Lebanese Hizbullah has named Naim Qassem as its new Secretary-General, replacing Hassan Nasrallah, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike on September 27, 2024. Qassem has acted as Deputy Secretary-General of the Iran-backed group since 1991. MEMRI has the largest archive of translations of statements by Hizbullah officials.
The following are clips of Naim Qassem from the MEMRI TV archive.
Hizbullah Deputy Secretary-General Naim Qassem: We Support The Ceasefire Initiative Of Our 'Big Brother' Nabih Berri; This Is Not A War Over Iran And Its Influence In The Region; Iran And Hizbullah Are Helping The Palestinians Liberate Their Own Land
Hizbullah Deputy Secretary-General Naim Qassem said in an October 8, 2024 address that Hizbullah supports the ceasefire initiative of parliament speaker and head of the Amal movement Nabih Berri, who he referred to as a "big brother." He further said that despite Netanyahu's "lies," this is not a war over Iran and its influence over the region. Qassem added that Iran and Hizbullah are helping the Palestinians to liberate their own land. The address was aired on Al-Manar TV (Hizbullah-Lebanon) and was clipped via a Sky News Arabia TV (UAE) broadcast.
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Hizbullah Deputy Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem Following Nasrallah's Assassination: Hizbullah Is Continuing With Its Goals And Jihad; Israel Will Not Be Able To Harm Our Military Capabilities; We Will Elect A New Secretary-General At The Earliest Opportunity
Hizbullah Deputy Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem delivered an address on September 30, 2024 following the assassination of Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah, which was aired on Al-Araby TV (Qatar). He said that Hizbullah will continue with its goals and to fight on the frontline of Jihad. Qassem denied that Israel has destroyed most of Hizbullah's medium and long-range missile capabilities. He said: "Israel will not be able to harm our military capabilities." Qassem said that Hizbullah is following its contingency plans for subsisting personnel and commanders following assassination attacks.
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Amid Chants Of 'Death To America', Hizbullah Deputy Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem Threatens 'Out-Of-The-Box' Attacks Against Israel: We Will Kill Them Where They Do Not Expect It; The U.S. Is Complicit In Israel's Genocide
Hizbullah Deputy Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem said in a speech during a September 22, 2024 funeral held for Hizbullah operations chief Ibrahim Aqil, a veteran Hizbullah operative who was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Beirut alongside several top commanders from Hizbullah's elite Radwan Unit, that the United States is fully complicit in Israel's aggression, crimes, and genocide and will not be able to convince anybody otherwise. He said that America is destined for destruction just like Israel and led the crowd in chants of "Death to America!" Qassem also said that the Zionists have "globalized the resistance in Palestine," and "caused the elixir of resistance to develop in fetuses." Qasem promised that the Lebanese front in support of Palestine will continue until the war in Gaza ends. In addition, he promised that the residents of northern Israel will not be able to return to their homes, that more Israelis will be displaced, and that the new phase of the conflict is called "the Battle of the Unsettled Score." Moreover, he promised that Hizbullah will act "out-of-the-box" and will fight and kill the Israelis in places they do not expect.
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Hizbullah Deputy Secretary General Sheikh Naim Qassem: The 'Earthquake' Of October 7 Will Lead To The Elimination Of The State Of Israel – But Take Your Time, Dripping Water Will Eventually Pierce Solid Rock
Hizbullah Deputy Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem said in a July 8, 2024 address that was aired on Al-Manar TV (Hizbullah-Lebanon) that the "earthquake" that was the October 7 Al-Aqsa Flood attack on Israel will lead to the elimination of Israel. However, he qualified, Hizbullah must take its time, and he gave the analogy of water dripping on a rock only to ultimately pierce it.
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Hizbullah Deputy Secretary-General Naim Qassem: This Is Not The Final War To Liberate Jerusalem, Palestine; We Accomplished All Our Goals In This War, Have No Plans To Expand It; The Main Goal – End The War On Gaza
Hizbullah Deputy Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem said that Hizballah does not seek an all-out war at this time. In a June 7, 2024 interview with Al-Rabiaa TV (Iraq), he explained that this is not the final war to completely liberate Jerusalem and Palestine, but only to stop the war in Gaza. Qassem continued to say that Hizbullah has accomplished all its goals in the war by keeping the Israeli military occupied in the north and driving out Israelis from norther Israel, making them become a burden on the Israeli government. He stressed that an all-out war would not serve Gaza or Lebanon at this time.
