Lebanon: Hezbollah's secretary general for a status quo on the border with Israel

Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Lebanese Hezbollah, in a video from June 8, 2021 (Illustrative image).

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3 min

In the aftermath of rocket fire against areas held by Israel in the Shebaa farms claimed by Lebanon, Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah assured Saturday August 7 that his party does not want a total war with the Hebrew state .

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With our correspondent in Beirut,

Paul Khalifeh

A plea for maintaining the

status quo

on the Lebanese-Israeli border, this is what emerges from the speech of the head of Hezbollah this Saturday.

Announced a few days ago to commemorate the 2006 war against Israel, this speech was eagerly awaited, as it comes in the aftermath of a feverish outbreak not seen in years between Hezbollah and the Israeli army.

Between appeasement and display of its power

"

We do not want war, but we are ready for it, and we are not afraid of it,

" said the leader of the Shiite party. Or again: "

 We are not trying to impose a new strategic equation

 ", in the sense of changing the rules of engagement, as Israeli circles suspect. In accordance with these rules, concluded after the 2006 war, the two enemies agree to a cessation of cross-border hostilities in southern Lebanon.

Hassan Nasrallah also assured that during

the rocket fire on Friday August 6

, Hezbollah was not trying to hit military or civilian targets, but chose to bomb an open area, as Israeli planes did on Wednesday south of the country. Lebanon.

These messages of appeasement were, however, accompanied by a display of strength.

Hassan Nasrallah confirmed that Hezbollah possessed "a

 large number of high precision missiles

 ", a very sensitive issue in Israel.

►Also read: Lebanese reactions to the still strong tensions between Hezbollah and Tel Aviv

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  • Israel

  • Hezbollah