Berri 'certain', '200% sure' Hezbollah won't join Iran war
by Naharnet Newsdesk 5 hours
Hezbollah will certainly not join the Israel-Iran war, the group's ally Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri has reportedly told his visitors.
Berri's visitors told al-Jadeed, in remarks published Friday, that the speaker is "certain" that Lebanon will not join the war.
On Thursday, Berri said Lebanon will "200 percent" not enter the war. "It has no interest in that and would pay the price if it did," he said, adding that Iran "does not need us."
A Lebanese government source also told al-Jadeed Thursday that Hezbollah will not join the fray after an Iranian official told al-Jazeera that Hezbollah would act if the United States intervened to back up its ally Israel.
- Hezbollah chief says group will 'act as we see fit'-
Hezbollah leader Sheikh Naim Qassem said on Thursday that the group would "act as we see fit" in response to the ongoing war between Iran and Israel.
In a statement, Qassem said Hezbollah was "not neutral" in the conflict between the two regional superpowers, saying that the group would "act as we see fit in the face of this brutal Israeli-American aggression".
Berri said Qassem's remarks are only aimed at showing "solidarity" with Iran and certainly do not mean that Hezbollah will join the war.
Earlier this week, Hezbollah political bureau member Mahmoud Qmati denied that Hezbollah would get involved and said that "Iran is strong enough and does not need military support from anyone".
- Hezbollah has not fired a single rocket -
U.S. special envoy for Syria Tom Barrack on Thursday warned Hezbollah against getting involved in the war between Iran and Israel, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that the entire "Shiite axis" is not responding to Israeli attacks on Iran and that "Hezbollah has not fired a single rocket".
Caroline Rose, a director at the Washington-based New Lines Institute think tank said that "Iran-backed proxies across the region — particularly Hezbollah— just do not have the capacity" to enter the fray. But Israel could still target them, she said.
- Barrack vs Ortagus -
Berri, who met Barrack Thursday, said the meeting was "excellent" and lauded the Lebanese-American diplomat for his tact and savoir-faire, which could be a hint that U.S. Deputy Special Envoy for the Middle East Morgan Ortagus was not as tactful.
Berri had said after reports that Ortagus would be replaced that Israel's discontent about her replacement is "pleasing to the heart" and more than enough reason for him to be pleased by it.
In her first visit to war-hit Lebanon in February, Ortagus voiced from the presidential palace in Baabda pro-Israel statements. "We are grateful to our ally Israel for defeating Hezbollah," Ortagus said. Al-Akhbar newspaper claimed that President Joseph Aoun later expressed to U.S. officials "his unease" over Ortagus' approach. The Presidency's press office announced that "what Ortagus said from Baabda reflects her viewpoint and the Presidency is not concerned with it."
Later on the X platform, Ortagus mocked Hezbollah chief Sheikh Naim Qassem with a "Yawn" as she reposted some of his words and insulted former PSP leader Walid Jumblat. "Crack is whack, Walid," Ortagus wrote after Jumblat described her conditions as "unrealistic."
Ortagus has said that the United States has set a "red line" that Hezbollah should not be a member of Lebanon's next government and demanded that Hezbollah be disarmed. Despite Ortagus' words, Hezbollah took part in Prime Minister Nawaf Salam's government.
Barrack is of Lebanese origins and is also the U.S. ambassador to Turkey. He has said that he will temporarily replace Ortagus as Washington's special envoy to Lebanon. During his first official visit to Lebanon on Thursday he met with Aoun, Salam and Berri.
Ortagus on the other hand, an American diplomat, intelligence analyst, political advisor, naval officer, and former television commentator, has converted to Judaism and is a strong supporter of Israel.
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