Sayyed Nasrallah’s Full Speech after the Demonstration in Solidarity with Al-Quds
Local Editor
The speech of Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah at the end of the mass demonstration organized by the group in Beirut's southern suburb [Dahyieh] in solidarity with Al-Quds and in rejection of the American decision 11-12-2017
I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Satan, in the name of Allah the Most Gracious the Merciful, Praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds, and prayers and peace be upon the master of creation and honorable of messengers, our master Abi Al-Qasim Muhammad Bin Abdullah and his good and pure family and all his companions and all the prophets and messengers.
Peace and God's mercy and blessings be upon you all.
I thank you for this massive presence and this great solidarity. You are the people of resistance and the people of loyalty. You were and still are filling the fields and squares. So once again, peace and God's mercy and blessings be upon you oh most honorable people, most generous people and most pure people.
You, who a few weeks ago and in this particular area, were with your master Abu Abdullah al-Hussein (peace be upon him), declaring your commitment to Palestine, Al-Quds, the cause of the oppressed and defending the sanctities. You told him on the tenth day [of Mu?arram] and again today, in the face of the blatant American Zionist aggression against Al-Quds, Muslim and Christian sanctities, on the people of Palestine, and on the whole nation, we renew our stance, steadfastness and our commitment until victory or martyrdom. Let the whole world hear what we said in these squares weeks ago: I would never leave you oh Hussein.
Al-Husein today is the title of the oppressed. He is the title of the heavenly religion and the sanctities on earth, which are being attacked.
Dear brothers and sisters, I welcome you all and all those who participated in this great mass rally, from the parties, movements and national and Islamic forces, especially the brothers and sisters in the Amal Movement, as well as our esteemed people in the Palestinian camps - the Palestinians of the Diaspora, the Palestinians of the camps, who still hold on to the right of return, reject resettlement and the alternative homeland, and raise their children and grandchildren with the dream of returning to Palestine, all of Palestine.
This dream is one that will be achieved, and very soon, God willing.
Dear brothers: The nature of the meeting and the occasion cannot accommodate lengthy introductions. Let me briefly read and begin with the headings.
First, on behalf of all of you, we pay tribute to the Palestinian people in the occupied territories of Gaza, the West Bank, Al-Quds, the 48 in Bait Al-Maqdis (Al-Quds) and in the patronage of Bait Al-Maqdis, for its historic stance and rapid movement shortly after the American aggression's decision announced by Trump recognizing Al-Quds as the capital of "Israel". This steadfast and sacrificing nation that is today facing with its chest, stones, unbridled grip and knives this aggression in defense of Al-Quds and the sanctities of the whole nation, the sanctities of all Muslims in the world and the sanctities of all Christians in the world. From all of us, we salute them and give them all the praise, appreciation, honor and respect.
Secondly, we should highly appreciate all the positions that have been issued rejecting this blatant and obnoxious American aggression against Al-Quds, the Palestinian cause, and the dignity of this nation.
Among them, we must appreciate the positions of all countries, presidents and governments in the world who rejected Trump's decision and did not support it. This is an important thing that must be noticed by all our Arab and Islamic people that are engaged in this confrontation these days. Trump and his administration imagined that when he declares his recognition of Al-Quds as the capital of "Israel", with all the arrogance and insolence that we have seen from him, the whole world will submit to him, and the capitals of the world from Europe to the Arab and Islamic worlds, from Russia to China, Canada, Latin America, and Australia would follow suit.
But he was faced with the world rejecting his arrogance and insolence. Trump and his administration seemed estranged, alone and isolated, standing only "Israel"- the usurper entity and the firm stakeholder in this decision. This is very important and must be built on. Arab and Muslim governments should work to fortify the stances of these countries rejecting the recognition of Al-Quds as the capital of "Israel" because tomorrow the work will begin with them. State after state, government after another, public calls and secret calls will be made so that recognitions start pouring in. This is what Netanyahu aspires for and spoke about yesterday.
We should also appreciate the historical stances of all Islamic religious authorities, Sunni and Shia, from Najaf to the holy city of Qom to the permanent position of His Eminence Imam Sayyid Khamenei, the Grand Sheikh of Al-Azhar, the Christian religious authorities, the Coptic Pope, the Christian Patriarchs, and all the different authorities especially in the Mashriq and in the Arab Mashriq.
