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“There is no solution in Lebanon except through agreement among ourselves, and when there is readiness for dialogue, we are present, and we have no problem with this matter. The only guarantee we ask for is the profile of the upcoming president,” Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah said in a televised address on the occasion of the 17th anniversary of the 2006 Israeli war on Lebanon.
Nasrallah went on to add that they are open to a dialogue with the other parties as long as they come up with a new set of names for potential presidential candidates, while insisting on his endorsement of Marada leader Sleiman Frangieh’s candidacy.
Nasrallah also confirmed the rumors floating around about rekindling the talks with the Free Patriotic Movement.
In his address, the Hezbollah leader reiterated his well-known stance regarding the discussion of his party’s arsenal, saying that those weapons will never be used to reshuffle the political cards nor to impose a new scenario.
On May 7, 2008, Hezbollah took over Beirut and some parts of Mount Lebanon in a military coup over a governmental decision to remove a communications cable belonging to the party.
The decision was later revoked, which led to the Doha Agreement on May 21 involving all the Lebanese factions, resulting in a consensus presidential election. This consecrated the concept of “force in the face of democracy and freedom.”
In this regard, Nasrallah said: “We did not accept the option of electing Michel Aoun as president in 2008 during the Doha conference, despite being asked to do so.”
Nasrallah went on to add that what matters to him is the profile of the next president, one that he “can trust, one that would protect the weapons of Hezbollah and one that has a solid back. The likes of former Presidents Emile Lahoud and Michel Aoun.”
Hezbollah’s secretary general also elaborated on the situation on the southern front with Israel.
“The installation of the tents at the border came after the Israelis constructed the fence in the Shebaa Farms, not before that, as claimed,” said Nasrallah, adding: “Our tents are located on Lebanese soil, and one of them is inside the ‘withdrawal line’ in the Shebaa Farms area.”
“Lebanon’s land borders are clear and demarcated since to early 20s of the last century but there are Lebanese points where the Israeli enemy is present, and therefore, it must withdraw from them,” Nasrallah said.
The Hezbollah head went on to say that “since the end of the 2006 war and the 1701 UN Resolution, there have been countless documented breaches from the Israeli side and barely a few from the Lebanese one.”
The Lebanese political scene remains extremely volatile, amid an unprecedented economic crisis that has brought more than 70 percent of the Lebanese citizens below the poverty line.
The main state bodies remain paralyzed, be it in its legislative, executive, or presidential one. Meanwhile, Hezbollah and its allies insist on taking the country and the livelihood and security of its citizens hostage, all for the sake of safeguarding and implementing their agenda.
