Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said on Friday that what is currently happening in the cabinet formation process is not based on certain criteria, stating that “if the criteria was the elections’ results, let that be, and if it was based on the political forces and their popular representations, let us compete on this basis; but if it was discretion, let us know so we would be aware of the formation course.”
He added that they will continue to call for a fast formation, noting that, unlike what some believe, their call is not connected to their concerns over the regional situation, but it is related to national needs.
In a speech he delivered on Friday, Nasrallah tackled the file of the Syrian refugees, stating that “there is no need to create a crisis since everybody supports a voluntary and safe return,” revealing that their sources on the ground have reported that some international groups have been raising the refugees’ fears of returning and providing them with wrong information; stressing that “this has to stop.”
“We will contact the Syrian refugees and provide the Syrian state with lists of names; we will also cooperate with the Lebanese General Security to allow the return of as many refugees as possible to Syria,” he added.
On the security situation in Baalbek-Hermel, Sayyed Nasrallah declared that what has happened remains unclear, calling on the Lebanese army and the security forces to continue serious work, urging the residents to be cooperative with the measures taken by the security forces, refusing to provide cover to anyone who creates chaos.
On the recent conflict between the towns of Yammouneh and Akoura, Hezbollah’s chief called on the deputies and political forces not to turn this issue into a sectarian conflict, noting that the matter is in the hands of the LAF Command.
Commenting on the controversy created by the naturalization decree, the Shiite leader stated that Hezbollah was not at all aware of the decree, stressing that the party was not aware that the decree was issued until it was all over the news.
“We call for issuing not more than one naturalization decree, because there are people who deserve to obtain the Lebanese nationality,” he pointed out.
Internationally, Nasrallah said that “it has become clear that we entered the stage of serious Israeli-US work to achieve the deal of the century.”
On the developments in souther Syria, he revealed that what is happening off the record is more important, revealing that information indicate that the armed groups are sustaining grave losses and are reconsidering their moves.
He also denied a statement by a Saudi-led coalition that its forces had killed eight members of Hezbollah in Yemen.