We must highly appreciate all the popular movements in their various media forms: the sit-ins, demonstrations, statements, and especially the demonstrations that took place in many capitals and cities in the Arab and Islamic world, where the crowds have expressed their anger and condemnation of this aggression as well as their commitment and concern over Al-Quds and Palestine. I call on political commentators, political analysts and preachers, especially those who are from our axis, not to underestimate these demonstrations, movements and stances and show their true extent. Of course, this is not enough. [It's] true, but they are very important, required and a must at this stage, especially following the feeble years that we have seen in our Arab and Islamic world, including sedition and tribulations. During these years our people were meant to forget Palestine and Al-Quds and drown in its sedition, pains, sorrows and battles and internal conflicts.
Today and after all the events that have taken place in our region, popular demonstrations in the streets, public gatherings, the people and the elite expressing their rejection of the American aggression on Al-Quds in all forms and showing their solidarity with Palestine and their commemoration of the Palestinian cause must be one of the necessary duties via the media, psychologically, morally, spiritually and politically. This should be one of the very important forms to overcome the results of the feeble years we have experienced recently.
I am addressing you, the ones demonstrating today in the suburb of loyalty and self-praise. I address all those who demonstrated and all the Arab and Islamic people and all the Arab and Islamic communities in the world. I tell them that your demonstrations today are of great importance in the context of the ongoing confrontation with this aggression. Know the value of your presence in the fields, squares, demonstrations, sit-ins, and on social networking sites and in all forms of expression. Because the bet was that you forgot, gave up and even got tired of [performing] the bare minimum.
Oh brothers and sisters. This popular embrace, which is expressed by the demonstrations and other [forms], constitutes a great moral support for the resistance and those standing up, even those who are fighting on the battlefields. We experienced this during the July War. Our brothers in Gaza went through this experience during multiple wars. Every demonstration, sit-in or rally, with few or large numbers, taking place anywhere in the world, increased our strength, determination and will, and made us feel that we were not alone.
Today, the Palestinian people on the front lines need this public and popular presence in all squares. The demonstrations today constitute the incubating environment for the entire resistance and confrontation movement that will escalate in the face of this aggression. Therefore, thanks to all those who demonstrated, attended and performed this duty. The call is to continue to participate, confront, and challenge. This is one form of confrontation.
Of course, today we may see some violations similar to what happened with the Bahraini delegation that went to occupied Palestine. This delegation does not represent the people of Bahrain, the Bahraini scholars, or the will of Bahrain. This delegation represents the brute authority in Bahrain. It was sent at this time, carrying the King's so-called message of peace, tolerance, co-existence and the likes. With who? With the occupiers, with those who usurp the sanctities, with those who are judiazing Al-Quds, with those who crush the bones of the Palestinian children in Palestine. It does not represent the people of Bahrain. The people of Bahrain took to the streets on Friday in all the towns and cities heeding the call of its scholars and leaders to express their solidarity with Palestine and Al-Quds. They were shot at, suppressed, and wounded. Many were arrested. This is a scandal for the authority in Bahrain. It oppresses its people and prevents them from demonstrating for Palestine, but at the same time sends a delegation to normalize ties with the enemy and the usurper entity. However, one of the benefits of the American decision -perhaps you hate a thing and it is good for you - is to separate the evil from the good not only in Bahrain but throughout the Arab and Islamic world and the entire world.
Also in the context of popular movements, we must mention and credit two peoples, who came out to defend Palestine under a hail of bullets, iron and in the atmosphere of killing. All the peoples in all the capitals came out, our respect for them, from Indonesia to the last Arab and Islamic country. But there are two peoples who came out, faced the bullets and came under fire: the Palestinian people and the Yemeni people who came out in Sana'a and Saada in the hundreds of thousands. Sana'a and Saada are being bombed every day and night by the US-backed Saudi-led aggression's air force - this country and this people. This confirms the magnanimity of the Yemeni people, its oppression and the fact of its position on the fundamental issues of this nation.
