Hezbollah Chief Calls Trump Plan for Gaza Ceasefire A ‘US-Engineered Israeli Plot’
In a speech on Saturday evening, Sheikh Naim Qassem said the proposal is aimed at exonerating the Israeli regime for its war crimes and crimes against humanity in the besieged coastal sliver.
“Trump presented the plan to absolve Israel in the face of the international community's condemnation of atrocities and horrendous crimes being committed in the Gaza Strip. Most countries support the formation of an independent Palestinian state, oppose extermination, and do not agree with what is unfolding in Gaza,” Sheikh Qassem stated.
He added, “Trump’s plan is beset with terrible threats. It is worth mentioning that the US scheme has been presented to Arab states and has been tailored entirely in favor of the Zionist enemy in order to materialize the so-called 'Greater Israel plan."
He made the remarks as he was delivering a televised speech on the first martyrdom anniversary of former deputy head of Hezbollah's executive council, Sheikh Nabil Qaouk, and senior commander Sayed Suhail al-Husseini.
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The Hezbollah chief noted that Trump’s proposal seeks to strip the Gaza-based resistance factions of their sources of strength, calling it a US-engineered Israeli plot.
“We must all address this threat. No one should say: ‘Our country is far from the matter’ as everyone is being targeted. We must confront the Israeli enemy in proportion to our capabilities and plans,” Sheikh Qassem stated.
The Hezbollah leader questioned Trump’s proposal to end the war in Gaza, emphasizing that some Arab officials have even expressed surprise and demanded clarification.
“We will wait to see what the Palestinians will reap from the Gaza plan. We know that surrender and humiliation have no place in the lexicon of resistance groups. Hamas and all factions are discussing and deciding on what they deem as most appropriate,” Sheikh Qassem said.
He pointed out that Gaza will be administered by an international board under Trump’s plan, officials would have no ability to manage their own affairs, and Israeli captives would be released within the first few days.
“What will we then obtain following all these arduous battles?” Sheikh Qassem asked.
The Hezbollah leader urged Arab leaders not to exert pressure on members of Palestinian resistance groups, as such an approach benefits Israel the most.
He warned that what is happening across the West Asia region is part of the Israeli regime’s "Greater Israel" project and is fully backed by the United States.
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The term "Greater Israel" has been used since the 1967 Arab-Israeli War to describe the territories occupied by Israel, including East al-Quds, the West Bank, Gaza Strip, Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula, and Syria’s strategic Golan Heights.
Early Zionist thinkers, such as Ze’ev Jabotinsky—widely regarded as the ideological forerunner of Netanyahu’s Likud party—expanded this vision to include present-day Jordan. The idea of "Greater Israel" is a core tenet of Likud’s political legacy, rooted in Revisionist Zionism.
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has consistently opposed the creation of a Palestinian state, and critics contend that the ongoing illegal expansion of settlements under his regime aims to establish "facts on the ground," effectively preventing the possibility of a viable Palestinian state.
On the domestic front, Sheikh Qassem stated that Israeli attempts to create sedition in Lebanon have failed, and that the Arab country has the upper hand because its people are committed to their rights and are ready for sacrifice.
He also urged the Lebanese government to focus on reconstruction and reclaiming national sovereignty.
Source: Press TV
