Political Segment of Sayyed Nasrallah’s Speech Delivered at the Opening of the Central Ashura Majlis 2019

Translated By Staff

Political segment Of Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah’s speech delivered at the opening of the Central Ashura Majlis hosted by Hezbollah in Sayyed Al-Shuhada Complex in Ruwais on Saturday 31/8/2019.

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-Qassem Muhammad Bin Abdullah and his good and pure household and his good and chosen companions and all the prophets and messengers. 

Peace be upon you, O my master my lord, O Aba Abdullah and upon the souls that gathered in your courtyard. Peace of Allah be upon you all from me forever as long as I am existent and as long as there are day and night. May Allah not cause this (visit) to be the last of my visit to you (all). 

Peace be upon al-Husain, upon Ali ibn al- Husain, upon the sons of al- Husain, and upon the companions of al- Husain.

Brothers and Sisters, Peace and Allah's mercy and blessings be upon you all. May God reward you and God bless you.

Tonight I want to divide my speech into two parts. The first part will tackle the political developments and the second part the occasion at hand.

So I will talk about the introduction as well as the occasion at the beginning of the second part. I will start with the first part since some of the media are interested in broadcasting this segment. And when we finish it, we will move onto the second section.

There is no doubt that since last Sunday night Lebanon has been experiencing a new stage and special circumstances. The “Israeli” enemy is also in a state of anxiety.

In the first part, I will be brief. For starters, we must highly appreciate the official Lebanese position, starting from His Excellency the President of the Republic, who had a clear and loud position from the beginning. He labeled that aggression a declaration of war.

Also the positions articulated by the Speaker of Parliament are known and clear. Whenever we talk about Dahiyeh [Beirut’s southern suburbs] and the resistance, he is a part of all that. His announcement during his speech on the anniversary of Imam Musa al-Sadr and his companions’ disappearance inaugurated his position.

The Prime Minister’s position was also forward-thinking, good and important.

The position articulated by the Supreme Defense Council is also important. The Council labeled what happened as an aggression, and most importantly, underscored the right of the Lebanese to defend themselves, their sovereignty and their land.

Then there are the positions of the various political forces, religious authorities and parties as well as the position of the general public. At the very least, there is a national consensus in condemning what happened and agreement that it was an act of aggression against Lebanon. Of course, all these are highly valuable politically and morally.

In the early hours, some worthless people came out to question what really happened and to spread false rumors. In any case, everything became clear very quickly. Yesterday and today, Netanyahu practically owned up to the acts of aggression in Iraq, Syria and Lebanon.  

This official position as well as the positions of the religious authorities, parties, political forces and that of the public are very important. They are very forward-thinking. They have important connotations among the “Israelis” and the way they are reading them. 

One of the things the enemy always works on is to try to incite the people against the resistance, to incite the state against the resistance and to incite the resistance’s environment and supporters against the resistance.

The first response from the early hours until today is strong, excellent and historic.

Of course, in this context, we must recognize today’s announcement by Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and his call on the Lebanese Resistance Regiments (Amal) to be fully prepared. This means that all the resistance movements, factions, members and supporters are standing firm. They are cutting the road of illusions of some disillusioned people.

The second I wish to comment on is what I said on Sunday. For example, when I said the response is going to be from Lebanon and not from the Shebaa Farms. 

In the past few days, many people inside Lebanon and outside of Lebanon analyzed what the incident meant. It does need this much analysis. The response was from Lebanon. 

Back in the day, there was a [Arabic] grammar teacher. Whenever he was not sure about what is correct, he tells his students that so and so is a grammatical rule. The second day, the students tell him, ‘teacher this rule is exceptional.’ He replies, ‘No, what I told you is an opinion of the Basris and what you are saying is the opinion of the Koufis. Of course there are different grammar schools.’ 

