solution for the resistance to stop this battle or this confrontation.
This resistance is ongoing, and the battlefield is the arena of honor. The word now belongs to the field; we are ready for it, God is with us, our people are with us, and the free and honorable people in our homeland and in the world are with us. This balance is what will prevail, God willing.