Hezbollah leader warns Syria’s new rulers against normalizing ties with Israel

Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem made his first public remarks on Saturday following the fall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s government, urging Syria’s new rulers not to normalize relations with Israel. Speaking in a televised address, Qassem expressed his hope that the new leadership in Syria would regard Israel as an enemy.

“We hope that this new party in power will see Israel as an enemy and not normalize relations with it,” Qassem said.

This statement follows the ousting of Assad, who had been a close ally of Hezbollah. The group had provided significant military support to Assad during the Syrian Civil War, which began after the government’s crackdown on protests in 2011.

Hezbollah has also been heavily involved in the ongoing conflict, particularly in its cross-border battles with Israel. The recent developments began on November 27, when Syrian rebels launched an offensive that led to the collapse of Assad’s regime and his fleeing the country.

Qassem’s comments also highlighted the broader geopolitical shift in the region. Hezbollah, backed by Iran, has faced significant setbacks in recent months, particularly during its conflict with Israel, which escalated after Hezbollah initiated clashes over the Gaza war in late September. Despite the ceasefire agreement reached between Hezbollah and Israel on November 27, Qassem emphasized that Hezbollah would not lay down its arms.

The ceasefire deal stipulates a 60-day period during which Lebanese and UN peacekeepers are expected to deploy in southern Lebanon, while both Israeli military forces and Hezbollah fighters pull back from the border area. Despite the truce, Hezbollah remains committed to its longstanding goal of confronting Israel.

In his address, Qassem also commented on Hezbollah’s strategic position in Lebanon, reaffirming the group’s resistance to Israeli advances in the south.

He noted Hezbollah’s refusal to disarm following the Lebanese Civil War of 1975-1990, which set the foundation for its ongoing military activities.

On the Syrian front, Qassem remarked that Syria’s new leadership had the right to choose its rulers and government.

However, he refrained from offering an immediate judgment on the changes in Syria, stating that the new power holders should be judged once stability returns to the country.

While acknowledging the shift in Syria, Qassem minimized concerns over Hezbollah losing its military supply route from Syria, calling it a “small detail” that could be adjusted.