Let us not torment ourselves too much. The intention was to respond from Lebanon. Some went on to analyze that the response in Lebanon means responding to "Israel’s" agents in Lebanon. The issue of  "Israelis" in Lebanon is not one that falls within the context of the response. Rather, this is a daily matter. Measures should be taken when we or any side in Lebanon uncover an agent, information about an agent or when the security apparatus discovers something. This agent should be arrested and imprisoned. Or he should be referred to the judiciary. This is another subject. There is no need for them to trouble themselves with analyses. When I said the response is from Lebanon, then I mean the response is from Lebanon.

Regarding the Shebaa Farms, it will not be from the Shebaa Farms, because our responses have always been in the Shebaa Farms. That was the response to the Quneitra Martyrs operation and the martyrdom of martyr Samir Kuntar was in the Shebaa Farms. We usually responded there. I just wanted to say that it will be an open response.

Also regarding where and who, we will clarify and say: the response is intended to be from Lebanon. But it is not conditional to be from the Shebaa Farms. This is more accurate. It might be in the Shebaa Farms, and it might be anywhere along the border. 

In the past few days, they concluded that the Shebaa Farms were not included in the circle of the response. So they were reassured. However, last night they were very terrified. There were flare bombs at night and they set fires. This happened despite the fact that we said we will not respond in the Shebaa Farms.

From tonight we tell them: there is no condition that stipulates that the response will be in the Shebaa Farms. The response may come from any point or from anywhere. Of course, the Shebaa Farms are Lebanese farms and occupied Lebanese land. We must always work to liberate it.

The third point: also for further clarification, I talked about the drones. Later in some internal meetings, I spoke and something was leaked. Usually leaks are not accurate. So this is also worth clarifying even though what we talked about on Sunday were short messages.

Regarding the drones, I repeat what I have just said and reiterate that one: we have been patient regarding this issue for a long time. After the liberation in 2000, the drones kept filling the skies of Lebanon until after 2006. There are daily “Israeli” violations in this regard, violations of Lebanese sovereignty. It is also a security breach since they gather information about everything in Lebanon, about everything and not just about the resistance.

The first response to the attack on Dahiyeh must be the beginning of a new stage, which includes working to down all “Israeli” drones from Lebanese airspace. This should be clear. This right must be enforced. It has been a right since the beginning, but it was not enforced and addressed. The UN Security Council, the international community, all the countries and embassies that are now calling and checking. This has been going on since 2000. 

From 2000 until today, they have not exerted any effort to end the “Israeli” violations of Lebanese airspace, which we say is our right. 

This does not mean that we want to shoot down every drone that flies in the skies of Lebanon. For us to be clear, the speech should be clear. It [shooting down drones] might happen everyday, might happen weekly or every two weeks more or less, or every hour. What is important is that “Israel” gets the sense that the airspace is no longer open for its drones to come and go at any altitude. 

Now in some areas the drones are starting to fly at a higher altitude. At the very least, we are already seeing results. We did not make a commitment. During internal meetings, I joked with some brothers and told them that whenever a drone flies above a village, they should write on social networking sites ‘Sayyed there is a drone above our village’.

Naturally, we want to work on a specific performance, a certain tactic and in a specific way. Otherwise, if we commit ourselves to downing every drone that comes out, this means that the “Israelis” will now send dozens of drones to exhaust the resistance's air defense capabilities.

Our actions must stem from our will and assessment. We choose the time and place and the reasons. The important thing is to obtain the result that tells the enemy, you are not comfortable in the sky because at any hour – considering that a new stage has begun – your drone might be struck or shot down. This is the extent of the subject.

The fourth point: After it became clear that what the “Israeli” enemy and Netanyahu did in Dahiyeh was an aggression, this aggression was revealed. We made a correction a few days ago. On Sunday when I spoke, the data of the drones, which is with the brothers, was preliminary. The initial inspection of the hull and the structure did not show an explosive device or explosives. So we decided it was a reconnaissance aircraft and the second was operational. But on Monday, when the experts came and dismantled it well, they found a device as was said in the statement. There were 5-and-a-half kilograms of highly explosive C4. It was well hidden and fixed inside the drone. It turned out that the first drone was meant to blow something up and the second one as well. In any case, there are many possibilities to consider.

