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Shaykh Nasrallah Speaks!

March 5, 2010

In News The Israel-Palestine Conflict

First I would like to express my felicitations to you and to the whole Islamic nation on the anniversary of the birthday of the Seal of Prophets and the Master of messengers Abi Al Qassem Mohammad Bin Abdullah (Peace be upon him) and also on the anniversary of the birthday of his grandson Imam Jaafar Bin Mohammad Assadeq and on the anniversary and occasion of the Week of Islamic Unity which was announced thirty years ago by Imam Khomeini (May Allah bless his soul) to be days of convening, unity, cooperation, solidarity and assistance. Before standing in the presence of the Prophet of Allah (Peace be upon him), I would like first to comment on the issue of the Week of Unity and say what unites us as Muslims, second to believing in Allah and the Hereafter, is in particular believing in the prophecy of Mohammad (Peace be upon him). This belief in his prophecy is a prelude to believing in the Book of Allah which was revealed on his sacred heart and a prelude to believing in his holy Sunna which is translated in his action, speech and resolution. Mohammad (Peace be upon him) is the one who unites us and the greatest days in this existence is the birthday of Mohammad Bin Abdullah – the birthday of the master of all beings and the greatest successor of Allah on Earth.

In this occasion I say that one of the details which historically there has been debate over is the birthday. Some say it was on Rabi I 12th and others say it was on Rabi II 17th. So we do not differ on the year or on the month but on the day and there are Prophetic Traditions on this issue. I wanted to start with this evidence to say that if Muslim leaders have the intention, insight and sincerity, even the points of difference might to reformulated and changed or transferred to points of unity and concurrence. Thus Imam Khomeini (May Allah bless his soul) said let’s turn Rabi 12 and Rabi 17 into a week of unity. Instead of some Muslims celebrating this great day on Rabi 12th and some Muslims on Rabi 17th, let’s say that all of these days are great days which unite us in the presence of our Prophet Mohammad (Peace be upon his soul). I mentioned this idea just to tell you that when sincerity, faithfulness, determination and will are available I do not believe there remains anything which Muslims disagree over on any level which might lead to their inter-slaughtering, fighting and tearing. All points of difference might be approached in such a way which preserves Muslims and their solidarity, unity and strength.

