29-03-2024 07:24 AM Jerusalem Timing

Sayyed Nasrallah: ISIL Threatens Everyone, Qussayr Battle Strengthened Our Might

Sayyed Nasrallah: ISIL Threatens Everyone, Qussayr Battle Strengthened Our Might

Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah said that militants of ISIL (the so-called ’Islamic State of Iraq and Levant’) would arrive at Beirut if it weren’t for Hezbollah’s fight in Al-Qussayr and Al-Qalamoun areas.

Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hasan NasrallahHezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah stressed that fighting in Syria was in the first place to defend Lebanon, the Resistance in Lebanon and the Lebanese people, pointing that the recent incident of Arsal in eastern Lebanon was to confirm this point of view.

In the second part of local Al-Akhbar daily interview published Friday, Sayyed Nasrallah said that Arsal barrens that extend tens of kilometers and other barren lands in the Bekaa valley are all occupied by the Syrian armed groups since the beginning of Syria crisis.

"They {armed groups} set up training camps, operations rooms, field hospitals and gatherings inside the Lebanese territories even before any Hezbollah fighter went to Syria," his eminence said.

Sayyed Nasrallah underlined that things are not related to a pre-emptive war, noting that Al-Qussayr town locates on the Lebanese border with Syria.

"It has been confirmed day after another - that armed groups would enter Hermel and northern Bekaa," elaborating that the most important thing is that the danger now is targeting everybody.

The Secretary General of Hezbollah said that militants of ISIL (the so-called 'Islamic State of Iraq and Levant') would arrive at Beirut if it weren't for Hezbollah's fight in Al-Qussayr and Al-Qalamoun areas in the border region of Syria, stressing that wherever there is Resistance, there will be Hezbollah.

"We are in the place where there is a defense of the axis of resistance," his eminence said.

"What we were talking about three years ago, has become everyone's talk today. Even opponents concede that what is happening in the region threatens entities, states, communities and peoples, and threatens the entire region. Now, it threatens the interests of the major powers in the world," he warned.


ISIL Threatens Everyone

Speaking about the big danger sweeping, advancing and committing huge massacres without any controls, barriers or intellectual, moral and legitimate and humanitarian limits, Sayyed Nasrallah expressed beliefs that everyone who can be a part of this battle has a duty to defend Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Palestine, the region, the Palestinian cause, Muslims, Christians and religious minorities.

"There is a loose monster in the region, if one came out to fight this monster and stop him from devouring the peoples of the region and its countries and entities, should he be thanked or convicted?" he said.

While Hezbollah Secretary General renewed the bet on the day when his opponents: "You are right, and we are grateful to you," he pointed out that the popular mood has been changed, indicating that politicians are the last people whom mood might get changed because they have considerations of interests.

His eminence warned that the danger of the so-called 'Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) does not discriminate between Sunnis, Shiites, Muslims, Christians, Druze, Oyazdis, Arabs or Kurds, but it is a growing monster.

"Capabilities available for ISIL are huge, and this is what worries everyone, and everyone should worry," he stated.

Sayyed Nasrallah highlighted that some countries know what they have created and raised, and that's why their diagnosis of ISIL risk is the most accurate of others because they know what they have, speaking about the "real horror" inside the Gulf countries and the Saudi Arabia because this thought have been taught for decades for people, schools and in the curriculum.

"Turkey and Qatar are backing ISIL, and I am convinced the Saudi Arabia's fear of it," he said.

Moreover, he stressed that this threat can be met and defeated, but it needs seriousness:

"In Al-Qussayr and Qalamoun and other areas, we {Hezbollah} did not fight the Free Army and those of secular or liberal ideologies, but we fought that ideology {of ISIL} and defeated it. People are asked to make a stand and be aware {of it}," he said.

Believing that the return of Al-Mustaqbal party, Saad Hariri, to Lebanon as a Saudi sense of the need to heal the situation and to hand him the leadership of the moderate movement in the face of terrorism, Sayyed Nasrallah pointed out that "Where there are followers of the takfiri ideology, there is an ISIL ground, and this applies to Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the Gulf states."

