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Sheikh Naim Kassem

Sheikh Naim Kassem

Lebanese Hizbullah

Syria-Lebanon-Iran

20011212

Syria-Lebanon-Iran

Hezbollah chief says Iran rocket fire on Golan marks start of ‘new phase’

2018-05-15

[IsraelTimes] Nasrallah claims Israel lied about magnitude of Iranian salvo from Syria, warns of 'response' to further Israeli raids Why would he claim that more than twice as many rockets were shot off, if only four made far enough to be killed by Israel’s Iron Shield? The head of the Lebanese terror group Hezbollah claimed Monday that Israel had lied about the extent of last week’s Iranian rocket strike on the Golan Heights, and said the Israeli military would now think twice about striking Iran’s assets in Syria. According to the Israel Defense Forces, Iran last week launched 20 rockets toward Israel from Syria, four of which were intercepted and the rest of which fell short of Israeli territory. In response, the air force carried out retaliatory raids that the army said inflicted extensive damage on Iran’s military presence in Syria. "Israel said that only 20 rockets were fired, some of which were downed, but the truth is that 55 rockets some of which were of heavy caliber were fired at a number of military posts, creating huge kabooms that forced all residents in the Golan and some in northern Israel to scramble to bomb shelters in panic," said Hassan Nasrallah, according to Naharnet. Nasrallah said the Iranian rocket fire sent a message to Israel that it could no longer carry out Arclight airstrikes in Syria with impunity. "This is one form of the response to Israel’s attacks on Syria. The message that the enemy received was resounding and we are following the Israeli media outlets. The message is that you are mistaken if you think that you can continue to kill and bomb as you please," added the head of the Iran-backed terror group. Nasrallah said Hezbollah and its allies Iran and Syria "will respond at the appropriate time and place and with the appropriate method" to Israel’s Syria raids, while adding, "This landmark rocket attack has launched a new phase." He warned "the next response would be in the heart of occupied Paleostine should any red lines be crossed." Nasrallah also blasted Bahrain’s foreign minister, calling him an "idiot" and a "traitor" for supporting Israel’s right to respond to the barrage of rockets coming from Syria. Last week’s rocket strikes came after Iran threatened retaliation on Israel for numerous airstrikes against it in Syria, namely following the raid on the T-4 army base in Syria, which killed at least seven members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, including a senior officer responsible for the group’s drone program. Earlier Monday, Nasrallah’s deputy, Sheikh Naim Kassem, said the Iranian rocket barrage affirmed "the balance of deterrence" between Israel and its regional enemies. Iran, along with Hezbollah and Russia, is helping the Syrian regime suppress a bloody insurgency, now in its eighth year. Israel has committed to preventing Iran from establishing forward bases in Syria, fearing they could be used to launch strikes against the Jewish state, and also to prevent advanced weapons from reaching Hezbollah.

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Syria-Lebanon-Iran

Hezbollah: EU making big mistake

2013-05-24

Hezbollah's deputy chief says the European Union would be making a "big mistake" to label the Lebanese Shiite militant group "terrorist." Sheikh Naim Kassem told Al-Mayadeen TV Friday that such threats "do not concern" or worry the group. He did not elaborate. France this week joined an EU push to declare the group a terrorist organization amid frustration with Hezbollah's support for Syria's military. France's move could prove pivotal after Germany joined a British effort to name Hezbollah terrorist. The U.S. has long pressured Europe add Hezbollah to its terrorist list, which would hamper its operations in Europe. French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said France will ask that the military branch of Hezbollah be considered as a terrorist organization.

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Syria-Lebanon-Iran

Hezbollah taking steps towards reconciliation with Future & PSP

2008-09-14

Beirut- Hezbollah's decision to dispatch the head of its politburo Sheikh Ibrahim Amin al-Sayyed, as the official representative of Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, to the funeral of slain Druze official Saleh Aridi was seen as a step toward reconciliation between Hezbollah and MP Walid Jumblat's Progressive Socialist Party. The daily As Safir on Saturday, citing well-informed sources, said both sides have expressed their desire to "upgrade the present security coordination formula" between Hezbollah 's Wafiq Safa and PSP's Akram Shehayeb. It said serious backstage efforts continue in this regard between Hezbollah and Mustaqbal ( Future) Movement in a bid to achieve reconciliation. The sources said there is a "real chance to achieve a breakthrough" in this regard. Today Sheikh Naim Kassem, deputy of Hezbollah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said: The Future movement did not make its political decision yet about a meeting between Nasrallah and Hariri . Such a meeting could resolve 90 % of the problems and the remaining 10 % could be resolved through dialogue" Hezbollah arms remain the key issue for the ruling majority. Prime Minister Fouad Siniora said national dialogue meetings will be held under the title of "the defense strategy."

