June 12, 2010
In News
Full Text of the Speech of Secretary General Nasrallah on Freedom Flotilla Attack on 04-06-2010
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Sayyed Nasrallah: "Israeli" aggression on Freedom Flotilla is State Terror and Proof it Takes No Notice of International Law
Local Editor
I seek refuge in God from Satan the accursed May prayers and peace be upon out master and Prophet, the seal of Prophets, Abu al-Qassem Mohammad son of Abdullah, and upon his pure chaste household and on his good noble companions and on all Prophets and Messengers. Scholars and Parliamentarians and Ministers, brothers and sisters, the generous audience, may God’s peace, mercy, and blessings be on you all. At the outset, I would like to thank you all for promptly answering our invitation to this honoring solidarity assembly which is part of our responsibility. This large quick assembly comes as no surprise. Are you not the most honorable people, the most pure people, the most generous people? Brothers and sisters, on this blessed great day, I would like to begin by highlighting its blessed Islamic and patriotic significances, then move on to the flotilla of freedom, honor, pride, and dignity. To begin with, I would like to congratulate you on the blessed anniversary of the birth of the daughter of the Seal of Prophets (PBUH) and his spirit and soul, the pure veracious Lady of the Worlds Fatima al-Zahraa peace be upon her. And on this day which also coincides with the passing away of the Imam of the oppressed and the leader of the revolutionaries and mujahidiin and resistance fighters, the revivers of the values of the Prophets and the evoker of revolution and awakening and the sentiment of refusal, his eminence the Sayyed Imam Rohollah Khomeini may God be pleased with him, I would like to my strong-felt condolences to the leader and Imam Great Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei and the jihadi Iranian people and all admirers and supporters and lovers of the Imam. On a national level, it is my duty on the anniversary of the martyrdom of the late Prime Minister Rashid Karami to present to his family and admirers and to the Lebanese people on this national occasion on which a great man from this nation was martyred, a man of unity, resistance, patriotism, Arabism, and rejection. Subsequently, our minds and hearts and eyes are drawn to those whom the freedom flotilla was destined for, to our patient steadfast resistant enduring noble people in the Gaza strip who faced all forms of blockade and aggression and killing and starvation. We salute them and all the dear oppressed jihadi Palestinian people who are affixed to their rights on the 1948 lands, and to the 1948 Palestinians, and not just the ’48 Arabs…to our people in the West Bank and Al Quds (Jerusalem), and to all our Palestinian people in all the lands of exodus… And then to those whose fleet and highness and bravery and sacrifices united us: I salute all the participants in the flotilla of making freedom… (I salute) their wounded and martyrs and their toil and burning the midnight oil, and their fear and bravery and steadfastness, and their blood and tears and moans and groans. As a matter of fact, in Lebanon I must give special greetings to the Lebanese delegation and to all the dear Lebanese brothers, one by one, who participated in this fleet to be the messengers of the Lebanese resistance in all its colors and parties, to be the messengers of the Lebanese willpower and determination, the messengers of resolve, solidity, sacrifice, and martyrdom which created the victory in Lebanon… and to express on this day the great pride in the martyrs in whose we are gathered; the martyrs who, in God’s will, were from one nationality. This is no coincidence, no play or twist of fate. It is the will of God, He who selects martyrs from among people. And He chose them all from one nationality for judiciousness He wills and contents. In your name [the audience], I present the families of the dear martyrs with congratulations and condolences as is our custom; congratulations for their loved ones attaining this honor and high merit from God, and condolences for losing their dear loved ones… and through them I salute the Turkish people who have united behind the freedom flotilla and the martyrs of the flotilla, and to the Turkish leadership which was capable of proving its presence and bravery and wisdom in leading this confrontation. Brothers and sisters, today we are faced with a huge important event in the context of our nation and people’s conflict with the enemy occupying Palestine and attacking the peoples of our nation and our lands and sacreds and region. We interpret what occurred in this context. Allow me in the time allotted to me to distribute my speech into titles, all of which are related to this event and what followed it. Firstly: the description of the event, Secondly: significance and indications, Thirdly: the results, and Fourthly: what we should do and perform and employ. In description, there’s a short words since you followed up on and watched everything. There’s a fleet consisting of a number of ships, some transporting individuals and others supplies, bound for the Gaza strip for a clear defined fundamental purpose, which is breaking the siege on the Gazans. This fleet is composed of hundreds of people, of personalities belonging to tens of nationalities, of sheikhs and priests and parliamentarians and men and women… and among them were also- and I mean by this an indication to return to it later in significance and results- and among them were those belonging to countries that have diplomatic ties with "Israel", and the big or bigger portion belonged to the Turkish