Sayyed Nasrallah’s Full Speech at the ’Loyalty to Land’ Electoral Rally in Baalbek, Zahle on May 1st, 2018

Hezbollah's Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah's Speech at the "Loyalty to Land" electoral rally in Baalbek and Zahle

Local Editor

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 our Master and Prophet, the Seal of the Prophets Abi Al-Qasim Muhammad Bin Abdullah, his good and pure family, all his good and chosen companions and all the prophets and messengers.

Peace and God's mercy and blessings be upon you.

I am addressing you via satellite [not in person] as a result of your love, compassion, chivalry and loyalty as well as your declaration over the last few weeks of this loyalty and this stance. There was no need for this risk. Your elders, scholars, tribes, women, and children even prohibited that I be present among you.

This was natural and expected. I thank all those who have expressed their position, solidarity and support in the last few weeks.

I thank all the tribes, families, individuals, men, women, old and young people who expressed their support and firm stance in the face of all the rumors, analysis and false expectations as well as media attacks that have focused on the Bekaa region, especially the Baalbek-Hermel area, since the first day of the electoral campaign.

To all those who sent me petitions signed in blood or ink, to all those who sent their ancestors' swords which were used to fight against the colonizers and occupiers, to all those who sent me the rifles of their fathers and forefathers that symbolize the resistance, its spirit and culture in the Bekaa and Baalbek-Hermel, and to all those who sent me honorary shields, I thank them and I humbly express my gratitude and love. I have always and will continue to consider myself one of them; one of their sons who lived his youth among them and learned the meaning of chivalry, taking a stance, and fierce loyalty.

This is the stronghold of Imam Musa al-Sadr, may God bring him and his brothers back well. This is the stronghold of the master of the martyrs of the Islamic Resistance, Sayyed Abbas al-Musawi. This is the stronghold of the martyrs, leaders of martyrs and Mujahideen who fill the battlefields from the Bekaa to the South, from the Bekaa to Syria and from the Bekaa to wherever we must be. They showed heroism and courage here as expected. This is the Bekaa. This is Baalbek-Hermel. This is Zahle. This is the Bekaa, which will express its identity and loyalty on May 6, God willing.

Second, I congratulate you on the anniversary of the birth of Imam Mahdi. Tonight is the eve of mid Sha'ban, the eve of his birthday, the birth of the lasting hope for all the oppressed and the tormented in this world. Our prayer is always that God hasten his coming to fill the earth with justice after it has been beset by injustice, aggression, arrogance and intimidation. This night is a blessed night for all Muslims. It is a night of supplications and asking for blessings from God Almighty. I hope this will be the subject of your attention.

Third, Today is Labor Day. We congratulate the workers in Lebanon and throughout the world. We congratulate them on their day and affirm our support for them. 1400 years ago, Islam confirmed the moral position of the hard-working labors. It raised the status of those who are working hard for the sake of their children and made them similar to the Mujahideen in the path of Allah. This is from a moral perspective. It also emphasized that they be provided with their full materialistic rights.

We were supposed to have two celebrations: the Baalbek celebration and the Zahle celebration. But the weather conditions have postponed these festivals until today.

The goal of the common rally whether in the district of Baalbek or Zahle is related to two lists and two constituencies. In the district of Zahle, support goes to the Zahle - Choice and Decision List. In Baalbek-Hermel, support goes to Loyalty and Hope List. The issues and concerns are almost identical [in the two areas], and there is no detail that distinguishes Zahle from Baalbek-Hermel so there is no need to separate them into two regions.

Because the division is an administrative one, there is a single headline, which is the common issues and concerns in security, development, politics, the future, and the destiny of the country. It is one area with the same concerns and issues with some varying details at times.

As for the Zahle list, it is made up of respected political figures and forces from the Zahle district. It includes six candidates. Hezbollah has one candidate. The candidate is for both Hezbollah and the Amal movement. The figures hail from all the sects. This is their list and not Hezbollah's one - as some are trying to portray and give it this political or sectarian color. Unfortunately this is the language adopted nowadays.

