Qaouk: Hezbollah will never fight in Syria

Hezbollah's chief official in south Lebanon Sheikh Nabil Qaouk said that the resistance party has never fought and will never fight in Syria, and that its job is to protect Lebanon, the National News Agency reported Sunday. Qaouk's comments came during a festival in the Nabatiyeh town of Nmeirieh, south Lebanon, honoring the resistance. The Hezbollah official said: "The forces of evil insist on dragging Lebanon into the fire raging in Syria...” He added that his party backs the majority of Syrians, who want reform in their country and also support the resistance in Lebanon. Qaouk emphasized that his party has never fielded fighters in Syria and has no intention to do so now, given that "Hezbollah is here to protect Lebanon from descending into the Syrian quagmire.” He also noted the importance of Hezbollah’s weapons, saying they have played an important role in protecting Lebanese sovereignty. "What Israel fears most in the region is the confrontation with the resistance in Lebanon,” he said. “The weapons of the resistance have proved an effective weapon ... in protecting sovereignty and [setting the stage for] liberating the remaining [occupied] land.” He also praised Michel Sleiman's call for a national dialogue among the Lebanese, saying it would aid efforts to achieve national unity and ensure the country's stability.