nationality, the country with which "Israel" holds from a long time diplomatic, military, security, and economical ties. The freedom flotilla was attacked in international waters in obvious observable unmistakable piracy, and a crime and massacre was committed, leading to the martyrdom of nine Turks and wounding scores of activists, and all the activists were detained, arrested, and imprisoned, and the supplies and ships were confiscated. And later, and with relative speed, (and here I’m describing because this has to do with the significance) and later, and with relative speed, all the kidnapped detained activists were released. This in short is what happened, and the picture is clear to you, but I wanted to describe what happened so it would help me in [speaking about] the significance and indications. Secondly: in indications and significance, this crime was an added proof of the aggressive nature of this enemy, of its monstrous nature, of the deep-rooted nature of this entity ever since it was established, and it was established on committing massacres and crimes. And this is evidence anew of its attacking defenseless civilians, both men and women, and without any considerations. This is new proof of government terrorism committed by "Israel" and of its disrespect of any human or moral values or of any international laws or international conventions or international accords or diplomatic relations, and [this is proof] that "Israel" considers itself above the law, so everything is permitted; above the law and above morals and above heavenly laws and above religions. Hence, everything is permissible for the sake of "Israel’s" interests and considerations. This is also new proof that the "Israelis" kill and murder if you hold arms and if you don’t hold arms, be you unarmed or armed to the teeth, and this is a lesson to those who say that weapons are a pretext for the enemy. Were the activists on the freedom flotilla armed for it to be a pretext for killing them and shedding their blood and throwing some of their bodies in the sea? … and it sis proof that this enemy slights everyone, slights countries and the international community and the entire world, and makes no considerations for anyone, even to for the countries with which it holds diplomatic ties or has military and security agreements or so on. And this is a message to all those who look and anticipate a day they imagine peace can be possible with this killing enemy or that diplomatic ties protect them or their citizens or their people. In indications and significance, what occurred in the Mediterranean Sea with the freedom flotilla and the reactions that happened later bear renewed witness to the fact that the American administration, the current one, continues to uphold absolute defense of "Israel" and its crimes and massacres and prevent the latter’s indictment and aids it in dodging punishment and even brushing off demands for an investigation. Even more than that, the US administration even goes far enough to consider that it was the enemy’s natural right, as was expressed by the US vice president Biden. And here the question is posed to America’s friends and those who gamble on it and on change in its Mideast policy. And they again get proof that anything may change in America’s Mideast policy, save one constant, "Israel" and "Israel’s" interests and "Israel’s" security and covering "Israel" in its committing whatever massacres it choses even in the rights of those who are nationals of countries in military alliance with the United States. What occurred, also in significance and indications, reveals the lies of the world’s governments and countries that claim to defend and protect human rights and human freedom and human dignity. Many of these countries went silent because the crime was committed by "Israel" even if it is an act of resistance in a domain of resistance had done something similar, those governments would have stood in defense of human rights. Others chose to shyly condemn, and consider the case closed. Regrettably, what occurred also reveals the nature of the feebleness of the Arab world in the face of major events, and I need not remark further on the decisions of the Arab Foreign Ministers, as the Arab public alone knows the nature of the comment. Among the indications and significances, on the other hand, is the speed with which the detainees and imprisoned were released. This is of great significance and has major implications. Why so? Let me say, unfortunately, that it was because not all the detained were Arabs. Were they so, the "Israelis" would have dragged us in the mud. Of course they would make certain considerations relating to the resistance movements, but it would not have anything to do with the official Arab stance in any case, because "Israel" is certain that the official Arab position would stand helpless even if hundreds of Arab activists in the freedom flotilla were detained, because this Arab stance was and continues to be futile in the face of the imprisonment of thousands of Palestinian detainees, men, women, and children, in "Israeli" prisons. What is new here, in my opinion, is the presence of hundreds of Turkish citizens. Here "Israel" made miscalculations; it thought that when it attacks and kills and detains and exercises terrorism against the freedom flotilla that the Turkish government would retreat and be confused and frightened and would search for any possible settlement. Unfortunately, this is what "Israel" is accustomed to with governments. I am certain that the Zionist leaders were taken by surprise by the Turkish reaction, be it on the level of its leadership or on a public level or even on the level of institutions and