We are friends and allies in Zahle's ‘Choice and Decision' electoral list. The objective of this list that includes Hezbollah is for the candidates to represent the people of this constituency in the Parliament, raise the issues and concerns and serve them. Hence, the objective is neither to change the identity of Zahle nor to confiscate its freedom to decide. The goal in participating in the Zahe list is to contribute to the region's representation, responsibility and service. Our allies in the Zahle - Choice and Decision List are independent, national figures and forces who have their own choices. They have responsibilities towards the area before and after winning. They will be independent in their choices and positions. But we certainly agree with them when it comes to service, correct representation and other national choices.

As for the Loyalty and Hope List in the Baalbek-Hermel constituency, it is different. Here in Baalbek-Hermel, the Loyalty and Hope List reflects Baalbek-Hermel's political identity, Baalbek-Hermel's identity of resistance, as well as Baalbek-Hermel's position on major and internal issues. The list's battle here is different. The battle here is preserving the identity and maintaining the decision. At the same time, we recognize the other [party's] natural right to win and represent the people of Baalbek-Hermel if they secure the desired electoral outcome. This is natural as we expect in Zahle. We hope that the others will look at it this way too. This also applies to Western Bekaa, Rashaya and the rest of the electoral constituencies. The proportional representation law that we have called for, struggled for and sought to be fulfilled will give the others the chance to win. For example, we knew from the beginning that the proportionality law will give the others outside our list to win (one MP more or less). It is related to the intensity of the votes. But someone outside the Loyalty and Hope list winning in Baalbek-Hermel is the natural principle [of the proportionality law] and a requirement for diversity in the region. We have accepted this law even though it could cost us losing a seat or more in Baalbek-Hermel. However, it gives us, our allies, our friends, and a lot of people who were prevented by the majority law from representation the chance to be represented.

Today, the opportunities [of representation] in Zahle, in the Western Bekaa, in Rashaya, in Beirut II, in Beirut I, and in the rest of the districts in Lebanon are offered by the blessing of this proportional representation law. Thus, the list's battle here is political. It is different from the battle in the Zahle district. This is the slight difference between the two districts and lists. But as for the rest of the headlines that I will be discussing, they all fall under one title.

The first thing to emphasize is that this area, the Bekaa region in general and Baalbek-Hermel Zahle in particular, have enjoyed and continue to enjoy a sectarian and religious variety. They embrace Muslims and Christians, Shiites, Sunnis, Catholics, Maronites, Orthodox, Armenians and other followers of religious sects. Throughout the past decades, this national, social and humanitarian fabric has been largely preserved.

Despite the circumstances of the civil war in Lebanon, the Bekaa was largely able to isolate itself from this war with the blessing of senior leaders and dignitaries, including His Eminence Imam Musa al-Sadr, whose stances toward the people of this region and their sectarian diversity were well-known.

The first thing that must be emphasized in any speech and in any practice is that this social fabric and diversity must be preserved and maintained. All the talk in the Bekaa, especially in Baalbek-Hermel, and what was said in previous years during the battle of the Eastern Chains about a demographic change or an attempt to hurt the presence of a certain sect or doctrine are lies and allegations that have been revealed. All this diversity must be preserved. People in this region with their different affiliations share the same concerns.

The whole region is deprived. There is nothing called the deprivation of the Shiites, the deprivation of the Sunnis or the deprivation of the Christians. The deprivation that was befalling Bekaa and still befalls all the people of the Bekaa does not distinguish between sects. The security flaw affects everyone. There are no people living safely while others live without security. When the Takfiri threat and terrorists arrived in the Eastern chain, they posed a danger to everyone, to the Muslims and Christians, to the palace, to Hermel, to Qaa, to Deir al-Ahmar, to Arsal, to Baalbek, to Rasm al-Hadath, to Zahle, to Rayak , to Ali al-Nahri and to all of the Bekaa.

The threat was to all of Lebanon. The "Israeli" threat is a threat to all. If internal security is achieved, everyone will enjoy peace, development and protection. The dignity that your victories make is the dignity of the whole region, not for certain people or a certain sect.

At the beginning, I liked to start from here to say that we view the region and its entire people, regardless of their sectarian, partisan or political affiliations as family and brethren, who are all concerned with one fate, one security, one dignity and one bliss.

