Sayyed Nasrallah’s Full Speech During the Laying of The Foundation Stone for The Janta Landmark
Translated by Al-Ahed News
Speech of Hezbollah Secretary General His Eminence Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah marking the laying of the foundation stone for the Janta landmark on 19-08-2022
I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Satan. In the name of Allah the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds, and prayers and peace be upon our Master and Prophet, the Seal of 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.
May the peace, mercy, and blessings of Allah be upon you all.
First, I welcome all my brothers and sisters to this blessed and good meeting, which also lays the foundation for a blessed and good path, God willing.
Allow me at the beginning to perform a moral duty in between speeches.
In the past few days, Hajja Fawziya Hamza passed away. She was the mother of the conqueror of the martyrs’ era and the prince of martyrs Ahmad Qasir, who carried out the largest operation in the history of the resistance since the establishment of the [“Israeli”] entity.
She was also the mother of martyrs. She was the mother of martyrs Ahmad Qasir, Mousa Qasir, and Rabih Qasir. Rabih was martyred in the July 2006 war.
I extend my deepest condolences and feelings of sympathy to Hajj Abu Musa Qasir, her mujahid and patient husband and the father of the martyrs, and to members of her family, her honorable family.
Of course, the Hajja has joined her martyred sons and intercessors. Throughout her life, she was a jihadist woman, a faithful resistance fighter and truly patient. I ask God Almighty to inspire patience and solace and maximize their rewards.
We must also offer our condolences and congratulations to the family of martyr leader Ibrahim al-Nabulsi and the families of his brothers, those martyred with him and those who were martyred after him.
The West Bank, Gaza, and Palestine offer one or more martyrs on an almost daily basis on their path of steadfastness, resistance, and liberation.
To the family of the martyr leader Ibrahim al-Nabulsi, to his father and mother, to all members of his family, and to all the families of the martyrs, we in Hezbollah in the Islamic Resistance feel their pain, pride, and sadness. We console and congratulate all the families of the martyrs for the loss of loved ones, attaining the divine medal, and possessing high spirit. We bet on this spirit so we can continue the path of resistance until the next victory, which will come with the help of God Almighty. God willing, it is not far off.
Back to our honorable meeting. The goal of the celebration is to lay the foundation stone for a jihadist touristic landmark. Later on, the brothers will give it a final official name, but this is what we’ll call it for now.
My speech consists of two parts; the first section is related to the occasion, and the second section briefly tackles some political issues. God willing, I will be at your service on Monday for further discussions on a few political issues.
We will talk at the celebration in which we will conclude the months-long Forty Springs [40 years since the foundation of Hezbollah] festivities. During this celebration, we will also mark the anniversary of the July war victory and the anniversary of the second liberation in the Bekaa’s mountains and barrens.
First: Why Janta? We have been thinking for a long time about constructing a jihadist touristic landmark in the Bekaa that will achieve a set of goals and objectives.
We had a successful experience with the Mleeta landmark in Iqlim Al-Tuffah. It came with moral and cultural blessings, as well as economic blessings.
We’ve been studying the issue for years. The brothers among themselves studied it. The discussion was not about the principle. Establishing a landmark in the Bekaa is the least we can do for the memory of the martyrs, the sacrifices, and the honorable people of the area.
But the debate always focused on the where? Of course, we did not take a long time to choose the place, but we needed some time as a result of the circumstances we were going through – the coronavirus pandemic and the difficult financial situation. In any case, we landed on Janta, and here comes the question: Why Janta?
I want to talk a little about Janta. This speech will become a documentary speech. This means that when, God willing, the landmark is established and built, this speech will be in its archives, i.e., this speech laid the foundation stone. I will mention some documentation when I talk about it.
When we go back forty years to 1982, you all know the beginning, but it must be mentioned. Following the “Israeli” invasion of a large part of Lebanon, it was clear how far the invasion would reach. There was a possibility that the rest of the Lebanese areas would be invaded, and Damascus would be besieged. There was also a possibility that an attack would be launched towards Damascus.
During those days, Imam Khomeini made a major historical decision. He sent a vanguard of forces to Syria. He sent a high-ranking military delegation consisting of commanders in Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards and leaders of the Iranian army. They went to Damascus and met the late President Hafez al-Assad. They held discussions with the Syrian leadership – the political and military leadership.
It turned out that the invasion reached a point, the well-known point in the central Bekaa and in Mount Lebanon, and stopped at this border.
Consequently, there was no more progress towards new Lebanese areas, and there was no threat to Syria and Damascus. Therefore, there was no need for Iranian forces to come.
Originally, Iranian forces were supposed to come and fight alongside Syria, the Lebanese, and in the rest of Lebanon, which was still not occupied, knowing that Iran was facing a fierce war.
You remember the days of the war the Saddam Hussein regime waged against the Islamic Republic. This was an American and Western decision, had the support of many Arab countries, and a rich, generous, and unlimited Gulf funding.