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Syria-Lebanon-Iran

Hizbullah deputy chief: Don't even think about attacking Lebanon

2008-01-24

"If Israel even thinks about attacking Lebanon, Hizbullah will stand up against it," the group's deputy leader Sheikh Naim Kassem said Wednesday night. In an interview with Hizbullah's Al-Manar television network, Kassem also said that the recent speech by Hizbullah leader Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah, in which he claimed Israel left behind body parts on the battlefield in Lebanon, had "fully achieved its goal." He said Israel had been lying to the families of fallen and wounded soldiers and that they had not been given the "full picture." The Hizbullah deputy chief vowed that any attempt to harm Nasrallah would be met with "unforeseen consequences."

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Syria-Lebanon-Iran

Hizbullah: We'll get our captives back through kidnapping ops

2007-10-22

"Experience has taught us that we can only get out captives back by sticking to our principles, fighting and carrying out more kidnapping operations," Hizbullah's Deputy Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Kassem said Sunday. In a speech marking the return of a Hizbullah guerrilla's body transferred by Israel last week in a swap involving drowned Israeli Gavriel Daweet, Kassem said: "If you want to know the value of the prisoner exchange, listen to (Prime Minister Ehud) Olmert who spoke of the 'heavy price' that was paid." Kassem praised the prisoner swap his group conducted with Israel. Yup. Olmert continues to make the case for Hizb'allah policies. Wonderful. The Hizbullah deputy chief also spoke of the internal strife in Lebanon, attacking the Lebanese officials who were cooperating with the US. "We are opposed to this phony collaboration and no not accept it. We consider every US base in Lebanon an enemy." Last Tuesday, a day after the prisoner exchange, Hizbullah leader Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah said there was "positive progress" in negotiations to swap captive IDF reservists Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev for Lebanese prisoners in Israel. "I assert that there are strenuous negotiations, continuing sessions that will be resumed within days," Nasrallah said in a speech broadcast on Hizbullah's Al- Manar television station the day after the Daweet swap deal.

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Israel-Palestine-Jordan

Jibril: Israel will attack Syria soon

2007-09-29

Israel has already made a decision to attack Syria and was just mulling over where to land its first strike, Ahmad Jibril, leader of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine claimed in an interview published Friday by Arabic newspaper Al Hadat. Jibril estimated that Israeli action, several weeks after an alleged IAF foray into Syria on September 6, would likely be a wide-scale operation, and would probably be answered with attacks by Iran, Hizbullah in Lebanon and the Palestinians of Syria. "I believe Israel has prepared all likely scenarios for war with Syria, but they are still considering where they will land the first strike, which will come very soon," Jibril said. "They are weighing whether to attack on one front or on multiple fronts. There is an American Israeli plan, backed by silent agreement from the Arab world, to change the balance of power in the Middle East." The PFLP leader said also that Israel was wary of a "domino effect" that would drag other countries into the conflict. "The Israelis have not formed a final estimate regarding the possibility of Iranian intervention if they will attack Syria. Secondly, the Lebanese resistance, led by Hizbullah's Islamic resistance, will intervene and strike the Zionist home front with missiles," he said. "The Syrian brothers will not be afraid to protect their land and will continue the war with the Zionist enemy, and we, the Palestinians in Syria, will not sit by idly - we will be on the front lines," Jibril added. However, despite Jibril's claim that "Hizbullah would also participate," officials in the organization hinted that they would not interfere in a future conflict. Two weeks ago, Sheikh Naim Kassem, Deputy Secretary General of Hizbullah and Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah's second in command, said that Israeli estimates that the group would try to take revenge on Syria's behalf were no more that "journalistic assessments based on insufficient evidence."

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Syria-Lebanon-Iran

Hezbollah holds talks with Saudi king

2007-01-04

BEIRUT - Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah held talks on Lebanon’s political crisis with a Hezbollah leader last week in his first such contact with the Iranian-backed Shia Muslim group, a Lebanese political source said on Wednesday. Hezbollah deputy chief Sheikh Naim Kassem and a senior aide, Mohammed Fneish, flew to Jeddah on a private Saudi jet on Dec. 26 for the meeting with the monarch and his foreign minister, Prince Saud Al Faisal, the senior political source said. The three-day visit was aimed at easing tension between the mainly Sunni Muslim kingdom and Hezbollah, which is leading an opposition campaign to bring down the Beirut government. ‘What came out of the meeting were signals of goodwill from both sides to improve ties, but no tangible results,’ the source said, adding that the two sides had discussed their differences and rising Sunni-Shia tension in Lebanon. Saudi Arabia, like the United States, is a major backer of Prime Minister Fouad Siniora and has been critical of Hezbollah since its guerrillas sparked a 34-day war with Israel after capturing two soldiers in a cross-border attack on July 12. There was no immediate comment from Saudi officials. Beirut’s Al Akhbar newspaper, which reported the meeting, said the Saudis had invited Hezbollah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah visit the kingdom for last week’s annual pilgrimage to Mecca. Nasrallah declined on security grounds. Too bad, could have 'gone for a drive in the desert'.