Today we wonder where this nation is. Once a group of companions were surrounding the Prophet and he was telling them this Prophetic Tradition which is documented by Shiites and Sunnites. He said: You are on the verge of having all nations from all regions cave on you as hungry men gather over their food bowls. The narrator said: We said: O Prophet of Allah! Is it that we will be but a minority? The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said: You are many then but you will be as the flood scum not feared by your enemy who will plant feebleness in your hearts. We said: What is feebleness? Here the Prophet said what the reason of feebleness is: Loving life and loathing death. The hearts of our enemies will not fear this great number of Muslims anymore. In the viewpoint of our enemies we are as flood scum, and our hearts are weak and feeble and the reason of this feebleness is our love for life and loath for death. If we really want to talk about the state of the nation, we have numbers in millions but the enemies of the nation belittle them. A small number of foreigners who occupy Occupied Palestine do not give a hoot for a billion and 400 million Muslim. They belittle them. They do not cause any fear in the hearts of this enemy. Netanyahu convenes with his cabinet and decides annexing the territories occupied since 1967 and Golan Heights… and he had annexed Al Qods practically some time ago. He had annexed the holy place of Abrams and the Mosque of Bilal. The sanctuaries of Muslims are annexed via a resolution. Well what took place in the Arab and Islamic world? Nothing. Some minor statements were issued to avoid reproach and that’s it. This is what was expected by the enemy anyway. The enemy did not expect and do not expect that the world would change, the Arab governments would launch a war or the Arab peoples would hit the streets in hundreds of millions. The enemy is acting as such. Days ago Al Aqsa Mosque was violated. Few Palestinian Maqdissi youths defended the sanctity and honor and also the very existence of this mosque which means a lot to all Muslims. They offered sacrifices. Yesterday there were thirty wounded. Still nothing took place in the Arab and Islamic worlds. Nothing. If we looked closer to this evident we realize that Israelis fear none of those. Only this small group of resistance in Lebanon, Palestine and the region on the level peoples and Syria and Iran on the level of governments – only this small group is feared by the enemy. Only this minority is taken into consideration by the enemy, feared, threatened and plotted against to confront. That’s because this small group perceived the element of strength. This minority refused to succumb to worldly pleasures and did not fear death. It sought living with dignity. These resistance groups could halt the retrogression and collapse in this nation which started in 1948 because the occupation of Palestine was one of the worst ages in the history of this nation. The retrogression and collapse were halted on one hand and the insolence, tyranny and expansion of the Zionist-American project in our region were halted on the other. The resistance movements that neither have weakness in their hearts nor kinder worldly pleasures nor fear death put an end to that and unlatched a new era in the life of the region and its history. I tell you that during all the circumstances we passed through during the last few years and months, the resistance movements in our region today have more faith in its path and are more determined to carry on this path irrespective of whatever threats and intimidations. This nation must assume its responsibility and it is not allowed to abandon the resistance alone in the field. This is not a call for support. We never waited for anyone’s support nor will we. Still this is the responsibility of the nation of which it must reminded. The resistance today is better than in anytime in the past in Lebanon and the region and it enjoys a great public support on the Arab and Islamic levels. States stand by its side. So if Syria and Iran stand with the resistance openly and in broad daylight and without any obscurity, they would be performing their duty and I they must be thanked for that. The whole nation must thank them for that, and the whole nation, governments, states and peoples must follow their example and not to make this assistance, support and backing on behalf of Iran and Syria to the resistance movements an object of doubt and accusation. I also say more than that. You know today, some Arab circles and press outlets say that the Palestinian cause is not anymore an Arab case. It has rather become an Iranian cause. First it is not an Iranian cause. Second, you have abandoned it. Restore it from the Iranians. Stand with the Palestinian people as Iran and Syria are doing and provide the Palestinian people and Palestinian resistance movements with what they are being provided. Support it as it is being supported. Raise this cause and tell the world that this is an Arab cause and we will back you. The cause is an Arab cause so assume your responsibility.

Today in some Arab capitals, leaders there do not dare to convene in some of its hotels or halls for fear of American and European reproach. But when the Iranian Republic say come we are your brothers. We will back you. We will support you and stand by your side; this must be an object of gratitude from all Arab and Islamic peoples and governments. It is not allowed that it be an object of doubt and condemnation at all. In this framework, I want to handle the threats against Lebanon and the issue of arms which were evoked following the latest speech delivered on the anniversary of the leader martyrs. You know after the latest speech and what we said, the severity of the Israeli threats retreated to a least degree. On the contrary, we heard a new rhetoric. Shimon Perez said we pulled out absolutely from Lebanon and we have no business there. The problem in Lebanon is that there are two policies and two armies. So he turned it to an internal debate. Now whether he is a liar, a hypocrite or wrong is another story. But the day came when Israelis are saying we pulled out from Lebanon absolutely and this is an acknowledgement of their defeat and flop. Here I would like to tell the Israelis: You pulled out from Lebanon absolutely and you will never be able to return to Lebanon. Another Israeli official – the chief of staff – said we take pain to preserve calmness on the northern borders. So why have you for four months been threatening? For three or four months you have been issuing threats and now you say you take pain to preserve calmness on the northern borders! Netanyahu himself said no we do not want war and we do not want to make a war with Lebanon or Syria or Iran or Gaza.

