‘US Complicity’ – World Reacts to Assassination of Hezbollah Leader Hassan Nasrallah

September 29, 2024 Blog, News
Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah. (Photo: Hezbollah military media)

By Palestine Chronicle Staff  

The assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in an Israeli airstrike on Lebanon has been condemned by some world leaders while US President Joe Biden called his killing “a measure of justice.”

Three Days of Mourning – Lebanon

Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati announced a three-day national mourning period following the assassination.

Mikati’s office reportedly said flags will be lowered at half-mast in all government departments and public institutions. All public offices will also close on the day of Nasrallah’s funeral.

Hezbollah, however, has not yet announced the date for the funeral.

Former Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri condemned the assassination of Nasrallah, as “a cowardly act” saying it “has plunged Lebanon and the region into a new phase of violence, and we condemn it in its entirety.

In a statement on X, he said: “Alleviating the suffering of our people and our families from all regions is a national priority, not partisan, sectarian or factional.

“Preserving Lebanon as a homeland for all its sons can only be achieved through our unity. What is required now is for everyone to rise above differences and selfishness to bring our country to safety.”

‘US Complicity’ – Iran

Iran’s Supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, declared five days of public mourning for the Hezbollah leader.

In a statement on X, the leader said Nasrallah was “a path and a school of thought, and his path will continue,” adding that the “foul-natured Zionist regime has not become victorious by carrying out this atrocity.”

“The Lebanese haven’t forgotten there was a time when the soldiers of the occupying regime were advancing toward Beirut, & Hezbollah stopped them & made Lebanon proud. Today too, by the grace & power of God, Lebanon will make the transgressing, malicious enemy regret its actions,” Khamenei stated.

He said the “ruling Zionist regime hasn’t learned from its 1yr criminal war in Gaza & doesn’t understand the massacre of women, children, & civilians cannot hurt the strong structure of Resistance or bring it to its knees. Now they’re testing the same absurd policy in Lebanon.”

 

Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian said on X: “The international community will not forget that the order for this terrorist attack was issued from New York and the Americans cannot absolve themselves of complicity with the Zionists.”

Expressing his condolences on his passing, he said Nasrallah had “achieved his long-standing dream, that is, to achieve martyrdom,” and that his name “will forever go down in the history of Islam.”

Nasser Kanaani, the spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, quoted a verse from the Qur’an saying on X: “Think not of those who are killed in the Way of Allah as dead. Nay, they are alive, with their Lord, and they have provision.”

He stated, “The proud resistance of Syed Hasan Nasrullah will continue and the holy ideal will be realized in the freedom of Quds Sharif (Jerusalem – PC), God willing.”

‘Shameful Attack’ – Iraq

The office of Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani announced three days of mourning for Nasrallah.

Describing Nasrallah as “a martyr on the path of the righteous,” al-Sudani said the bombing that killed the leader was a “shameful attack” and “a crime that shows the Zionist entity has crossed all the red lines.”

‘Reminds Us of Hitler’ – Venezuela

President of Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro, expressed solidarity with the Palestinian and Lebanese nations, whom he said “are victims of a genocide of terrorist attacks by the government of Netanyahu of a murderer who reminds us of Hitler.”

He condemned Israel’s “abhorrent” attack on Lebanon questioning “who can tolerate” the killing of children, women and the elderly.

“Today we learned of the assassination of a leader of the Muslim world, of the Arab peoples, Hassan Nasrallah…and we repudiate this crime,” Maduro added.  “They want to justify it. But to assassinate him they attacked buildings, neighbourhoods and killed hundreds of people. What do you call that? A crime.”

He stated “The attack was ordered from the New York headquarters of the United Nations. And the cowards of the world are silent.”

“But the rebellious peoples, no one will silence our voices. That’s why i call on the peoples of the world, on the Muslim people, on the Arab people, to raise the voices and stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people, with the people of Lebanon.”

‘Violation of Humanitarian Law’ – South Africa

The South African government expressed “its profound concern” regarding “the recent escalation of extrajudicial killings in the Middle East, most notably the tragic assassination of Hassan Nasrallah and other leaders in Lebanon.”

Noting the “hundreds” that have been left in critical condition and the thousands injured, the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) said, “The scale of injuries caused by these indiscriminate explosions is deeply troubling and warrants strong condemnation from the international community.”

“Such attacks on civilians constitute a grave violation of international human rights and humanitarian law,” DIRCO said in a statement, and “serve to exacerbate an already tense situation in the Middle East and appear to be aimed at undermining international peace efforts in the region.”

“We call for the perpetrators of these premeditated crimes to be held accountable through an international, transparent investigation,” the statement added.

South Africa “unequivocally condemns these targeted assassinations and the recent bombing campaign against Lebanon, which has resulted in the tragic loss of more than 720 lives since the conflict escalated on Monday.”

It called for “an immediate ceasefire and adherence to international law to prevent a major regional military conflagration, which would have devastating consequences for all countries involved.”