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Syria-Lebanon-Iran

200,000 call for Lebanon's 'US puppet' to go

2006-12-02

Just a tad shy of the 1/4 of Leb population (1Mn) the hyperventilating ass-kissers blathered about yesterday - and probably still an exaggeration. BUT... it does show just how fucked Lebanon is - these are Hezb minions. Sad - CedarGrrl has no future in her future. Hundreds of thousands of protesters took to Beirut’s streets today in a Hizbollah-led demonstration aimed at toppling the government of the beleaguered prime minister, Fouad Siniora. A week after vast numbers attended the funeral of the murdered industry minister, Pierre Gemayel, Beirut was a flood of colour again as a sea of Lebanese flags blanketed the downtown area. Hizbollah had planned demonstrations last week, but postponed them after the assassination of Mr Gemayel, the sixth anti-Syrian figure to be killed in two years. The 200,000-strong crowds included supporters of Hizbollah, its fellow-Shia Amal party, the Christian faction led by Michel Aoun and supporters of Emile Lahoud, the Syrian-backed president. But although the colours of various political factions were on display, the predominant symbol was Lebanon’s green cedar tree emblazoned on a red and white flag, a sign that Hizbollah wanted the rally to project the sentiments of a nation. Yup, don't show the Hezb flag - folks might misunderstand. The Iranian- and Syrian-backed Shia militant group has branded Mr Siniora a puppet of the United States, and is calling for his cabinet to be replaced by a new government that will give Hizbollah’s allies sufficient representation to effectively yield veto-power. “I call on the prime minister and his ministers to quit,” shouted Mr Aoun to the crowds, speaking on behalf of the opposition. Does this "quit" thingy include the Prez, too? “Siniora out, we want a free government,” chanted the crowd in response. Free. Heh. Mr Aoun called on the people to “continue the sit-in until we reach our goals” of installing a new unity government. "We want Pencilneck!" "We want Pencilneck!" "We want Pencilneck!" Purdy catchy. Demonstrators had been transported to the capital from all over Lebanon by bus and, although many returned home last night, several thousand remained for an indefinite sit-in around the prime minister’s Grand Serail office. White tents were set up on roads leading to the Ottoman-style building, and mattresses, blankets, food and water were laid on for those who planned to stay the night. “I’ll stay here for as long as it takes,” said Rahida Eliast, the 21-year-old student’s orange bandanna identifying her as a supporter of Mr Aoun’s Free Patriotic Movement. “I don’t care where I sleep, and I don’t care what I eat. I just want to see this government brought down.” "I'm a Patriot! We all are! We want Pencilneck!" Armoured personnel carriers could be heard through the streets of the capital early yesterday as hundreds of combat troops were deployed to strategic positions around the prime minister’s office. Inside the building, Mr Siniora, who has pledged he will not resign, was holed up with several cabinet ministers, attempting to go about his daily schedule and ignore the huge protests outside. Hundreds of Hizbollah “discipline men” dressed in civilian clothes, and armed only with distinctive grey and white caps and walkie-talkies, were positioned alongside Lebanese soldiers at newly-laid razor-wire fences surrounding the building to ensure that the protests stayed peaceful. They've gone "pro". Might be good enough for ANSWER work, now. Sheikh Naim Kassem, Hizbollah’s deputy chief, said: “This government will not take Lebanon to the abyss. We have steps if this government does not respond.” Steps. I'll bet they do. Mr Siniora’s supporters claim that Hizbollah and its allies are attempting to stage a coup to bring down the government in order to torpedo an international tribunal to try the suspected killers of Rafik Hariri, the former Lebanese prime minister, last year. Although Damascus denied any involvement, protests that followed the killing prompted Syria to withdraw its troops from Lebanon. "Us involved? Perish the thought! We want Pencilneck! We want Pencilneck!" Margaret Beckett, the Foreign Secretary, arrived in Beirut last night for a 24-hour visit. Try the veal, Mags.