It’s that they heard such a tone in the entire region. That’s because the issue is not limited to Lebanon, it rather has to do with the Palestinians, Damascus and Tehran. When the Israelis saw a scene, story and atmosphere other than what they expected, they got perplexed. When such a stance was taken, the Israelis retreated to the least degree of threats and said “except if they did something”. We do not want a war. We want calmness on the borders. We want a settlement. Indeed they did not do anything to achieve a settlement. Well when the threats were confronted, we saw this change. Indeed and as our dear brethren Sheikh Maher Hammoud said a while ago it’s not the words and the speech which made this change in the Israeli stance. It is rather what and who is behind the speech – the fighters and the resistance. Was this very speech said a hundred times it would not have made any difference. The authenticity and value of this speech is that it belongs to the era and age of victories which has came and put an end to the ages of defeat. The Israelis know very well that every word said was not to be said if its realization and execution are not absolutely and certainly possible.

This was what was said. But what was said was just some and not all of what we have to say because we agreed that we must keep some things as surprises and we must also keep some other things for the upcoming occasions. The value of this speech and the current stance is you, those men, women and scholars, the politicians, the resistance fighters and men in the resistance. The Israelis do not view the resistance today as a group of zealous men who hold guns and fight. The value of the resistance today is that a big and organized resistance which is capable and embraced by its people, families, dear ones, neighborhoods and villages. This is the point of strength. Well after this atmosphere, the Israelis wanted to make a new move in the country and the region. You have followed the Israeli media and according to what appeared in the Lebanese media, the Israelis are now convinced and it is clear for them that in any future war no one may make victory. Well they have nothing to do with us. Their words bind them. Well the acknowledgement of the rational on themselves is possible and valid. They have said so. In any future war no one may make victory means the story is over. As I told you in the last occasion, it will be absolute, rapid and evident victory. This stage is over. I tell you anew going to war is not an option that gains support within the enemy entity. It is rather a choice with many and serious considerations. Thus Israelis had to go to other options. Here two tracks must be wrought on. I am saying two tracks because we are supposed as a Lebanese people to be acquainted and as political forces, Parliament, government, state and officials in Lebanon to know in what framework what is taking place is. The first track is political pressure on Lebanon and the Lebanese government. Indeed the stance of the government is excellent and it expresses properly the needs of the stage. The stance of the President as well as the official is excellent as I said in the last occasion. But now they will be subject to pressure on behalf of the US Ambassador. She will call on the Premier and the Speaker. She will convey messages to the Americans. The same messages were conveyed to Damascus and Tehran. There will be intimidation. For example how could the resistance own deterrent weapons? See they have no problem if Israel owns hundreds of nuclear heads, owns the strongest air force in the region and be furnished with the latest US warplanes. But should the popular resistance in Lebanon own arms that form a deterrent agent which must be taken into consideration, the US administration as well as Europe will be mobilized for that as its passports were mobilized to kill martyr Mabhouh. So we will witness visits by ambassadors and delegations to Beirut and Damascus holding messages of threats and intimidations. Indeed we say this is intimidation. This is part of the US-Israeli technique. Concerning intimidation in the media, we are through with the daily speeches delivered by the enemy’s Premier, the so and so minister or a mayor in Israel. This is exhausted and we have given our answers to that. Now they want to move to the second track: pressuring governments. I tell you frankly: the quick answer is the message has been conveyed hours prior to the meeting that took place in Damascus and the scenes you saw in Damascus. The message was conveyed to Beirut and Damascus. These messages were conveyed by the Americans. But I believe that the scene in Damascus and the scene in Tehran that followed are enough response to all the US messages.

During the past months, much was said in the Arab media and press. Some editors spoke out their hopes concerning a disagreement between Syria and Iran, a Syrian-Iranian divergence and a disagreement between Syria and the resistance in Lebanon. They lie and they lie to the extent that they believe their own lie and act accordingly. This is groundless and the past days were an evident on that.

