We remain patient, 'Israel' must end aggression: Qomati to Al Mayadeen
In an interview with Al Mayadeen, the Deputy head of Hezbollah's Political Council, Mahmoud Qomati, discusses the Resistance's response to Israeli violations and its vision for a genuine ceasefire.
Mahmoud Qomati, Deputy head of Hezbollah's Political Council, confirmed on Wednesday that "the Resistance's response to Israeli occupation violations prompted widespread action to implement the ceasefire mechanism," adding that it "dealt a severe blow to the occupation."
In an interview with Al Mayadeen, Qomati stated that "the mechanism for implementing the ceasefire remains unclear" and criticized the US for being "lenient and allowing Israel to violate Lebanese territory without facing any repercussions."
In this context, Qomati emphasized that "the laxity of the committee overseeing the ceasefire is intentional," as "the enemy was allowed to accomplish what it failed to achieve during the aggression."
He added, "We are monitoring the actions of the committee. We are not satisfied with its performance, but we will respond if necessary to halt the aggression."
Qomati continued, "We have left matters over the past few days to the defense institutions, including the army, as well as other institutions, and the United Nations. So where are they?"
He added that "a genuine ceasefire must be established," emphasizing that "it is the enemy that needs this ceasefire."
'We are patient... the enemy must stop its aggression'
Speaking to Al Mayadeen, he added, "We will remain patient as long as possible. We have agreed to a ceasefire, and it is the enemy's responsibility to halt its aggression." However, he cautioned, "If the enemy persists in its violations, issuing statements No. 2 or 3 remains an option. For now, we are giving the committee the chance to take action."
Qomati explained that "the enemy is on Lebanese territory and is launching attacks," while "there are those who are only focusing on calling for the Resistance's disarmament, yet have not condemned the occupation with even a single word."
In this context, he stressed that "the Resistance is fully capable of returning to the battle, with both long-range and short-range missiles."
"Everyone must acknowledge the threat coming from the East" he said, asking, "Who will defend Lebanon, like the Resistance and the army?" affirming that "the Resistance is a strategic need," and calling on those who want to discuss its armaments to engage in dialogue.
'Hezbollah is committed to nominating Suleiman Franjieh for the presidency'
Regarding the election of Lebanon's president, Qomati expressed his lack of optimism, "despite the seriousness of the issue," due to "the absence of the required majority."
"We are confident because we decided on our candidate long ago—Suleiman Franjieh—while it appears the opposing party has yet to propose a candidate," he said, as he spoke of Hezbollah's strong support for Franjieh and the party's encouragement of dialogue between parliamentary blocs to reach a consensus on one or two presidential candidates.
Regarding recent developments in Syria, Qomati stated, "Terrorism advanced without resistance, but since yesterday, the situation has started to shift in favor of the Syrian army."
It is noteworthy that the occupation continues to violate the ceasefire agreement by targeting Lebanese villages in the South and Bekaa, resulting in the deaths of civilians, soldiers, and security personnel. Additionally, Israeli warplanes and drones continue to conduct sorties in Lebanese airspace, all while the committee responsible for overseeing the implementation of the agreement has yet to take any official action.