Qassem says Hezbollah has 'right' to respond to Tabatabai’s killing
Hezbollah's leader Sheikh Naim Qassem on Friday said the group has the right to respond to Israel's assassination of its top military chief in a strike on Beirut's southern suburbs last week.
In a televised speech, Qassem called the killing of Haitham Ali Tabatabai "a blatant aggression and a heinous crime,” adding that Hezbollah has "the right to respond, and we will determine the timing for that.”
“The objective of the assassination has not been achieved and will not be achieved and we'll continue the same path,” Qassem said, noting that “the aim of the assassination of the most prominent figure in combat and capability restoration was to undermine morale and create confusion.”
Admitting that “there is infiltration and there are spies” in Lebanon, Qassem added that “we are in an open arena in which the enemy is coordinating with U.S., international and Arab sides.”
“I do not absolve ourselves of mistakes and we must address the issues and draw lessons from them,” he said.
“There is no equalness in power with the Israeli enemy, neither militarily nor in intelligence,” Qassem acknowledged.
Warning that “the Israeli objectives are related to Lebanon's land and future,” Hezbollah’s chief added that “entire Lebanon must be in charge of defense, topped by the government.”
“Today There is a new phase and the state is now responsible for expelling the occupation and deploying the army,” Qassem said.
“The state should be in charge of deterrence -- through its army and people,” he added.
Commenting on the flurry of Israeli threats and reports about an imminent Israeli escalation against Lebanon, Qassem said: “All these threats are a form of political pressure … The threats are of no value and the possibility of war exists because Israel and America are studying their options.”
Warning that “those who want to remove weapons are serving Israel,” Qassem added that Hezbollah is “ready to discuss weapons and the defense strategy, but not under pressure or in pursuit of a new agreement.”
”We are ready for political discussions over arms and a defense strategy, but not under Israeli pressure and not through annulling the current agreement,” he said.
”Surrendering is out of the question. We will persevere and defend and the blood of our martyrs will not go in vain,” Qassem added.
“The Israeli enemy will not cause us pain without receiving pain itself,” he noted.
Source: Naharnet
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