parties, even the opposition parties like the Justice and Development. When the Turkish leadership stood up and used its ties with "Israel", and of course we don’t support that any Muslim country maintain relations yet this is something present before the Justice and Development Party, and the Turkish leadership stepped up and told the "Israelis" ‘if you keep any activist, we will cut our diplomatic ties with you’. This is something "Israel" hadn’t calculated. I heard the "Israelis" in the first couple of days; they bullied and bluffed the first and second day, and said the activists attacked soldiers and hit soldiers, and that every hand raised against an "Israeli" soldier will be prosecuted. And the Turkish leadership came out to tell them ‘if you prosecute a single one of them, we will prosecute "Israel’s" leaders’. Well then, you want to know why they were released? Because there is Turkey. There is a strong government and a strong people behind its leadership and there is a strong leadership that knows how to use its points of strength. To "Israel", for Turkey to cut its diplomatic ties with "Israel", it was an earthquake. This is a huge and dangerous issue on a strategic level, and therefore, blaming has begun within the Zionist entity. For Turkey to stand up and cut its military and security and economic ties with "Israel" is a strong point and a critical weapon. In the past wars and crises, in the last war on Gaza, and in the war on Lebanon in 1982, and in the invasion of the West Bank and the Jenin massacre…the Arab peoples have always flooded out to the streets demanding some Arab nations that have ties with "Israel" to employ that weapon, yet they failed to take action. Yet Turkey used this weapon and did not demand only its citizens, but considered that the entire fleet is its responsibility, and that’s why the brothers have been released, and some are sitting among you now. Hence, there is a lesson for those who talk about diplomacy, the diplomacy of servility and begging and weakness and frailty and slackness and admitting weakness… brings only disgrace and loss and waste. Yes, diplomacy based on strength, on the strength of the people and the leaders and the government and logic and weapons, this diplomacy based on strength is capable of doing and accomplishing. In the results: this event which befell the freedom flotilla had repercussions in the world and some results were achieved. I will mention these results to say that this is an efficacious event and to say that the blood of the martyrs has accomplished much and to say to all those who were hit and wounded and participated in the freedom flotilla, to all those who took part, that what you did and what you accomplished didn’t go with the wind. You created massive results with your presence and blood and steadfastness and patience. First: the most important thing the freedom flotilla accomplished and in the blood of its martyrs as well is that it revived the global attention in the issue of the inhuman brutal siege imposed on Gaza for years. This siege, which was forgotten by the world and forgotten by the Arabs and had become a normal matter not even mentioned in news bulletins… this blood was capable and these voices and hands were capable of imposing this issue once again on the agenda of all governments in the world and made it the fist news in global media and in the concerns of the public. Second: the freedom flotilla was capable of imposing on the world to make calls for action. For the first time we hear the secretary general of the united nations who has been silence for a long time calling for the immediate lifting of the siege on Gaza…[for the first time we hear] calls from European countries and from Russia and countries in the quartet alliance which covered the siege on Gaza… by countries around the globe…. We’ve never heard this before the freedom flotilla and the flotilla martyrs. Third: Among the direct results is the opening of the Egyptian government, thanked, of the Rafah crossing until further notice, regardless of any interpretation or background or circumstances. This, in itself, is a good result of the freedom flotilla and the reactions of the flotilla. Fourth: what occurred created an adequate and supporting atmosphere for a Palestinian movement towards reconciliation and ending division. Fifth: What occurred will complicate and set hurdles to a certain extent, so that I don’t exaggerate, on the Zionist enemy to think or plan a new attack on Gaza. An attack on Lebanon or Syria or Iran has different calculations. Our major concern is there, in Gaza, and there’s no doubt that the sacrifices of the freedom flotilla will complicate this atmosphere for the enemy. Sixth: more unmasking of "Israel" in front of global public opinion. Seventh: More awareness of our Arab and Islamic peoples who are primarily concerned with the conflict and facing this enemy. Eighth: More American political scandals in the region and a scandal for those bargaining on it. Ninth: new evidence of "Israeli" failure and "Israeli" confusion and the weakness of the "Israeli" leadership and the political, security and military leadership. I’m not the one saying that. The "Israelis" themselves, had you read today all the "Israeli" papers and listened to what’s said in their streets, the language which is used to talk about the failure and confusion and loss and scandal and falling in the trap… these terms used by the "Israeli" press are present… some "Israeli" leaders are talking…calls for forming investigative committees… now in "Israel" they are counting the political and moral losses. And certainly what the "Israeli" enemy did is stupid, is incorrect calculations, and is pervert behavior