In a fiery Baalbek speech, Hezbollah’s deputy leader Naim Qassem vowed never to surrender arms, branding Lebanon’s disarmament move a betrayal serving Israel and America, while pledging continued resistance alongside Palestinian forces.
Hezbollah’s Secretary General Naim Qassem unleashed a blistering speech in Baalbek on Friday, defiantly declaring that the movement will “never hand over its weapons as long as occupation and aggression endure.” Evoking the spirit of the 7th-century Battle of Karbala — a defining moment in Shiite history — Qassem vowed a relentless fight against what he called the “American-Israeli project,” warning Lebanon’s leaders that they bear “full responsibility” for any civil strife.
Accusing the Lebanese government of abandoning its duty to defend the nation, Qassem slammed the push to disarm Hezbollah as a deadly betrayal. “You are stripping Lebanon of its shield during aggression,” he charged, likening the decision to “killing your own children for money.” He dismissed claims of foreign pressure, mocking leaders for celebrating praise from Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu.
Declaring Hezbollah’s legitimacy rooted in the Taif Agreement, the constitution, and decades of battlefield sacrifice, Qassem boasted of past victories — ousting Israeli forces in 2000, crushing ISIS in eastern Lebanon in 2017, and deterring Israel for 17 years since the 2006 war. He credited Iran, especially the late Qassem Soleimani, for steadfast support, and vowed that “Palestine will remain the compass” of resistance.
While praising the Lebanese army for avoiding internal conflict, Qassem warned that if pushed, Hezbollah is “ready” to take the fight to the streets — even to the gates of the American embassy. “If the government cannot confront Israel,” he declared, “step aside and let us defend Lebanon.”Hezbollah’s Secretary General Naim Qassem unleashed a blistering speech in Baalbek on Friday, defiantly declaring that the movement will “never hand over its weapons as long as occupation and aggression endure.” Evoking the spirit of the 7th-century Battle of Karbala — a defining moment in Shiite history — Qassem vowed a relentless fight against what he called the “American-Israeli project,” warning Lebanon’s leaders that they bear “full responsibility” for any civil strife.
Accusing the Lebanese government of abandoning its duty to defend the nation, Qassem slammed the push to disarm Hezbollah as a deadly betrayal. “You are stripping Lebanon of its shield during aggression,” he charged, likening the decision to “killing your own children for money.” He dismissed claims of foreign pressure, mocking leaders for celebrating praise from Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu.
Declaring Hezbollah’s legitimacy rooted in the Taif Agreement, the constitution, and decades of battlefield sacrifice, Qassem boasted of past victories — ousting Israeli forces in 2000, crushing ISIS in eastern Lebanon in 2017, and deterring Israel for 17 years since the 2006 war. He credited Iran, especially the late Qassem Soleimani, for steadfast support, and vowed that “Palestine will remain the compass” of resistance.
While praising the Lebanese army for avoiding internal conflict, Qassem warned that if pushed, Hezbollah is “ready” to take the fight to the streets — even to the gates of the American embassy. “If the government cannot confront Israel,” he declared, “step aside and let us defend Lebanon.”
