Sayyed Nasrallah Tackles Latest Developments Related to Lebanon and the Lebanese

Nour Rida

Hizbullah Secretary General His Eminence Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah delivered a speech via video-link, tackling the latest developments on the Lebanese as well as regional levels.

"Despite the crucial events taking place whether in Gaza, Syria , Bahrain, Yemen or Libya, yet I find that in my speech I should focus on issues related to Lebanon and the Lebanese, as there are very sensitive and hot topics within our hands," Sayyed Nasrallah started his speech, adding "First, I will talk about the Wikileaks repercussions and the current situation, second the Ivory coast and our people there, third I will discuss the latest stance of caretaker PM Saad Hariri on Iran, fourth comes the threat to expel the Lebanese (expatriates) in Bahrain and the Gulf, fifth I will talk about Roumieh prison and last comes the latest developments on the government formation."
 
Sayyed Nasrallah started discussing the Wikileaks documents that revealed scandals on conspiring against the resistance during the July war, and the attempt of some to exploit these leaked cables to cause a rift between the previous opposition and its allies and sabotage relations between them.
Hizbullah SG said that what we have read so far in the Wikileaks cables published by Al Akhbar newspaper are classified from several dimensions. "For instance, one category is related to the meetings, another to conclusions of the US ambassador, a third on the impressions and conclusions of the US ambassador on certain personals," Sayyed Nasrallah said.

The resistance leader said that some tried to find gaps to exploit between the resistance and its allies in order to sabotage these relations, particularly targeting the resistance's relation with the Amal movement and the Free Patriotic movement, as well as the new alliance with MP Walid Jumblatt. He explained that certain sides on one hand try to employ the leaked documents, and on the other hand, some say that Hizbullah has required Al Akhbar newspaper to publish the leaks.

Commenting first on Hizbullah's ally Speaker Nabih Berri, and in reiteration to what he had said earlier during the July war, Sayyed Nasrallah said that since the very beginning of the July war and all the way till the end, Speaker Berri was a partner in this war, "We both had the same aims and woes and coordinated together on daily basis. I say that Berri was faithful to the blood of the martyrs and to the sacrifices of the displaced; he struggled and negotiated to protect Lebanon and the resistance and achieve victory."

Sayyed Nasrallah reiterated that Berri shared the same goal with the resistance, which was to finish the war on the basis of liberating the Shebaa farms. He also pointed out that Feltman's conclusions and stances cannot nail the truth, and assured that Amal movement was also a major partner in battle and in the suffering as many were martyred and displaced and stood side by side with the resistance. Further commenting on the Hizbullah-Amal relations, Sayyed Nasrallah said that some sides that aimed at targeting the resistance, its strength and position, tried to separate between Amal and Hizbullah, which was clearly demonstrated in the Wikileaks cables, adding "I tell all those to give up on this issue, because the cooperation and integration between the two parties during the past 20 years has become only deeper and stronger, and no one can target it."

As for the Free Patriotic Movement, Sayyed Nasrallah said that all what was mentioned in the Wikileaks cables was slight and will not affect its relation with the resistance.

Concerning leader of the Progressive Socialist Party MP Walid Jumblatt and the Wikileaks cables, Sayyed Nasrallah said that Jumblatt acknowledged that he was in a certain position earlier and today he stands by the resistance. Sayyed noted that some tried exploiting the situation and ask why does Al Akhbar newspaper insist on publishing the cables related to Jumblatt, and that many insist that Al Akhbar newspaper is a proxy to Hizbullah, explaining "This is not true, I decisively say that the newspaper is not a proxy to Hizbullah and does not receive any orders from Hizbullah neither does it receive any advices fron Hizbullah. It (Al Akhbar newspaper) is on the former opposition side, and we sympathize with it but it has its own policies. if so, how is it possible then that the "our" newspaper writes articles that target us and our allies?" Hizbullah SG added "We in Hizbullah only bear esponsibility for what Al Nour (radio station), Al Manar TV, and our internet official pages mention," reassuring that Hizbullah has nothing to do with the radios, TV stations and newspapers of allies and friends.

Moving on to the second category of the Wikileaks documents related to the March 14 stances -on which at times there were confirmations to the leaks- Sayyed Nasrallah said that since the year 2005 and until today, the March 14 camp, after attaining the goal they aimed at, which is Syria leaving Lebanon, there has been one central aim they aim at which is targeting the resistance and disarming it.

