'Israel' does not control the scope of war with Lebanon: Sheikh Qassem
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Sheikh Naim Qassem conducts an interview with AP regarding the possible Israeli war on Lebanon and the ceasefire agreement in Gaza.
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Hezbollah's deputy leader Sheikh Naim Qassem speaks during an interview with the Associated Press in Beirut's southern suburbs, Lebanon, July 2, 2024. (AP)
Hezbollah's Deputy Secretary General Sheikh Naim Qassem asserted on Tuesday that the only path toward a ceasefire on the Northern Front stems from a complete ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
In an interview with the Associated Press (AP), which lasted for 40 minutes in Beirut's Dahiya suburb, Sheikh Qassem reiterated that "Hezbollah would cease all operations, without any negotiation, if a ceasefire is achieved in Gaza."
Regarding the Israeli occupation reducing the scale of its operations without reaching a ceasefire deal and a complete withdrawal from Gaza, Sheikh Qassem said "If what happens in Gaza is between a ceasefire and a non-ceasefire, war and non-war, we do not have answers to how we would respond to that state because we do not know its form, impact, and consequences."
He further stated that "Israel" does not have the capabilities currently, and has not yet decided on a full-scale war against Hezbollah in Lebanon, warning the occupation against escalating the fighting, "even if it were a limited offensive that it [the occupation] believes will not transcend into a full war."
"Israel can decide if it wants a full, limited, or partial war," Sheikh Naim said, but emphasized that the Resistance's response will not meet the ceiling or the rules of engagement it sets, clarifying that if the occupation does launch a war against Lebanon, it would mean that it does not control its scope or who would be involved.
He also recalled that US envoy Amos Hochstein, asked Hezbollah, through mediators, to press Hamas to accept the ceasefire and prisoner exchange deal proposed by US President Joe Biden, but that Hezbollah refused.
He emphasized that "Hamas makes its own decisions," saying that whoever wants to request something from it, should go directly to the movement.
Moreover, Sheikh Naim criticized the US efforts to end the war on Gaza, saying they support "Israel's" plots to remove Hamas from Gaza. He further noted that the achievement of a constructive agreement consists of conditions to end the war, the withdrawal of the IOF from Gaza, and a prisoner exchange deal.
Recapitulating the interview, Sheikh Qassem stated that "the political path can determine the arrangements inside the Gaza Strip and on the front with Lebanon, once a ceasefire agreement is reached."
Hezbollah's conditions for ceasefire
On Tuesday as well, Sheikh Naim Qassem reiterated the movement's stance on retaliatory strikes against "Israel", linking their cessation to the end of Israeli aggressions on the people of Gaza.
The statement came during a meeting with German Federal Intelligence Service (BND) Deputy Director Ole Diehl over the weekend, as per reports.
The meeting, reportedly aimed at addressing escalating tensions between Hezbollah and "Israel", laid the conditions necessary to avoid a full-scale war and called for an end to Hezbollah's retaliatory actions in support of Palestinians in Gaza, as reported by Lebanon's Al-Akhbar daily on Monday.
Sources further disclosed that a German intelligence plane made a brief stop at Beirut International Airport on Saturday evening, suggesting heightened diplomatic engagement between the parties involved.
Qassem's statements echo similar sentiments expressed earlier this year regarding Hezbollah's position, that any ceasefire in southern Lebanon hinges upon a cessation of hostilities in Gaza.
He reportedly urged Germany to exert pressure on "Israel" to halt its aggression, noting, "Unless the war stops in Gaza, it cannot stop in Lebanon."
