Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah met with Ziyad Nakhalah, the Secretary General of Islamic Jihad, and with Saleh al-Arouri, deputy head of the Hamas Political Bureau. According to media reports, the three discussed “the recent events and the war in the various arenas,” and the steps that must be taken “for the resistance in Gaza to achieve a real victory and to stop Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people.” In addition, the media outlets close to Hezbollah published a letter attributed to Nasrallah that stated that it was decided to refer to Hezbollah operatives killed in the current campaign as those who were killed as “shahids (martyrs) on the way to Jerusalem.” The organization has so far confirmed 40 such fatalities
Admittedly, it is tempting to regard each of the events separately, and even taken together, as significant and perhaps as an indication of a change in Hezbollah's position regarding its involvement in the conflict, but this does not seem to be the case. Since the start of the war, Nasrallah has taken pains to walk on the edge and balance between, on the one hand, portraying himself as a supporter of the Palestinian struggle, coordinating with it and even ready to make sacrifices for it, and on the other hand, safeguarding Hezbollah's interests and making sure to create only a limited conflict on the northern border that will not lead to significant damage to the organization and Lebanon. The tripartite meeting reflects the message of coordination and partnership with the Palestinians, but undoubtedly such coordination takes place even without face-to-face meetings between Nasrallah and the heads of the organizations. It is also known that already during the war the Iranian Foreign Minister met with both Nasrallah and the heads of the Palestinian organizations. Nasrallah's letter is likewise mainly intended to emphasize the price that the organization has already paid, without obligating it to pay a higher price.
The fact that we have actually not yet heard Nasrallah, who is known for his speeches and rhetorical ability, conveys a direct and clear message regarding Hezbollah's position in the current conflict. It is the strongest indication of the organization's desire to keep all options open, without forcing Nasrallah to a single course of action. Therefore, for the time being, it seems that Nasrallah chooses to continue his brinkmanship, while making sure to present an image of axis unity.
Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah met with Ziyad Nakhalah, the Secretary General of Islamic Jihad, and with Saleh al-Arouri, deputy head of the Hamas Political Bureau. According to media reports, the three discussed “the recent events and the war in the various arenas,” and the steps that must be taken “for the resistance in Gaza to achieve a real victory and to stop Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people.” In addition, the media outlets close to Hezbollah published a letter attributed to Nasrallah that stated that it was decided to refer to Hezbollah operatives killed in the current campaign as those who were killed as “shahids (martyrs) on the way to Jerusalem.” The organization has so far confirmed 40 such fatalities
Admittedly, it is tempting to regard each of the events separately, and even taken together, as significant and perhaps as an indication of a change in Hezbollah's position regarding its involvement in the conflict, but this does not seem to be the case. Since the start of the war, Nasrallah has taken pains to walk on the edge and balance between, on the one hand, portraying himself as a supporter of the Palestinian struggle, coordinating with it and even ready to make sacrifices for it, and on the other hand, safeguarding Hezbollah's interests and making sure to create only a limited conflict on the northern border that will not lead to significant damage to the organization and Lebanon. The tripartite meeting reflects the message of coordination and partnership with the Palestinians, but undoubtedly such coordination takes place even without face-to-face meetings between Nasrallah and the heads of the organizations. It is also known that already during the war the Iranian Foreign Minister met with both Nasrallah and the heads of the Palestinian organizations. Nasrallah's letter is likewise mainly intended to emphasize the price that the organization has already paid, without obligating it to pay a higher price.
The fact that we have actually not yet heard Nasrallah, who is known for his speeches and rhetorical ability, conveys a direct and clear message regarding Hezbollah's position in the current conflict. It is the strongest indication of the organization's desire to keep all options open, without forcing Nasrallah to a single course of action. Therefore, for the time being, it seems that Nasrallah chooses to continue his brinkmanship, while making sure to present an image of axis unity.