due to their arrogance, or else, the [enemy] could have seized their fleet and forced it to move by various mean towards Ashdod port and do what it did without committing piracy and a massacre and a crime and shedding blood the way it did. Thenth: The sense of burden "Israel" is experiencing. I am not saying this, but the Mossad chief Meir Dagan, head of the security apparatus that works outside "Israel", the one better able to assess the exterior international situation of the "Israeli" leadership. He says "‘Israel’ has started to turn from being America’s asset, ammo and aid to a burden on it, because after every failure, crime or massacre the U.S. has to come to ‘Israel’s’ rescue, defense, protection, help and to pay the price." This was also expressed by the Central Command commander of the U.S. forces, General David Piraeus, when he said "We are paying the blood of our soldiers, as a result of our support for "Israel", which turned into a burden on the United States of America." He was later rebuked and so he reissued another slightly amended statement. This is "Israel" after the accident, run by a leadership lacking on good conduct politically, militarily, in the media, security wise and in the field against a Freedom Fleet not carrying weapons, missiles or anything of that sort at all. 11- Development in the Turkish position… Without doubt this is one of the crucial results. Today the Turkish position is different. This position was present during the 2006 war of course, then during the aggression against the Gaza Strip the Turkish position progressed further, but no doubt in the Freedom Fleet incident the Turkish position moved a great deal more forward. We heard the stands launched by Turkish leaders and officials, a most recent one yesterday by the Turkish President Abdullah Gul when he said in any case relations will not return to how they previously were. This is good, substantial and important progress in the Turkish position. As I noted in the talk on implications and indications of the results now that "Israel" started to lose Turkey (I do not say it lost Turkey, I will not exaggerate in any assessment), which in itself is a regional strategic shift. "Israel" had very important relationships in the region and internationally. Iran under the Shah was a supportive and strategic force and formed a strategic depth for "Israel." This strategic depth "Israel" lost by the blessed victory of the Islamic Revolution in Iran, led by the Ayatollah Khomeini (May God honor his soul), which turned Iran into an absolutely supportive and committed element to the Palestinian issue as a central cause. Turkey remained, and I can say that since the freedom fleet in particular, "Israel" began to lose Turkey. Will "Israel" lose Turkey completely? 12- The Kuwaiti position is another one of the important results… When the National Assembly of Kuwait demanded and the Kuwaiti government approved and responded by taking the first step of deciding to pull out of the Arab initiative. Some would ask what does it mean to withdraw from the Arab initiative? What is the value of this topic? Yes, it has political and moral value. We do not want to break Arab harmony, but the Arab Initiative made significant concessions to the "Israeli" enemy. When we say this initiative is withdrawn, we actually tell them that all the concessions we made in the initiative have ended, and thus we are back to square one, and this has enormous political and strategic value. Finally, on the point of results, let us move to the last section. What happened certainly embarrasses and confuses all the advocates of settlement, normalization and surrender and all those who gamble on direct and indirect negotiations with the "Israeli" enemy while they experience difficult conditions. On May 25, I had to quote the words of the Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, in her words I did not invent them; she said "What ‘Israel’ is doing embarrasses the Arab moderation axis." In all cases these are rare and few, but the days and truth, chivalry and the hurricanes of the honorable of this nation will, God willing, sweep them out of this nation. As for what should be done: This requires the formation of more Freedom Fleets to head for Gaza, a second, third, fourth and fifth fleet must be formed, of different nationalities…in fact the goal "Israel" set out to achieve through its state terrorism and killing of martyrs in the fleet will collapse-Netanyahu’s declared goal of wanting ‘to deter and prevent anyone in this world from even thinking of taking similar action again.’ In which case taking similar steps tells the "Israelis" that they are not able to achieve any of their goals through their terrorism, scandals and crimes. Many valued Lebanese brothers were present aboard the Freedom Fleet, and I call for more diverse Lebanese participation in the Freedom Fleet number 2. Today the European campaign concerned with the Freedom Fleet has extended invitations for volunteers to join the Freedom Fleet number 2, and so far it received hundreds of applications. Where are the Arabs in relation to this? Where are the Muslims? Where are the Arab peoples? Where are the Islamic peoples? Some may ask ‘Where does the Sayyed (Hassan Nasrallah) want to send these people?’ Let no one say ‘the Sayyed wants to open a new dispute.’ 