NASRALLAH Says Spirit of Trump's Plan Will Impact Maritime Border Demarcation, Oil Wealth

16 Feb 2020

Lebanon - Hezbollah Secretary-General, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, deemed Sunday that U.S. President Donald Trump's so-called "deal of the century" will have its effect on Lebanon's maritime border demarcation with occupied Palestine and its oil wealth.

"This plan transcends to Lebanon because it gives Shebaa farms and a portion of al-Ghajar to the Israeli entity, and there is a risk of resettlement due to the deal's refusal of the refugees' return, alongside the effect of the plan's spirit in terms of the American quest to demarcate the maritime borders and the oil wealth," he said.

Addressing the Lebanese in a televised speech in commemoration of "martyrs of the resistance", Nasrallah said "the masses of the resistance and its axis are facing a new challenge at the regional level."

"If there is someone in Lebanon who fears the risk of resettlement, we must respect his will...for what is the guarantee in guarding this fear, especially in the event of changes and shifts in the Arab position and in light of the financial crisis?" he questioned.

"The Trump administration, during the past weeks, committed two huge crimes when it assassinated Soleimani and al-Mohandes in a public operation and the second crime is Trump's announcement of the so-called century deal, and therefore the first is a prelude to the second crime," Nasrallah corroborated.

He deemed that "what was referred to as the deal of the century, is a dictating deal in which the Palestinian side had no part."

"Trump's plan to eliminate the Palestinian cause, is an Israeli plan adopted by Trump to completely and humiliatingly abolish the Palestinian and Arab cause, and by this deal he offers the Palestinians a terrible state," underlined Nasrallah.

"Arab foreign ministers and the Arab Parliamentary Union meeting in Amman and the Organization of the Islamic Conference in Jeddah and Malaysia and the positions of Russia, China, the European Union, the United Nations and even the Democratic Party in the US Senate, have all voiced rejection to this plan, and this is a good factor that can be built upon," the Hezbollah Secretary-General went on.

He also welcomed the Lebanese position in this respect, commending the "official Lebanese consensus, especially the three presidents and the people, in rejecting this deal."

Referring to America's practices in the region, Nasrallah stressed on the call "to establish a resistance front in the face of the American arrogance, including the legal prosecution of these crimes, even if no outcome is reached."

He pointed out that "all peoples of the region will carry a gun because this American tyrant has left no room for anyone," suggesting the boycotting of American goods as one good means of confrontation.

The Secretary-General revealed that "the weak point of Israel is the human element, while the weak point of the American is money," adding that "the Arab nation has potential and capabilities, but requires decision."

Nasrallah called on the people of the region to "confront the snake's head represented by the Trump administration that practices a kind of superiority. If the peoples of the region want to preserve their dignity, identity and wealth, their choice would be popular resistance, and all forms of resistance, including armed resistance."

"The Israeli army would still be in Lebanon until the very moment, had we accepted the 'de facto policy' and the status quo, but our choice was the resistance," Nasrallah emphasized, citing Lebanon's experience as an example of such confrontation.

Marking the 40-day memorial of the resistance axis martyrs, Nasrallah paid tribute to the fallen Iranian General Qasem Soleimani, considering that "the crowds at the funeral of the late Soleimani, and at the commemoration of the victory of the Iranian Islamic revolution, is a message to the enemy and the friend, that the more risks and challenges increase, the greater this fort."

Nasrallah outlined the "common characteristics of the five resistance martyr leaders" celebrated on this day, which can be summarized by "faith, sincerity, love of people, extreme humility, great courage, responsibility, trust in God, constant jihad, creativity, reaping victories, passion for martyrdom and seeking to meet the Lord, and reaching martyrdom against the American and Zionist enemies of humanity." He added that these common traits have marked their lives with greatness, and their martyrdom has impacted the nation after their fall.

"The resistance is not words and slogans that are separate from reality" he went on. "The martyrdom of Sheikh Ragheb Harb and Sayyid Abbas al-Moussawi has signaled in a new stage, likewise the martyrdom of Hajj Imad and now Soleimani and al-Mohandes...They have summoned the resistance into the whole region, and the axis of the region and Iran have entered a new stage," maintained Nasrallah.

The Hezbollah Secretary-General also saluted the people of Bahrain "who demand their natural rights and reject the pace of normalization with the Israeli enemy."

Moving on to the local Lebanese scene, Nasrallah touched on the prevailing economic and financial crisis in the country, highlighting the need to "address the concerns of the Lebanese, especially their daily living, economic and monetary situation, the fate of deposits in banks, the high prices without control, the loss of some commodities, the price of the dollar, the increase in the unemployment rate, the collapse of some companies, the stagnation of commercial movement and the disposal of industrial and agricultural produce; in addition to people's concern about the impact of this crisis on the security side and the deterioration of state services."

"We are all responsible," he asserted.

Nasrallah wished that "the previous government did not resign", while commending Prime Minister Hassan Diab and the cabinet ministers "for their courage to assume responsibility, and not to escape from it."

"We wish this government success and support and we will not abandon it; we will stand by it with all our possible means because the issue is related to the country," Nasrallah pledged.

While referring to the existing consensus over the difficulty of the situation, Nasrallah emphasized that the approach to economic dossiers must be separated from the political files, due to the many differences between the Lebanese components when it comes to politics.

Nasrallah also stressed the need to refrain from exchanging accusations over the responsibility for the deteriorating economic situation, and to accord the new government an opportunity within a reasonable timeframe to work to prevent the country's collapse, bankruptcy and fall.