In the same popular context and before I turn to the political aspect of this position: we in Lebanon - and this address is to the Palestinians and to all the nation - we in Lebanon, today, are proud of our national consensus regarding Al-Quds and Palestine, the stance over Trump's condemned and deplorable decision by all the Lebanese people as a whole, the positions declared by His Excellency the President of the Republic , the Parliament Speaker, the parliamentary blocs and ministers in the extraordinary parliament meeting, as well as the [stance of] the Prime Minister, the various political forces and popular components in Lebanon, to the distinguished speech of the Lebanese Foreign Minister at the meeting of Arab States in Cairo. There were two distinct speeches, the Lebanese and Iraqi ones. From this demonstration on the Lebanese territory and in the southern suburb of Beirut, we - on your behalf to our people in Palestine now and at the end of the speech shortly - renew the pledge and the charter in Lebanon and [vow] to remain with Palestine and its people, with Al-Quds and its people, and with the Islamic and Christian sanctities, whatever the sacrifices.
It is astonishing that this Trumpan American aggression against Muslim and Christian holy sites in Al-Quds comes between the two cherished and dear occasions to both Muslims and Christians: the birth of the Prophet, the birthday of the great Prophet Muhammad bin Abdullah (peace be upon him and his household) and the birth of Jesus Christ (peace be upon him). We are witnessing today a real intifada (uprising) in spirit and in thought, in the stance, will, in the field, on the street, where Muslims and Christians forcefully join hands to defend their sanctities.
Dear brothers and sisters: In the immediate political side of the case, the results of Trump's decision and its dangers have begun to show quickly. On the second day, the enemy's government met and announced its intention to build 14,000 housing units in Al-Quds and to begin changing the Arab names of the streets there, and the rest will follow. All the dangers I spoke about days earlier. This requires us to be responsible. We must know that this American decision came in a context, not isolated or separated. It has something preceding it and something after it. When we go back to what preceded it, we will understand very well what happened in our region during the last few years in which we spoke about the American-Zionist project that some regional countries are supporting in order to destroy our countries, our government, our armies and our peoples. In 2011, we told you and today we remind you. We told you that the America that supports the Takfiri terrorist groups, with Daesh at the top, its real goal is to destroy our society and our communities. The goal is the liquidation of the Palestinian cause until the day comes when the people forget Palestine. Then, America comes and imposes the solution and compromise it wants which are consistent with its interests and the interests of the Zionists.
This is what we are witnessing today. But they are and will be disappointed. This is what came before. The aftermath of this move will affect Al-Quds. The Americans will tell all the Arab governments and the Palestinians, Al-Quds is outside their reach. Come let us continue the settlement. The goal of the settlement within the American-"Israeli" project - backed by some Arab countries - appears to be the liquidation of the Palestinian cause and the coming dangers for the Palestinian people, for the rest of the Palestinian territory, for the Palestinian sovereignty, and for the Palestinian refugees. So it has something that comes after. It comes in a context [but] we should not ponder too much in the moment. We should not stop at this station. Even though this station is important and dangerous. Stopping at it is to face it and not to stand still.
The whole nation must face this dangerous American aggressive project. Responsibility does not only fall on the Palestinian people, brothers and sisters, but on everyone. On the first level, the responsibility lies with the Palestinians, because they are the first line, because their steadfastness is the foundation, because their resistance and their uprisings are the most decisive factor. From here, we address the Palestinians and tell them: If you refuse as Palestinians - I mean everyone, the Palestinian factions, Palestinian forces, Palestinian authority, the Palestinian Liberation Organization, and the Palestinian people at home and abroad - if you refuse to submit to the American and some of the Arab dictations, if you do not sign on any project of this kind, if you insisted that Al-Quds is the eternal capital of Palestine and rejected Abu Idriss or Um Idriss and the Idriss famiy or anyone who supports Idriss, if you rejected that, nor Trump nor 1000 Trumps not even the entire world with all the countries united can take away your sanctities, your Al-Quds, and your land. You are the basis in any situation. If you stand, the world will stand by you, or at least some of it. But if you give up, whoever wants to stand for Al-Quds will be told do you want to be more Palestinian than the Palestinians? Do you want to be more royal than the king? Today, your position dear Palestinian people, who are resisting, patient, great and sacrificing, is the key to all the coming and future historical stage. The bet is on you. We are all concerned to stand with you and be by your side.
