Sayyed Nasrallah’s Full Speech at the Second Martyrdom Anniversary for Sayyed Mustafa Badreddine 14-5-2018

Local Editor

Speech of Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah Delivered At The Second Martyrdom Anniversary For Sayyed Mustafa Badreddine 14-5-2018

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, and his good and pure family and all his good and chosen companions and all the prophets and messengers.

To the soul of our martyred leader and dear brother Mustafa Badreddine and to the souls of all the martyrs of the resistance, we offer the reward of the blessed Surat al-Fatihah.

Dear scholars, MPs, brothers and sisters, Peace and God's mercy and blessings be upon you all.

At the beginning of the speech, I welcome you all to this blessed commemoration on the second martyrdom anniversary of the great Jihadist leader Sayyed Mustafa Badreddine, brother Sayyed Zulfqar, may Allah have mercy on him. I turn to his honorable family, member by member, to renew my condolences for the loss of this dear and beloved one. I congratulate them on this martyrdom, which is the highest honor.

I begin the speech by talking about the occasion. Then I delve into some of the developments in the region. We have some important developments. I conclude with the Lebanese scene.

In the beginning, these leaders and martyrs lived in special circumstances. The nature of the responsibility and the challenges imposed on them to hide their names and faces, and be God's anonymous soldiers on earth but known in the heavens. There are many of our brothers who are in the same situation on this path, especially those who bear specific jihadist responsibilities in the security and the military arenas. So, while they lived we called them Sayyed Zulfqar, Hajj Ridwan, Hajj Alaa. But after their martyrdom, I would like to call them by their real names for people to memorize them. We also display their pictures and faces so that their image remains in the memories and sentiments of the people. They become known on earth the same way they are known in heaven. This is the reason why I call him Sayyed Mustafa. I prefer this name to the other. This is the result of psychological, emotional and cultural orientation.

Since the beginning, when Sayyed Mustafa went to Syria, a high number of leaders and key cadres accompanied him. It is my moral duty today to mention one of them because it is also his martyrdom anniversary - among the martyrs who headed to the frontlines in Syria with martyred leader Sayyed Badreddine. This person was martyr Ali Mohammad Biz, [or] brother Abu Hassan. He was one of the veterans of the Mujahideen and one of the cadres who sacrificed. He was there [in Syria] from day one until his martyrdom. He returned from Syria to the town of Mashghara a martyr. Two days ago, one of his family members, martyr Mohammad Adnan Biz, was martyred. Our condolences go to this family on this anniversary and its new martyr. We congratulate them on these sacrifices, loyalty and participation.
Our martyred leader Sayyed Mustafa Badreddine, was one of the first believers in Lebanon who founded jihad in its religious form.

He founded jihad on the battlefield with a number of brothers. Some of them have been martyred and others are still alive. Usually we do not mention the names until their martyrdom. The security situation and responsibility of those who are still alive dictates that their names and faces be concealed. This gives them greater reward [in martyrdom].

On our path, there are many well-known brothers. I and others including those who work in the organization, the MPs, ministers, sheikhs and scholars speak and see people. But the names of those who specifically work in the military and security establishment remain hidden. Their faces and pictures remain hidden. This is one of the requirements of one's commitment. One day, their names will be written in gold - those who are martyred or those who are still alive. Sayyed Mutafa was one of the first. He started as a young man and continued on this path and in this filed. They excelled in it. Today, I would like to shed light on two things.
I will shed light on a personal dimension and separately on a professional dimension:

On the personal dimension, when we talk about officials who spend their lives in the military, fighting along the frontlines, shooting, shelling, mortars, blood, martyrs and wounded, the general public impression regarding these military figures is that they become rough. They imagine that this is the normal appearance of the military figure. It is possible that some officers in some armies and some generals give this impression, even after they leave the military service. Their characters remain harsh and rigid.

Among the jihadist leaders who belong to this path and faith, this quality must be present. But there is another quality that is completely contradictory to it.

God Almighty, even when He described Mohammad (PBUH) and those who were with him, He gave them two qualities before prayer and fasting: "forceful and merciful" in facing the enemies of the Umma, in confronting the violators of sanctities, in confronting the aggressors. The true believer who was with Mohammad (PBUH) should be extremely harsh in his position when confronting the enemy. However, those who are weak and scared when confronting the enemy as is the case with the people normalizing ties with the enemy and they speak the language of mercy and human sympathy, those do not belong with Mohammad (PBUH) because they are not forceful. Thus, one should be forceful with the occupiers, tyrants, despots and those who want to plunder the goods of our nation and humiliate it. This forcefulness should be present, strong and firm. Sayyed Mustafa had the same forcefulness in his character. But on the other hand, they were merciful. Those who knew Sayyed Mustafa up close knew that he was a kind and tender person. Some might say that this is contradictory. This is not a contradiction because the forcefulness that is based on a faith can be joined in one with mercy that is also based on faith. With nice and kind words as well as mercy, kindness, and compassion, you could get anything from him. But at the same time, when we head to the frontlines, you stand before the real Zulfiqar. You stand before a firm sword. There is no place for weakness, fear and hesitation.

I move to the second point, the professional side. On past occasions I talked about some responsibilities. I would like to focus on some of them.