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Hizbullah Deputy Sec-Gen Naim Qassem: Biden's Ceasefire Proposal Is All Hot Air; What Kind Of Agreement Can Be Reached If It Does Not Include An End To The War? It Is All About The U.S. Presidential Elections
Deputy secretary-general of Hizbullah Sheikh Naim Qassem discussed U.S. President Biden's May 31 ceasefire proposal in a June 4, 2024 interview with Al-Jazeera Network (Qatar). He said that this proposal is "hot air," and he asked what kind of agreement can be reached, if it does not include an end to the war. Qassem said that he believes this proposal stems from the upcoming American presidential elections and American internal politics. He said that it would not make sense for Hamas to relinquish its bargaining chips by releasing the Israeli hostages yet allow Israel to continue to attack Gaza.
Regarding the Lebanese front with Israel, Qassem said that Hizbullah is fighting in support of Gaza and that it will not stop fighting, "unless there is a ceasefire and the war against Gaza stops," and it will continue to fight as long as the war in Gaza continues. He said that Hizbullah has decided not to expand the fighting to an all-out war, but if such a war were imposed on it, they are ready for it.
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Deputy Secretary-General Of Hizbullah Naim Qassem: Palestine Will Only Be Liberated Through Resistance, Guns, Blood, And Jihad; We Seek To Liberate Humanity From Israel And Its Sponsor, The 'Great Satan'
Deputy Secretary-General of Hizbullah Sheikh Naim Qassem said in a May 31, 2024 press conference that was aired on Mayadeen TV (Lebanon) that Palestine will be liberated through resistance, guns, blood, and Jihad, and not through negotiations or political means. He added that this war has proven the decline of Western-American values, and he added that Hizbullah aspires to liberate "normal, upright human beings" from the "cancerous tumor" Israel and "its sponsor the Great Satan," referring to the United States. Qassem stated that the future lies in the complete liberation of Palestine from the River to the Sea. He also said: "If Palestine is liberated, humanity in its entirety will be liberated."
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Hizbullah Deputy Sec.-Gen. Sheikh Naim Qassem: We Salute The Americans Who Are Taking A Stand In Support Of Gaza; Their Protests Are Important Especially Because They Will Have A Great Impact On The U.S. Elections
Hizbullah Deputy Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem saluted American pro-Gaza protesters in a May 3, 2024 interview with Al-Manar TV [Hizbullah-Lebanon]. He said that Hizbullah appreciates and values them very much, and that the protests will have a great impact on the U.S. elections and will influence President Biden's policies. He also said that this might impact the extent of the support America provides for Israel, which in turn can bring upon the destruction of Israel without much effort on the part of Hizbullah.
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Hizbullah Deputy Sec.-Gen. Sheikh Naim Qassem: We Did Not Drag Lebanon Into War – Israel Does Not Need A Pretext To Launch A War; Israel Wants To Build Settlements In Lebanon; Syria Cannot Contribute To The War More Than It Does
Hizbullah Deputy Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem said in a March 5, 2024 interview with LBC TV (Lebanon) that Hizbullah did not "drag Lebanon into war," because Israel is a "dangerous enemy" that needs no pretext for war. He said that Israel wants to build settlements in Lebanon, but it stays away from it because it is afraid. Qassem added that Hizbullah entered Syria and engaged in "preemptive defense," and he said that it must not "fall asleep with the Israeli enemy."
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Deputy Secretary-General Of Hizbullah Sheikh Naim Qassem: Advance Knowledge Of The October 7 Attack Wasn't Important To Us; Hizbullah’s Participation Is An Integral Part Of The Second Stage Of The War
Deputy secretary-general of Hizbullah Sheikh Naim Qassem said on a November 9, 2023 show on Al-Alam TV (Iran) that it doesn’t matter whether Hizbullah new in advance about the October 7 attacks as long as it was a success. He said that the October 7 attacks required secrecy in order to be successful. Qassem said that this does not mean that Hizbullah will not be part of the second stage of the war, and in fact Hizbullah’s cooperation "was an indivisible part of the resistance and defense."
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Hizbullah Deputy Sec.-Gen. Naim Qassem: Saudi Arabia Knows The U.S. Cannot Secure It, Is Too Weak To Impede Iranian-Saudi Reconciliation
Hizbullah Deputy Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem said in a June 13, 2023 interview on Al-Alam TV (Iran) that Saudi Arabia is reconciling its relations with Iran because it has realized that America does not provide protection for it or for "its enterprises" in the region. Qassem said that America will not be able to change the "reconciliation approach that has taken over the region" even though it will try to "place obstacles" before it.
