Repeat and nothing else
Israel, Hamas, and Nasrallah break the silence
Repeat and nothing else, the leader of Hezbollah warned to stop the regional war and the fire, but Israel gave a negative response to the temporary ceasefire request from the US Secretary of State, Blinken. Hassan Nasrallah, the Secretary-General of Hezbollah in Lebanon, broke his silence on the twelfth of Aban and spoke about the war between Israel and Hamas. In his passionate and enthusiastic speech to the Hezbollah supporters who filled the streets of Lebanon, he stated that some expected me to announce war today, but we have been at war since October 8th.
For the first time since the start of the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, the leader of the Shia paramilitary forces, the main military force, and the real independent army, spoke about the organization’s position on the current events and the possibility of escalating tensions in Lebanon. Public opinion and regional governments have been waiting for Hassan Nasrallah’s speech and his positions for a long time because he could declare the entry of the movement, along with all of Lebanon, into a war against Israel.
Considering that the military capacity of Hezbollah is significantly superior to that of Hamas, its extensive participation in the war can escalate the ongoing violence in the Gaza Strip into a larger-scale conflict with unpredictable consequences.
On the other hand, Nasrallah emphasized once again in his hour-long speech that ultimately the people of Palestine will be victorious in their battle, and Lebanon will always stand by its Palestinian brothers. However, he did not mention anything about escalating tensions. In fact, he emphasized that the Hamas attack on October 7th was completely planned and executed by the Palestinian resistance movement, and Hezbollah and other resistance forces in the region were not informed about it.
What did Hassan Nasrallah say?
Although he did not speak about the Gaza developments until his tough speech on November 12th, everyone knew that the leader of Hezbollah in Lebanon was closely monitoring the situation in Gaza moment by moment. Many in Lebanon, a country that has been brought to its knees due to unprecedented economic and institutional issues, were afraid that the movement would decide to drag them into a disastrous war.
Contrary to many people’s expectations, Nasrallah announced in his speech that we have been at war since October 8th. He then demanded with an authoritative tone from the leaders of Arab countries to stop sending oil to Israel. He said that we don’t want you to send soldiers, but we want you to have dignity and stop sending oil to Israel.
The Secretary-General of Hezbollah in Lebanon stated that the United States is primarily responsible for the massacres in Gaza and emphasized the need to strive for a ceasefire. He also stated that Hezbollah is ready for all options and we can resort to them whenever we want.
He further added that the war between Lebanon and Israel will not be limited to the extent seen so far. However, overall, observers agree on one point, which seems that the leader of the Shia paramilitary forces has distanced himself from the October 7th attack, which he himself praised, without showing any particular inclination to start a new war against the Jewish state. He warned that all options remain on the table.
Blinken called for a temporary ceasefire.
On the morning of November 12th, Antony Blinken, the US Secretary of State, began his trip to the region by meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. During the negotiations, as anticipated before his departure from Washington, the Secretary of State called for a temporary ceasefire to allow humanitarian aid to enter Gaza, where the bombings and the Israeli army’s advance continue.
The United States has repeatedly stated that it supports a cessation of hostilities and a ceasefire, but it has voted against proposed resolutions for declaring a ceasefire in various United Nations forums. This is Blinken’s second meeting with the Israeli Prime Minister since the start of the conflict on October 7th and the Hamas attack, which allegedly resulted in the deaths of over 1,400 Israelis, mostly civilians, and the taking of approximately 240 hostages.
The Ministry of Health in Gaza announced on Friday that since the start of Israel’s attacks on Gaza, at least 9,000 people, including 3,760 children, have been killed. Meanwhile, independent experts from the United Nations have warned that Palestinians in this land are at serious risk of genocide. In a note by the UN Special Rapporteurs, we urge Israel and its allies to agree to an immediate ceasefire. Our time is running out. The entry of Blinken coincided with the Israeli government’s decision to send thousands of Palestinian workers through the Erez crossing to Gaza.
Is there now a consideration for the post-Netanyahu era?
In any case, it seems that this war will not have any retreat. In fact, in the past few days, the Israeli army has intensified its siege of the outskirts of Gaza City. This news, reported by the Palestinian Ministry of Health and recently released, states that in the Israeli attack on the ambulance convoy near Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza, several people were killed and dozens were injured. This can be evidence of the severity of the situation.
Furthermore, immediately after meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu, Blinken announced that there will be no ceasefire as long as the hostages are not released. Then the Israeli Prime Minister responded sharply to the United States’ request for a temporary halt to violence against civilians, stating that he will 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 escalate tensions just as his time in power is coming to an end. An Israeli official says, ‘We definitely need to give a clear and explicit response to the incidents that have occurred to the Israeli society,’ and ultimately, the responsibility will fall on the Prime Minister’s desk.
In conclusion, Hassan Nasrallah’s words seem to go beyond sympathy and rhetoric. They can be seen as an answer to two questions. The leader of Hezbollah in Lebanon responds to those who ask who was behind the October 7th attack, saying it was the Palestinian resistance, thus strongly denying any involvement of Hezbollah or Iran in the decision to carry out this attack.
Furthermore, when asked whether Hezbollah will engage in further conflict or not, Hassan Nasrallah responds by stating that Hezbollah has already been involved in conflict before, specifically on October 8th. According to a formula based on this, it can be concluded that Hezbollah is currently fulfilling its duty and therefore the escalation of conflict is not currently deemed necessary. However, it can boldly be claimed that the level of tension remains high and in such fragile circumstances, just one mistake is enough to accelerate and worsen the situation.