Since the beginning, Sayyed Mustafa assumed basic responsibilities in the field of jihad. Of course, he spent his entire life in the jihadist field in Hezbollah, particularly in the field of security and military affairs. He held important responsibilities in addition to the central military role in the 1990s. He was the leader of the battle against the Zionists' Grapes of Wrath in 1996. After 2000 and especially until today, we distributed the responsibilities. We distributed the responsibilities among the brothers, especially after the martyrdom of martyred leader Hajj Imad Mughniyeh, may God have mercy on him. We distributed the responsibilities among a group of brothers because the number of our dossiers have grown and so too have the battlefields.

I might have referred to this subject perhaps in the past. But I am recalling it to get to my point which is Sayyed [Mustafa] assuming the responsibility of very sensitive dossiers or frontlines. Let me say that the security confrontation with the "Israeli" enemy was very sensitive. You know that after 2000, the military battle in the South subsided. The military regrouped, prepared and constructed. But the security dimension entered a real security confrontation.

He also shouldered the responsibility of the Palestinian dossier. The task was to support the Palestinian resistance factions and develop their capabilities to be able to resist and confront and survive.

Thirdly, the Iraqi arena. We usually do not talk much about this subject. But it is enough to point out that our brothers had the honor of contributing to the launching of some Iraqi resistance factions against the US occupation of Iraq.

During the life of Hajj Imad, may Allah have mercy on him, and after the martyrdom of Hajj Imad, this responsibility was taken over by Sayyed Mustafa until his martyrdom. Therefore, whether during the stage of resistance against the American occupation of Iraq or later during the stage of confronting Daesh, Hezbollah's support for this arena was overseen by Sayyed Mustafa. The Syrian arena was his responsible from the first day until his martyrdom. He also had other responsibilities and tasks that I have previously mentioned and I will not talk about.

The point that I want to get to is that the martyred leader Mustafa Badreddine emerged victorious on all battlefields where he assumed a leadership role. Of course, usually in all the meetings and internal and general sessions, we do not say that victory is for one man. We always say it's for the group, the whole group. It is a collective effort. For example, we cannot say that we triumphed in the elections because of this person or that, whatever their contributions. There are group efforts, efforts that complement one another. There were tremendous efforts that led to this result.

But certainly, when we talk about military action or security work, the head who leads, who shoulders the responsibility has a great virtue aside from the efforts of his brothers in delivering the desired result.

One of the main merits of military action and security work

Sayyed Mustafa Badreddine emerged victorious in leading the confrontation against the "Israeli" security networks, of course, in cooperation with the official security services. We have seen in recent years the extent of its dismantling.

[He was also responsible for] the dossier of liberating prisoners and detainees and the file regarding the security confrontation against the Takfiri terrorist networks that used to send car bombs to Lebanon. He was in Syria. He did not just fight in the military. He also worked hard on dismantling these networks and not just preventing them from entering Lebanon. He dismantled these networks in Syria so they won't be able to send car bombs to Lebanon.

He also contributed to the Iraqi victory, which led to the withdrawal of US forces from Iraq in 2011. The leading factor in forcing the Americans to leave Iraq was the Iraqi resistance. Later, [he also contribute to] the final victory over Daesh. Regardless of the extent of the contribution, the result and the conclusion was victory, which he presented in the last years of his life, his youth and his time. This front was the Syrian front. Now, the Syrian people and the people of the region and the whole world are learning what was happening in Syria and what it was subjected to seven years ago, and where they were taking Syria to.

Yesterday, I was talking to some dear brothers and we were saying that the Syria, which they wanted to create if we were to remain neutral, would look like today's Idlib. Syria was supposed to be like Idlib. All of Syria was supposed to be like Afghanistan with all the fighting, wars, conflicting groups, the law of the jungle, shedding blood, destruction, chaos, migration, displacement and dispersion, dispersion without an end at least.

Thus, we have not spoken about the most serious political dimensions that we have always been talking about. We used to say they wanted to destroy Syria, the state, existence, the main Arab country and the pillar of the resistance.

Sayyed Mustafa was strongly convinced in this battle, in the righteousness of this battle. That is why it is not easy for a man to leave everything in Lebanon, to distance himself from his family, to stay away from his responsibilities when he can remain in Lebanon, lead the battle from here and shoulder the rest of the responsibilities.

Sayyed Mustafa and others who are martyred or are still alive have a great participation. One of the real reasons for this participation is this certainty, insight and clarity about the nature of this battle and the outcome of this battle.

Today, the result is also victory. His great blood gave a strong impetus to all our brothers to be more present along the frontlines. It also contributed greatly to the victories in Aleppo. This great victory changed the great equation in the battle, extending to Deir Ezzor, the battle of Badia, to the Al Bukamal. Today the Syrian Arab Army is fighting the last of its battles in the Yarmouk camp, al-Qadam neighborhood or al-Hajar al-Aswad. It is nearing to fully secure the capital and completely clearing Damascus and its countryside from the [terrorist] groups on which hundreds of millions of dollars were spent to threaten the capital and overthrow the state and the government. As we approach this great and decisive victory, we recall the memory of our martyrs, especially the leaders including Sayyed Mustafa Badreddine who used to say ‘I will return from Syria a martyr or a champion of victory'. I said earlier and today I repeat: O, Sayyed, my brother, my dear and my beloved, you returned a martyr and a champion of victory. He used to say ‘I would only return as a martyr or as a champion of victory.'

