Repetition and Nothing Else
Israel-Hamas: Nasrallah Breaks the Silence
Repetition and Nothing Else: Hezbollah’s leader warned to stop the fire to prevent a regional war, but Israel rejected US Secretary of State Blinken’s call for a temporary halt. Hassan Nasrallah, Secretary-General of Hezbollah, broke his silence on November 3rd and spoke about the Israel-Hamas war. In his speech, he stated that some expected him to declare war today, but we have been at war since October 8th. He delivered a passionate and fiery speech to Hezbollah supporters who filled the streets of Lebanon.
For the first time since the conflict began, he spoke about the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas. However, the words of the leader of the Shiite militia, the main military force and also a real independent army, clarified the organization’s stance on current events and the potential escalation of tensions in Lebanon. For a long time, public opinion and regional governments were awaiting Hassan Nasrallah’s speech and his positions, as it could announce the movement’s entry and, with it, all of Lebanon into a war against Israel.
Given that Hezbollah’s military capacity is far superior to Hamas’s, its extensive involvement in the war could turn the ongoing violence in the Gaza Strip into a secondary chapter of a broader war with unpredictable consequences.
Instead, in this speech that lasted about an hour, Nasrallah reiterated that ultimately the Palestinian people will win in their battle, and Lebanon will always stand by its Palestinian brothers, but he did not speak of escalating tensions. In fact, he emphasized that the Hamas attack on October 7th was 100% designed and executed by the Palestinian resistance movement and that Hezbollah and other resistance forces in the region were not informed.
What Did Hassan Nasrallah Say?
Although he had not spoken until his speech on November 3rd, everyone knew that the leader of Hezbollah was closely and moment by moment following the developments in Gaza. Many in Lebanon, a country brought to its knees by unprecedented economic and institutional problems, feared that the movement might decide to drag them into a war that would be disastrous for the country.
Contrary to what many imagined, Nasrallah announced in his speech that we have been at war since October 8th. He then sternly asked Arab leaders to stop sending oil to Israel. He said, ‘We are not asking you to send soldiers, but we are asking you to have dignity and stop sending oil to Israel.’
The Secretary-General of Hezbollah said that the United States is primarily responsible for the massacres committed in Gaza and emphasized that efforts should be made to stop the war and achieve a ceasefire. He also clarified that Hezbollah is prepared for all options and that they can resort to them whenever they choose.
He further added that the war on the borders of Lebanon and Israel will not be limited to the scale seen so far. However, observers generally agree on one point: it seems that the Shiite militia leader has distanced himself from the October 7th attack, which he also praised, without showing any particular inclination to start a new war against the Jewish state, warning that all options remain on the table.
Blinken Calls for a Temporary Pause
Meanwhile, on the morning of November 3rd, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken began his regional trip by meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. During the negotiations, as expected before his departure from Washington, the Secretary of State called for a temporary pause to allow humanitarian aid to enter Gaza, where bombings and the advance of the Israeli army continue.
The United States has repeatedly stated that it supports stopping the war and a ceasefire, but it has voted against proposed resolutions for announcing a ceasefire in various United Nations forums several times. This was Blinken’s second meeting with the Israeli Prime Minister since the conflict began on October 7th and the Hamas attack, an attack in which it is claimed that over 1,400 Israelis, mostly civilians, were killed and about 240 were taken hostage.
On Thursday, the Gaza Health Ministry announced that since the start of Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip, at least 9,000 people, including 3,760 children, have been killed. Meanwhile, independent UN experts warned that Palestinians in this territory are at serious risk of genocide. In a note, the UN special rapporteurs stated, ‘We urge Israel and its allies to agree to an immediate ceasefire. Our time is running out.’ Blinken’s arrival coincided with the Israeli government’s decision to send thousands of Palestinian cross-border workers in Israel and the West Bank to the Gaza Strip.
Is the Post-Netanyahu Era Being Considered Now?
In any case, it seems that this war will not see any retreat. In fact, in recent days, the Israeli army has intensified the siege around the city of Gaza. The news, reported by the Palestinian Health Ministry and recently released, stated that in an Israeli attack on an ambulance convoy near Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza, several people were killed and dozens were injured, which could attest to the worsening situation.
Moreover, immediately after Blinken’s meeting, Prime Minister Netanyahu announced that there would be no halt in the war until the hostages are released. Then, the Israeli Prime Minister, with harsh words and tone, responded to the US envoy’s call for a temporary halt to the violence against civilians, announcing that he would not even allow fuel to enter the besieged area.
On the other hand, according to Politico, some fear that Prime Minister Netanyahu may want to push for an escalation of tensions just as his time in power is nearing its end. An Israeli official says, ‘We definitely need to give a clear and explicit response to the Israeli public about the events that occurred, and ultimately, this chain of responsibility will stop on the Prime Minister’s desk.’
In the end, it seems that Hassan Nasrallah’s words, beyond compassion and rhetoric, can be considered a response to two questions. The Hezbollah leader answers those who ask who was behind the October 7th attack by saying it was the Palestinian resistance, thus strongly denying Hezbollah or Iran’s involvement in the decision to carry out this attack.
Hassan Nasrallah also answers those who ask whether Hezbollah will enter the conflict by stating that Hezbollah has already entered the conflict, and it did so on October 8th. A formula from which it can be concluded that Hezbollah is fulfilling its duty, and therefore, expanding the conflict is currently not deemed necessary. However, it can be clearly claimed that the level of tension remains high, and in such a fragile situation, just one mistake is enough to accelerate the deterioration of the situation.