'No life for Lebanon if government confronts us', Hezbollah chief warns
He said that Hezbollah and the Amal movement, its Shiite ally, had decided to delay any street protests against a US-backed disarmament plan as they still see room for dialogue with the Lebanese government. But he said any future protests could reach the US Embassy in Lebanon.
The Hezbollah Secretary-General accused the government of effectively handing Lebanon over to Israel by pushing for disarmament.
While Hezbollah has repeatedly rejected the government plan to disarm it, Mr Qassem's speech marks the strongest statement yet by the group on the matter.
He called on authorities to build the country together, respecting all sects and religions.
'This is our land together, this is our homeland together, we live with pride together, and we build its sovereignty together. Or there is no life for Lebanon if you try to confront us and eliminate us.'
He lambasted the government, holding it responsible for failing to stop Israel's daily bombings of Lebanon and for not leaving the points of Lebanese territory it occupies.
'Are you satisfied that [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu congratulated you?' he said, accusing the government of following US and Israeli demands. 'The government is implementing an American-Israeli order to end the resistance, even if it leads to civil war and internal strife,' Mr Qassem said.
'The resistance will not surrender its weapons while aggression continues, occupation persists, and we will fight it … if necessary to confront this American-Israeli project no matter the cost,' he said.
The comments come after Mr Qassem met with Ali Larijani, Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, who was visiting Beirut and held a number of tense meetings with Lebanese officials.
Lebanon's President and Prime Minister told Mr Larijani of their deep dissatisfaction at criticism from Tehran about plans to disarm Hezbollah, in a powerful rebuke of the group's main backer.
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