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Hizbullah Deputy Sec.-Gen. Sheikh Naim Qassem: We Will Retaliate Against The Israelis – And The Americans – If They Bomb Us In Lebanon Or In Syria
Hizbullah Deputy Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem said that it is unlikely that Israel or the U.S. will target Hizbullah in Lebanon or Syria, because Hizbullah will retaliate against both America and Israel. He made these remarks in an interview with Mayadeen TV (Lebanon) that aired on March 3, 2021. Qassem said that the Americans should not think that they are allowed to bomb Hizbullah targets, and they have no justification for this. He said that Hizbullah has no intention of starting a war against Israel, however if Israel were to attack, Hizbullah would defend itself and Israel would "see stars." Qassem added that "today the battle should be fought inside the Zionist entity," and Hizbullah has comprised a list of Israeli weapons and military bases, which are located inside populated civilian areas.
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Hizbullah Deputy Leader Naim Qassem: War Is Not Likely To Break Out In The Region, Despite UAE-Israel Normalization; We Have Been Withdrawing From Syria Since 2017
Naim Qassem, the Deputy Secretary-General of Hizbullah, said in a September 10, 2020 interview on Russia Today that a war is not currently likely to break out in the Middle East and that Hizbullah maintains the highest level of readiness nonetheless. He added that the recent Israel-UAE peace deal does not affect the chances of war or other developments in the region and that Hizbullah has been withdrawing its fighters from Syria since 2017. Qassem elaborated that Hizbullah will continue to be active in Syria according to what is necessary.
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Hizbullah Deputy Leader Sheikh Naim Qassem: U.S.- Iran War Would Set The Region Ablaze; Israel Is Vulnerable To Our Weapons No Matter What It Does
Sheikh Naim Qassem, the Deputy Secretary-General of Hizbullah, said in a July 22, 2019 interview on Mayadeen TV that Israel and its important sites are vulnerable to Hizbullah's weapons no matter how much it fortifies them. He said Hizbullah would target sites throughout Israel in a conflict and that Hizbullah has increased its preparedness and the quality of its equipment such that no measures can effectively protect Israel's domestic front from it. He explained that a war between the U.S. and Iran would spread to the entire region and that the entire Middle East would be "ablaze" with conflict between the pro-American block and the pro-Iran block. Commenting on Argentina's designation of Hizbullah as a terrorist organization, Sheikh Qassem said that this is a result of pressure exerted by the U.S. on the countries of the world to aid in its plan of "besieging" Hizbullah. He also denied any connection between Hizbullah and the explosions that have taken place in Argentina. In addition, Sheikh Qassem said that though relations between Hamas and Hizbullah had been a bit cold during the height of the Syrian crisis, their relations have since been restored to an even better state than they had been in before.
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Hizbullah Deputy Sec.-Gen. Sheikh Naim Qassem Receives A 'Symbolic Gift Grom The Jewish People,' Declares: We Will Be Victorious But Are On No Hurry
Deputy Secretary-General of Hizbullah Sheikh Naim Qassem spoke at the Fourth Global Convention of Solidarity with Palestine on March 13, saying that the only way to regain Palestine was through resistance and "first and foremost, armed resistance." He further declared: "We want victory - today, tomorrow, or the day after tomorrow - but nobody can exert pressure on us... and take through our surrender what they could not wrest from us through war. We are in no hurry." Sheikh Qassem criticized U.S. intervention in Iraq and Syria and its support of the Saudi and Bahraini rulers, saying that the story of America "is the story of Satan." Following his speech, American activist Rabbi Dovid Weiss of Neturei Karta presented him with a gift "from the Jewish people, from my brethren in Palestine and around the world." Sheikh Al-Qassem received the gift on behalf of Hizbullah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah. The proceedings were broadcast on Al-Manar TV.
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Hizbullah Deputy Leader Naim Qassem Defends Deal with ISIS, Criticizes the U.S. for Bombing ISIS Convoy
Hizbullah Deputy Leader Naim Qassem defended the recent Hizbullah-Islamic State (ISIS) deal, in which ISIS militants and their families were given free passage to Deir Al-Zor, saying that it was "the best possible deal at the smallest price." He criticized U.S. airstrikes against an ISIS convoy, asking: "Why are the Americans using the civilians as human shields?" and adding that they are no different in this respect from ISIS. The interview aired by Russia Today TV on September 6.