Sayyed Nasrallah asked a question on the March 14 aim of targeting the resistance and wondering what is the reason behind such a target, whom does it serve and what is the price. Answering his question Sayyed underscored "The price to me is clear, there is a deal between the March 14 forces and America... we give them authority in Lebanon in return for the "head of the resistance". And so, the entire scheme focuses on how to end the resistance in Lebanon. When we see the cables, we can see that this is the point of discussion." He noted that when we look at the Wikileaks cables, we see nothing but conspiracy against the resistance and not one suggestion to confront the "Israeli" aggressions.
Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said that the goal was to destroy Hizbullah and all the resistance factions, adding "Isn't that painful that we exist in a country with such leadership with such policies? Hizbullah's crime is that it stands in the face of the "Israeli" scheme and its crime is that it carries the woes of the Nation."

His Eminence noted that "Israel" and the US want to punish the resistance, and the March 14 camp is putting all its capabilities to realize this goal in return for power in the country, wondering "Is this a mentality that protects Lebanon from the threats in the region and from the "Israeli" daily threats? Is this a competent mentality that can find a defense strategy to protect Lebanon, its sovereignty and pride?" Hizbullah leader also questioned "Can this mentality make Lebanon a State? Is this how they reward the resistance for liberating the Land and retrieving the dignity of Lebanon, as well as defeating the "Israeli" enemy?"
Sayyed Nasrallah assured that this camp, "Israel", money, or the strongest army in the region can harm the resistance.

He noted that it is in the interest of the Lebanese to cooperate together in order to overpass their problems.

Moving on to the latest crisis in the Ivory Coast, Sayyed Nasrallah said that the Lebanese people in the Ivory Coast are from the different Lebanese regions and sects, and that Lebanon is before a national crisis as tens of thousands of Lebanese families living in Abidjan to make a living. His Eminence said there has been total absence of the government and its position concerning the crisis in the Ivory Coast, and that instead of having a unified stance on the crisis, PM Hariri and his deputies "open fire" against the Foreign Ministry. Sayyed Nasrallah called on all sides to put disputes aside and stand together as there are thousands of families that have been badly targeted by this crisis.

The third point Sayyed Nasrallah tackled was caretaker PM Hariri's position on Iran. Slamming Hariri's stance on Iran, His Eminence assured the resistance is proud of its relation with the Islamic Republic "We are proud of our relation with Iran, of our alliance with Iran as well as with Syria and other countries".
Sayyed Nasrallah noted that when someone says Iran is an enemy to Lebanon and that it is the reason of crisis in Lebanon rather than "Israel" and the US, particularly when the PM says as such, then it is the language and mentality of "Israel". He noted that Iran stood by Lebanon in the reconstruction process, and that it has nothing to do with the toppling of the government or so.

Moving on to the Bahrain crisis, Sayyed Nasrallah noted that the decision to expel 10 Lebanese expatriates from Bahrain is a mistake. He reminded of a similar situation, when many in Lebanon cursed Syria and conspired against it in 2005, yet Syria did not expel any Lebanese living on its land. Sayyed Nasrallah said Bahrain's decision reflects irresponsibility of the Bahraini authorities and that if they think such a move would constitute pressure on Lebanon, then they are wrong.

Hizbullah leader called on the Bahraini authority to avoid such a step as it would be a mistake, and will not achieve any goals, noting that it will rather cause more complications. He explained that the Lebanese expatriates subjected to pressure or expulsion in Bahrain or any other Gulf country, such as the Lebanese who have been expelled from the UAE without any justification, do not represent the stances of the Resistance, they are only citizens trying to live.

On another note, Sayyed Nasrallah tacked the Roumieh prison issue. He pointed out that the major issue is that the prisons are very crowded, which is unjust towards the prisoners, also the prosecution process takes too long, and people cannot tolerate the situation any longer. Sayyed Nasrallah said that unfortunately again Hizbullah is accused of such a crisis, but he explained that this is an accustion the resistance will not accept, stressing that the issue should be resolved.

Last but not least, Sayyed Nasrallah tackled the government formation process, noting that since the first day of the parliamentary consultations, a sectarian language was used. He reiterated that the Shiites were not the ones to name the Prime Minsiter Designate, rather, the parliamentary blocs did which is a constitutional process. Hizbullah leader reiterated that the sectarian language the March 14 have been using since 2005 is to no avail.

Hizbullah Secretary General also stated that it is normal that the government formation process would take a lot of time,especially when the government has a sectarian nature and there exist several forces. Sayyed Nasrallah said that all sides are facing pressures. "Today they say that Hizbullah wants to delay the government formation, but this is not true, because we want a government to be formed as soon as possible," Sayyed said adding "We are all determined to face obstacles and pressures to form a government as soon as possible."