Hezbollah Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qasem gave a televised address on Monday at a memorial service in memory of the great media figure Hajj Mohammad Afif.
At the beginning of his speech, he pointed out the distinguishing characteristics of the martyred Hezbollah commander, saying that Hajj Mohammad Afif was a powerful writer and orator, endowed with vast education, consciousness, sound judgment and a straight path, Mehr News Agency reported.
Naim Qasem pointed out that after the martyrdom of the Master of the Ummah Martyrs, Martyr Afif proposed holding several press conferences to explain the issues for which the Secretary-General’s speech was insufficient.
“Hajj Mohammad Afif was a passionate media figure at the Islamic level, at the political level, and at the level of the resistance approach,” he said, adding, “Mohammad Afif was also an example of reliable analysis and accurate reporting, and played an important role in clarifying the concept of resistance.”
“The enemy assassinated journalists because they had real influence in highlighting the truth of the battle, presenting facts and reality, and confronting tyrants and criminal media,” the Hezbollah official stressed.
“What is happening in Lebanon today is not a failure to implement the ceasefire agreement, but rather a blatant pre-emptive attack aimed at taking control of Lebanon and stripping it of its power – military, economic, political and all kinds of power that Lebanon has. They want to control Lebanon,” he continued.
“The government has a responsibility to think about the Lebanese state and its institutions, and to develop programs to counter this aggression so that we can stand up to it,” Naim Qasem added.
“Large-scale protection for Lebanon is a very serious danger, because it does not help stabilize Lebanon,” he said.
“If you want to know the greatest disaster in Lebanon, look for America, because America is the scourge and is the one doing this,” the Hezbollah leader continued.
“I recommend the government, the Governor of the Lebanese Central Bank, and all concerned parties to cease measures that put pressure not only on Hezbollah and its supporters, but on the Lebanese people as a whole,” he said.
“Please stop interfering with Congress, because there is no justifiable reason for this interference,” the leader warned.
“The (political) attack on Chairman Berri is a heinous attack and cannot be justified other than by invoking foreign guardianship to promote control,” Qasem added.
The Hezbollah leader said independence meant refusing to become a vassal state to a foreign power, adding: “We will not allow even an inch of Lebanon to be taken away.”
MNA