"Hezbollah Not Terrorists, People Are Hezbollah": Lebanon's Envoy To NDTV

It is the right of every nation which comes under occupation to resist the occupation, said Lebanon's Ambassador to India Rabie Narsh, speaking to NDTV about the ongoing and escalating conflict in West Asia.

"Lebanon's armed forces have not been pressed into action, because if we do that, then it officially becomes a war between two nations. It is currently the people who are resisting an occupation by Israel," the envoy said.

Explaining his remark, the Ambassador said, "Israel has been attacking us since its formation due to its policy of occupation and expansionism. Resistance groups like the Hezbollah and many others have always resisted this occupation."

Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon is widely considered a militant organisation by many countries in the West and even a terrorist organisation by some, including Israel and the United States. Members of the Hezbollah are part of the Parliament in Lebanon, but are not considered part of the government.

Speaking about "resistance group" Hezbollah, the Ambassador said clearly that Lebanon "does not consider Hezbollah a terrorist group. They are freedom fighters who are resisting an occupation. The are fighting for the freedom and liberty of the people of Lebanon, and their fight is against state terrorism being done by Israel, and against occupation. They are freedom fighters because they are fighting on their own land"

"As for the relationship between Hezbollah and the Lebanese government, it has always been there, and is a debatable issue," he said, adding that "When it comes to domestic issues, Hezbollah is a political party just like any other political party. They play by the same rules as every other political party."

ROCKETS FIRED AT ISRAEL

Israel has been targeted by Lebanon for the last 11 month, Tel Aviv has said. As recently as Thursday, 230 rockets were fired by Hezbollah on to Israeli territory.

Responding to this, the Ambassador said, "It is not true that Hezbollah has been fighting Israel for the last 11 months. The fight has been on since the formation of Israel in 1947-48. The resistance to occupation has been on since then. The fight has been on since then. Even now Israel is encroaching Lebanese territory."

Pinning the blame on the international community, the envoy said, "It is expected of the international community to put a hold on this situation. Today, we are suffering because the international community has failed to stop Israel's war crimes."

Speaking about the killing of Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah, the envoy said, "You can see the implications of assassinating him. You can see the fallout. The war is still on. Israel's strikes are even killing civilians in Lebanon. Hundreds of civilians have been killed so far. This is what terrorism really is. If what Israel is doing is not terrorism, then what is."

'THE PEOPLE ARE HEZBOLLAH'

Israel has been saying that Hezbollah militants have been taking shelter in civilian areas, residing and hiding in residential colonies and even hiding their weapons, arms and ammunition under civilian buildings.

The envoy however, rubbished these claims as "pure lies" by Israel. He said, "Israel's entire journey has been built up on lies. Their entire narrative is a lie, and these claims are lies," he said, adding that there has been a recent visit organised by Hezbollah for journalists, where they have shown that the areas targeted by Israel are pure civilian areas and no military installations were there."

He went on to say that, "As for Hezbollah members living there, well, the people are Hezbollah. Hezbollah is not an imaginary organisation. It is made of the people of Lebanon. Those who are resisting the occupation. So, yes, people are there. It may be Hezbollah or some other groups, but just because of that is it justified to kill their entire families and their children."

"As for the weapons, I do not know where they hide them," he added.

THE PRICE FOR THE HOLOCAUST

The Holocaust was the systematic state-sponsored killing of six million Jewish men, women, and children and several million others by Nazi Germany between 1941 and 1945 during World War-II.

Acknowledging the suffering of the Jewish people, the Ambassador said, "Of course, we do not deny that the Jewish people have suffered from the Holocaust and genocide, but on whose hand? Was it at the hands of the Arabs, or the Lebanese people? Or was it at the hands of the Europeans? So tell me, why should the people of Lebanon or Palestine pay the price for the crimes committed against Jews by another people."

THE TWO-STATE SOLUTION

Lebanon does not want war, the Ambassador told NDTV. "A military solution can not be achieved. We have sought for a political and a diplomatic solution. We have agreed that the only solution is a two-state solution. A state of Israel and a state for Palestine, each having defined territories and sovereign rights. But the only one who is opposed to this solution is Israel," he said.

Israel, he said, "seems to be above the international laws and the international community. It is always treated by the West as a spoilt child. This must end. Netanyahu's crazy campaign must stop, his criminal agendas should finish. So, yes, we can only move to peace when the UN resolution for a two-state policy is implemented and Palestine is given its due recognition as a country."

ANOTHER ISRAELI 'LIMITED INVASION' - HOW IS THIS DIFFERENT

Speaking about the "limited invasion" by Israel this time - as it has done in 1982 and 2006 - the Ambassador said, "It is the same, nothing  will change. It is the mentality of war that Israel has always had."

He went on to say that "The entire foundation of Israel is based on a lie... and what makes it dangerous is that they justify their acts and agendas based on religious doctrines. 'The Promised Land', 'The Chosen People'. It is very dangerous when one builds their entire strategy on a twisted religious doctrine."

"Israel today occupies territories in Palestinian West Bank, they have occupied the Gaza strip, they have occupied Golan Heights in Syria and have also occupied lands in Lebanon. It is very clear who the aggressor is," the Ambassador said.

On Iran's ballistic missile attack on Israel, the envoy told NDTV that "What Iran does is up to them. How I see this is that Israel is left with no friends in the region. They are the aggressor. Be it Iran or Iraq or Yemen, or Lebanon - Israel has no good ties with anyone around it."