In his first televised speech since being elected as Hezbollah’s new chief, Sheikh Qassem on Wednesday pledged that the Lebanese resistance movement will remain steadfast in the struggle against the Israeli regime.
"We will remain steadfast in our path of resistance amidst the planned developments of warfare," he declared.
Expressing gratitude for the heavy responsibility entrusted to him by Hezbollah, Sheikh Qassem noted, “This is a significant burden and a sign of trust, and we will carry this mandate. The blood of our martyred leaders will continue to inspire our resolve to pursue this path.”
The new Hezbollah chief further articulated his agenda going forward. “My work plan is the same as that of our leader, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah. We will continue to implement the military strategies devised by him and our leaders,” he said.
Nasrallah, who led Hezbollah for more than 30 years, was assassinated in a massive Israeli airstrike on southern Lebanon in late September.
On Tuesday, Hezbollah's Shura Council, the group's central decision-making body, appointed Sheikh Qassem, 71, to the post. He previously served as Hezbollah’s deputy secretary-general.
In his speech, Sheikh Qassem described supporting the Gaza Strip as a critical front in the struggle against Israeli aggression. “Supporting the people of Gaza is their rightful demand and essential for countering the threat Israel poses to the entire region.”
He also emphasized that the Israeli regime has never abided by international law and United Nations resolutions.
“Israel has never adhered to Resolution 1701, and has violated Lebanese air and maritime sovereignty 39,000 times,” he said, referring to the UN Security Council resolution that ended the 2006 war and demands respect for Lebanon's sovereignty and territorial integrity
The Hezbollah leader asserted that it was resistance, not international resolutions, that expelled the Israeli forces from Lebanon in 2000.
The Israeli regime invaded southern Lebanon early in October, a year after it began conducting airstrikes across the border on Lebanese towns and villages. Hezbollah has been responding with an intensified campaign of rocket and missile strikes.
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