Lebanon’s Grand Shia Mufti Sheikh Ahmad Qabalan says the Hezbollah resistance movement is historically the Arab nation’s protective shield against potential foreign threats, its guarantor force, and a strong sovereign partner with the army.

“There is no benefit in elimination of the Resistance Front other than serving the interests of the Israeli entity. The ongoing political game is all right as long as it does not turn out to be a sovereign suicide,” Qabalan noted.

He added, “A mistake regarding the Resistance issue places Lebanon at the heart of destruction. Lebanon’s sovereignty is not a property for sale… Any government violation of national sovereignty and the constitutional charter nullifies the legitimate existence of the ruling administration.”

The prominent Lebanese Shia cleric warned against “political gambling with Lebanon’s future.”

“We will not accept any political or sovereign suicide. The army and the Resistance are a single national force, and any attempt to divide them serves Zionists’ interests. The army will remain committed to its national position and sovereign partnership, and will not fall into the Zionist entity’s trap,” Qabalan said.

The senior Shia cleric further noted that reality on the ground in Lebanon has established the equation “No army without Resistance, no Resistance without army.”

“Lebanon has no greater interest than a partnership between the army and the Resistance,” Qabalan said.