Dear Brothers and Sisters: Based on the above and on the results of this decision, I can say today, wholeheartedly that the argument has been made, the divine argument, the mental argument, the logical argument, all kinds of arguments that come to mind. The argument has been made following Trump's decision and the US administration's last performance. To all those who were still betting on America or a balanced position, the argument has been made to all those who bet on US intervention in favor of the Palestinians or Arab states and people at the expense of "Israel". The argument has been made to all those who have taken the path of futile negotiations. The time has come for everyone to know that America is not the sponsor of peace in Palestine and the region. The US made "Israel" and supports "Israel". The US is the sponsor of terrorism, occupation, judiazition, displacement, burning, destruction and sedition. America created Daesh and the Takfiri groups. The Uma's only stance in the face of America can be summed up in these words: Death to America.
The time has come for everyone to understand that America cannot be trusted. It is the enemy that everyone must be cautious of. It must be confronted condemned in all forums.
Second, dear brothers and sisters, now we are talking about the people, movements, parties, governments and countries of those who accept and listen. All political, popular and media efforts and pressures must be concentrated broadly on isolating the Zionist entity again. I am trying to get to the goals, to realistic points, the same way I did a few days ago. It is not important to raise slogans and raise the bar. This is good and tactically required, when it comes to public opinion and political education. But let me speak directly: One of the most important responses to Trump's decision to recognize Al-Quds as the capital of "Israel" and to consecrate "Israel" in the region is the total isolation of this entity through public and popular pressure in parliamentary assemblies, governments, parties, social networking sites and demonstrations in all forms - in governments and regimes in the Arab and Muslim world. [Pressure should also be exerted on] some elites who have given up and have normalized [ties with "Israel"]. Pressure should first be exerted on some Arab and Muslim states to cut off relations with "Israel". This should be a central goal in the current stage. Pressure should be exerted on governments to cut off relations, close "Israeli" embassies and end any contact with the "Israelis"; to end all contact with the Zionists - Arab or Palestinian - to stop and prevent any form of normalization, to activate the boycotting in all Arab and Muslim countries. I tell our people in Al-Quds and our people in Palestine: Any delegation that comes to you to normalize [ties], whatever it be, wearing a turban or carrying a crescent or wearing a crucifix on his chest, a tribal sheikh old or young, whoever comes to Palestine to normalize [ties], expel him, hit him with slippers, stone him because he does not represent his people. When he returns, his government should hold him accountable. If not, his people will.
Thus, (what is required) is political pressure to isolate "Israel", to isolate this entity. The most important step that are required of the Palestinian Authority in all reality, even if we spoke pragmatically, even if we spoke about the tactic of negotiations, my brother, even if you do not want to get out of the negotiations, in tactic tell them, seriously tell them, we are done with the negotiation process; we are done with the settlement process if Trump does not back track from this decision. When Trump back tracks from his decision and you want to return to negotiations, this is your affair. The least you can do here is that the Palestinian Authority, the Arab League, and the Summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in Istanbul after two days declare the cessation of the peace process. Not that the Arab peace initiative is still on the table. They should tell the Americans we are done, there is nothing on the table, back track from this decision, and we will return to the table. Even politically and tactically this is a logic of strength, an effective logic, although we do not believe in the course of negotiations at all.
Thirdly, the most important thing, brothers and sisters, is that the response to the Trump decision should be an intifada (uprising), as the Palestinian leaders have called. We in Lebanon and no one in the axis of resistance or any place in the world can dictate to the Palestinians what to do. The Palestinians were always pioneers in resistance, popular confrontations, and the intifada. They were great teachers in this school. The Palestinians themselves decide what they should do. They say and we repeat with them: Let us all take responsibility with them.
Yes, brothers and sisters, I want to say today that the most important [response], absolutely, the most important response to Trump's aggressive decision is to declare a third Palestinian intifada on the entire occupied Palestinian territory. This is the great and real response. It is the responsibility of the Palestinians in the first place. The Arab and Islamic world should stand by their side and support them.