I tell him you returned a martyr and a champion of victory. While you are in God's heaven, you can rest assured that the great victories that you have been planning, looking forward to and dreaming about are being fulfilled today. Your brothers, sons and loved ones contributed generously to this.

Between quotations, I always like to emphasize that the real victory in Syria was achieved primarily by the Syrians, the Syrian leadership, the Syrian army and the Syrian people. The allies, with the difference in their abilities, capabilities and sizes, had the honor in contributing to the victory.

After this introduction related to our dear leader, I turn to the dossiers. They happened to be his responsibility. The first headline is what the US administration is doing in our region. The most prominent one is Trump's declaration to withdraw from the nuclear agreement. I will start from here because it will all lead to Palestine, which is the main topic in the second part of my speech.

I do not want to analyze or talk about the nuclear agreement or the reasons for Trump's withdrawal, the repercussions and the results. I want to take a lesson because that is what benefits us as a Lebanese people and primarily the Palestinian people - the peoples of the region, the governments of the region. The world should also learn from this. We should take lessons so that in our political career and our public life we know how the US administration, which considers itself a superpower, acts. What is it? This is related to political culture and awareness more than political development.

Today, the US administration proves again, with the evidence that we will mention, that it is a state and a government, because this is not only Trump's decision. It is the decision of the US government. The American ruling institution today is proving again that what concerns America in the world first is its interests and second is "Israel's" interests.

This means that for the successive US governments, there is no place for human and moral values. Today, the Palestinians are demonstrating peacefully in Gaza and in the West Bank. There are dozens of martyrs so far in Gaza and more than a thousand wounded. During the past weeks, there were dozens of martyrs and thousands of wounded. This did not do move anything in the US administration. If anyone thought to condemn this in the Security Council, the American veto is ready. Anything called human and moral values and human rights is empty talk and has no place in American decision-making.

Second, international resolutions, international law, international institutions and the international community. Those in Lebanon who always demand respect for international resolutions and the implementation of international resolutions. Tomorrow you will see when we go to the ministerial statement. The same thing will happen again. Implementing international resolutions, respecting international decisions ... the greatest power in the world does not respect international decisions or international laws or the international institution, even the international decision they partook in creating. They made it and they were satisfied with it. When it does not serve their interests, they ignore it.

Thirdly, any agreements, commitments and charters have no moral or legal value among successive US governments. When it wants, it makes an agreement. When it wants, it withdraws from it. This means they have no commitment. We will not talk now about the climate agreement and the trade agreements. We will talk about our region only. No one in the world can trust the commitments and promises of the United States. Today they deceived the North Korean president that ‘if you destroy your nuclear weapon, we will allow US companies to invest in North Korea.' If they believed it and destroyed their nuclear weapons like Libya did, tomorrow, they will tell them ‘for us to allow US companies, you have to do this kind of elections or these balances for human rights.' Then the process of blackmail begins.

They cannot be trusted, O, Lebanese, Palestinians, peoples of the region. It is stupid - after all these experiences. We have a saying, ‘A believer doesn't get stung twice from the same hole.' My brother, the Americans have stung the world one hundred times, one thousand times. The commitments and promises of this leadership and administration cannot be trusted. The experience in front of us testifies to that. We are not talking about history. But we are seeing it with our own eyes.

Experience also proves that US administrations do not even respect their allies. They do not even take the interests of their allies into account. With regards to the nuclear agreement, Europe's economic, political and even security interests are in compliance with the nuclear agreement with Iran. But it [the US] did not ask about its European allies - not its agents in the third world. It did not ask its European allies - big countries, countries with veto power in the Security Council. If it did not ask about their interests, how will it ask about the interests of those it regards as mere tools and followers. Trump says that had it not been for the US presence in this country or that, it would not last seven days. Are the interests of the Arab, Gulf countries and some countries in the Muslim world considered when America makes decisions? They do not have a place.

This is the basic lesson today that we must take from Trump's withdrawal from the Iranian nuclear agreement. I do not want to talk about the repercussions, the results and the reasons, and where this file is heading? It is not the subject of my speech today. But this aspect is very important to us, to everyone in our region and in the world, and to everyone in our region who ties their destiny to the Americans, plans for their future, shapes their region or makes choices relying on the Americans or trusting US promises or commitments on any file, be it large or small.

From this point, allow me to reach to the following conclusion. When Trump announced his recognition of al-Quds as the capital of "Israel", the Palestinian Authority or negotiator - without mentioning names - said ‘we will not accept any new negotiations or settlements with the Americans as the mediator because they are dishonest.' What do you want then? They [the Palestinians] said ‘we want 5+1 like the nuclear deal. This option provides guarantees and takes us to a solution.' We tell him today on the occasion of Trump's withdrawal from the Iranian nuclear agreement, which was agreed within the framework of 5 + 1 and adopted by a unanimous decision at the UN Security Council, that this way also leads nowhere and provides no guarantees. 5 + 1 did not take the Europeans, Russians, China, the Security Council or the international community into consideration. If there is anyone in Palestine betting that there is a solution where the Americans are either as a mediator or as an international mediator or as part of the 5 + 1, they are living in illusions, delusions and mirages. This will not lead to a result. This experience is telling you, ‘O, Palestinians this is not the way. This does not take you anywhere.'

