Sheikh Qassem: Hizbullah was the first to call for dialogue and how best to confront "Israel"
Source: Nowlebanon.com, 19-9-2008
Hizbullah Deputy Secretary General Naim Qassem said that his party was the first to call for dialogue. He said it was Hizbullah that had proposed discussing national defense strategy and how best to confront "Israel".
"Some viewed the idea as a good one; however, others thought dialogue connected to ending the Resistance, and this is wrong," Qassem said, adding, "Dialogue means that we all sit together and each party presents its point of view. Then we discuss them, if we succeed in convincing one another then we can rely on common points to reach an agreement. If we disagree on certain things and agree on others, then we will try to organize our differences in a way that protects the country, builds it and confronts the "Israeli" menace, and prevents it from controlling us."
In a religious ceremony organized by Hizbullah in Ghbeiri- Beirut on Friday, Qassem said that dialogue was reinforced through multiple party reconciliations. "When we call for reconciliations, we aim at removing dispute from the street and putting it in a closed room called the dialogue room, because dialogue inside it is characterized by a calm objectivity that is impossible in the streets," he said.
Qassem said that reconciliation did not imply an end to disputes. "Our disputes can remain, even if we reconcile. The difference is that reconciliation transfers disputes from a sectarian arena to a political one," Qassem said.
Qassem said that it was important to distinguish between reconciliation and electoral alliances, explain that that one party might reconcile with another, without becoming campaign allies with them. He said that every party had its own alliances built on firm bases, which were different than reconciliations that occurred in the run-up to the elections.
"We have demanded that the national dialogue determine the enemy, and they have told us there is no need to keep on repeating that it is "Israel"," Qassem said. He said that "Israel" "violates Lebanon's airspace more than twenty times every day...We do not want a daily press release...Let them say once a week: we are subject to "Israeli" violations, and we reject it."
Qassem also said that the United Nations had declared that "Israel" is in violation of UNSCR 1701, which, he said, Lebanese parties should have protested instead of searching for a supposed violation of the resolution by Hizbullah.
Hizbullah Deputy Secretary General Naim Qassem said that his party was the first to call for dialogue. He said it was Hizbullah that had proposed discussing national defense strategy and how best to confront "Israel".
"Some viewed the idea as a good one; however, others thought dialogue connected to ending the Resistance, and this is wrong," Qassem said, adding, "Dialogue means that we all sit together and each party presents its point of view. Then we discuss them, if we succeed in convincing one another then we can rely on common points to reach an agreement. If we disagree on certain things and agree on others, then we will try to organize our differences in a way that protects the country, builds it and confronts the "Israeli" menace, and prevents it from controlling us."
In a religious ceremony organized by Hizbullah in Ghbeiri- Beirut on Friday, Qassem said that dialogue was reinforced through multiple party reconciliations. "When we call for reconciliations, we aim at removing dispute from the street and putting it in a closed room called the dialogue room, because dialogue inside it is characterized by a calm objectivity that is impossible in the streets," he said.
Qassem said that reconciliation did not imply an end to disputes. "Our disputes can remain, even if we reconcile. The difference is that reconciliation transfers disputes from a sectarian arena to a political one," Qassem said.
Qassem said that it was important to distinguish between reconciliation and electoral alliances, explain that that one party might reconcile with another, without becoming campaign allies with them. He said that every party had its own alliances built on firm bases, which were different than reconciliations that occurred in the run-up to the elections.
"We have demanded that the national dialogue determine the enemy, and they have told us there is no need to keep on repeating that it is "Israel"," Qassem said. He said that "Israel" "violates Lebanon's airspace more than twenty times every day...We do not want a daily press release...Let them say once a week: we are subject to "Israeli" violations, and we reject it."
Qassem also said that the United Nations had declared that "Israel" is in violation of UNSCR 1701, which, he said, Lebanese parties should have protested instead of searching for a supposed violation of the resolution by Hizbullah.
