'Can eliminate Hezbollah leaders, but not Hezbollah...' Lebanon's envoy invokes Gandhi | WATCH
Even as Israel continues to target Hezbollah leadership, Lebanon's Ambassador to India, Rabie Narsh, invoked the words of Mahatma Gandhi to emphasize Hezbollah's resilience as a legitimate political entity supported by the people.
"I am reminded of Mahatma Gandhi's words: 'You can kill a revolutionary, but you cannot kill the revolution.' You can eliminate Hezbollah's leaders, but you cannot eliminate Hezbollah, because it is grounded in the people. It is not an entity that arrived in Lebanon by parachute," Narsh said in an interview with PTI Videos.
Narsh further described Hezbollah as a movement standing against the "rogue state" of Israel, asserting that eliminating its leaders would not destroy the group, which represents a significant segment of the Lebanese population.
In a recent video message, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Israeli forces had successfully targeted and eliminated potential successors to the late Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah.
Hezbollah, which officially emerged in 1985, was formed to resist the "Israeli invasion of Lebanon." According to Narsh, Hezbollah is an integral part of Lebanon’s political system, holding representation in both the cabinet and the parliament, in addition to maintaining an armed wing.
The ambassador condemned Israel’s ongoing military actions, which have resulted in over 2,100 deaths, 11,000 injuries, and the displacement of 2.2 million people, causing a severe humanitarian crisis in Lebanon. He accused Israel of using advanced weaponry and banned munitions in its attacks.
"The conflict is escalating dangerously towards what could become a full-scale regional war. Unfortunately, we are at this stage because Israel has not been held accountable for its criminal policies, war crimes, and expansionist ambitions against its neighbors," Narsh said.
Since October last year, Lebanon has been calling on global capitals, including New Delhi, to help prevent the conflict from escalating into a wider regional war.
In response to the growing violence, French President Emmanuel Macron recently announced plans to host an international conference aimed at raising humanitarian aid for Lebanon and improving security in the country's southern regions.
"We are currently organizing medical supplies from India, including medicines and medical equipment, to support Lebanon," Narsh said, urging India to increase pressure on Israel to adhere to international laws and United Nations resolutions.
"Netanyahu is out of control, engaged in a spree of killing and destruction, which is extremely dangerous. Someone needs to intervene and stop him," the ambassador added.
PTI