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Syria-Lebanon-Iran

Lebanese president: Hezbollah exit cost gov't its legitimacy

2006-11-12

BEIRUT - Lebanon's president took sides Sunday in the country's latest political spat, claiming that the cabinet was no longer legitimate following the resignation of five Shiite Muslim ministers, including two representing Hezbollah. A major escalation The resignations left the Shiites, the country's largest single sect, out of the government and deepened the country's political crisis. President Emile Lahoud's position is a blow to his political rival, Prime Minister Fuad Saniora, but does not carry legal weight because the Lebanese president is not empowered to dissolve the government. Lahoud sent a letter to Siniora's office, saying that the 24-member cabinet was no longer constitutional after all five Shiite Muslim ministers submitted their resignations Saturday. He based his position on Article Five of the constitution that states "all sects should be justly represented in the cabinet." There was no comment from Siniora. The president's declaration of his position solidifies the political divide in Lebanon between anti- and pro-Syrian forces, with Lahoud and Hezbollah tilting toward Syria and Siniora and his allies opposing their powerful neighbor's influence over their country. Hezbollah deputy chief: Shi'ites to take to streets in Lebanon Pro-Syrian Hezbollah and its allies will stage street protests to press their demands after the collapse of all-party talks on giving them more say in government, the movement's deputy leader said on Sunday. Five Shi'ite Muslim ministers from Hezbollah and its ally, the Amal movement, resigned from the cabinet on Saturday, hours after the collapse of the talks on the pro-Syrian camp's demand for effective veto power in the government. Asked whether the government would face street protests, Hezbollah deputy chief Sheikh Naim Kassem said: "I can say that this campaign will be varied and effective. Going down to the streets is one of the important steps that Hezbollah and its allies will take." "The parliamentary majority camp foiled the dialogue because they don't want wide scale Lebanese participation in government and they want to monopolize decisions in this country," Kassem said. "This is something that we... can't be witnesses to," he added. Some anti-Syrian leaders have pledged counter-demonstrations should Hezbollah take the political crisis to the streets, raising fears of confrontations and violence. "This was a first step. There will be other steps that we will discuss in detail with our allies and which we will announce gradually," Kassem told Reuters by telephone. He said the all-party talks had failed because anti-Syrian majority leaders had refused to allow others effective participation in running the country. "This campaign will be there to salvage the country from this mentality," Kassem said. Emphasis added. Hez figures it is now or never.

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Syria-Lebanon-Iran

Hezbollah not to aid Iran if US strikes

2006-05-23

Lebanon’s Hezbollah, a close ally of Iran, would not jump to Tehran’s defence if the US launched a strike against its nuclear programme but would step in if the conflict spread to Lebanon, its deputy chief said yesterday. Sheikh Naim Kassem said that the guerrilla group, which was established by Iran in the early 1980s but has since grown into a political party with 14 seats in parliament, had no plans to get involved in regional battles. “Hezbollah is not a tool of Iran, it is a Lebanese project that implements the demands of Lebanese,” Kassem said in an interview in the Hezbollah-controlled southern suburb of Beirut. “Iran is a big country with real capabilities and can defend itself if it is exposed to American danger.” Western diplomats and Middle East analysts say that any attack on Iran would almost certainly increase tensions between Hezbollah and its foe Israel. Kassem said it was hard to predict how any conflict would play out and that decisions would be made according to the situation on the ground, but that in principle Hizbollah would only intervene to defend Lebanon, primarily from Israeli attack. Kassem painted another scenario in which Israel fired first to preempt any possible Hezbollah action if fellow Shi’ite Muslim Iran was attacked. “Hezbollah has no decision to enter any battle related to the region and has said repeatedly that its position is one of defence against aggression,” he added. “But we cannot say to Israel, which might attack Lebanon one of these days, that we are going to sit back and watch, even if Israel called this attack a protective measure for fear that Iran might benefit from the situation in Lebanon... Such pretexts are rejected.”

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Middle East

Palestinians say EU biased toward Israel

2001-12-12

Palestinian and Lebanese groups said the European Union showed bias toward Israel when it called for the dismantling of Hamas and Islamic Jihad. The European demand is "a continuation of the deception of the hateful West," said Ramadan Abdullah Shallah, leader of the Syrian-based militant Islamic Jihad group. Ahmed Jibril, leader of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command, said the Palestinian uprising would continue and would resist all "maneuvers against it." Sheikh Naim Kassem, deputy secretary-general of the Lebanese Hizbullah, said describing Hamas and Islamic Jihad as terrorist groups showed "complete bias toward Israel." Of course, it might have had something to do with the rat poison, or the unrelenting wave of suicide bombers every time someone mentions "peace." Or maybe it was the combination of the two. Wonder how long until a few Euro targets are blown?

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