The other headline will also bring us to Palestine. It is the latest confrontation in Syria a few days ago with the "Israeli" enemy in the Golan. A few days ago last week, a very important confrontation took place in Syria, called the "Night of the Rockets". What happened that night until dawn was very important and significant in the context of the Arab-"Israeli" conflict and the conflict with the enemy and regional developments. Now, that subject has taken on a certain magnitude. I will talk about it a bit because in the past few days we have seen an "Israeli" effort to change facts. Also efforts by the Gulf media to present what happened as a great victory for "Israel". Through lies and deceit, a person can turn failure into a victory. Unfortunately, this has become a distinctiveness of some Arab media outlets, especially some of the Gulf media. I will tell you a simple number in this confrontation; the "Israelis" did not mention this number. But the Gulf media said that during this confrontation 23 Syrians and Iranians were martyred. Half of the martyrs were Iranians. This is untrue. This is not true at all. Even the "Israelis" did not mention this number. However, Gulf satellite channels and Gulf newspapers circulated this for three, four days. Some Lebanese networks mentioned in their news bar that there were 23 martyrs, which is not true. What is true is that as a result of the confrontation, especially within the Syrian air defenses, three members of the Syrian Arab Army were martyred in this confrontation. This was officially announced in Syria.

Back to the topic, we come to the incident itself. We will just take two significant things. If we add this incident, this "night of rockets" confrontation, to the incident in which an "Israeli" warplane was downed a few months ago, we are looking at developments of a high degree of importance.

That night and for the first time since the ceasefire in the Golan Heights and since the 1973 war, the positions of the "Israeli" occupying forces in the occupied Golan have been attacked. It should be the Syrian Golan, the occupied Syrian Golan Heights. During the past years and due to the events in Syria, the "Israelis" have been working day and night in an attempt to legitimize its annexation of the Golan. For the first time since that date, the positions of the occupation forces in the occupied Syrian Golan have been subjected to rocket attacks of this magnitude - in both quantity and quality. What exactly happened, I speak accurately, is that now the "Israelis" are talking about 20 rockets and said that they destroyed most of them. The truth is that 55 missiles were launched. Some of them were of large size. They targeted a number of military sites, the occupation's positions in the Golan Heights. Huge explosions in the Golan Heights were heard, forcing settlers in the Golan and north of Palestine to head to shelters. For the first time since 1973, they head down to the shelters terrified, frightened and scared. The enemy was discrete about its losses. It has a habit of doing this. It was discrete about the targets of the missiles and the site where the missiles fell. It tried to downplay the importance of the subject when it spoke about 20 rockets. It did not mention the real number. It responded to the missile attack. It hit a number of locations, which had been evacuated in advance. The Syrian defenses and Syrian Air Defense Forces confronted the rockets heroically and courageously in the same manner they did on the night of Trump's tripartite aggression on Syria. A large number of "Israeli" air force missiles and air defense missiles were destroyed over Tiberias and Safad. They were forced to use the Patriot to destroy them. Some fell over Safad, others fell over Tiberias, others over Metula, and others fell over Hebbariye in the south. There was a real confrontation in this respect.

Before dawn, and of course even the targets that the "Israelis" hit in response were calculated, accurate and selected targets. They avoided civilian, sovereign and political targets. Why am I saying this? It targeted places it knew were empty. After striking these targets, it contacted the UNDOF, which are the emergency forces in the Golan, telling them to talk to the Syrians. Thus, this operation is over. Remind me. We were in the picture all night. Remind me of what used to happen with the "Israelis" before the year 2000.

This is the incident. These are the facts. We will talk about the significance because it is very important.

First, this qualitative missile attack is one form - this is not the only form - of response to the continuous "Israeli" aggression on Syria, whether the target is the Syrian army, the Iranians, whether they are the advisors or the bases, or any of the allies. This is one form of response. The message that this rocket attack sent to the "Israelis" and to the enemy's government was loud. We are following the "Israeli" media. We are following what the ministers, MPs, the Knesset, the media and even the people are saying? I believe the settlers in the Golan and in the north of occupied Palestine will also have their talk with the "Israeli" government. What is the message?

You think you can continue like this; to go to Syria, bombard, kill and destroy and get no response at all. You just threaten and intimidate people. You are wrong and confused here. This is the message: no, the people will respond.

They will respond in the right shape, at the right time, in the right place and in the appropriate way because this is one form of response. It is not always possible that the response be in this way. You, as "Israelis" and as an enemy, can no longer continue to violate and attack Syria, its people, and the axis of resistance without facing a response or facing punishment. This is a whole new stage. This qualitative missile attack paved the way for it. Therefore, the talk even started inside the entity: ‘where are you taking us? We are not ready to go to war. What you are doing requires action and responses. The responses can lead to war. It is not in our interest to wage a war. Recalculate.'

Thus, there is a new stage. This is the importance of what happened. There is a new stage prompting the "Israelis" to make calculations in Syria. Probably before this they did not do a lot of calculations. After the plane was shot down. We, all the military observers, saw that the "Israeli" air force's movement toward Syria has new measures, procedures and new calculations.

