‘Resistance guards region against Israel’

Hezbollah Secretary General Seyyed Hassan Nasrallah says the movement will not abandon resistance, which he says protects the whole region from Israeli schemes.

"We pledge … that we will preserve his soul and his era and we will continue on the path of Seyyed Abbas al-Moussawi," Nasrallah said at a televised speech on Thursday during a ceremony commemorating Hezbollah martyrs, including Moussawi — the former Hezbollah chief who was assassinated in 1992.

"We do not build our alliances based on our moods, we always take into consideration the interests of the [Islamic] Ummah…We understand that Israel is… the tool and army of the Zionist plan in the region. We outline our stance based on this [understanding]," he explained.

Nasrallah said the Zionist scheme poses a threat to the entire region by its continued occupation of Palestine, judaization of al-Quds (Jerusalem) and violation of the rights of the Palestinian people inside and outside the occupied territories.

"And because we believe that this scheme poses a threat to all the components of the region, regardless of their religion, ethnicity or cultural identity and therefore we must confront it and topple it," he pointed out.
The influential Lebanese leader stressed Hezbollah’s devotion to defending Lebanon against Israeli threats and insisted that "resistance is strong, perseverant and independent," while on the other hand Israel is losing its strength.

"Israelis regard the present time as the most dangerous era in their history… and they concede they are vulnerable," he stated.

Nasrallah recalled years of "fruitless" negotiations with Israel and highlighted the significance of resistance as the only feasible way to counter the Zionist plots.