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May 27, 2020
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Lebanese Political Science Professor Sadek Al-Naboulsi: U.S. Attempts To Crack Down On So-Called Smuggling Between Syria And Lebanon, Harm The Passage Of Hizbullah Fighters, Weapons; Hizbullah Refuses To Be Smothered

#8053 | 03:41
Source: OTV (Lebanon)

Lebanese political science professor Sadek Al-Naboulsi, who is affiliated with Hizubllah, said in a May 27, 2020 interview on OTV (Lebanon) that if Israel launches a war against Hizbullah because it thinks Hizbullah is weak, Israel will be destroyed. He also said that Hizbullah will intervene in any attempt to harm the resistance, referring specifically to the American "fuss" surrounding the border crossings between Lebanon and Syria, which he said is an attempt to smother Hizbullah under the pretext of cracking down on smuggling. Al-Naboulsi said that Hizbullah cannot remain silent about foreign control of these border crossings, since the passage of weapons and fighters between Syria and Lebanon is important to it. In addition, Al-Naboulsi said that Hizbullah has strong relations with the Lebanese army, that their cooperation has limits meant to prevent harming the interests and sovereignty of Lebanon, and that the Americans are deluding themselves if they think they can pit the Lebanese army against Hizbullah.

Sadek Al-Naboulsi: "Hizbullah will not agree to be smothered, under economic or social pretexts."

Host: "What will it do?"

Al-Naboulsi: "Let me give you an example. One of the main goals of what has happened in Syria was to besiege the resistance, but Hizbullah took the initiative, crossed into Syrian soil, confronted the terrorists, and made the achievements that we are all familiar with. In other words, Hizbullah did not wait for the others to smother it.

[...]

"If the Israelis think that Hizbullah is weak now, or if they plan to take advantage of the economic crisis to launch a war on their own terms, then they are deluding themselves. Hizbullah will turn this challenge into a real opportunity to accomplish what all the Arabs have failed to achieve - the destruction of Israel. The Secretary-General [Nasrallah] said yesterday that the price for any future all-out war will be the destruction of Israel.

[...]

"When it comes to harming the security and strength of the resistance, Hizbullah will intervene. Even the land border crossings, about which the Americans are making a fuss now... They want to establish border brigades. They provide assistance and brought the British and other countries to monitor the borders. They do not do it for the sake of the Lebanese or in order to prevent the smuggling, which constitutes only 10% and does not harm the Lebanese economy. If it does harm [the economy], the harm is partial. This is not the problem. The problem is that someone wants to smother Syria and the resistance by closing down the land border crossings. This is a very important point that all Lebanese people need to understand. Some would say that the smuggling prevention will smother the resistance. Preventing the crossing of resistance fighters into Syria and the transfer of weapons from Syria to Lebanon will not naturally [harm the resistance]. This is not something one can remain silent about. If things get to the point... And I don't think that they will. The Americans will not be able to force the Lebanese army to implement their agenda or the agenda of Israel. There are strong relations between Hizbullah and the Lebanese army. There is complete coordination and each side knows its limits, and how to refrain from harming Lebanon's interests and sovereignty. Today, the army is closing some crossings where there is real smuggling, which, perhaps, harms the agriculture sector. But if the Americans think that they can pit the army against Hizbullah on the issue of the border crossings, they are deluding themselves. Hizbullah will not allow it. After all the blood it has shed in Syria and all the sacrifices it has made there in an effort to prevent the closing of the borders - some Americans, along with some Lebanese, will come along and close the borders, under the pretext that there is some smuggling activity there? Go to the ports. There is plenty of smuggling there."

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