Hezbollah’s Secretary-General Naim Qassem has appealed to Saudi Arabia to mend relations with the Lebanese armed group and build a common front against Israel.
Sheikh Qassem urged Saudi Arabia to open a “new page” with Hezbollah, based on three principles: dialogue to resolve disputes and address concerns, recognition that Israel – and not “the resistance” – is the enemy, and “freezing of past disagreements”.
He stressed that the resistance’s weapons are aimed solely at Israel, “not Lebanon, not Saudi Arabia, and not any other place or party in the world”.
Sheikh Qassem warned that pressure on the resistance only benefits Israel, and that if it were eliminated, “the turn will come for the other states”.
Sheikh Qassem described Israel as a colonial outpost “backed first by Britain and now by the United States”, and accused it of reaching “the height of barbarity”, committing crimes with full US support and in disregard of international law.
Sheikh Qassem said “soft war, sanctions, and the Abraham Accords” all failed to deliver the quick and decisive victory the US and Israel sought, “and so, for them, genocide became the solution”.
He added that Israel’s September 9 strike on Qatar marked a turning point, and that “what comes after the strike on Qatar is different from what came before”.
“When the US openly declares that it acts in Israel’s interest, how can we trust any American or non-American proposal, or accept to make concession after concession?” he added.
Sheikh Qassem said the group is open to dialogue “from a position of strength”, adding that its commitment to resist Israeli occupation is “unshakable” and aimed at expelling Israeli forces and liberating land.
