Naim Qassem: Trump and Netanyahu’s “defeat” may be positive for Lebanon – “Let Israel attack, what is it to you?”

Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem sees in the recent election results in the US and Israel an opportunity for Lebanon. In a televised address on Wednesday, November 11, on the occasion of the organisation’s “Martyr’s Day”, he spoke of an “earthquake” in the United States. In the summary of the speech posted by Al-Manar, Hezbollah’s television channel, Qassem claims that Trump suffered a “crushing electoral defeat” and that Netanyahu was also defeated, with the contribution of Iran, the “Resistance” in the region and “free peoples”.

In the US midterms the Republicans lost control of both houses of Congress, while in the Israeli election of October 27 Netanyahu’s coalition fell below 61 seats. For the Hezbollah leader these developments may have “positive effects” for his country, which, he said, must choose between sovereignty and “foreign tutelage”.

“Let it attack”

The sharpest point of the speech concerned disarmament. Addressing those who argue that Israel will not stop its strikes as long as Hezbollah keeps its weapons, Qassem answered, as rendered by L’Orient Today: “Then let it attack, what is it to you?” He repeated that there will be “neither a state monopoly on the resistance’s weapons, nor regulation, nor prohibition, nor disarmament under Israeli occupation”.

“We have two options, to surrender or to fight, and we choose to fight,” he said, acknowledging that the struggle has losses while surrender “leaves nothing”. The resistance, he added, must stay ready and fight whenever needed.

Qassem asked the Lebanese authorities to withdraw from the framework agreement with Israel, arguing that the Israeli side has not implemented any of its provisions for months. According to him, the agreement opened the door to Israel without any benefit for Lebanon, while Beirut made concessions before negotiations even began. He had set out his position on the framework agreement in an earlier speech, which we covered in our report of October 29.

Qassem also turned on five embassies, those of the US, Britain, Australia, Canada and Japan. In his view they interfere openly in Lebanon’s internal affairs, turn against the resistance and ignore the occupation, which is why the Lebanese Foreign Ministry should summon the ambassadors and warn them. He praised the Lebanese army and asked that it be funded from the state budget rather than by conditional foreign aid.

The Hezbollah leader cited a poll by the Consultative Center among the Shia community: 82% consider ending the attacks the most important issue, 90% deem the resistance necessary and 86% believe the framework agreement harms the national interest. He also said the Gulf states have an opportunity to reach an understanding with Iran on the region’s future and called for an end to the war in Yemen.

These are Hezbollah’s own claims and positions, reported as stated. The Israeli army still holds positions in southern Lebanon and continues to strike the area, where it recently announced it had found Hezbollah weapons near a UN position. For the humanitarian picture, see our report on the displaced in Lebanon.