Our brothers conducted their investigations and made their assessments. The Lebanese army intelligence is working on this matter. We might reach a conclusion.  On of the possibilities is that these drones fly low and throw the device. [The first drone] would disseminate the explosives accurately and place it in the intended location. Then the second drone would come and do the same thing. They will both leave in the middle of the night. That is why they were black in color. And after that another drone in the sky blows up the intended target. Thus, we would be facing a bombing operation without fingerprints and no evidence. And “Israel” would come out and say, where is the evidence of “Israeli” involvement? Anyone might have been behind it, the Takfiris, a terrorist group, anyone. But because of God Almighty’s kindness to us, the affliction was not only lifted and there were no martyrs or wounded, the whole operation was also exposed. From the first night their people in the Arab world and some of them in Lebanon tried to say something else. For example, some of the absurdities they said is that these drones belong to Hezbollah and the “Israelis” sabotaged them and blew them up. Others said that they were Iranian drones. All these are absurdities.

We are the ones in Dahiyeh and we still need hours to understand exactly what happened. There are people who have discovered on their own what happened! In any case, the “Israelis” are now talking about the operation. Their media has been talking about the operation, the objectives of the operation and specific targets since the early hours.

Well, we are facing an “Israeli” action and clear “Israeli” aggression. What is Netanyahu using as a hanger to justify the operation? I would like to explain this issue to our people, to the Lebanese people, to everyone listening and to the “Israelis” who are being lied to by Netanyahu. The hanger is the precision missile factories. That is why the “Israeli” media and some “Israeli” newspapers that are given information from the intelligence services or the “Israeli” army or similar sources said from the beginning that the target is a precision missile factory. Everyone knows that there are no precision missile factories, no rocket factories, no shoe factory, no clothes factory, or any factory. After that they started changing the topic and saying that there was something related to precision missile manufacturing.

This is the precision missile hanger. I want to explain this subject again even though I spoke about it on Al-Quds Day. Again, if we had precision missile factories, I would have come out before this time to say proudly and without fear: we, Hezbollah, have precision missile factories. Because first of all it is the right of the resistance in Lebanon as well as the right of the Lebanese people [to have precision missile factories]. No one has the right to debate this. “Israel” which manufactures nuclear weapons, chemical weapons and internationally banned weapons cannot debate and say that the resistance in Lebanon has precision missiles and precision missile factories. It does not have the right. This is our right, but we don't have anything of the sort. We do not have precision missile factories. This is a lie. This is an excuse Netanyahu is using to wage aggression. I will say how in a little while. And I have said on more than one occasion that we have enough precision rockets and we do not have precision missile factories. When I categorically deny this, I cannot undermine this credibility. I'm not talking about my credibility as a person but Hezbollah’s credibility. I am talking about the credibility of the resistance that has been built up over the past 37 years. 

If we had precision missile factories, I would tell the Lebanese people, the “Israelis” and the world. If some day, God willing, we acquired precision missile factories, I will announce it with pride because this is one of the elements of strength. 

Now why does Netanyahu want this excuse? He is looking for a pretext to launch an aggression. Because of the balance of terror, deterrence and fear since 2006, nothing has happened. He is looking for a pretext to bomb, attack, change the equation, break the rules of engagement and impose new rules of engagement. He does not have a pretext. No one carried out operations along the border. No one fired along the border. No one launched rockets along the border. While we have a thousand excuses because every day the “Israelis” violate our airspace, maritime borders and sometimes encroach on our land. But we are leaving this matter to the state and the Lebanese army on the border as well as UNIFIL. This is the 1701 UN Resolution. 

Hence, he is looking for a pretext as immense as the precision missile factories to convince his people and the entity that it is worth venturing and taking risks. He wants to convince them that he is doing a great job. That is why now he is lying to them and telling them that because of the aggression on Dahiyeh, we were able to disrupt the project of precision missile factories. A year from now, at least, these are going to be Netanyahu’s illusions and the illusions of the “Israelis”. He is fighting the air. This is not true at all. They may hit some targets here or there. Some of the targets may be related to the materiel and equipment of the resistance, but nothing to do with anything called the precision missile factories.

