Hassan Nasrallah's speech was broadcast on a giant screen at the SOYED al-Chouhada complex in the southern suburbs of Beirut, Feb. 16, 2024. (Credit: Joao Sousa)
Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah spoke on Friday about the situation in south Lebanon and Gaza, as well as the domestic situation in Lebanon, as the war between Hamas and Israel continued for its 133rd day. Here are the main points addressed in his seventh speech since Oct. 8:
1. The south Lebanon front
"The south Lebanon front will be maintained," Nasrallah said. "Killing our fighters on the ground and hitting the southern suburbs [of Beirut] will not stop the resistance," he added, calling for continued and even intensified fighting.
He also reacted to recent threats by Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, who said this week that his country could bomb any part of Lebanese territory, whether "20 km" or "50 km" from the border, "in Beirut or anywhere else."
"The Israeli minister … has forgotten that the resistance in Lebanon has missiles that can hit all Israeli territory," the Hezbollah chief said.
2. Israel's strike Wednesday on Nabatieh
"What happened in Nabatieh was premeditated. If Israel had only wanted to hit the fighters, it could have avoided the civilians," Nasrallah said, referring to a strike on Wednesday evening that hit a building in Nabatieh, killing at least 10 civilians from the same family, as well as three party fighters. Among them was Ali Debs, a military official who had been wounded on Feb. 8 by an Israeli drone strike on his car in the same town.
"When it comes to civilians, this is a sensitive issue for us. Israel must understand that, in this case, it has gone too far. The enemy's aim in killing civilians is to put pressure on the resistance," Nasrallah said.
"We hit the Kiryat Shmona barracks yesterday [Thursday], with several Falaq and Katyusha missiles; this is a first response. The enemy will pay the price for the deaths of our women and children killed in recent days," he continued, before adding, "We are in a real battle with a ferocious enemy backed by the United States. We are not in a symmetrical confrontation pitting military against military."
3. Presidency and domestic politics in Lebanon
"We have not said that we are going to impose a president of the republic. The presidency is an internal affair. Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri has already called for dialogue several times, but everyone refuses. The presidency in Lebanon has nothing to do with Gaza," Nasrallah insisted.
The country has been without a head of state since Oct. 31, when Michel Aoun's term in office came to an end. Since then, Parliament has not succeeded in electing a president due to a lack of political consensus.
Responding to those who accuse Hezbollah of seeking to impose its views domestically by using the threat of its military arsenal, Nasrallah maintained, "The resistance has nothing to do with Lebanese domestic politics. We have never imposed political options in the name of the resistance. The weapons of the resistance will not be used to change the political system in Lebanon; they are used to protect Lebanon and its people."
"There's no need to demarcate the land border [with Israel]; it's already marked out. If there are to be discussions, it will be to get the Israelis off our land," the leader of the pro-Iranian party commented, referring to disputed territory between Lebanon and Israel along the border.
4. The war in Gaza
"The Americans and Israelis must know that the Palestinians will not back down, whatever the sacrifices," Nasrallah said, commenting on the war that has been raging in the Palestinian enclave for the past four months. According to him, the resistance has "two options: resist or capitulate."
"The price of capitulation is high," he immediately added, calling for "extending the battle" but without "moving away from the main battle to support Gaza."
"The real aim of the Israelis for many years has been to displace the Palestinians from their land and set up an exclusively Jewish state. They want to drive the inhabitants of the West Bank to Jordan, the 1948 Palestinians [Israeli Arabs] to Lebanon and send those in Gaza back to Egypt," Nasrallah contended.
"We don't interfere in Hamas' negotiations with Israel [for a cease-fire in Gaza]. It's up to them to make the necessary decisions; they're the ones who pay the highest price. Yemen and the resistance in Iraq have the same attitude," he concluded.