Hezbollah's Naim Qassem: We demand our oil and rights, uncompromised

By Al Mayadeen Net
Source: Agencies
5 Jul 20:44

The Deputy Secretary-General reinstates Lebanon's ability to defend itself.

Hezbollah Deputy Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem

Deputy Secretary-General of Hezbollah, Sheikh Naim Qassem affirmed, on Tuesday, that the "equation is clear" regarding Lebanon's oil and gas wealth in its maritime territory, stressing that Lebanon demands its oil and rights complete and uncompromised.

"Today we are facing a rightful demand related to Lebanon's restoration of its oil and gas wealth in its private waters," he said in his speech at a ceremony marking the 40th anniversary of Hezbollah's founding.

He added, "The promises made by some about postponing the solution are not useful, and watching time pass for the Israelis to impose resource extraction as a fait accompli is out of the question."

He continued to say, "The equation is clear: we demand our oil and our rights uncompromised, and Lebanon is not weak and is capable of protecting its rights."

Regarding the formation of a new government, Qassem argued that a "new parliament is a new station and a new stage, and accountability begins from now onward for everyone who is in the parliament."

He added, "If the government is formed, it can be held accountable by the parliament and by those who could be the opposition. But if the government is not formed, no one in the parliament has the right to hold anyone else accountable."

Qassem added that the presence of a government is better than the absence of one, stressing that "the gains from having a government are better than the gains of the survival of a caretaker government."

The US and its allies do not want a government in Lebanon and do not want to give Lebanon a break, hence their continuous postponement, but, "we inside must take bold steps to form the government so that we do not remain without an administration," Deputy Secretary-General of Hezbollah stressed.