Nasrallah: If Lebanon is prevented from extracting gas, war is better
6 Min Read
The Secretary-General of Hezbollah, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, talks in a speech about the latest political developments in Lebanon, the question of natural gas in the Mediterranean, and the achievements of the resistance in the July war.
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Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah
One of the Resistance's many achievements in the July war is foiling the US plan for a "new Middle East," Hezbollah Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said in a televised speech on Wednesday.
"Another one of the July War's many achievements is creating an equation of deterrence between Lebanon and the Israeli enemy," Sayyed Nasrallah said. "All the Israelis realize that Benny Gantz's words about entering Lebanon are null and void."
"There was a US project to take control of the region through direct military intervention, but the resistance and Lebanon's resilience and the objectives of the July War dealt a heavy blow to the new Middle East project," the Resistance leader explained.
"There are new versions of the new Middle East project [...] And US President Joe Biden's visit to the Middle East comes in this context," he revealed.
US is old, frail
"The United States today is different from the 2003 and 2006 United States... The image of the old, frail American President represents what America is today," Sayyed Nasrallah underlined.
Commenting on the goals of Biden's visit to West Asia, the Hezbollah chief stressed that Biden came to the region with two goals, "the first one of which is persuading the Gulf states to export more oil and gas," while the second goal is "enhancing Israel's security and emphasizing normalization."
"The Americans' first, decisive mission in the wake of the Russian-Ukrainian War is securing an alternative to the Russian gas for Europe [...] and the United States is fighting Russia using the Ukrainian government, armed forces, and people, and it dragged all of the European countries [into the war]."
In light of Biden seeking to meet with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and talks in Washington about the US working for Palestine, Sayyed Nasrallah underlined that "Biden has nothing whatsoever to offer the Palestinian people."
A golden opportunity
"The golden opportunity to extract oil and gas is right now, as in these two months... after that, the cost will be much higher," the leader stressed.
He then told the Lebanese leaders: "Do not allow the Americans to deceive you and waste your time, and if you do not ratify your rights by September, then the cost will be highly expensive."
"The resistance is the only force Lebanon has to obtain its right to its oil and gas [...] the extraction of [the natural resources] provides Lebanon with billions of dollars without the need for any foreign debt, and this is the only path for salvaging the country," he underscored.
He also said the resistance did not see the American mediator as a mediator, "but rather as a party that serves the interests of Israel and pressures the Lebanese side." He added that what brought Amos Hochstein on his last visit to Lebanon were two issues, "the dire need for securing an alternative to Russian gas and the resistance's serious threats."
The Israeli occupation has a weak point, Sayyed Nasrallah explained: "its need for gas and oil in contrast with Lebanon's strong point, which is its ability to sabotage [the occupation's plans]. The resistance is the only strong point that you (the Lebanese officials) have in the demarcation negotiations. Use it."
"We neither agreed nor promised anyone that we would not take any steps and that we would wait for the negotiations. Whoever promised the Americans that is deceiving them," Sayyed Nasrallah explained. "The Resistance has the right to take any step of any gravity and at any time to pressure the Israeli enemy."
"We stand behind the [Lebanese] state in the demarcation, i.e., it is negotiating the maritime borders, not us. But we have made it clear that we would not stand idle."
The three drones were intentional
Commenting on the three UAVs sent on a recon mission over the Karish gas field, which were then shot down by the Israeli occupation, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah noted that the drones were launched after a clear answer from the United States that exhibited that it was stalling and trying to buy time.
Hezbollah, the chief said, meant to send three reconnaissance UAVs to be downed by the Israelis. "For the first time in the history of the Israeli entity, three drones were launched toward it simultaneously and toward one objective."
"The point of launching the drones was to send a message that we are serious and will escalate our actions gradually, and this message was understood by the Americans and the Israelis," the top leader stressed.
"The demarcation of the border is crucial. It is the only way to save Lebanon and its people, and we will not wage psychological warfare through it," Sayyed Nasrallah said. "If the only option was not helping Lebanon, pushing it toward its collapse, and preventing it from extracting gas, then the threat of war - even going to war, is far better."
"When things reach a dead-end, we will not only stand in the face of Karish... Mark these words: we will reach Karish, beyond Karish, and beyond, beyond Karish," he sternly underlined.
The top leader vowed that "if Lebanon is prevented from saving itself by extracting its gas and oil, no one will be able to extract or sell gas and oil, regardless of the consequences."
He concluded his speech by telling the Lebanese people: "O' Lebanese people, we have reached the end of the line, and we are not awaiting a consensus... we will not give up on the state."