"If any state thinks it can support this organization (ISIL) and employs it when its turn comes, ISIL won't have mercy on her," Sayyed Nasrallah stated.

On the other hand, Sayyed Nasrallah stressed that when Hezbollah offers any help or support in any arena, the party's calculations are not sectarian, but based on what he calls "the battle of the nation, the project of the nation and the interests of countries and peoples."

He also refused to characterize the resistance in Lebanon as a Shiite, saying it is Lebanese resistance for all Lebanese, and said: "for us, we were keen from the outset to emphasize that our presence in Syria is not on a sectarian basis, and that we helped the resistance in Iraq on a non-sectarian basis also, we helped Hamas, Islamic Jihad and the Palestinian factions as well while they are Sunnis."

"Always there is intention to cover up our Palestinian contribution to give us a sectarian feature, and we say that where there is a defense of Palestine and the axis of resistance and of people, and where we can be present and where we can help, we will be there. If Hezbollah has the will to defend his people and the cause of his nation, he is ready to do so. This is not a crime or a sin," he added.

Sayyed Nasrallah made it clear that "if Hezbollah didn't fight in Al-Qussayr and Qalamoun, the last battle wouldn't be in Arsal only, Bekaa would fall, they (ISIL) would arrive at the mountain, Akkar and the coastal area, battle would be in Beirut and the south {of Lebanon}."

Turning to the parties behind ISIL funding, his eminence highlighted that the Lebanese sponsorship to some armed groups in some areas of Syria are still taking place by funds, arms, interference and directions, even though away from the media.

He also pointed out that funding ISIL is an ongoing effort and nothing has changed, stressing that what is needed is a political decision to halt the use of the displaced Syrians, and thus cooperate with the Syrian government to return them to their country, noting that Syria has a great willingness to cooperate in this regard.


Hezbollah Fight in Syria

In response to a question, Sayyed Nasrallah emphasized that "those who say that Hezbollah participation in Syria war drains the party financially and humanly are exaggerating," explaining that Hezbollah sacrifices in Syria since the first day of his participation till today remains much lower than the sacrifices assumed and the prices which Hezbollah and all of the Lebanese would have to pay later if the party did not interfere.

In response to another question, his eminence stressed that Hezbollah has prepared for 'Israel' differs naturally from the battle against armed groups in Syria, pointing out that nothing has been prepared by the party regarding confrontation with Israelis and was revealed before time.

"On the contrary," he said, "this battle give us experience, knowledge and broad prospects which could be better employed in any future confrontation with the enemy, whether offense or defense."

"The sense of danger is growing and the popular mood has become more receptive to our fight against extremist groups," Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah underlined.

Sayyed Nasrallah denied that Hezbollah has directly engaged with 'Israel' in Syria, and spoke about the existence of a popular formation in the Golan which carried out operations against the occupation forces there.

Meanwhile, Sayyed Nasrallah said he delivers his speeches without controls, especially in the sensitive ones that need stances, adding that the Secretary-General is not the commander of Hezbollah, and not the decision-maker in the party, explaining that the political decision is mainly taken in the Shura council that make the basic decisions.

"The Secretary General is an influential partner in the decision-making process but does not make it alone," he said.

He also stressed that Hezbollah school of psychological war is based on credibility.

Regarding the tone of his voice in speeches, Sayyed Nasrallah explained that it is intentional and related to the nature of the occasion and the audience.

"What must be said in a loud voice cannot be said in a low voice, and vice versa," he stated.

Sayyed Nasrallah denied that the reason behind his short live speeches has to do with the time needed for Zionist warplanes to reach the place, pointing out that the intention is to be brief as possible.

"Saying they {Israelis} need 15 minutes to reach the place is not accurate," Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah concluded.


To read the first part of the interview click here.