Naharnet

Naim Qassem: Lebanon Does Not Exist, is Worthless without the Resistance

Hizbullah deputy Secretary General Sheikh Naim Qassem stated on Saturday that “Lebanon is worthless without the resistance,” assuring that it will be mentioned in the ministerial policy statement.

"Lebanon owns its resistance for deterring Israel,” Qassem said at a Hizbullah event.

"Lebanon is worthless without its resistance. Even more, Lebanon does not exist without the resistance,” he added.

The Hizbullah official considered that the ministerial policy statement is a reflection of the cabinet and its work in the future.

"And the most truthful and realistic policy statement is one that stresses on the resistance's presence,” he said.

Qassem continued: "Let's not get distracted by illusions to make political gains through suggestions that will not have any real grounds because the resistance is a reality.”

“The resistance is a cornerstone of the policy statement and the draft will not be complete without mentioning it.”

However, Qassem then remarked that a ministerial policy statement is drafted as a result of consensus between different factions and that “no party can impose its own views on others.”

"The statement should be consensual and no party should triumph over others,” he said.

"There is no reason for getting emotional and tensed over the statement, we should respect one another especially in what concerns the future of the country and its resistance.”

President Michel Suleiman said Friday that the land, people and common values formed the country's “permanent equation.”

The president's suggestion came as political foes are bickering over the “army-people-resistance” equation and whether it should be included in the ministerial policy statement.

Qassem also voiced surprise at “those that do not see Israeli aggression, the danger Lebanon is exposed to, Israel's raids on the Lebanese-Syrian border, the occupied Shebaa farms and the Kfarshouba town and the continuous Israeli violations of land and airspace.”

"Hizbullah insists on facing aggression and we will not live with it or accept these plans. We want to liberate all territories and gain our independence without any mandate.”

Hizbullah confirmed on Wednesday that Israeli fighter jets had shelled one of its positions on the Lebanese-Syrian border on Monday.

It said in a statement: “The resistance will choose the right time and place to retaliate to the strike near the Bekaa region of Janta.”

Israel has not acknowledged the raid, but officials have confirmed a general policy of interdicting suspected arms deliveries from Syria to Hizbullah.

"We are doing everything that is necessary in order to defend the security of Israel," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tuesday.

"We will not say what we're doing or what we're not doing," he said.


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