Following this missile attack, the "Israelis" will go back to the drawing board. Pushing the trigger quickly will no longer be permissible. I am not saying they will not do anything. But what I am saying is that they will recalculate. I also tell them that the message of the qualitative missile attack was enough to make them calculate.

Second, with regards to significance. This missile response took place despite the "Israeli" threats. If you recall, over three to four weeks, the "Israelis" said they were expecting a response. But if a response took place, they said they would destroy, bomb, kill and wreak havoc. So, a response took place as expected. But nothing happened. They did not wreak havoc. They did not dare cross the red lines in Syria. I want to reveal a secret to you. The enemy's government was informed by an international party that should the "Israeli" response on Syria cross the red lines, the second bombardment will be in the heart of occupied Palestine not in the Golan. This led them to hold back at night and call the UNDOF. They said that if it is done, we are done. This means that we are done with their intimidations and threats.

The third point: Despite the "Israeli" intelligence and operational effort over the past few days preceding the rocket attack to prevent the launching of the rockets from Syria, the rockets were fired. This is an "Israeli" military failure and a success for those who fired the rockets.

Fourth: even though they familiar with analysis and the information stated that the target is in the Golan; even though they intensified the Iron Dome and every confrontational system that destroys rockets; and even though they have put all hypotheses and they were on high alert, they were not able to prevent the large numbers of rockets from hitting "Israeli" military sites in the Golan. This is also an "Israeli" military failure.

Fifth: This experience proved the lies of the "Israeli" leadership. We, the Lebanese, the Syrians and the Palestinians and the whole region know - so that the "Israelis" do not deceive us - that that "Israelis" keep saying that the internal front is ready for war. One of the most important significance of the incident is that it showed that the internal front is not ready for war. They are not psychologically ready. Their people, neither their shelters, nor their internal front are ready. In light of this matter, there was a scandal. This is one of the reasons why they quickly halted their action and prevented it from escalating.

This point is also another significance and was very striking. The "Israelis" needed to cover up the magnitude of what happened with the lies. That is when they said that they destroyed 20 rockets, when Lieberman said that in response to the missile attack in the Golan ‘we destroyed all the Iranian and Syrian bases'. These are mere lies and baseless. Of course, the next day, the "Israeli" leaders stated that ‘if something happens, we will destroy Iranian bases in Syria.' But haven't you already destroyed them!

Regardless of whether there are Iranian bases in Syria or centers where advisers are present - I leave this for a later date - exaggerating what the "Israelis" did and exaggerating the significance of what happened is an "Israeli" attempt to bypass this development.

Before we move on to the part related to Palestine, there is the final significance which are some shameful Gulf positions including that of the foreign minister of Bahrain when he said that "Israel" has the right to defend itself!!! What do we say about it? There is no shame anymore, no values, no morals or no religion. I do not know what they call this! Insolence? I call it ugliness. There is nothing more ugly and worse than this. How can anyone expect an Arab stance admitting that "Israel" has the right to respond in Syria! To bomb, to destroy and to kill in self defense! This means that you also recognize that the Golan belongs to "Israel". The operation took place in the Golan, you stupid and absurd man, you traitor. In any case, the presence of this minister and authority in Bahrain is one of the greatest injustices in the history of the Bahraini people. The people in Bahrain are the ones who express the real stance of Bahrain. The people in Bahrain took to the streets to protest and condemn the words of the Bahraini foreign minister. This level of malice, foolishness, stupidity, subjugation to the Americans and the "Israelis" is strange. We have lived to see this. There are many people who expected that some Arabs could be traitors, perfidious, stupid and ugly. But to stoop to this level that we are seeing these days!

What is important in this title is the following meaning: we are in front of a new phase in Syria. Syria and the whole resistance axis with Syria are in a new phase. The most important thing is breaking the "Israeli" prestige. The downing of the "Israeli" plane a few moths ago also broke the prestige of the "Israeli" air force. Let us talk about matters the way they are. ‘If someone laid a hand or a finger on the Golan, I will cut his head off'. This is over. Today, the message sent on the "Israelis" on the Night of the Rockets is that neither Syria nor the Syrian leadership nor the Syrian army nor Syria's allies will allow that Syria remain exposed to "Israeli" aggression and they are ready to go the distance.

What happened in Syria on the Night of the Rockets is first and foremost a defense of Syria and Syrian sovereignty before it is a retaliation for these martyrs or those martyrs. It is our responsibility to prove that we are working on making this new equation in the conflict permanent. It is a very important and effective equation for protection.

