Hezbollah Terrorist Leader ‘Salutes’ Anti-Israel Protests in U.S.

Anti-Israel demonstrations throughout the United States should be “saluted,” according to Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah, who boasted of the power of “uncommitted” voters to pressure President Joe Biden and “lead him to lose the presidential elections.”

The Lebanese terrorist group leader’s remarks were made in a Wednesday speech that was streamed live on Al-Mumahdun’s YouTube channel, as reported by the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI).

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“Today, what many people demonstrating in America are doing… we should salute them and be grateful to them,” he said. “The Arabs, the Muslims, and the non-Muslims, from among the other free Americans — Christians and others — in the Democratic Party who wrote to Biden: ‘We are uncommitted to vote for you.’ These people are very influential at this stage.”

Calling such efforts “the most important means of pressure on the Biden administration,” Nasrallah maintained that the 81-year-old president is “not afraid of the world, the international community, God, history, or anything.” 

“Biden now is afraid of one thing only: that his policy and actions in Gaza will lead him to lose the presidential elections,” he states. “This is why he keeps debating, denying, and playing games.”

According to Nasrallah, if the current pressure and opposition to Israel in the U.S. continues, it may “open a door for hope.”

“Of course, there are countries that boycotted Israel, denounced Israel, and accused it of committing genocide, like Brazil, Venezuela, Cuba, South Africa, and so on,” he explained, stating that such positions “are appreciated” and help “mount the pressure” on the Jewish state. 

“But at the end of the day,” he added, “it is the American position that is decisive.”

Last month, Biden administration officials met with Arab- and Muslim-American leaders in Michigan, a key swing state in the 2024 presidential election. At least one official with whom they met is an openly pro-terror leader in the area.

Hezbollah, a Lebanese Shia Islamist political party and terrorist group, wields significant influence in Lebanon, effectively shaping its political and security landscape, and is often perceived as a state within a state. Its military strength has grown considerably, at times surpassing the capabilities of the Lebanese Army. With support from Iran and political backing from Syria, the group has expanded its activities beyond Lebanon, notably participating in the Syrian Civil War alongside the Assad regime. 

Consequently, it poses significant security concerns to Israel and has contentious relations with the United States.

On October 7, Hamas launched the deadliest attack against Jewish people since the Nazi Holocaust, which saw some 3,000 terrorists burst into Israel by land, sea, and air and gun down hundreds of participants at an outdoor music festival while others went door to door hunting for Jewish men, women, and children in local towns who were then subject to torture, rape, execution, immolation, and kidnapping.

The massacre resulted in around 1,200 dead inside the Jewish state, over 5,300 more wounded, and at least 241 hostages of all ages taken — of which nearly 130 remain in Gaza. The vast majority of the victims are civilians and include dozens of American citizens.

The following day, Hezbollah fired guided rockets and artillery shells at Israel. Since then, intensified clashes between Israel and Hezbollah have significantly escalated tensions in the region, with exchanges of fire across the Lebanon-Israel border leading to major displacements.

Hezbollah has been designated as a terrorist organization by over a dozen countries and several international entities, including major Western nations, members of the European Union, and most member states of the Arab League.

The United States, along with several other countries and international organizations, designates Hezbollah as a terrorist organization due to its involvement in terrorist activities, including attacks against American, French, Israeli, and other targets.

In 1983, Hezbollah bombed the Beirut Marine barracks in Lebanon, killing 241 American servicemen in what was one of the deadliest pre-9/11 attacks against the U.S.

Speaking at a White House event marking the 35th anniversary of the attack in 2018, then President Donald Trump stated that, “No terrorist group other than al Qaeda has more American blood on its hands.”

Last month, Nasrallah claimed Hezbollah’s attacks had displaced 100,000 Israelis and another two million could lose their homes, one of a series of escalating threats against the Jewish state from Beirut in recent months.

In November, he threatened the U.S., citing Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, who described America as “the great Satan.”

The matter comes as Arab American voters in various states have expressed intent to “punish” President Biden in elections due to his stance on Israel and the Gaza conflict.

In Michigan, where the president’s loss would likely doom his reelection campaign, over 100,000 Democrats chose “uncommitted” over Biden in the primary, indicating significant dissatisfaction within his own party. 

Meanwhile, in Minnesota, a significant 19% of Democratic voters were “uncommitted,” signaling potential challenges for Biden’s re-election due to dissatisfaction with his foreign policy.