And although Iran was fighting along a front that extended for thousands of kilometers, the Imam decided not to leave Lebanon and Syria and to send his youth and men to fight alongside the Lebanese and Syrians and stop the “Israeli” invasion.
The plan changed, the idea was for a force belonging to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in Iran to remain in Syria and enter Lebanon. Its goal and mission was to help the Lebanese resistance fighters, train them, transfer military experience to them, and provide them with logistical support.
A logistics line was opened from Iran – weapons, ammunition, cannons, capabilities, moral and spiritual support, etc.
The mission changed from a combat mission on the fronts to a training, tactical, and preparatory mission. Therefore, the mission of the forces, the remaining Iranian force, was not to go to the fronts and fight on behalf of the Lebanese and the Syrians. Rather, the mission became to help the Lebanese – because the Syrians did not really need help – in resisting the occupation and liberating their occupied lands.
The force was concentrated in the Zabadani area, in a camp that Syria provided to the brothers in the Guards. From there, it was decided that they would enter Lebanon.
Of course, we are talking about a stage of the invasion. They entered from Zabadani to Janta, and it was the first Lebanese region that the Guards reached, as the brother said in the introduction, Imam Khomeini’s messengers reached us.
The first area they reached was this land in which we are holding our celebration. On Janta in the vicinity of the noble town, there was a training camp years ago.
After the “Israeli” invasion and the internal developments that took place in the term of the Islamic Amal Movement headed by the dear brother Sayyed Abu Hisham, Sayyed Hussein Al-Moussawi.
Based on that, this camp was presented to the brothers in the Guards. They settled there, expanded it, and set up tents in the vicinity of the old camp.
This camp was the setting for the first classes. Forty year ago – we say in our literature, the first classes by the Guards are known in our literature.
The first to join the first course was the master of the martyrs of the Islamic Resistance, martyr Sayyed Abbas al-Musawi. A number of brothers who were leaders back then and are also leaders today – political and military leaders, in organizational, military and jihadist positions – joined him. There was a large number of Mujahideen from different Lebanese areas.
The first course ended, and the name Janta, Janta camp, the presence of the brothers from the Guards, and the military, spiritual, moral, and emotional experience in Janta became known.
Then, the second, third, fourth, and fifth courses took place. After that we stopped counting because many people wanted to join. It was no longer a matter of few and limited courses. Janta and Janta camp stole the hearts and minds of the people.
People were looking forward to it and competed to join its courses. I remember at that stage I was working in the field of receiving and accepting volunteers and sorting out names of those joining the courses. Young people came from all regions, from the south, the north, the suburbs, Beirut, Jbeil, as well as from the Bekaa and its diverse villages. There was a great turnout, and Janta and Janta camp took their positions.
So, this was the first training camp for the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon. The first military course to train and graduate fighters in the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon took place. That was the first organized military beginning, meaning the organization, formation, and arrangement began here because it synchronized with them.
The young men in the south, in Dahiyeh, Beirut, Mount Lebanon, and in the areas under occupation have already started the groups, operations, etc.
But here because we were not in a hurry, formation and organization began based on the graduation of combat courses.
The camps and training camps expanded. There was more than one camp in Janta. They were called the Janta camps, camps in the valleys and hills.
Wherever valley they could establish a camp in, the brothers in the Guards did so. The camps expanded in Janta and its surroundings. They hosted a large number of courses for many years.
These camps were also subjected to “Israeli” bombardment many times since the beginning. The people of the surrounding towns, specifically the honorable residents of Janta, the honorable people of Yahfufa, and the people of the town of Nabi Sheet also suffered because of the repeated “Israeli” aggression on Janta camps.
The people of these honorable towns were rightly Husayni. They were not like those who pledged allegiance and betrayed Husain in Kufa.
Throughout the period when this area was bombed, neither the residents of Janta, nor the residents of Yahfufa, nor the residents of Nabi Sheet, nor the residents of the neighboring towns came to Hezbollah or to the Guards to blame them for what befell them – you ruined us and destroyed our homes. We are being bombed. We, our women, and our children are afraid.
On the contrary, the brothers received more loyalty and embrace from the people of these honorable towns. In this bombing, dozens of brothers were martyred and hundreds were wounded.
In this bombing, dozens of brothers were martyred and hundreds were wounded. In this bombing, Lebanese blood mixed with Iranian blood, and many of our Iranian brothers who were trainers from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps were martyred.
Here, thousands of Mujahideen from all the Lebanese areas joined, trained, and learned. The first generation, second, and almost the third generation in the resistance – what is certain is that the first and second generation at least – trained on this land, hills, and valleys.
Many of those who joined the training camps were martyred, and most are still waiting and have not changed.
There are great and many memories in these hills, valleys, roads, canals, rivers, caves, and tree that must be collected and preserved.