In the Palestinian file, which is then the important headline, also in short because everything we talk about has to do with Palestine. Tomorrow is the 70th anniversary of the Nakba, Palestine's Nakba and the Nakba of the Arabs, the Muslims and the nation. It is the Nakba of humanity. What happened 70 years ago and continued for 70 years is a disgrace to history, humanity, the country's of the world, the rulers of the world and the international institutions in the world. It is still taking place until today. What is happening today in Gaza - with tens of martyrs and more than one thousand wounded - is a continuation of what happened 70 years ago. For 70 years, the Palestinians did not give up their cause. They might have differed in choices, but no one agreed to liquidate the Palestinian cause or that the cause be settled. Their struggle, their fight and their martyrs continue. Today, we are faced with a challenge in the great and very dangerous Palestinian subject. We will be brief. Why is it called the deal of the century? Some news says, I do not have private information, that Trump will officially announce in May - that is in the coming two weeks - this deal and that the American project to solve the Palestinian cause is this. O, Palestinians, Arabs, and Muslims, if you accept this, welcome and sign. If you do not accept, goodbye. This is what will be imposed on you. There is something I forgot to mention in the part about the significance which is he [Trump] does not respect. He takes the decision that serves his interest and imposes it on people. Those who do not agree with him will be punished, even if they were his allies. The case is not that he wants to announce a solution. He will announce the solution. If you accept it, welcome aboard. If you refuse it, he will fight, punish and impose it on you. The Palestinian cause is entering a dangerous path. The issue started with the recognition of al-Quds as the capital of "Israel". Today it was implemented even though he promised that the matter needs one, two, or three years. Do we have time to implement it? No. They took a modest place in al-Quds and hurried to transfer the embassy.

Today, what is the project? What is known and is no longer hidden is that there will be no Quds, no east, no west. No one will be allowed to speak. Regarding the sanctities, there will be no Quds. Al-Quds is the eternal capital of "Israel". As a Muslim, if you wanted to visit the al-Aqsa Mosque or as a Christian, if you wanted to the visit the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, you have to see Netanyahu. This is one thing. Netanyahu settled this. He settled it and announced it.

Second, there is no return for the Palestinian refugees. Now, they are talking about what they will do in the Sinai. They will either take the Palestinian refugees there or resettle them in the countries of residence or deport them to other places. But there is no return for the refugees.

Third, the Palestinian state is Gaza. This is the historic state of Palestine and its area is equal to two or three times the size of Lebanon. The issue of Gaza will be concluded.

Fourth, the Palestinian presence in the West Bank will have a formula. It will have autonomy, a local administration and an annex to the state of Gaza. I do not have details on this point.

Fifth, reconciliation and comprehensive peace. All Arab and Islamic countries must stand in line, recognize "Israel", establish relations with "Israel", and normalize ties with "Israel". Who does not accept will be sanctioned, besiege, pressured and conspired against. This is the deal of the century. It means that the liquidation of the Palestinian cause. It means that the Palestinian conflict will end like this.

In this context, what is the situation so as not to remain in analyzing and characterizing? Let us be realistic. He is serious about this option, and things are moving normally. What should be done and what is required from us, from every Muslim, Arab, Christian, honorable person in this region? What is happening is that they want to impose this result. They want to, first of all, pressure Iran. We do not sense this matter because we live in Lebanon, Palestine and Syria. Today, pressuring Iran is at the top of the agenda. There is work on the financial and economic issues to weaken the Iranian currency and to shake the economic situation in Iran to create popular protest against the government. Thus, dragging Iran to another place.

The withdrawal from the nuclear agreement, the return of US sanctions and the threat of tougher sanctions are part of the pressure on Iran. This means not only old sanctions but new sanctions against Iran.

Is it the matter of the nuclear [weapons]? They know there is no military nuclear program in Iran. There is no need for me to analyze. Trump already stated the subject. He spoke about the nuclear weapons. He knows he is lying. He spoke about the ballistic missiles and Iran's manufacturing of ballistic missiles. This is second. Third, Iran's support for Hezbollah and Hamas - by name means Palestine.

This means that my problem with the Iranians is not just on the nuclear weapons or the ballistic missiles, their scope, their manufacturing and their number. One of my main problems with you is your support for the resistance movements in the region.

When they say Hamas, they don't really mean only Hamas. He is saying that the Islamic Republic stands by all the Palestinian people along with all the resistance factions in Palestine, and supports all who believe in the option of resistance in Palestine.

Thus, pressuring Iran. If you want to be back in the nuclear agreement, if you do not want us to impose sanctions on you, if you do not want us to pressure you using the dollar price, if you want us to allow European companies to continue investing in your country, then let go of Palestine. This is one.

Two, continuing to exert pressure on Syria and occupying it. Syria is about to win. Thus, it [the US] resorts to the pretext of chemical weapons use. It threatens and bombs. If it were not for certain fears, it would not have sufficed with just bombarding.

The Americans want the Syrian leadership, President Bashar al-Assad, the state in Syria, the army in Syria, the people in Syria to be continually drained by the internal battle to neutralize Syria from this equation.
Three, continuing to pressure the resistance movements in the region, especially in Lebanon. They set up bank sanctions on us, and now they are promising us with a new law of sanctions in Congress. They threatened everyone who has a relationship with Hezbollah on the financial and other levels. You know this subject, and we talked about it a lot. But what is more dangerous are the threats of war we have been hearing for a while. There is nothing. We will bring back Lebanon to the stone age and other threats of this sort. What is this? This is in the context that: O, Lebanese, O, Hezbollah be smart and stay aside. Do not say you want to support the Palestinians and present them with different forms of support. Thus, they also pressure Lebanon.

And finally tightening the siege on the Palestinians in Gaza to the point of starving them. Gaza is now facing starvation. With time, Gaza will approach the situation the Yemeni people are suffering from. This is how tough the situation is in Gaza. A time will come when people do not have anything to eat. Now, they do not have money to buy food. What does this mean? It means we either make Gaza submit, surrender and sign by starvation or we take it to internal explosion.

