Hezbollah Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said on Monday that the 2000 victory ended the so-called "Greater Israel" project and shattered the myth of the "invincible army".

Sayyed Nasrallah's speech came during a festival organized by Hezbollah on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of its establishment.

The Resistance leader considered that one of the results of the legendary steadfastness in the July 2006 war was thwarting the so-called "New Middle East" project and ending the "Greater Israel" project, not to mention the Resistance's engagement in the file of restoring Lebanon's oil and gas rights.

Hezbollah Secretary-General on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the establishment of #Hezbollah: One of the results of the legendary steadfastness in the July 2006 war was thwarting the so-called "New Middle East" project and ending the "Greater Israel" project. https://t.co/JOpQqgsmhi

— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) August 22, 2022

Sayyed Nasrallah stressed that propaganda campaigns, distortion attempts, and lies can never destroy the will of this Resistance.

"In 2006, they failed to crush the Resistance, which came out stronger and more powerful than ever," he stressed.

He also indicated that the Resistance is heading in the direction of developing its military structure and capabilities to keep pace with the developments at the level of weapons and technology.

During his speech, Sayyed Nasrallah emphasized that the "Army, People, and Resistance" golden equation has become solid, whether included in the ministerial statement or not, stressing that liberating the rest of the occupied Lebanese land is a national responsibility.

The Lebanese leader pointed out that the Resistance's responsibilities in the next stage are to establish the deterrence equations necessary for protecting Lebanon's land, people, and wealth.

Regarding the file of border demarcation with occupied Palestine, Sayyed Nasrallah stressed that the Israeli threats are to no avail, adding that Hezbollah's decision and approach are clear and "we are waiting for the coming days to act accordingly."

Hezbollah Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan #Nasrallah: The Israeli threats regarding the file of border demarcation with occupied #Palestine are to no avail, our decision and approach are clear, and we are waiting for the coming days to act accordingly.#أربعون_ربيعا https://t.co/bwYsSPfORn

— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) August 22, 2022

In his speech, the Secretary-General of Hezbollah underlined that the Palestinian cause is part of the religion, culture, and honor of this nation, stressing that there is no place for abandonment, neutrality, or retreat when it comes to this cause.

The core of Hezbollah's strategy toward the Palestinian cause is based on the ultimate conviction that the Palestinian people will continue to resist and reject nationalization and normalization, he indicated.

Hezbollah Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan #Nasrallah on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the establishment of #Hezbollah: If #Syria is exposed to any other attacks, we will not hesitate to engage in the battlefields on its side. #أربعون_ربيعا https://t.co/ykwsVnvmzM

— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) August 22, 2022

"Our bet is on young people like Charbel Abu Daher and Nadia Fawaz, who refused to compete against the Israeli," he said.

Addressing Syria, which Hezbollah Secretary-General described as the backbone of the Axis of Resistance and the steadfastness front, characterized by ultimate refusal to Israeli conditions, he stressed, “By the day, we grow increasingly convinced of the validity of our choice and decision to go to Syria."

In this context, Sayyed Nasrallah stressed that "if Syria is exposed to any similar attacks, we will not hesitate to engage in the battlefields on its side.”

He said, "It is our duty to thank our fellow brothers in Syria who, throughout 40 years, stood by us, welcomed us with arms wide open, and provided us with political, diplomatic, and security protection, which we deeply thank Syria and its leadership for."

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Hezbollah Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan #Nasrallah on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the establishment of #Hezbollah: If #Syria is exposed to any other attacks, we will not hesitate to engage in the battlefields on its side. #أربعون_ربيعا https://t.co/ykwsVnvmzM

— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) August 22, 2022

Sayyed Nasrallah added, "We will remain an integral part of the Axis of Resistance, which we trust will always be the solid basis for confronting hegemony projects and defending holy sites," pointing out that "Iran is the major regional power on which all the Resistance movements and the downtrodden people in the region rely."

He also revealed that Hezbollah contributed within its capabilities to fighting ISIS in Iraq and stressed that "if Iraq is exposed to this again and asks us, as in previous years, for help, we will not hesitate to send our leaders and fellow freedom fighters to go and fight side by side with our Iraqi brothers there."

On the relationship with Gulf states, the Lebanese leader said, "We had no problem in developing Lebanon's relations, especially with the Gulf, but some aim at turning Lebanon into an affiliate, which cannot be tolerated.”

Sayyed Nasrallah stressed that Hezbollah “will never be dragged and will not go into a civil war or engage in a sectarian strife,” recalling the Tayouneh ambush, in which a number of Lebanese citizens were martyred after snipers opened fire at unarmed peaceful protesters in Tayouneh, Beirut from the rooftops of buildings where they had stationed themselves.

Therefore, he called for addressing this issue, just as others, as it is linked to civil peace.

Hezbollah chief stressed that throughout the party's 40 years in Lebanon, "we avoided slipping into any civil war or sectarian strife, and this was what was being prepared for Lebanon in 2005, but we cooperated with the political forces to save Lebanon from going into war and falling prey to sectarian strife."

In this context, Sayyed Nasrallah considered that “internal security and stability are the responsibility of the state and should be governed by the cooperation of the various state components."

"Some are making every effort to drag the Resistance into a clash with the Lebanese army and security forces, and this is a permanent and declared American project," he stressed.

To this end, Sayyed Nasrallah reminded the people that "the shooting on the Airport Bridge demonstration against the Oslo agreement was not the decision of the army, but rather a major breach within the personnel on the ground.”

The Resistance leader pointed out that among the achievements is the transition of the relationship between Hezbollah and the Amal movement from a negative position to a very positive one, leading to integration.

He said that Hezbollah is keen to maintain a permanent relationship with the Amal movement that is based on integration, cooperation, and unity, especially on major issues, pointing out that in the next stage, "we will remain keen on maintaining our understanding with the Free Patriotic Movement, as well as strengthening and developing it."

Nasrallah affirmed that Hezbollah will continue to be present in future governments to defend the people's interests mainly due to the party’s clear political vision about the internal situation, indicating that Hezbollah’s main aim in the next stage is to cooperate with various political forces in order to build a just and capable state.

“We strongly believe in the principle of partnership between the Lebanese components away from exclusivity," he said.

The Hezbollah Secretary-General stressed that the Resistance party will continue to serve people in all frameworks, institutions, and regions, despite the siege, sanctions, pressure, and threats against anyone who donates money to Hezbollah, reiterating that the Lebanese party will strengthen its institutions and that serving people is a core commitment and one of the greatest acts of worship. 

“We are now in the eye of the storm, and this expresses the extent of our commitment to alleviate the living conditions and economic situation of the Lebanese people," Sayyed Nasrallah said.

The Lebanese leader considered that "we are looking forward to a real sovereign country that is not subjugated to an American embassy or any other embassy or foreign hegemony," noting that "the interference of the US embassy in the affairs of the Lebanese ministries is at its utmost level."

Sayyed Nasrallah indicated that Hezbollah sees that the international developments are positive and "in the interest of the Axis of Resistance and true sovereignty.”

Read more: 40 and Beyond: 20-year-old interview documenting Hezbollah's history