Qassem: Wanting to Extract the Resistance, is Wanting to Extract the Hearts & Minds

The Deputy Secretary General of Hizbullah, His Eminence Sheikh Naim Qassem, gave a speech at the ceremony held by the Mustapha (pbuh) and Batoul (pbuh) high schools for girls, in the hall of al-Mustapha school, in the presence of the Iranian Cultural Advisor, Mr. Mohamed Hussain Raees Zadah. The acting Director of the Assembly for Islamic Religious Education, Sheikh Ali Sinan also delivered a speech.

The following are excerpts from the speech delivered by Sheikh Qassem:
Recently we encountered two types of threats to Lebanon; the first type is the "Israeli" threats of war on Lebanon.

These were to divert attention from the crises inside "Israel" and the quandary of existential crisis, which has become the centre of debate inside the "Israeli" entity.
Hence, "Israeli" threats against Lebanon were not serious or effective, but aimed at covering up what's going on inside "Israel" from organized occupation of Arab land in Al-Quds (Jerusalem), displacement of Palestinians from the West Bank, and blockading Gaza from water, electricity and other humanitarian services, as well as disrupting the settlement. This is the situation faced by "Israel."

Not once have we considered "Israeli" threats important -be they serious or not-hence, let alone when they are aimed at diverting attention from its nuclear weapons, domestic societal problems, and the existential concern, fueled by internal debate that "Israel" is not the viable and safe entity they had promised the Jews they collected from all round the world; a safety they have failed to provide, and will continue failing.

In light of these conditions, "Israel" retreated from its empty and futile threats. This retreat was not an act of nobility, but a result of its threats backfiring against its own Zionist community. The "Israeli" people became afraid of threats made against Lebanon, because they know what it means for "Israel" to face Hizbullah, and what it means to have friction between the noble resistance combatants-the true land owners and the rapist-occupiers and perpetrators of massacres.

The "Israelis" wanted these threats lifted from circulation because they frightened "Israel's" society, affecting "Israel" instead of Lebanon. Frankly, as we listened to those threats we were wondering why they were being made, because they did not effect or concern us, to the contrary, we saw their intensity as evidence of "Israel's" inability to act.

Here, we affirm that the resistance has the right to be present and active.
This right was reinforced in the ministerial statement and secured by the Lebanese people's rallying round the resistance. Accordingly, we now stand as a ternary-resistance: the army, the people and the resistance, they are all resistance elements, constituting a real force in Lebanon's interest.

This fusion and interaction between the army, the people and the resistance, placed us on the quest for the development of work mechanisms, to harness the large capabilities we have available, in order to be prepared, strategically, and not just tactically, for any developments related to liberating the land or facing the "Israeli" threats.

Now after the experience we have undertaken which proved its viability, the experience of a deep-rooted resistance, we have surpassed the stage of Lebanon's right to resistance, and moved to a new stage, and what is required now is for this model to be spread throughout the entire region, to become the natural course to meet the threats caused by "Israel" and those behind it.

Today, we no longer discuss whether we should resist in Lebanon or not, this is over and behind us, instead the resistance has entered the homes, culture, minds and spirits. Today, anyone wanting to extract the resistance, means they want to extract the hearts and minds; these minds and hearts of resistance cannot extracted and removed, "Israel" tried that and instead it was itself uprooted from our land.

Today we have arrived at the stage of seeking the development and improvement of this model, because the existing challenges can only be met by the resistance.

The second type came in the form of U.S. media leaks through a Gulf newspaper about the existence of Scud weapons between Syria and Lebanon. This American leak was aimed to create a pastime in our region, to busy people away from the repeated U.S. failures in every matter they interfere in.

Today, I read Feltman's statements about an American news item leaked through the Gulf media, a topic mentioned without certainty or any confirmation, hence, even the news item upon which their story is based is not certain.

Feltman says that he is concerned and that the Lebanese are concerned as well about Hizbullah's arms; in turn we ask Feltman ‘who placed you as a trustee over Lebanon? Who says we care for your anxiety? Do you know that the Lebanese are now more comfortable than ever, because you and those who were with you have left Lebanon? And that that mandate has left no effect in our arena?'

The new dawn of army, people and resistance has risen to counteract the American-"Israeli" projects and plots, aimed at creating sedition in Lebanon.

I appreciate the pains experienced by Feltman because within five years that he was here, he failed to turn Lebanon into a U.S. plantation farm, because he saw Lebanon, the resistant fortress in the face of "Israel" and those behind "Israel."

Regarding the little discomfort he suffered as a result of the tripartite meeting in Damascus between President Assad, Ahmadinejad and the Secretary General of Hizbullah, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, may God protect him, Feltman described it as "a scene of great concern."

Thank God we heard Feltman's article of concern towards this tripartite meeting, this is indicative of the meeting's positive, meaningful and useful effect, and God willing, this concern will travel to every corner of "Israel" and all those who oppose our right to the restoration of our land and dignity; this meeting makes us proud and happy.

After all, we in Lebanon have traversed the American tutelage phase and have reached the place of resistance action in Lebanon, with its army, people and its resistance.