Naim Qassem
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Qassem: Dialogue Prepares Suitable Ground to Combat Terrorism

Hizbullah deputy Secretary General Sheikh Naim Qassem welcomed on Wednesday the dialogue between the Mustaqbal Movement and Hizbullah, hoping that it will lead to solutions to pending problems.

He said: “Dialogue prepares the ground for a joint battle against terrorism that has become a threat to all.”

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Qassem Calls on State to Unite Negotiation Channels

Hizbullah deputy chief Sheikh Naim Qassem called on the government on Tuesday to lead the mediation regarding the case of abducted servicemen, stressing that the negotiation channels should unite.

“The release of the captives is a noble goal that we should all be seeking,” Qassem told reporters after a meeting with the families of the hostages, who were taken captive by the al-Qaida-affiliate al-Nusra Front and the Islamic State group after they overran the northeastern border town of Arsal.

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Qassem Says 'Snow, IS, Nusra' Can't Affect Hizbullah Fighters on Border

Hizbullah deputy chief Sheikh Naim Qassem on Friday emphasized that his party's situation is “solid” on Lebanon's southern and eastern borders, stressing that it “cannot be shaken by storms, snow, ISIL or al-Nusra” Front.

“I do not at all fear this 'noise' that is called ISIL (Islamic State group) or al-Nusra or anyone who follows them, and the reason is that they do not represent Islam in any way whatsoever,” Qassem said during an educational ceremony.

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U.N. Envoy Meets Saniora, Reiterates Importance of Stability in Lebanon

United Nations Special Envoy Staffan de Mistura continued on Friday his tour on Lebanese officials on his second day of visit to Lebanon, stressing the international community's determination to maintain stability in the country.

The U.N. official discussed with head of al-Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc Fouad Saniora the general situation in Lebanon and the region.

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Qassem Says Shebaa Blast 'Message to Israel', Brital Attack 'Total Failure' for Militants

Hizbullah deputy chief Sheikh Naim Qassem on Tuesday described the bomb attack that targeted an Israeli patrol in the occupied Shebaa Farms as a message that is “addressed exclusively to Israel,” although it came two days after fierce battles with jihadist militants in Brital's outskirts.

“The bombs were detonated based on the movements of the enemy's troops and this means that the resistance is ready and its eyes are open,” Qassem said in an interview on OTV.

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Qassem Says Obama Seeking to Contain IS Expansion in Region, Not End it

Hizbullah deputy chief Sheikh Naim Qassem considered on Thursday that the United States inwardly accepts the presence of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant in the region.

“They are trying to prevent it from reaching its states but they don't want it to end,” Qassem said in comments published in As Safir newspaper.

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Qassem Urges Dialogue to Resolve Crisis: March 14 Must Not Justify Takfiris' Actions

Deputy Hizbullah Secretary General Sheikh Naim Qassem criticized the kidnappings of Lebanese nationals in an attempt to pressure the release of soldiers held by Islamists, saying that the people should not adopt the path followed by terrorists, reported As Safir newspaper on Tuesday.

He stressed that dialogue and resolving pending disputes will ease the tensions, calling on the March 14 alliance “to stop justifying the actions of the takfiris, who do not recognize anyone and even betray those protecting them.”

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Qassem: State Must Address Collaborators Issue, Balance of Power Only Allows Consensual President

Hizbullah deputy chief Sheikh Naim Qassem reminded Monday that his party had left the issue of Israeli collaborators for the Lebanese state to address, noting that the current “balance of power” in the country does not allow the election of a new president without consensus among the rival parties.

“The resistance has acted honorably during all junctures, including during the liberation when we did not harass anyone and left the issue of collaborators for the Lebanese state to address according to its laws, without any intervention from our side,” Qassem said during a Hizbullah ceremony.

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Qassem Says al-Rahi Jerusalem Trip 'Problematic', Rules Out President Election within Deadline

Hizbullah deputy chief Sheikh Naim Qassem on Friday described Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi's scheduled visit to Jerusalem as “problematic,” expressing his belief that no new president will be elected within the constitutional timeframe, which ends on May 25.

“We believe that al-Rahi's visit to occupied Palestine is problematic. It has to do with the patriarchate and Christians and we don't know what negative repercussions might arise from it, but we will evaluate it and comment on it if necessary,” Qassem said in an interview on al-Mayadeen TV.

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Heated Debate Arises over Possible Extension of Suleiman's Term

The controversial debate over extending the term of President Michel Suleiman created further rift among the political arch-foes as Bkirki denied that Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi proposed the matter.

“The Patriarch merely proposed an idea to avert any vacuum” at the helm of the country's top Christian post, Bkirki spokesperson Walid Ghayad said in comments published in al-Mustaqbal newspaper on Tuesday.

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