Sheikh Qassem: Parliamentary Elections Are Not End of World

Source: Al-Manar TV, 13-3-2009

Hizbullah Deputy Secretary General Sheikh Naim Qassem reiterated on Friday that the forthcoming parliamentary elections, scheduled on June 7, were "not the end of the world."

Sheikh Qassem noted that the next minority should accept the results of the elections, calling on the majority that would emerge out of the elections to reach out and cooperate with the minority in accordance with the principle of consensus

His eminence emphasized that talk of settlement with "Israel" and peace initiatives were a waste of time. "With "Israel", there is no solution but resistance to liberate the land and restore our rights," Sheikh Qassem pointed out.

On Thursday, his eminence said that inter-Arab and Palestinian reconciliation "must reflect positively on the stability in Lebanon, and help strengthen its immunity from external challenges that aim to undermine its civil peace and unity."

Sheikh Qassem affirmed the importance of promoting national unity and understanding on various political, economic and social issues, and called for enhancing partnership in decision-making so that the dignity of Lebanon and the Lebanese people would be shielded "from the dictates of neo-colonial projects in the region."

For his part, the head of the Loyalty to the Resistance parliamentary bloc MP Mohamad Raad stressed on Friday that the forthcoming elections were not the end of the world.

Speaking during a ceremony in South Lebanon, the Hizbullah MP emphasized that the parliamentary elections could be considered as a stage in the struggle for sovereignty, independence, freedom, national unity and strength in facing the "Israeli" enemy.