[At no stage] during the elections or not should anyone resort to sectarian fanaticism, dividing people and inciting them for political gain or to win a parliamentary seat. This stabs the heart of the region, the homeland and coexistence.

The headlines:

The first headline:

Services and Development: I will speak frankly about certain things.

The first headline is the services and development in this area. Generally speaking, this region has suffered from deprivation and neglect since the establishment of the State of Greater Lebanon in 1920 before it became a part of the State of Greater Lebanon. We will talk starting from the creation of the Lebanese state.

The Lebanese state and the successive governments dealt with the regions on the outskirts with neglect and deprivation. This was not the Bekaa's problem alone. The North and the South as well as the rest of the areas that were integrated into the State of Greater Lebanon suffered from neglect and deprivation at the hands of successive governments. This confirms that the background is not a sectarian background because there are Muslims and Christians, Sunnis, Shiites and Druze in the Bekaa and the South. Why did the state deal with the regions of the parties, including the Bekaa, with these policies of deprivation and neglect? This is a long research that needs time.

The state was negligent. We do not want to talk about history. 1992 was our first presence in the Parliament. The people of Baalbek-Hermel and Bekaa remember that our participation in the Parliament was politically motivated, to represent the resistance and defend it. It was not for development and service. In all the speeches I delivered in 1992, 1996 and 2000, I was very clear in this area yet we did not give up our natural responsibilities. Before 1992, we worked to service and develop the region with our own potential or through the support we were getting from the Islamic Republic of Iran.

The MPs also made efforts from 1992 to 1996, from 1992 to 2018.

So as not to make a list and waste time, I asked the brothers to prepare a booklet in which they spoke only about seven years, not from 1992, but from the last seven years regarding the services that were presented. Even though we were busy with the greatest and most dangerous war in the Bekaa and Syria, during the past seven years, services were provided through the state as well as through ministers and deputies. Here, I mean everyone, the Amal movement and Hezbollah, all the deputies who were representatives of the region, and also through the municipalities and through the personal capabilities of Hezbollah and its allies.

This booklet is supposed to have been distributed and you must have seen it. The extent of the services provided during the seven years was great. But I would like to say one sentence: ‘for those who are discussing development, you are discussing with a side that was fighting "Israel" and the Takfiris and shouldering 20 large dossiers. Still, look at what it has done in developing the region from 1992 until 2018. Simply, recall the area before 1992 and look at it now on all levels, the infrastructure, the roads, the highways, the electricity, the water, the telephone, the hospitals, the health, the environment, etc.

We will find that there are great services that have been completed and presented. Of course, they are not enough and are not convincing. We cannot be content at any level, even if it is important or respectable.

Therefore, today these lists include sides that have provided Baalbek-Hermel and Zahle with these clear services.

On the other hand, there are lists in Baalbek-Hermel, and I do not want to talk about them. I will only talk about one list, and I will call it the other list for short. The other list is supported locally by the Future Movement and the Lebanese Forces party and regionally supported by Saudi Arabia. This is the other list, which you know.

The rest of the lists in Zahle include our friends and us. We are not going to fight on decision-making in Zahle but on natural representation. However, we will fight in Baalbek-Hermel. From the very first day a battle was imposed on us, and we have to deal with it as a battle. The other list, supported by the Future Movement and the Lebanese Forces, is now saying or some are saying that ‘the resistance has made sacrifices on our expense, but we are coming to serve the people of the region'. I would like to ask you a question. I will not go back to the time 1992. From 1992 until today, who do we mean when we say the government? It means the prime minister, the government and the government's basic ministries in 1992 until today. The premiership was headed by the Future Movement. The Future Movement headed the Ministry of Finance. The basic service institutions were headed by the Future Movement. Right or not?

I am not making accusations out of the blue. I am talking about the facts that everyone knows since 1992. There are only a few years which were under the leadership of the great national leader and national conscience, His Eminence, Salim al-Hoss. You all know that within two years, he was not given a chance to breathe. There is also the period in which His Eminence Najib Miqati managed the government. Some accused the government of belonging to Hezbollah. They fought it and boycotted it.