So today there is official steadfastness. Official steadfastness is demanded. I can’t agree and I am not supposed to agree. It must not be as such – that the call to re-vivify the national dialogue roundtable concerning the defense strategy came in harmony with American pressures or to Ban Ki Mon’s demand. I do not believe so because this topic has been evoked for some time. Inshallah we hope that the stance of the political forces and the Lebanese official stance – as is the case of the Syrian and Iranian official stances – be a strong firm stance which answers logic with logic. We are not fanatic to anything. But the Israelis pressure us as a Lebanese government, a Syrian government or a state in Iran for helping the resistance in Lebanon, Palestine and especially in Gaza. But in face of this question there are other questions: what deters Israel from perpetrating its crimes, killings, storming, violating the sanctuary of Al Aqsa Mosque, annexing Abrams Holy Site and violating the Lebanese sovereignty? Who answers these questions? Today the resistance, what it owns and its power back to a logic, vision, law and experience.

The other track which the enemy must work on is collecting information. The enemy never stopped its security war. The military war stops following a truce or a cease of aggressive operations but the Israeli security war did not stop even for one day whether against Lebanon or other countries. What took place in Dubai few weeks ago is clear. They are carrying on this track. Day after day it becomes evident that Israeli spying nets and the Israelis themselves are behind some assassinations. Today a part of Israel’s security war is collecting information. The enemy wants to know what weapon the resistance possesses. They know some general information. Also when we talk deliberately the enemy might understand things. Well some things you keep for surprises to change the course of war if it took place but there are other things which you must talk about to prevent war from taking place. Some might wonder: why did you issue threats in the last speech? There are things that when the Israeli know they will infinitely consider the choice of war. We said that when we talk as such it’s because we do not want to expose our country to war and because we want to prevent an aggression against our country. One of the things that prevent an aggression against our country is to tell the Israelis be cautious, if you do such and such we will do such and such. This is one subtitle. The other subtitle is information. Israelis need to search for what arms the resistance owns, their quantity, the means of benefiting from them, their sites, the resistance groups and individuals. Who manages such arms? Who are the resistance field leaders because they do not appear via the media? For example who did know Hajj Imad in figure? His name was heard because it was raised on one level or another. But who knows martyr Mabhouh? Those who work in the battle field are unknown persons. So the enemy needs to search for them to know them. So searching for information is a pillar for the enemy. Thus when they fail to collect information, war is delayed; but when they can collect information, that might lead for war. I do not want to frighten anyone but all must assume responsibility. Today what deters the Israeli enemy? If things are grasped and interpreted by the enemy in a way that within three or four hours planes may level targets, that will make them stage an aggression. But what deters them from staging any aggression is their ignorance of places, capacities and available capabilities. This is the point of strength of the resistance. So later when discussing the defense strategy, one of the points of supremacy is that in the army there are officials, soldiers, leaderships and experts. But after all the army is a classical army with barracks and over-ground existence. It’s a great army which is subject to rules, laws and state institutions and consequently it is exposed. If it owns rockets all of its artillery would be overt: the quantity will be known as well as the rockets. The distinguishing feature of the resistance is that it is covert. This is the primary feature which we will later see how they will settle on the roundtable. How will they tackle this dilemma for example? Anyway, the enemy wants to collect data. There is a technical means and there are human resources. Technical means reconnaissance planes and tapping. Remember when some tried to install a device on the resistance cable in the south. It means tapping the mobile phone, tapping the fixed line, tapping the wireless apparatus and tapping whatever might be said in the country. The enemy will invest all available technical means to collect data. The second point is human resources i.e. collaborators who might offer information and data one way or another. This must be confronted.