2- In this same context, all of us to appeal, call out and work to keep the Rafah crossing open; of course, to appeal to the Egyptian leadership and call on them to keep this crossing open. Here I wish to comment on the decisions reached by the Arab foreign ministers to say the Arabs, the Arab foreign ministers and governments do not need to go to the Security Council to have the siege on Gaza lifted. Let’s just come together to assess the situation and calmly discuss the issue in Egypt’s way of opening the Rafah crossing? Please come and hold a meeting in Cairo and in the OIC to see what the problem is? 3- To support and embrace the Turkish stand which will be subjected to great deal of pressure. Yes we could all see the respect for the strong: Obama was forced to initiate a phone communication with Tayyip Erdogan, the good Tayyip (good) Erdogan. Had those killed come from certain Arab States, Would Obama have phoned? Anyway, great pressures will be exercised on Turkey to overcome what happened, and to prevent it from taking its stand further against "Israel", to avert a deterioration in its relations with "Israel", and to avoid further progress in the Turkish position at the Arab and Islamic regional level in relation to the Arab-"Israeli" conflict. 4- To work on keeping the issue of Gaza and its siege of Gaza within the circle of global and humanitarian concern and not only the Arab and Muslim concern, and to transform the Palestinian issue – as Imam Khamenei (May he live long) said – back to a global and a humanitarian issue. In the past when the Palestine question was the cause of the Islamic world, attempts were made to keep other concerned nation at bay not to interfere in this issue as it was being turned into an Arab cause only. Then the cause went beyond the Arab world to become one of the Persians, Turks, Afghans and Indians in Turkey, Iran and Pakistan, and with them the Muslims in India, Indonesia and Malaysia who are not Arab. Then the "independent" Palestinian choice motto was used to prevent concerned Arab States from any involvement, this allowed for this central cause to be fragmented into the issues of Gaza, the West Bank, East Al-Quds (Jerusalem) and the refugees, thus two-thirds of Palestine were lost in the process. His Eminence Imam Khamenei called for reclaiming the issue of Palestine as a Palestinian, Arab and Islamic cause as well as one for humanity at global scale. The Freedom Fleet opened wide the door for the Palestinian issue to be back under global spotlights to become a global concern. This is what we must continue to work on, as scholars, writers, media outlets, internet and satellite channels, political parties, active forces and parliamentarians, and this we can do. 5- To continue to demand for an international investigation, even when we know that such investigations will not amount to results and will inevitably be faded away. Our long experiences with international investigations have it so. But "Israel" should be put to shame, as it will certainly refuse to go under any international investigation, even though the massacre it committed was in international waters, in a clear and open act of piracy. 6- Law suits must be made against "Israeli" political, military and security leaders as well as soldiers. This can be done all over the world for what they did with the Freedom Fleet and to open the files on "Israel’s" earlier cases. In Hizbullah we did not have a great deal of clarity on this point, but experience convinces us to go ahead and make lawsuits where possible in the world, against those who killed us in Qana, who committed massacres against us, and destroyed our homes in Lebanon and Palestine. In return, they would file lawsuits against us…so be it. Then we’ll stop going to the Europe we go to now, let them freeze or confiscate the funds we’ve placed in European banks…no problem there too. But no doubt making lawsuits against "Israeli" crimes will siege and disconcert the "Israeli" leaders in the world. 7- That we all work using all available means to remind and inform the world the truth about this false, deceptive and hypocritical "Israel". We must take advantage of the Freedom Fleet to talk to the world about all the massacres it committed, after it had presented itself to world public opinion as an oasis of democracy in the Middle East, as a country committed to law in the midst of a "savage region." We must expose its real face from the massacre of Deir Yassin, to Hula in 1948, to the first Qana massacre, Jenin, the second Qana massacre and the Gaza Strip. With every massacre "Israel" commits we should open all its past massacres, so we can inform world public opinion and tell the free and honorable people of the world that this is the "Israel" that fools you, which your governments defend. Finally, we are to continue to strengthen ourselves, to become more capable and confident of our choices and positions. We should make new friends and keep existing ones. Imam Khomeini transformed Iran from an enemy of the Arabs to an ally, friend and supporter of the Arabs. How do we preserve this friendship with Iran? Today the Justice and Development Party (JDP) of Turkey together with the Turkish people are restoring Turkey back within the Umma (nation). How do we preserve Turkey’s new friendship, place and position and keep out new rivalries and animosities, as some Arabs are doing. We must also strive to be strong because as we said on May 25 this world respects the powerful only. We should possess the strength, we do possess the strength of having right, and we now should have the strength of having the force in a world that respects only the powerful. Dear brothers and sisters, This is the future we create with our own hands, without favors from anyone in this world, nor do we beseech it from anyone in this world. Dear brothers and sisters, God bless you and thank you all for your presence again today…together we shall continue the path of liberation and freedom to establish the dignity of our people, our nation and our holy places. May God peace and mercy be upon you all. |