Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah reiterated on Tuesday that the so-called “support front” for Gaza in South Lebanon will not abate so long as the war in the enclave is not over, rejecting any foreign initiative for de-escalation.
“Over 130 days (of war in Gaza), the Israelis have not been able to achieve the goals they set, and the support fronts in the South, Yemen, Syria and Iraq will remain open as long as the war continues,” Nasrallah said in a televised address to mark the “Day of the Wounded.”
He stressed that no political gains or offers waved at Hezbollah will make the party change its position, reiterating that proposals and initiatives made by Arab and Western delegations and diplomats are in vain.
“The sole interest and objective of all the delegations that have flocked to Lebanon over the past months was to secure a ceasefire in order to ensure the return of some 100,000 settlers to northern Israel,” Nasrallah said, adding that “the envoys have been trying, in vain, to intimidate us by conveying Israel’s threats and terms instead of negotiating between the two sides.”
Underscoring what he called Hezbollah’s military deterrence “which is keeping Israel in check,” Nasrallah further justified the Iran-backed party’s military activities in the South, claiming that “the support fronts help prevent Israel from coming out victorious in the war, which is in the interest of the whole region, especially Lebanon.”
He also downplayed the importance of implementing UN Resolution 1701 to restore calm and security to the South, claiming that “it does not protect Lebanon” and that “only the tripartite equation of the people-army-resistance can protect the country.”
Nasrallah stressed that Lebanon “is not in a weak position,” whereas “Israel is in no position to impose its conditions on Lebanon.” He called on the Lebanese authorities to add new conditions to Resolution 1701 rather than implement it.
He also warned Israel that if it carries out any attack against Lebanon once the Gaza war ends and a ceasefire takes hold in the South, Hezbollah’s response “will be proportionate.”
“All options are possible in the ongoing crisis… If Israel escalates, we will escalate. We are ready to face the enemy no matter how much they escalate,” he added.
Nasrallah also warned residents of South Lebanon against falling for Israeli manipulation through mobile phone calls. He cautioned that interactions on social media networks are feeding Israeli surveillance and spying networks with information that they can use against Hezbollah fighters.
He also urged them to stop using their mobile phones and to switch off their private cameras which are linked to the internet.
As usual, his address was clearly aimed at justifying Hezbollah’s military activities and mobilizing its popular base, claiming that the party enjoys strong support, notably in South Lebanon, despite the damages and losses sustained by residents in the South.
