Hezbollah's Sheikh Qassem says Israel cannot remain in south Lebanon

Hezbollah Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem said on Monday that the Israeli occupation will not be able to remain in south Lebanon, emphasizing that the resistance will continue as long as aggression exists. He made the remarks during a ceremony in Beirut to launch the Foundation for the Preservation and Dissemination of the Legacy of the late Hezbollah Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah.

Sheikh Qassem praised the steadfastness of the resistance, describing it as a "legend of steadfastness" and a blessing from the "Master of the Ummah’s Martyrs" and his guidance. He said the solution begins with the enemy leaving in humiliation, along with the United States, which he said supports it with all its might to attack the region. On internal Lebanese affairs, he stated that Hezbollah is ready to cooperate without any dictates from abroad. He stressed that wars unfold in rounds, but the final round belongs to the people of the land and the truth, and to those who have followed the path of the mujahideen and martyrs.

Sheikh Qassem saluted the Iraqi people, their religious authority, leadership, and the Popular Mobilization Forces (Al Hashd Al Shaabi), saying they succeeded in expelling the American occupier from Iraq through their sacrifices and steadfastness. He added that whether the one seeking to control Iraq is Takfiri forces or the arrogant and colonial power, the Iraqi people are capable of expelling the occupiers, whoever they may be, so that Iraq can remain independent, dignified, and strong. He also spoke about the sacrifices of the Palestinian people, describing the Israeli, American, and Western injustice as extraordinary and unnatural, and expressed hope that the Palestinian people would emerge victorious and liberate occupied Palestine, Gaza, the West Bank, and Al-Quds.

The ceremony marked the launch of the foundation, which Sheikh Qassem said was established by Hezbollah's Shura Council and is supervised by the Secretary-General. It has a comprehensive organizational structure aimed at preserving the heritage of Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah and making use of it in cultural, social, educational, and political fields. He noted that Nasrallah assumed the Secretary-Generalship in 1992, succeeding Sayyed Abbas al-Moussawi, and worked for 31 years to consolidate the foundations of the resistance and an orientation that would influence future generations. Sheikh Qassem outlined six themes that constitute the pillars of Nasrallah's heritage: adherence to Islam, education in jihad, wilayah, connection with Imam al-Mahdi, Islamic unity, and defense and resistance. He emphasized that Nasrallah was keen on unity between Sunnis and Shiites and within the Shiite community, and that he was a patriot par excellence, standing for coexistence, the Taif Agreement, and national unity under the formula of the Army, the people, and the Resistance. He also mentioned the role of the martyred commander Hajj Qassem Soleimani, describing him as highly capable, influential, and a major source of support throughout the region. According to Al-Manar English Website, Sheikh Qassem called for studying this heritage and becoming acquainted with it.