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Hizbullah Deputy Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem: Iranian Retaliation Against U.S. And Its Bases In The Region Will Be Decisive
Hizbullah Deputy Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem said that he did not expect a war between Iran and the U.S. because Iran is too strong and is capable of a "decisive" retaliation against the U.S. and its bases. Speaking on Mayadeen TV on March 30, Sheikh Qassem said that he had heard "from the Iranian brothers" that when President Bush was making threats against Iran, Khamenei had authorized the military command to launch a retaliation missile attack without confirming with him first.
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Delegation Of European MPs, Politicians, And Cultural Figures Meets With Hizbullah Deputy Sec.-Gen. Naim Qassem
On November 2, 2015, Hizbullah's Al-Manar TV reported that a delegation of European MPs and former MPs, along with party leaders and cultural figures, recently met with Deputy Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem in a "show of solidarity with the resistance in its fight against terrorism." One of the delegation members was former Belgium MP Laurent Louis, who said that "the Western leaders' collaboration with terrorism has been exposed."
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Hizbullah Deputy Sec.-Gen. Sheikh Naim Qassem: We Have Pledged Allegiance To Khomeini And Khamenei
During an August 14 Friday sermon delivered during a visit to Tehran, Deputy Secretary-General of Hizbullah Sheikh Naim Qassem stated that the organization has pledged allegiance to Imam Khomeini. Sheikh Qassem told the Iranian audience that "all the victories you are seeing in Lebanon and the region" stem from Hizbullah's commitment to the authority of the "Jurisprudent Ruler, Imam Khamenei."
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Hizbullah Deputy Sec.-Gen. Sheikh Naim Qassem: Despite Losses In Syria, We Are Ready For War with Israel
In a June 2, 2015 interview with Hizbullah's TV channel, Al-Manar TV, the organization's Deputy Secretary-General, Sheik Naim Qassem, responded to reports that Hizbullah has suffered from attrition due to its involvement in Syria. Sheik Qassem explained that Hizbullah has been recruiting new members regularly and is ready for war with Israel.
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Deputy Leader Of Hizbullah Naim Qassem: Hizbullah Is Ready To Participate In Fighting In Golan
Following are excerpts from an interview with Naim Qassem, deputy secretary-general of Hizbullah, which aired on Mayadeen TV on May 25, 2013.
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Deputy Secretary-General of Hizbullah Naim Qassem: We Will Heed UN Resolutions Only If They Are Just
Following are excerpts from a speech delivered by Naim Qassem, deputy secretary-general of Hizbullah, which aired on Al-Manar TV on December 19, 2009.
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Deputy Secretary-General Of Hizbullah, Sheik Naim Qassem, Leads Lebanese Masses In 'Death To America' Chants
Following is an excerpt from a public address delivered by Deputy Secretary-General of Hizbullah Sheik Naim Qassem, which aired on Al-Manar TV on December 19, 2008.
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Deputy Secretary-General Of Hizbullah Sheikh Naim Qassem: America Is the Great Satan
Following are excerpts from a public address delivered by Deputy Secretary-General of Hizbullah Sheik Naim Qassem, which aired on Al-Manar TV on June 4, 2007.
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Deputy Secretary-General of Hizbullah, Sheik Naim Qassem: We Received Jurisprudent Permission To Carry Out 'Martyrdom' Operations And To Fire Missiles At Israeli Civilians From Iran
Following are excerpts from an interview with Naim Qassem, deputy secretary-general of Hizbullah, which aired on Al-Kawthar TV on April 16, 2007.
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Deputy Secretary-General Of Hizbullah Naim Qassem Speaking To A Massive Opposition Demonstration In Beirut: Death To America
Following are excerpts from an interview with Naim Qassem, deputy secretary-general of Hizbullah, which aired on Al-Manar TV on December 10, 2006.
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Hizbullah Deputy Secretary-General Naim Qassem: We Will Not Give Up Armed Resistance To Liberate Jerusalem
Following are excerpts from a speech delivered by Naim Qassem, deputy secretary-general of Hizbullah, which aired on Al-Manar TV on October 20, 2006.
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Hizbullah Deputy Secretary-General Sheik Naim Qassem On The Difference Between Jews And Zionists
Following are excerpts from an interview with Hizbullah Deputy Secretary-General Sheik Naim Qassem, which aired on Al-Kawthar TV on October 17, 2006.
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Hizbullah Deputy Secretary-General Sheik Naim Qassem: President Bush Is Either 'Hitler Of The 21st Century' Or 'Number One International Criminal'; Lebanese Army And UNIFIL Forces To Protect South Lebanon From Israel
Following are excerpts from an interview with Sheik Naim Qassem, deputy secretary-general of Hizbullah, which aired on Al-Manar TV on August 15, 2006.
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