I wanted to talk about this issue clearly, transparently and responsibly so that I can say that it is an excuse, an excuse Netanyahu is using to justify his aggression. This is a big argument that he is trying to make to the international community, to the usurper entity as well as to the settlers in the usurper entity that it is worth it to take risks and that it defends them against a great threat. And that he is defending them from this immense threat. He is lying to them. The big threat is there.

Tonight I repeat and say we have in Lebanon the precision missiles we need for any confrontation, big or small. You are selling lies and hypocrisy to your people and the international community. You are presenting an argument and lying to people in Lebanon with faint hearts.

The last point in this first part – the political part – is the matter of the response. Of course it is necessary to respond. I think that in the past few days the adversaries and the enemy have been talking with state officials or sending us messages. Everyone is saying that they understand that we need to respond. You have to respond. But if you could not respond, it would be better. But if it was necessary to respond, fix it. 

And there is something funny here. We have received some messages. I do not want to talk about them now but later. What was funny was the dummies placed in armored vehicles. It was as if the “Israelis” were saying ‘strike it. Do anything. Just get it over with.’ They wanted the response to be like this.

The issue for us is not a matter of restitution. Rather it is establishing equations, establishing the rules of engagement, establishing the logic of protecting the country. Otherwise I would like to tell the people openly even if they might be afraid. It's all right. These drones that they used are helicopter-styled. When they land they do not necessarily land curving. They land vertically, just like a helicopter. There are movies about them. Some television channels, some social networking sites have made movies about them. The “Israelis” can plant explosive devices on the drones. If our airspace remains open, these drones can land on the rooftop of any house or building in any village, on the roof of any truck, car or a certain vehicle, at the door of any farm or the entrance of any building and plant the device at night and leave without anybody noticing them. Meanwhile, a second drone is waiting in the sky to blow up the target. Therefore, if this matter is overlooked, this will not only open the door for striking capabilities and equipment, but to assassinations in Lebanon. In the end, the matter will be lost because there are no fingerprints. There is no proof and no trace.

Today, “Israel” no longer needs agents to bring car bombs or agents to plant explosive devices. It sends these drones to many of the areas. This experience failed from the very beginning and has been exposed. Maybe this is what they are working on in Iraq. We do not know. On the contrary, these drones open the door for murder, for assassinations and terrorism in Lebanon. That is why this cannot be tolerated. The “Israelis” have to pay for their aggression. 

 Hence, it is necessary to respond. This is clear.

All the threats and intimidation will not prevent a response from the resistance. In the past few days, analysts, writers, journalists, people, social networking sites and others were analyzing what the response will be? The “Israelis” are discussing this around the clock. The resistance is not interested in saying what the response is. So whatever was conveyed to you in the media or said to you by friends or close friends is wrong. It is inaccurate. It is not based on information. Rather it is based on speculations, probabilities and analyses. This does not bind the resistance to anything. There are people who are raising the ceiling. Others are lowering it while some are putting the ceiling in the middle. Some people are saying the response will be like this or like that. 

I tell you honestly as you know me. There are only a few people who know about this issue. We do not have any sources. We are not interested in providing information. And we are very focused on keeping the enemy as confused as it is now because we left all possibilities open. The one who is raising the ceiling might be committing the country and raising expectations. As for those lower the ceiling might be reassuring the enemy for free. 

So in this context I assure you that all these are unfounded speculations and analyses. But it is certainly in the hands of leaders on the battlefield who know what they have to do. They know what the idea is, what the project is, what the horizon is and what the limits are. 

This matter only needs your prayers, God willing, prayers for success, victory, deterring this enemy and making it understand that our country is not to be violated.

A few days ago, I was listening to the speech of His Excellency the President, who was emphasizing this idea, that we must make the whole world understand that Lebanon is not a country that would allow to be violated. This is what will happen God willing. 

In any case, we must always be prepared and ready to deal with all possibilities and responses. You know this resistance. It is acting courageously, wisely and responsibly. And the rest is on Allah.