The leaders of the resistance in Gaza have done well. They have turned the threat of the internal explosion into an opportunity through the marches of return, which will reach its peak tomorrow. But this is continuous, within the vision, within the project.

As well as pressure on all Palestinians, the authority, and the Liberation Organization, inside, outside, dispersal and moral, psychological and financial pressure, siege, and so on.

We come to the position. They want to besiege the Palestinians, pressure them, starve them, force them to kneel and humiliate them in order to take their signature. ‘This signature is so precious, very precious.'

In addition, there is more Arab and Gulf support for the American-"Israeli" project for the deal of the century.

The worst things that some Gulf States are doing are:

The first thing that I had pointed to this several years ago, is the religious cover. This means giving religious justification of the surrender to "Israel".

When Anwar al-Sadat established settlement, a political state. He was a secular leader who established peace with "Israel". He did not use a religious cover and an Islamic cover. He did not conclude that God wanted so and the prophet wanted so or the Prophet's companions wanted so. No. The maximum in Anwar al-Sadat's speech is that he tried to make se of the verse {And if they incline to peace, then incline to it}. And that's it.

When King Hussein established an official peace with "Israel" in Wadi Araba, he did not bring all the religious institutions. He did not say that this satisfies God and the Prophet and the people of the household and the companions. Being a Hashemite King, he did not say that Hashem tribe, our fathers and grandfathers would be pleased by this. Never. There was a state that established peace. That's what I said a few years ago.

The problem is when Saudi Arabia adopts this line. The Grand Mufti, the senior scholars, muftis, and interpreters of the Quran will issue statements the way it is now. What has been issued? This is what Muhammad bin Salman said and he spoke with the sheikhs before.

It turns out O brothers, O Arabs, O Muslims that you have been mistaken. Palestine is the right of the Jews. It is their right. It is the right of their fathers and forefathers. God is the one who gave it to them. The Quran says this - look at this misleading. He cites quranic verses.

There is a stupid person who calls himself a Gulf strategic thinker. I saw him on television. He says "Israel" is mentioned in the Quran 38 times and the word Palestine was not mentioned in the Quran. So whose right is it? This means Palestine belongs to the Jews. This is not your business. Return it to its owners.

What do we conclude? When Saudi Arabia interfered, religion, the Quran, history and the divine promise give the right to the Jews. We, the Muslims before 1948 and for hundreds of years, have usurped Palestine and took it from them. We have to apologize to them and give them compensations too. Mohammed bin Salman will pay them.

This is what is happening now. I was in a meeting with one of our senior Sunni scholars. I told him that if anyone had a relationship with Saudi Arabia, they should tell them that the second caliphate Omar bin al-Khattab was the one who entered Palestine, liberated al-Quds and joined it with the great Islamic State. Who is occupying Palestine? Who robbed them of their rights? Who took away this historic right?

Unfortunately, we have come to the point where it is their historic right. I heard an elder in Saudi Arabia say on television that the same way we recognize that Mecca is a holy city for Muslims and Medina is a holy city, and is our right, al-Quds is a holy city for the Jews, and we must hand it over to them.

This respect, humility and generosity, this Arab generosity is only seen with the enemy. This is the first worst thing.

The second worst thing is that these Gulf states, especially Saudi Arabia, are leading the region to an enemy it invented and to a war. It wants to drag the world to a war with Iran.

They are ready to pay hundreds of billions of dollars to America just to come and wage a war with Iran, away from Palestine and away from the Palestinian cause. This is inline with the context.

We, the Palestinian people, the Lebanese people, the Syrian people, the Iranian people, and the people of the region, have to be realistic and learn from 1984 until today. We have to learn from 70 years ago, from our experience in Lebanon. Today, at the heart of the challenge, any bet on international law, international institutions or international organizations is nonsense.

Also, any bet on most Arab regimes is nonsense. We speak from our experience and the experience of the Palestinians.

Briefly, the bet is, therefore, on the position of our peoples, the position of some countries, and the position of the resistance movements. This is what gives results and changes the equation.

I'm not talking to give hope. I'm talking to say that experiences say there is hope for us.

Today, a stance is required in two places. The first place is Palestine. It is not required now from the Palestinians to wage a war or launch an armed uprising. This popular uprising is required from them, even if they did not do it.

One thing that disrupts the deal of the century is required from them. Of course, today when they protested and weeks ago when they protested, they break the deal of the century.

There is one genuine thing that prevents the deal of the century from being achieved even if the whole world stood against them and despite a decision in the UN Security Council. The Palestinians should not sign, do not sign. The President of the Palestinian Authority, the President of the Liberation Organization, Fatah, Hamas, Jihad and no one should sign.

The Palestinians who presents himself to the world as the only legitimate representative of the Palestinian people should not sign.

If they do not sign, nothing will happen. "Israel" has been occupying Palestine, the Golan Heights and the Shebaa Farms. The cause is still alive. The resistance movements grew and became stronger. The nation's awareness grew.

Nothing changed in the rulers. The rulers have been revealed. Their essence and nature have not changed. This was their nature a long time ago.