With the exception of these two short periods and several months managed by the late Prime Minister Omar Karami, may God have mercy on him, except for these short periods, from 1992 to 2018, the Prime Minister belongs to the Future Movement. The Minister of Finance also belongs to the Future Movement. The service institutions is also in the hands of the Future Movement.

What did the Future Movement provide to Zahle, to the Baalbek-Hermel region, not to the Shiites, I am speaking on a sectarian basis? What did it offer to all the people of the region? Even if you wanted to speak on a sectarian basis, what did it give the Sunnis in Baalbek-Hermel? What did it offer to Arsal? What did it offer to the Sunnis of Baalbek-Hermel? What did it offer to the Sunnis of central Bekaa except promises and sectarian incitement and discourse? They exploited the blood of martyr Rafiq Hariri in addresses, and now they are back to the Syrian guardianship speeches.

Between quotations, let those who are talking about the Syrian guardianship of the people be frank with them. If you are afraid of the guardianship, this means admit that the [Syrian] government will remain [in power] and that it won. You admit that Syria will remain and that the Saudi-American project as well as the Gulf countries in Syria have failed. Hence, the lives, livelihood, security, communication, economy, and borders of the people of the Bekaa have always been with the people of Syria. Their interests today fall within this political line and in this political axis.

We return to the services and development. What have they offered the region? Since 1992, we have been struggling to form a development council in Baalbek-Hermel. We use to negotiate under the table. The answer was ‘this is impossible and not permissible'. They used to tell us ‘we want to dissolve the other councils. We do not want to form new ones.'

The other list supported by the Future Movement has been responsible from 1992 until today for depriving and neglecting you. They were responsible for denying you access to services. So, who will elect on May 6? Will elect those who were at your service as much as possible and yet were busy fighting in the war and defending you or those who turned their backs on you, left you and give up on you? What do reason, logic, loyalty and sincerity say?

Will you vote for the actions that you have witnessed over the past decades or the unfulfilled promises by the Future Movement to the people of the Bekaa?

Second address, social security, also on the subject of social security are common to all people in the region sometimes there are thieves and people who are not "people" and people who attack people, there are people who engage in a clash for the most trivial reasons, killing the killing. In the last years and now in the campaign, some have tried to hold Hezbollah and the Amal movement primarily as a social security responsibility in Baalbek Hermel and in the Bekaa.

The second title is regarding social security. This issue is also common to all people in the region. Sometimes there are thieves and inhumane people who attack others. There are people who start fights for the most trivial reasons and people get killed. In the past few years and today during the electoral campaign, some have tried to hold Hezbollah and the Amal Movement primarily responsible for social security in Baalbek-Hermel and in the Bekaa.

During the celebration held in the area of Ain Bordai near Ras al-Ain in Baalbek, when we celebrated the second liberation, I tackled this subject in detail, but I will mention it briefly. The responsibility of social security is the responsibility of the state. The state neglected this issue. The responsibility of the army and the official security forces that are funded from the state's treasury and taxes is the responsibility of the state. Social security is the responsibility of the state. We do not allow anyone to hold Hezbollah, the Amal Movement, the Nationalist Party, the Association of Islamic Charitable Projects or any party included today in this list responsible for social security.

This is not permissible. Yes, we have over the past period done and demanded. During the past period we have pursued and demanded. They always accuse us of not wanting the state. Most of the people who worked to bring the army and the security forces to the Bekaa and take full responsibility, especially in Baalbek-Hermel, were our allies, friends and us.

My brothers and sisters in the Bekaa, especially in Baalbek-Hermel those who want to tell us ‘come, let the youth of Hezbollah take control of the security' is conspiring against Hezbollah and against the people of the region. Who do they mean by Hezbollah in the Bekaa? They mean the son of a certain family and the son of a certain tribe. Let us assume that a group of Hezbollah's security forces arrested someone. Clashes ensue, and one person is killed. The member of Hezbollah belongs to a certain tribe, the person killed belong to another tribe. So they make tribes fight each other. Those who hold Hezbollah and the Amal Movement responsible for social security in the region are conspiring against the people and tribes of this region. They do not want it to have security. They want the tribes to fight. They want more bloodshed and vengeance.

