In a speech which lasted almost 90 mins, Hezbollah Secretary-General Al-Sayed Hassan Nasrallah expressed his sorrow over the death of Palestinians in Gaza, adding that current aggression is a “decisive and historic” chapter and things will not return to how they were before.
Describing the 7 October Al-Aqsa Flood operation by the Palestinian resistance as a “wise, courageous choice”, he said it was a “choice that was required.” Hezbollah, he added, had no knowledge of the events before they happened.
The events of that day, he said, left Israel “in a state of loss, it was confused”, and this could be seen in the reaction of its officials who “committed massacres” of their own people while responding to the resistance’s infiltration of the towns around the Gaza Strip.
Describing Israel’s goal of “eliminating Hamas” as a “high goal” which is unachievable, Nasrallah asked if any “sane person would say this?”
While Israel’s plans to release the prisoners of war held in Gaza “without any conditions” have no historic benchmark. “Have there been any times when Israelis have been able to liberate their prisoners without any exchange?” he asked.
What is happening in Gaza, “shows the stupidity of Israel, its limited capabilities in Gaza… its targeting of civilians.” Throughout its month-long bombing campaign, he said, Israel hasn’t been able to make a single military achievement.
“The victory of Gaza today is in the national interest of Egypt. The victory of Gaza is in the national interest of Jordan, it is in the national interest of Syria. And first and foremost it’s in the national interest of Lebanon,” he said.
It is the duty of every “free, honourable” person to fight back against the “barbarism” of the occupation and take responsibility by ceasing to trade with Israel and not to provide it with goods. Directing his speech at the Arab leaders, he called for them to take action and stop economic ties with Israel. “Cut off the oil to Israel… Stop exporting what you are exporting to Israel.”
He urged them to use their power and might to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza. “Don’t you have a little strength to open the Rafah Crossing to allow the injured to leave?” he asked.
Addressing people who thought this speech would be a declaration of war or of an increase in hostilities, Nasrallah said this would not happen as this had already started on 8 October a day after the Palestinian resistance’s infiltration of Israeli towns around Gaza.
Hezbollah has received threats from the start that if it enters the battlefield, US warships have been positioned in the region to retaliate, he explained, but these “do not scare us. We have made our preparations for them as well.”
America should “remember your defeats in Iraq, in Afghanistan, in Lebanon,” he said. “Those who defeated you in Lebanon in the 80s, they are still alive and we have them and their children,” he added.
America is proving itself, again, as the Great Satan.
“Their aim is to harm the will of the Palestinians so they can raise the white flag. The visions we see, these children, these women, these men, they are all sending a message to the enemy that the end of this will be the defeat of the enemy.”
Hezbollah’s involvement in events will be decided by the course of events in Gaza and what the Zionist enemy does to Lebanon, he explained. Warning that if civilians in Lebanon come under fire, Israelis will not be safe.
Ultimately, the US has the key to ending this aggression, “Israel is your tool, your servant, it’s under your influence. You, Americans, can end the aggression on Gaza because it’s your aggression.,” Nasrallah concluded.
