Speech given by Hezbollah secretary general Hassan Nasrallah and reactions in the Arab world
On November 3, 2023, Hezbollah secretary general Hassan Nasrallah delivered a speech entitled "Martyrs who died on the way to Jerusalem.” it was Nasrallah's first public appearance since the outbreak of Operation Iron Swords. The speech, which raised high expectations in the Arab world, claimed the war in Gaza was completely Palestinian. He threatened the United States and Israel and emphasized that "all options are open.”He claimed, straight-faced, that he had no advance knowledge of the Hamas attack, and that Hamas was winning, therefore by implication they did not need external aid. He noted Hezbollah's contribution to the war effort through its operatives’ attacks on northern Israel and was proud they were forcing Israel to keep a significant portion of the IDF forces in the northern arena because Israel was concerned about having to fight on another front. As for further aid in the future, Nasrallah was ambiguous, apparently to keep Israel tense while claiming that all options were on the table. Reactions to the speech in the Arab world were diverse, as reflected in the media and social networks. Some supported the speech and its messages, while others criticized him for not fulfilling their high expectations.
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