Lebanonupdated 8m ago2 min read
Sheikh Naim Qassem Says Israeli Occupation Drives Lebanon Crisis, Calls for Regional Resistance
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The Israeli occupation already exists and expands; the support front is not Lebanon's cause. Confronting aggression requires resistance by the army, the people, and the Resistance.
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Qassem links Lebanon to occupation
Sheikh Naim Qassem said Lebanon’s problem is not the Resistance’s entry into the support war, but “the problem is the occupation,” and he framed resistance as “a response, a confrontation and a means of liberation.” Qassem argued that confronting aggression requires “resistance by the army, the people, the Resistance, and all those capable of taking up arms across our region,” while he said the Israeli occupation was “already there and seeking to expand.”
Qassem said “The world remains silent as Gaza endures mass casualties and destruction,” and he added that major powers and the UN fail to act against what he called “this blatant crime.” Qassem said “Unity of the resistance arenas means cooperation in resisting and expelling the occupier,” and he said the US pressures countries to join its alliance of aggression.
Speech at Ashura commemorations
Sheikh Naim Qassem delivered an address during the opening of the Ashura commemorations at the shrine of martyred leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, and he reaffirmed the Lebanese Resistance’s commitment to defending Lebanon’s land, people, and future against ongoing Israeli threats.
Qassem said, “We are not fighting for a piece of land. We are defending our existence, our lives, our land, our future, and our path,” and he warned that since 1948 Israel has sought to weaken and ultimately swallow Lebanon.
Qassem said the Resistance has disrupted expansionist plans through heavy sacrifices, and he asserted that the Resistance carried out 3,185 operations, averaging around 30 per day.
Qassem said the Resistance targeted 518 Israeli military vehicles, 85 aircraft, downed 12 drones and 12 quadcopters, and struck a helicopter, while he also said Israeli forces suffered 1,347 casualties.
Withdrawal, unity, and negotiations
Qassem called for leveraging the current post-agreement phase to achieve full Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory and secure Lebanese interests, and he insisted that any arrangement with Israel must be limited to mutual security guarantees. Qassem rejected attempts to impose disarmament on the Resistance, and he urged Lebanese authorities to maintain national unity while keeping domestic issues separate from negotiations.
Qassem warned against direct negotiations with Israel, describing them as “humiliating dictates imposed under fire” that would lead to coerced concessions. Qassem stressed the importance of fully implementing the November 27 understanding, including Israeli withdrawal from all Lebanese lands, the return of displaced civilians, and the release of detainees, and he called on all Lebanese to stand united “as one hand” to liberate the land.