The right thing to do is for everyone in the region to demand that the government take firm decisions in assuming the security responsibility in the region. If anyone has any information or indication that Hezbollah, Amal or the allied parties in the Hope and Loyalty List as well as in Zahle's Choice and Decision List are providing cover for the thieves, those who disrupt security, murderers or criminals, just send it to me. In social networking sites, the people say what they want. Our decision is resolute. We do not provide cover for anyone and we will not provide cover for anyone. But we must cooperate together. I tell you that if you support these lists, it will be more able to put pressure on the government and the state to assume their responsibility for social security.

The third title is related to the protection and defense of the region over the past seven years. Seven years ago, the entire Bekaa was threatened. All of its villages and towns, its people, all the Muslims and the Christians were threatened. Is this true or not? All of Lebanon was threatened because Syria was threatened, and the threat actually reached our eastern border. The speeches of the armed groups that were present in the Eastern chains were clear and public. They wanted to enter villages and towns to establish bases. They were talking about marching towards Beirut. All these were documented in pictures and recordings. The Bekaa's border villages including the Sunnis, Shiites and Christians were the most vulnerable and under threat. As usual and similar to what happened in the South in 1948, the state gave up on the Bekaa's the security issue in confronting the Takfiris during those seven years. It is true the army was present but there was not decision within the army to fight. There was no decision within the army to attack the sites of the terrorist groups and expel them from Lebanese territory. [The absence of the decision to fight] was either because of the pretext of self-exclusion or the pretext of sectarian headlines or for some other reason. The other reason is that some political forces in Lebanon that were also present in the government were related to the terrorist groups that threatened our people in the Bekaa. They were providing them with morale, media and political cover. They spoke about them as rebels. They delivered food, medicine, ammunition and money to the outskirts, namely the Future Movement and the Lebanese Forces.

Let us talk about the [Lebanese] Forces here. This is another list. You, the people of the Bekaa and Baalbek-Hermel, took the decision to defend. You did not wait for the state or the government. You acted the way you did with the resistance in the face of the "Israeli" aggression. You took the decision to defend your towns and villages, your families, women, children, existence, churches and mosques. Didn't you? Hezbollah stood by your side with all its formation in the Bekaa. It brought its fighters from the South, from the Suburbs, from Jbeil, and from all the Lebanese areas. This Eastern Chain testifies to your martyrs, the martyrs of the people of the Bekaa, the martyrs of the people of the South, the people of the Suburbs, the people of Beirut and the rest of Lebanon in defending the Bekaa and Baalbek-Hermel. What did the state do? What did the government do? Of course, when it came to settling the battle - although the army was present and ready and has been calling for them to make a decision and they did not - in the end the acted.

On the sixth of May, I ask you, O people of Baalbek-Hermel and the people of Zahle, who will you vote for? Will you vote for those who defended you, who supported your defense, who gave their blood, their children and their loved ones to defend your families or those who prevented the army from defending you? More than that, will you vote for those who conspired with the armed groups to overrun your towns and villages? This is the title of the other list. My business is not with people, the son of so and so and so. We respect all people. I am talking about the political identity of the other list. The other list in Baalbek-Hermel is supported by the Future Movement and the Lebanese Forces. It is supported by the political parties that stood by the terrorist armed groups that wanted to occupy all of the Bekaa. Who are you going to vote for on May 6? For those who defended you or those who left you in the middle of the battlefield and conspired against you, unfortunately?

Blood is the most precious thing. The child is the most precious thing. The soul is the most precious thing. You gave blood. Has the asphalt become more precious than blood? Has the road and drop of water become more precious than dignity, security and existence? My brother, a person must be present with his dignity to benefit from these blessings. What are the benefits of these blessings if you were displaced, slaughtered, killed or without dignity? What is the benefit of these blessings? This is a choice.

The fourth title is building the state, participating in setting laws and fighting corruption. We need an active presence [in the government].

