From Middle East Observer

Description:

According to ‘reliable leaks’ shared across social media, Hezbollah’s leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah has told thousands of Lebanese that the current situation may soon lead to full-blown war if the US and Israel do not submit to Hezbollah’s demands that crisis-stricken Lebanon be allowed to extract and sell its offshore energy reserves.

Nasrallah also said that his movement will not allow the ‘Israeli enemy’ to extract and sell any oil and gas so long as Lebanon is prevented by the Americans from exploiting and selling its own reserves.

The Hezbollah leader made these comments in an internal speech delivered to thousands of the party’s members in preparation for the upcoming ‘Ashura’ mourning ceremonies.

Please note: the below transcript consists of large portions of the leaks that are summaries of Nasrallah’s speech on 19-07-2022 i.e. MEO is not directly translating Nasrallah’s words in this post.

Source: Leaked summary shared across social media sites

Date: 19 July, 2022

Important Note: Please help us keep producing independent translations for you by contributing as little as $1/month here: https://www.patreon.com/MiddleEastObserver

Transcript:

The political situation:

– After (my) latest speech, some stood with (it) and some against (it).

– The remarks of some people are natural and we do not expect anything less from them. We must not be affected by them, (for) ‘even if we feed them pure honey, they won’t feel favourably towards us’ (i.e., no matter what we do to please them, they won’t like it)

– Our responsibility is to clarify and demonstrate our strong logic, (even if) they do not respond to us with logic.

– The Americans (did all they can to) prevent electricity from becoming available to (the Lebanese people)

– Our words (in my latest speech) led to the confirmation of the negotiations (translator’s note: indirect negotiations between Lebanon and Israel mediated by the U.S.), not their disruption, because Europe needs oil and gas, and every country is concerned with its own interests in Europe

-There are positive signs, and we are still awaiting

– A serious crisis will befall Europe in September and October if they do not secure (alternative) oil and gas supplies

– Biden visited the (Middle East) region only for the sake of oil and gas and to exert pressure on the Gulf states to increase (oil and gas) production.

– We are in a historical moment, and there is no other opportunity (after this one).

– There are billions of dollars worth of oil and gas reserves, just sitting there (in our waters), and the Americans are obstructing (the extraction process).

– Some foreign companies expressed their willingness to begin the drilling process but only after the (border) demarcation process is finalised (and this is an American request)

– (We are talking about Lebanon) that is in debt 100 billion dollars, and the only possibility (to pay for it) is oil/gas. This is a golden opportunity, the only remaining hope for our country. The other (camp) has no choice, they did not offer any other option.

– We are before an opportunity. Indeed, we benefit from the (circumstances surrounding the) Russian-Ukrainian war by (pushing for the) extraction of (Lebanese) oil/gas. People must understand that the United States will not allow the extraction of oil/gas even after 100 years, therefore the (established) equation was necessary.

– We do not want a (mere) moral achievement by preventing (Israeli) extraction from the Karish (oil/gas offshore filed). Rather, we want to extract our own oil/gas.

– There will be no extraction of oil/gas from any area across the (entire Israeli) entity if Lebanon does not gain its rights (in terms of extracting and selling its oil/gas reserves).

– We want to explain (the situation) to the people so that the background of our position regarding the oil/gas issue will become clear (i.e. we may gain our rights with or without war)

– We must take risks and adopt a difficult stance.

-The Israelis may submit (to our demands) even without any (military) steps by the resistance, or, they may respond (to our future military/security actions) and drag things into a (full-fledged) war.

(In other earlier remarks):

– After an introduction on the history of Shias in Lebanon and the wars, killings, displacement and abuse that befell them, he spoke about the current situation of Shia in Lebanon, saying that it is upon us to thank God for the blessings we are in and to preserve these blessings (i.e. (our various) institutions /religious seminaries/power/security/safety etc).

–  We have to protect our people and talk to them, as they are people of loyalty, insight, readiness and sacrifice.

– All sects in Lebanon had a regional protector, except for the Shias, and they were even accused of being followers of the Safavids, and they paid the price for it.

– Loyalty of the people in our support base and constant readiness: for 40 years, our people have been sacrificing, prepared, and giving, they gave their children, believed in the resistance and the path, and embraced it.

– After the year 2000, people’s presence transformed and became greater in all fields, celebrations, and various developments/challenges…and the resistance proved its effectiveness and correctness until people came to it and began to bet/rely upon it.

– Since the beginning of the resistance, the enemy discovered that (this movement) constitutes a threat to its project in Lebanon and the region, and since then it’s been carrying out wars / killings / massacres / assassinations (against it).

– After the July War 2006, the enemy discovered that the option of war is a threat to the (very existence of the Israeli) entity and entails many equations/calculations.

– If war develops (between the Israeli enemy) and Hezbollah, it may expand (and bring in) the entire Axis of Resistance, so calculations/equations regarding the option of war has become limited/narrow for the (Israeli) entity.

– Security assassinations (carried out by Israel over the years) have increased us in strength and presence, and God compensates (us for our fallen comrades).

– Since 2019, we have information about retreats and conferences held in which they discussed how to get rid of Hezbollah. These meetings included religious scholars/security figures/journalists/specialists in soft war etc, and many of these studies have reached us. The studies are directed from a (central) operations room.

– A writer/journalist would be paid $700 for each weekly article that he writes accusing Hezbollah of being responsible for the Beirut Port explosion.

– The Americans and Saudis spent $30 billion in recent years to distort the image of the party and keep people away from it.

– On a daily basis in the world there is distortion of Hezbollah (associating it with drugs/mafias etc)

– What has emerged as a new factor (in this war against Hezbollah) from 2019 is the social and economic pressure on all of Lebanese society, including the closure of bank accounts within (various Lebanese) banks.

– People’s bank deposits were completely lost, while our wealth is still with us. They wished to harm us, yet our enemy is foolish, it (constantly) shoots itself in the foot.

– China, Iran and Russia are ready for carrying out projects in Lebanon, but some (Lebanese) are afraid of US sanctions while they agree with us in secret.

– (The enemy) funded (various) television (networks) and NGOs, and their goal was to create a huge social revolution aimed against Hezbollah, and to hold it responsible for the economic and social situation in Lebanon.

– The goal was to lead people to surrender and submit, surrender their weapons, recognise Israel, settle (millions of) Syrian and Palestinian (refugees in Lebanon), and loot (Lebanese) wealth. The real obstacle was the resistance.

– They lost (in their efforts to) put pressure on our people and bet on their (surrender). (The enemy) was left frustrated and helpless.

– The people were facing a big test with all the pressures they were targeted with. The elections came and the Americans’ hopes were dashed. Their only goal (in that election) was to cause a breach in our electoral districts.

– The message of the (Salam Farmandeh/Salam Ya Mahdi) song (being played across the Middle East today) is that this generation will not give up anything and will continue this path with greater enthusiasm and passion.