“There are no people in the Israeli entity, they are all occupiers and settlers,” Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah said.
His speech on Monday was delivered at the opening of the “Palestine is Victorious” conference, convened in Lebanon to renew media discourse and manage the conflict with Israel.
Nasrallah did not specify whether Arab-Israelis were also considered occupiers and settlers.
With tensions rising between the US and pro-Iranian militias in Syria and Iraq, Nasrallah stressed that Hezbollah is “facing the American hegemony” in Iraq and Syria.
He added that the conflicts with Israel and the US cannot be separated as Israel’s existence is contingent on American support, saying “every massacre committed by the enemy is an American massacre, and every aggression of this enemy is American aggression.”
Concerning the worsening economic crisis in Lebanon, Nasrallah blamed the US, saying American policy is the “main reason” for the crisis, as “the Americans want to besiege, punish and prevent any aid that comes to Lebanon.”
While Nasrallah admitted that incorrect government policies were also “among the causes” of the economic crisis, he said the US is the “main cause.”
Nasrallah added that the goal of the American blockade is to “provoke” the people of Lebanon against Hezbollah and to keep the group busy to prevent it from supporting Palestinians.
On Sunday night, Defense Minister Benny Gantz offered humanitarian aid to Lebanon, saying “as an Israeli, as a Jew and as a human being, my heart aches seeing the images of people going hungry on the streets of Lebanon.”
Lebanon is suffering from a worsening economic crisis, with violence and protests breaking out in cities across the country as basic services collapse. Electricity outages and gas shortages are commonplace.
More than half of Lebanon’s population is living in poverty, and its financial crisis is likely to rank in the top 10, and possibly even the top three, most severe crises in the world since the mid-1800s, according to the World Bank.
Nasrallah has said in recent speeches that the country’s gasoline crisis could be addressed “within a few days” if it would just accept Iranian oil shipments, which are under sanctions by international law.
Hezbollah will eventually negotiate directly with Tehran and import Iranian oil through the Port of Beirut if the Lebanese government does not begin “bearing its responsibility,” Nasrallah said at the time.
During the speech, which focused largely on pro-Iranian media capabilities, Nasrallah also claimed that Israelis trust Palestinian and pro-Iranian media more than they trust their own leaders and media.
Nasrallah stressed that the media of the “Axis of Resistance” must be developed just like its military capabilities, adding that the “resounding victory” that the media contributed to the “victory” Palestinian terrorist groups claimed during Operation Guardian of the Walls.
The Hezbollah leader additionally claimed that “everyone” recognized the “victory” of the Palestinians during the operation, despite “some media in the Gulf” denying it. “While the enemy fails to achieve victory, Arab media come to make an imaginary victory for him from the remains of children,” said Nasrallah.
Nasrallah also referenced the recent blocking of a number of pro-Iranian media sites by the US, saying that this was “proof” of the strength of the resistance media “because of its influence.”
The militant leader stressed the importance of using social media, stating that while “the enemy can take down satellite channels, it is not possible to stop social networking sites, so we must take advantage of them.”
“We know the enemy’s strengths, recognize them, and work on ways to confront and weaken them,” said Nasrallah. He further claimed that one of the most important strengths of the axis’ media is “honesty in conveying news and facts,” adding that the terrorist groups’ media did not rely on “illusions and lies” in their “psychological war.”
Referring to Palestinian issues, Nasrallah stated that the Palestinian terrorist groups promised “liberation” and to get prisoners released, and fulfilled their promise. It is unclear which liberation Nasrallah was referring to. Additionally, a prisoner swap agreement has not yet been reached between Israel and Hamas.
“When in the Axis of Resistance we talk about the ‘liberation of Palestine,’ we are not talking about dreams or fantasies. The battle of the Sword of Jerusalem (the name the Palestinians gave to Operation Guardian of the Walls) has made Jerusalem closer than ever,” said Nasrallah. “We do not exaggerate our goals, and this is one of the most important elements of the resistance force.”
Nasrallah reiterated the axis’ promise to “defend Jerusalem,” saying that the axis has been “true to its promise.”
Although Palestinian terrorist groups have cited quote-on-quote violations of Jerusalem, including entering the Temple Mount, as red lines which would garner a response, Jewish visitors and Israeli security forces have been able to enter the Temple Mount without much of a response from the Gazan groups in recent weeks. However, almost nightly clashes have been reported in the Sheikh Jarrah and Silwan neighborhoods of east Jerusalem, where a number of Palestinian families face eviction.
In recent speeches, Nasrallah has warned that any “violation” of Jerusalem would result in a regional war in which pro-Iranian groups from multiple countries could take part.
Nasrallah also addressed recent reports in Lebanese media about the defendants in the investigation of last year’s Port of Beirut explosion, questioning whether the investigation was “real judicial action” or “political targeting.” A large explosion targeted the Beirut offices of a lawyer involved in the case last week.
Dozens were killed and thousands were injured in the massive blast which shook Beirut last August. While the investigation into the explosion has made little headway amid a system plagued by corruption, Lebanese Judge Tarek Bitar recently moved to lift the immunity of a number of high ranking officials in order to question them as suspects in the case.
“Justice is still distant and the truth is still concealed,” said Nasrallah concerning the investigation. Hezbollah has been accused of being responsible for the blast, as it has strong control over Lebanon’s ports.