Also, in short, because of the state's past negligence, we, the people of the regions have reached a point where we say that this state does not mean anything to us. It has no business with us. This culture must change. My brethren, we live in a country where there is a state and there is a government. There are files that cannot be dealt with by on a regional level. They cannot also be dealt with by one of the parties. The financial situation concerns all of Lebanon. The economic situation concerns all of Lebanon. You cannot dismantle it. Job opportunities and the solution for unemployment need a policy that is at the level of Lebanon. Security needs policy at the level of Lebanon. Everything including national files cannot be dismantled. Therefore, we must be present in the state. The people of the Bekaa as well as all the people in the border areas must regard the state as their state and the institutions as their institutions. They should take part in the government forcefully and take part in the fight against corruption.

During the past period, great efforts were exerted in the parliamentary committees, in the Finance and Budget Committee, in the Communications Committee and in other committees. A lot of files were revealed and pursued. Today, these two lists in Baalbek-Hermel and Zahle are the ones who will strongly represent you in the state as well as achieve and fulfill these titles. I shortened the address because it started raining there.

The last headline, God willing I will not prolong, is the resistance and the protection of the resistance. You the people of the Bekaa are the people of the resistance. You are partners in the resistance. You are the one who made this resistance from the city of Baalbek. From the school of Imam Mahdi (PBUH), Hezbollah emerged. The master of the resistance's martyrs, your sons, your resistance fighters, your blood and martyrs filled the battlefields. You have withstood the "Israeli" bombardment in the past. You are concerned with protecting it [the resistance]. As I have said a few weeks ago, to those who have given blood, you have to preserve this blood. You should protect your blood and the blood of your children with your votes. You have to protect the victories and achievements you paid dearly for with your votes. I explained this at length in Nabatieh, Tyre and during other occasions, and I will not repeat. Yes, the resistance needs political protection because there is an international conspiracy against it. There is an increasing regional conspiracy against it. There are now those who are ready to pay not one billion and two billion dollars. Because of his enmity to the axis of resistance, the Saudi Crown Prince is willing to pay hundreds of billions of dollars to the United States and "Israel" in a bid to incite them to another war in the (Middle East) region as well as inside. Yes, the resistance and the resistance's weapons need political protection. Your votes provide that protection.

Brothers and sisters, the agents in Syria were defeated. The agents failed and the tools fell. We are in front of a new stage. The war with the agents is almost over. But we can say that it is possible that war might start with the originals. Today, we do not know how "Israel" will act in Syria and where it will drag Syria, Lebanon and the region. The United State, "Israel" and Saudi Arabia have not been silent about the failure of their project in Syria, in Iraq or in Lebanon. Therefore, today we are in the heart of the battle. Lebanon with its people, its sovereignty, its oil, its gas, its security, its dignity and its freedom are still in the heart of the battle. We are still in need of the golden triple equation: the army, the people and the resistance. We need your votes to destroy their projects.

The other list in Baalbek-Hermel is the list that includes those who declare daily that your weapons are illegitimate. They daily declare that they want to disarm the resistance. They declare every day their affiliation to the other axis. It is true that we agree to coexistence and cooperation. But this is the political identity of some of the other lists. I want to tell you one detail that happened in Zahle and Baalbek-Hermel. Some candidates approach some people, who are not with the resistance. They tell them ‘vote for us and give us your preferential vote so we can disarm the resistance'. When they approach other people affiliated with the resistance, they tell them ‘we are with the resistance, but we are our disagreement is over services and development.' This is hypocrisy. This hypocrisy is being practiced in Baalbek-Hermel, Zahle constituency and other districts.

Also on the subject of the resistance, supporting and protecting it, your votes here are a firm and a decisive responsibility.

Dear brothers and sisters, I will suffice with this amount and conclude. We do not claim perfection or infallibility in all that I have mentioned. We make mistakes and have shortcomings. Some brothers and sisters have more mistakes and shortcoming in one place than another, not only in Baalbek-Hermel, I am being transparent. In all the districts, they had remarks on the performance of some of the brothers and the performance of the party as well as the performance of the party's leadership. The deputies are not separated from the party. We will address [these shortcomings]. We, first of all, take the remarks and advice respectfully. We thank those who reveal our shortcomings and flaws. I seriously tell you that we will address these shortcomings and flaws. With regards to the subject of services and developments, this list will be one hand now more than ever. Hezbollah, the Amal Movement and all the allied forces will back it so that it will be able to present the best development, even if it needed a harsh political policy. In the political arena, in fighting corruption, in protecting the region, and in strategic choices, they will provide you with the best representation.