Therefore, the second position is based on the first position, which is that the Palestinians should not sign. In case a thousand Trumps and a thousand Netanyahus and a thousand Mohammed bin Salmans came, they cannot impose on the Palestinians to liquidate the Palestinian cause.

The second stance and place is the axis of resistance, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Syrian Arab Republic, Lebanon, Iraq, Yemen, our people in the region from Bahrain to North Africa to Tunisia to Egypt and others. The axis of resistance in its countries, parties, people should remain steadfast. It should not submit, kneel, or surrender even if it was punished, besieged, dropped the price of its currency, or prolonged the war against it in Syria and Yemen, even if they oppressed it and jailed it. It must hold on to this right and not give it up. This is what is required for us to pass this stage. And we can pass it.

In 1996, the whole world met in Sharm el-Sheikh. At that time, it was said that the settlement was over. The Palestinian issue has ended, and the world has made up its choice. But the confrontation that took place in Lebanon and in Palestine as well as the steadfastness of Syria and Iran prevented the end of the Palestinian cause in 1996. Everything is gone. Now, we are in 2018.

The current project as some say - these are not my words but I am borrowing them - has a triangle of three angles: Trump, Netanyahu and Mohammed bin Salman. If any one of these three falls, there is a strong possibility that this project will fall.

Let us speak of political realism. Trump is shaken by American scandals, problems, and other issues. It is unknown where he is taking the world, America and its internal situation. As for Netanyahu, the files of corruption are so many. He is trying to utilize the political achievements to save himself from the files of corruption. As for Mohammed bin Salman, God knows what is in Saudi Arabia. After King Salman, we will see. There is no one solid, cohesive and stable angle of the three. In addition, all their projects in the region failed. They lost their allies and tools. Today, the axis of resistance is stronger than any time. Following the events in Syria a few days ago as well as the events in Gaza, I tell you: brothers and sisters, today I have confidence in this point. Do not listen to them. My brothers and I have been discussing this. We are among the people who are convinced that this Israeli intimidation of war and havoc is nonsense.

If there is anyone in the region more frightened to go to war, it is "Israel". That is why you see that the one who is afraid screams loudly, threatens, flexes muscles, scourges and curses so that no one comes near him. If some one comes near him, he pulls back. We have high hopes. We have men in Lebanon and in every region like Sayyed Mustapha Badreddine, the courageous, visionary, martyred leader. We have many men like Hajj Imad Mughniyeh, including his comrades and brothers. We have scholars, great leaders and figures and generations. I know that our new generations are more enthusiastic, eager and ready to sacrifice. There is no retreat in spite of everything they do, including the social networking sites, moral dilution and drugs. Our new generation is stronger than previous generations. So, our hopes are open. We are required to be steadfast and remain committed to this position.

Last word on the Lebanese issue. Since Monday, the elections ended, that is a week ago (one day until the counting ends) because there are people who are busy counting the votes. It is not our business. There are people who are busy counting the blocs. We see a bloc go to sleep with a certain number of deputies in parliament but waking up the second day with a lower number.

Within a few days, the size of the blocs will be known. Other blocs will be formed. I believe that from today until the session, with the end of the mandate of the current parliament and the election of a new parliament speaker, the parliamentary blocs would take their natural forms and sizes.

So, we will wait a few days and then elect a parliament speaker. I believe that the subject of a parliament speaker is settled. It will be His Eminence Nabih Berri. Then we will elect a deputy speaker. Mostly, I don't think there will be a problem regarding the deputy speaker. There will be some kind of communication and understanding. Things will go on smoothly, God willing, without an electoral battle for the strongest. But the atmosphere is initially like so.

Then we will head to government consultations. The name of the prime minister will be presented. Then the government will be formed. This, naturally, will take a few days. Our position is clear. There are no questions behind the scenes. Some political sides or media outlets would ask. We have information that that some regional countries that are hostile to us are saying not to rush with the formation of the government. ‘If you can drag the country into crisis...' because a certain majority in the parliament was formed. ‘Why would we let them represent this majority and these blocs in a new government?' Listening to these words does not serve the national interest at all. The national interest in Lebanon is to form the new government without delay. The national interest is that we all cooperate to form a real Lebanese government that can fulfill its promises and commitments without any delay. This is our position.

Now, God willing, the people will calm down. Celebrations and victories will subside. The counting machines will rest. Blocs will be formed. We go back to form the new authority in the new parliament and government. The atmosphere in the country is supposed to be cooperative. Let me resolve this point. Let there be an atmosphere of cooperation, consensus and understanding. No one should take the country into conflicts. We see the entire region around us. If we go to severe political crises, conflicts and priorities that are the priorities of the Lebanese people, we will lose our country and ourselves. Everyone is required to have the spirit of cooperation and awareness. We should look into the internal situation taking into account the developments in the region.

May Allah have mercy on our beloved martyred leader and beloved brother Sayyed Mustafa Badreddine, Sayyed Zulfikar. May God lodge him in his wide heaven and place him with the messenger of Allah, his pure family and righteous companions and dear martyrs. We assure him of our commitment, our loyalty and our continuation on this path. Your great dreams, O Sayyed, O beloved, O dear are coming true day after day in the era of victories which your blood has shaped.

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

Source: Hezbollah Media Relations, Translated by website team