Today, I declare that I want to speak not only on behalf of Hezbollah, but on behalf of the entire axis of resistance, and I know their views and positions and [I am] in contact with all states, people, factions and movements. I want to say the following: Dear brothers and sisters, the people of Palestine, and the people of the region. Today the axis of resistance and the countries of the axis of resistance emerge from the plight of past years. Despite the wounds and pains that have afflicted it, it emerges victorious, strong, and solid. This axis is almost done with its battles in the region and defeated all the takfiri tools used by America and "Israel" to topple and crush it. Today, the axis of the resistance, including Hezbollah, makes its top priority and dedicates all its time to Al-Quds, Palestine, the Palestinian people and the Palestinian resistance involving all its factions and brigades. We are betting on everyone to stand by you and with all available means.
Today, I call for the reunion of all the resistance fighters to fill the ranks after the weak years, to heal the wounds that have afflicted this honorable body with pain and injuries over the past years. I call on all resistance factions in the region and all those who believe in the resistance in the region to communicate and meet to clarify the great position. No one will say do you want to discuss the position. The position is done. The position is that we have to face this aggression to restore Al-Quds and for Al-Quds and the Palestinian cause to remain steadfast in attempts to defeat it. To meet, for what? To develop a unified strategy for the confrontation. So that all of us can face it with one clear and defined strategy. To develop an integrated field and operational plan in which roles are divided and efforts are integrated in this major confrontation. We, in Hezbollah and the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon, will carry on with our responsibility in full in this field.
Oh, people of Palestine and the people of the region: You must trust in your God and the promise of Allah to you. If you support Allah, He will support you and plant firmly your feet. If Allah should aid you, no one can overcome you. If we supported God with our presence and unity, met, held our responsibilities, filled the squares and fields, did not fall back, fret, and did not back down, Allah will aid us. Trust in God. Trust in your nation that you are meant to despair of, trust in the movements of resistance and in the axis of resistance, which enters a battlefield and emerges from it victorious, the axis of resistance, which carried the nation from the era of defeats to the era of victories.
Brothers and sisters and the people of Palestine: They wanted this decision to be the beginning of the end for Al-Quds and the Palestinian cause. Come, let us together make this foolish American decision the beginning of the end of this usurping entity forever. Let our slogan, methodology and our program be: Death to "Israel".
This is what must be done. We must transform the threat into an opportunity and this danger into an achievement. We should transform this diplomatic and political defeat of the Arab governments into a victory for the nation, the people, Palestine, and the sanctities.
Today, so as not to say I did not comment, today or yesterday Netanyahu, from Paris, threatened Lebanon, the resistance in Lebanon and the Lebanese with so and so. He wants to distort the course. He wants to make the matter now over Hezbollah's weapon and rockets and the talk about rocket factories in Lebanon. Today, I will not respond to him. The path, the center and the direction must be Al-Quds. Al-Quds the eternal capital. Al-Quds, which we will not give up. Al-Quds, which the Palestinians refer to and we the Lebanese and all our Arab and Islamic people, should repeat: ‘To Al-Quds we are heading, martyrs in the millions.'
The atmosphere that is intended for you, for the Palestinian people, and for the nation is to live in despair. I tell you with confidence and all certainty, I did not see visions. I do not tell stories. One plus one equals two, in equations, victories, rules of engagement, the possibilities being prepared, the axis of resistance that rises again, the changes in the world, and the trust in God's promise, Trump's decision will be the beginning of the end for "Israel", God willing.
Now, I did not like today - I do not want to take longer than that - I did not like to prolong but I took too long. But this is our stand, this is our position, this is our commitment and forever. We, in Lebanon, the country of resistance, the people of resistance, the country of sacrifice, the country of martyrs, the country of the great and the country of victories, we were with Palestine before 1948 - our grandfathers and fathers. We stayed with Palestine, and we will stay with Palestine until the Muslims pray in Al Aqsa Mosque and the Christians in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher (Church of the Resurrection). We repeat and say: We will not leave Palestine and we will not leave Al-Quds, and we will not leave our Al-Aqsa because today represents the title for which Abu Abdullah Al-Hussein, peace be upon him, was martyred for. As we started we will conclude and say: ‘I would never leave you, oh Hussein.'
Source: Hezbollah Media Relations, Translated by website team