Brothers and sisters, with our national unity and not being distributed geographically and on a sectarian basis, we serve the region, protect it, protect the resistance and develop our country.

Allow me to say with all regret that for the first time in Baalbek-Hermel and Zahle district during the elections we hear a language that wants to incite, bring back and create sensitivities between the areas. We hear again the words you come from the Bekaa or from the South. Our strength is in our unity. Our strength is in our path that has been united by faith, blood and martyrdom. Where was Sayed Abbas martyred? [He was martyred] In the South. Where were the fighters from the South martyred? [They were martyred] in the hills of Bekaa while defending the people of Bekaa. It is shameful for me to be talking about this point in 2018. I do not want to discuss it further. But I tell you this. Those who stir geographical sentiments in Lebanon are serving the interests of "Israel", the enemies of Bekaa, the South and the resistance movement. It is shameful. Let me tell you that this is the ‘retreating whisperer'. The one who speaks this language in any region is a ‘retreating whisperer' [whispering evil]. They want to incite hatred, division and strife between the people of the same path and line. It is enough for you to hear this language and smell Satan in the mouths of these people.

I repeat and say that our strength is in our unity. If there are remarks related to development, jobs, services or the likes, people should sit and talk with each other responsibly. They should explain the circumstances and the backgrounds. They should cooperate finding the solution. Do not give way to anyone who seeks sedition, a spoiler or anyone who wants to destroy your ranks for the sake of a parliamentary seat or political gains.

Dear brothers and sisters, on election day on May 6, it is clear to us and we have divided our preferential vote in Zahle. In Baalbek-Hermel we also agreed and divided our preferential vote. The people should be informed.
It does not matter who takes more or who takes less in Baalbek-Hermel. There is no battle on leadership in the Hope and Loyalty List. There is no leader in Baalbek-Hermel who wants to be a leader through this list. The leader of Baalbek-Hermel is the path of the resistance. The leader of Baalbek-Hermel are the martyrs and their families. The leader of Baalbek-Hermel is Imam Musa al-Sadr and Sayyed Abbass al-Mousawi. The leader of Baalbek-Hermel is the honorable and national resistance choice. So there is no leadership project.

I wish that all our people to adhere to the division made by the electoral machines to ensure the best results in the Baalbek-Hermel and Zahle elections as well as in the rest of the constituencies.

Also on May 6 I tell you, the results of Baalbek-Hermel and Zahle depend on the intensity of your presence, the presence of the men and women and all of you who live in the region and live outside the region. May 6 is the day you announce your loyalty and renewed pledge to the blood of your martyrs and resistance that achieved victory. I am confident. This invitation is to all the districts in Lebanon. No one should regard this district as having no battle or regard that the constituency of the south, the Bekaa, Beirut, the mountain and the north are settled. All Lebanese people must take part in the battle of elections and be fully present.

I conclude by saying that from the first day I knew that what is going on is a war. It is a war to undermine your will, your determination, your faith, and your certainty in these elections. Today we bet on your great attendance. You are the people of loyalty, chivalry, and presence. You are the ones who never let down your resistance. You gave your loved ones and blood when it was necessary. Your votes will protect the blood and the loved ones.

Brothers and sisters, on May 6 they will be present to speak in the language that Hezbollah and the Amal movement and the choice of resistance were defeated at home. They will say that the resistance environment began to give up on the resistance because of its strategic choices. These are their illusions. These are their lies. But you should not give them the opportunity to lie and disillusioned.

May Allah preserve you all. Good luck to you all. May God grant you victory. Until we meet again, God willing, victorious over the enemy and with our heads held up high. Peace and God's mercy and blessings be upon you all.

Source: Hezbollah Media Relations, Translated by website team