Fadlallah says Israel must stop its attacks before defense strategy dialogue

MP Hassan Fadlallah of Hezbollah’s Loyalty to Resistance bloc noted Thursday that “Lebanon is still living under a continuous Israeli aggression leading to the fall of martyrs and wounded from our people.”

“As in the past two days, the enemy is carrying out attacks benefiting from the state’s weakness, impotence and failure to carry out its full responsibilities in their face,” Fadlallah charged.

Stressing that Hezbollah’s relation with the army is “good,” the lawmaker said “the problem lies in the political decision that confines the army and prevents it from playing its supposed role in protecting its people and country.”

As for the current debate about the dialogue with Hezbollah over its controversial arsenal of weapons, Fadlallah said “there is a host of priorities today, topped by the file of the confrontation with the Israeli enemy, halting the attacks, liberating the land and the captives, and reconstruction.”

“When these files get finalized, when the state performs its responsibilities fully in these files, and when the blood of our people is no longer violated, our land is no longer occupied and our homes are no longer destroyed, we will come to discuss the other issues, including the defense strategy, and we’re open to such a dialogue,” Fadlallah said.

He added that dialogue can only be held with “those who believe that Israel is an enemy and that Lebanon’s sovereignty comes before any foreign conditions, be them American, Israeli or other than that.”