By Palestine Chronicle Staff  

“We are honored to be among the few who support Gaza, alongside Iraq, Yemen, and Iran, while the entire world is just watching”. – Sheikh Naim Qassem 

In a speech on Wednesday, Hezbollah Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem addressed various aspects of the ongoing war with Israel, highlighting the Resistance’s steadfastness and strategic objectives in response to Israeli aggression.  

Sheikh Qassem emphasized Hezbollah’s commitment to defending Lebanese sovereignty, underscoring the importance of military operations and the broader political context. 

He also discussed the group’s dual approach, combining resistance on the battlefield with engagement in negotiations.  

Victory through Resistance  

Sheikh Qassem outlined the Resistance’s perspective on victory, stating that Israel’s failure to achieve its military goals signifies a win for Hezbollah. 

“When the enemy fails to achieve its (set) goals, this means we have achieved victory,” he said.

Qassem reiterated the centrality of battlefield outcomes, asserting that “the battlefield has the final say, from which results are derived.” 

Addressing recent attacks on Lebanon’s capital, Beirut, Sheikh Qassem issued a firm warning: “When the (Lebanese) capital comes under attack by the Israeli enemy, the response must be in the heart of Tel Aviv.”  

🇱🇧| His Eminence Hezbollah SG Sheikh Naim Qassem:

We are not making the battlefield dependent upon the negotiations. We have one option: enduring and continuing, no matter how long the war lasts.

– We have opted for one of two options — either victory or martyrdom pic.twitter.com/Dkfo7OVCwQ

— Al Aqeel Jawad🚩 (@JawadAbubakar7) November 20, 2024

Referring to the ‘Tel Aviv for Beirut”’ equation established by the former Secretary-General, martyr Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, he stated, “We can never leave the capital under the strikes of the Israeli enemy, and it will surely pay the price from the center of Tel Aviv.”  

Hezbollah’s military operations in south Lebanon were also highlighted. Sheikh Qassem noted the extended duration of operations along the southern border, saying, “We expected the operations on the villages on the forward edge (against the Israeli occupation forces) to last 15 days, but it has lasted a lot longer due to the resistance and resilience of the people of might.”  

He emphasized the Resistance’s unique approach, explaining, “The Resistance does not operate the same way as an army does,” and elaborated that the focus is not on preventing enemy advances but on inflicting losses wherever they occur.  

“It is not important to say the enemy entered this or that village, but how many of them were killed today and where the fighters engaged in confrontations with them,” he explained.

Two Paths  

While military operations continue, Sheikh Qassem emphasized Hezbollah’s commitment to negotiations on terms that protect Lebanon’s sovereignty. He stated, “We are operating along two paths: the battlefield and negotiations, and we shall not suspend the battlefield awaiting the negotiations’ results.”  

He clarified that the Resistance would not negotiate under fire, saying, “Our negotiations are not held under fire, because Israel is under fire as well.” 

The Secretary-General outlined the conditions for talks, asserting, “Our negotiations are under the umbrella of a complete cessation of aggression and preserving Lebanese sovereignty.”  

Hezbollah Escalates – Four Soldiers Killed, Military Bases Targeted

Sheikh Qassem expressed confidence in the Resistance’s ability to counter Israel’s strategies, both militarily and diplomatically, remarking, “The occupation expected that it could achieve through the agreement what it failed to achieve on the battlefield, and this is not possible.”  

He affirmed, “Israel cannot defeat us and impose its conditions on us,” while reaffirming Hezbollah’s solidarity with Gaza and other resistance movements across the region.  

“We are honored to be among the few who support Gaza, alongside Iraq, Yemen, and Iran, while the entire world is just watching,” Qassem said.

Sheikh Qassem concluded by reaffirming the enduring unity of the army, people, and Resistance as the foundation for Lebanon’s resilience and reconstruction.  

(PC, Al-Mayadeen)