Qassem: The Prospect of Confrontation in the Presidential Election is Blocked

Hezbollah's Deputy Secretary-General Sheikh Naeem Qassem noted that the prospect of confrontation in the presidential election is blocked, and the election can only succeed through consensus and openness. He pointed out that it has been repeatedly announced that "our hand is open for discussion and dialogue, and this hand is still extended to discuss the details. We might convince you with our candidate, and you might provide information that helps find common ground to reach a positive outcome." However, he stressed on the other hand that "the slogan and the title should be challenge and refusal to engage in dialogue and rejection of those who possess all these qualifications, as this is a waste of time, a disruption of people's lives, and a delay of the election." He added, "We will continue with our convictions calmly according to constitutional rules and through the parliamentary council and our political movements, and we ask God Almighty to ease this issue by relieving some of those who carry feelings of frustration and face a blocked confrontation." Regarding Minister Sleiman Frangieh, Qassem stated that "Hezbollah," along with the "Amal Movement" and others, supports his candidacy because he is "a national figure open to all, having granted a pardon for the one who killed his father and family to facilitate public political work in Lebanon." Furthermore, he noted that Frangieh builds broad relationships with Arab and foreign countries without exception and has a "special privilege in relations with Syria," which helps in resolving the displaced persons crisis, as well as in demarcating borders between the two countries to address maritime border issues and extract oil and gas properly.