‘Cowardly Assassination’ – Cuba

“We condemn the cowardly targeted assassination of Hassan Nasrallah, Secretary General of Hezbollah, as a result of Israel’s attack on residential buildings in the southern suburbs of Beirut, causing destruction and death of innocent civilians,” Cuba’s President, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, said on X.

“This fact seriously threatens regional and global peace and security, whose total responsibility falls on Israel with the complicity of the United States.”

‘Israel Bears Full Responsibility’ – Russia

“This is yet another political assassination committed by Israel, and Russia condemns it with great resolve,” Russia’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement, adding that “This forceful action has the potential to entail even more dramatic consequences for Lebanon and the Middle East in general.”

“Israel was definitely aware of this danger. Nevertheless, it took this step and started killing Lebanese citizens, which will almost inevitably provoke a new outburst of violence. Therefore, it bears full responsibility for the ensuing escalation.”

The Foreign Ministry called on Israel “to stop the hostilities immediately.”

“This would make it possible to cease the bloodshed and create conditions for a political and diplomatic settlement. In the current explosive situation, responsible members of the international community must do everything in their power to prevent the region from plunging into a full-scale armed confrontation.”

‘Infringement on Sovereignty’ – China

In a statement, China’s Foreign Ministry said it was “closely following the incident” of Nasrallah’s assassination and “is deeply concerned over the escalation of tensions in the region.”

“China opposes the infringement on Lebanon’s sovereignty and security, opposes and condemns any action against innocent civilians, and opposes any move that fuels antagonism and escalates regional tensions,” the statement added.

China urged “parties concerned, especially Israel, to immediately take actions to cool down the situation and prevent the conflict from escalating or even spiraling out of control.”

“The tension between Lebanon and Israel is a spillover of the Gaza conflict. The pressing priority is to implement relevant UN Security Council resolutions, end the fighting in Gaza as soon as possible, and earnestly safeguard peace and stability in the Middle East.”

‘Israel Becoming More Reckless’ – Turkey

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on X that “Lebanon and the Lebanese people are the new target of Israel’s policy of genocide, occupation and invasion that has been continuing since October 7.”

Referring to the hundreds killed and thousands injured in the attacks on Lebanon, he said “No one with a conscience can accept, excuse or justify such a massacre.”

Erdogan warned, “The Israeli government is becoming more and more reckless as it is pampered by the powers that provide arms and ammunition for its massacres; it is defying all humanity, human values ​​and international law.”

He stressed that “Israel’s attempts to spread the insane politics it has implemented in Gaza and Ramallah to Lebanon and other countries in the region must now be stopped.”

Without specifically mentioning Nasrallah’s assassination, he said “we will continue to stand by the Lebanese people and government in these difficult days.”

Former Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu said on X: “Israel’s barbaric aggression, which targets Lebanon after Gaza, has become a clear threat to regional and global peace.”

“The assassination of Hezbollah Secretary General Hasan Nasrullah while the UN General Assembly was continuing after the attacks carried out in civilian-populated areas via pagers is a clear challenge to the UN and the international community,” he stated.

“If Israel, encouraged by the support it receives from imperialist powers, the inertia of the UN and the insensitivity of the leaders of Islamic countries, is not stopped, a cycle of disaster awaits our region and the world.”

‘Growing Risk of Regional Conflict’ – Ireland

Micheál Martin, Ireland’s Foreign Minister, said he was “deeply concerned” about the escalation of the conflict over the last 24 hours and “the growing risk of regional conflict.”

“The people of Lebanon continue to pay a shocking and heavy price for the conflict between Hezbollah and Israel. What we need now is for all parties to step back, de-escalate and support efforts to reach a ceasefire,” Martin said in a statement.

“A wider conflict would be disastrous for all the peoples of the region,” he added, urging an immediate ceasefire and deal to release captives in Gaza “to allow humanitarian assistance at scale.”

‘A Measure of Justice’ – USA

Joe Biden, the US president, said in a statement that Nasrallah’s death was “a measure of justice for his many victims, including thousands of Americans, Israelis, and Lebanese civilians.”

“The United States fully supports Israel’s right to defend itself against Hezbollah, Hamas, the Houthis, and any other Iranian-supported terrorist groups.  Just yesterday, I directed my Secretary of Defense to further enhance the defense posture of U.S. military forces in the Middle East region to deter aggression and reduce the risk of a broader regional war.”

‘Serious Threat’ – Germany

Germany’s foreign minister, Annalena Baerbock, warned that the Middle East region was at risk of an “absolute spiral of violence”.

“The situation poses a serious threat to stability in the region, and the stability of Lebanon and this never serves the security and interests of Israel,” she reportedly said.

‘Netanyahu’s Crimes’ – France

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot reportedly called for an immediate end to the Israeli airstrikes on Lebanon.

In a statement he said, “The security and protection of civilians must be guaranteed, including that of French people in the region, which is also our priority.”

Jean-Luc Melenchon, a left-wing French politician, said the assassination “is one more step towards the invasion of Lebanon and general war”.

He stated on X: “France no longer counts on the ground. Netanyahu’s crimes will continue since they are unpunished. The danger is extreme for the region and the world.”

(The Palestine Chronicle)

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