Israeli spying nets are falling day after day. Here I would like to say two points: one concerning the agents and one on the techniques. On the collaborators, I would like to address all those who still collaborate with the enemy and all those who might b contacted and tempted with money to collaborate with the enemy. The enemy will come to every village, city, and neighborhood to contact the neighbors, the teachers in schools and universities, employees and building guards. They will come to anyplace which might be penetrated to mobilize and collect data. I address those saying: What you are doing or might do is not only a crime against some people but a treason of a whole people and a whole nation. So they must take their world and Hereafter into consideration. There is also the harm they do to their families when they are revealed: their fathers, mothers, wives, sons and daughters. They must think before undertaking collaboration and collecting data for the enemy. I call on them to take lessons from all the past experiences. Where are all those who collaborated with the Israeli enemy and were disclosed? What befell them? They are either expelled or displaced or jailed. What did Israel do with them? Israel neither keeps any commitment towards them nor shows faithfulness to them? Isn’t this enough lesson? Collaborating with the enemy is a loss of the world, the family, the nation and the Hereafter. On the personal level, it is only displacement, torture and prison. I renew my call to execute the death sentences against those who have betrayed their nation. They must be hanged and not to be content by issuing the death penalty and then sleeping in jails. They must be hanged. This is a serious and critical issue.

Still I call on those agents to return to their nation and people and ask for God’s pardon because more agents will be uncovered in the upcoming stage. What the Lebanese official security apparatus is assuming is a great blessed effort. I called in the past and here I renew my call on all of us to cooperate with the official security apparatuses. I tell you that more collaborators will be revealed Inshallah in the upcoming stage. The future of these nets is dim, and they must feel that they are socially ignored and sentenced to penalties which apply on them.

There is another point concerning the technical topic. I want to comment on what was mentioned on the past few days in Assafire newspaper concerning the US Embassy dispatching messages to some security apparatuses or some Lebanese ministries and asking for data, forms and the like. Well the facts, details, limits and magnitude of this issue must be clarified. I believe that the parliamentary committee, the Parliament and the government are concerned after all of clarifying this issue to the Lebanese. Criticism was written on this issue as being dangerous and a violation to the Lebanese sovereignty. I agree that it is a violation of the Lebanese sovereignty but I want to say what is more dangerous than violating the Lebanese sovereignty. Does any Lebanese or Arab doubt or hesitate in believing that all data received by the US Embassy in Lebanon are conveyed to the Israelis? Here we are not talking about a foreign embassy which collects data for itself and its government though this is a violation for the sovereignty and they have no right to do that. But as a result of the strategic relation and the unity between America and Israel there is no doubt that all information and data, documents, forms, details, name and all what is received by the US Embassy – whether collected through nets related to the US Embassy or it is provided with via ministries or the administrations of the Lebanese state – are delivered to the Israelis. Consequently what is received by the US Embassy and is conveyed to the Israelis – whether data or given – are for the destruction of Lebanon and to aid the Israeli enemy in interpreting all what is taking place in Lebanon and this makes the enemy dare to take revenge from our country. This is not a legal or administrative cause or a case of violation of sovereignty. No! In other words it is giving data for free for the Israeli enemy by proxy. Is there any difference between collaborators’ networks and spying networks which give information in a direct way or by proxy? And we know and we have no doubt that the American’s will convey these data to the Israeli enemy. We hope that no party in Lebanon is involved with the US embassy in this perspective. We hope that because we do not like this country to be in incessant dispute, troubles and fear. We do not want that at all. But if this is actual, it is very dangerous and really needs much reconsideration. Because that means that not only the security of Hezbollah, the resistance, the fighters or so and so but the security of the country in general is in danger. Today the country in general is threatened by Israel. The whole country comes in the circle of exposure to make it kneel. Well how are we to be tolerant concerning an issue of this magnitude and level of importance? Anyway, brothers and sisters! Inshallah you and we are in the path which Allah has guided us to by the blessing of His greatest being, the master of His messengers and the Seal of His prophets Mohammad (peace be upon him). It is the path of faith, guidance’s, righteousness, jihad, sacrifices, love, eagerness, responsibility and dignity. We will carry on this path Inshallah and as our brethren said a while ago in his name and in the name of the great Prophet (peace be upon him): Our resistance was found and our resistance will carry on and it will achieve its goals: freedom, liberation and dignity for this nation. My felicitations on these great days to you all and peace be on you all and Allah’s blessings and mercy.