This land in which we are marking this celebration is now a training camp, but in fact, it was a land of worship, prayer, supplication, begging, crying, and connection with God Almighty.
This land was a land of preparation, readiness, and moral mobilization; it was the land of responding to the words of God Almighty: {Prepare against them whatever you are able of power and of steeds of war by which you terrify the enemy of Allah and your enemy.}
This land was the meeting point for the Mujahideen from all the Lebanese regions to meet, become brothers, and love and embrace one another.
I remember the course I took part in and the subsequent courses because I used to deliver speeches during graduation ceremonies. I also remember how the brothers during graduation ceremonies bid each other farewell with hugs, tears, and handshakes. It was a sincere lovers’ farewell.
Here, tears flowed from the fear of God because they used to read supplications and cry. Here, blood was shed for the sake of God during “Israeli” bombings. Here, tears of grief for Hussein dropped.
Majles aza and latem were recited in tents and courtyards. Blood was shed on the path of Hussein (peace be upon him). From here the men of God came and made victories and miracles.
We are normal human beings. There are people in Lebanon and elsewhere who may be touched, cry, or have tears in their eyes. We are normal human beings, and normal humans cry and laugh; they do not only laugh. Those who laugh and do not cry are not normal human beings.
They suffer, rejoice, grieve, and cry. They also have occasions for happiness and the relationship that exists between them is based on love and mercy, not based on interest. They are not half-way companions who stab each other in the back while they are together.
A normal person follows these values and concepts in his life, not the one whose heart becomes black and harsh. In any case, all these camps in Janta embraced these people.
When we say men of God, we are not only talking about brave and strong men, but we are also talking about strong and merciful men, whose hearts are full of faith, love, brotherhood, kindness, and a sense of responsibility.
Therefore, our leaders, scholars, brothers and the Mujahideen came from this place. I remember in a seminary in Baalbek, the vast majority of the professors, students, and religious clerics, if not all, joined these courses as trainees. They did not come to only lead communal prayers or be preachers.
They went there as trainees like all the young men, to run, climb mountains, and walk barefoot. They also came under fire. Now, someone there sitting with you is remembering the shooting.
So, this place and this land have a great emotional and spiritual effect in our journey, on our resistance, and in our memory. Hence, the choice fell on Janta. Janta has this presence, history, beginnings, the first camp, the first session.
Sayyed Abbas and the families of the martyrs in the Bekaa came under “Israeli” bombing a few months, a month, two, three after the establishment of the camp. Heroes, men, and martyrs came from this camp.
We aspire that this landmark, that is, the idea; we are talking about the idea; later the artists, specialists, engineers, and painters will determine how to translate it, present it, and show pictures, audio recordings, and scenes in a facility, a place, a tent, a model, a road, a crossing, and a cave. This is their job, and we usually do not interfere in the technicalities.
We aspire that this landmark embrace the memory of the training camps in all of Janta, not only in the place where we are in now, because as I said that there was a group of camps in this area and of course the camps were not only here.
I used to go to Janta, Yahfufa. I used to run to Yahfufa every morning, then climb the high mountain towards Nabi Sheetj. All the memories of these camps in Janta, what they went through, and the people who went there.
We must also add to them – now the issue is no longer only in Janta, but we will go with it to the whole of the Bekaa – all the memory of the rest of the camps that spread in the Bekaa region. This is first because Janta camp is no longer enough. Secondly, it was bombed with many materials.
The best thing was to expand and divide the fighters into small groups. So, many camps were opened. Therefore, people interacted with those camps, which have a long history. Also, great sacrifices were made.
I believe that my brothers and sisters in the Bekaa in general do not forget Ain Kawkab and the martyrs of Ain Kawkab, who came from all the Lebanese areas.
There are films and pictures of every memory since the beginning, since the arrival of the Guards to Janta. These must be documented and told. What’s in the chest must be said, written down, recorded, and expressed.
The arrival of the Guards to the towns of the Bekaa, I remember at that time, the formation of the headquarters. To this day, the brothers in the Bekaa say the headquarters. Sometimes, they still use the same literature.
We must refer to their mobilizational activities at that stage and the people of the Bekaa adopting the resistance in the Janta landmark.
The people of the Bekaa from the first days and hours adopted this option. They were believers in it, supporters, and assistants to it, and they knew that this would have consequences.
The bombing was not only on Janta, but also on the city of Baalbek, on the surroundings of the city of Baalbek, on the air defense sites, and on the rest of the training camps in the Bekaa region.
The bombing even reached the vicinity of Hermel, and all of this was in the beginning, before the liberation. This is apart from 2006.
The people of the Bekaa embraced the resistance; they believed in this option; they embraced it; they adopted it, and they gave it everything – their children, homes, security, safety, comfort, and money.
I remember in one of the years when the circumstances in some battles were difficult, and we went to collect donations from the Bekaa. Some people had no money, so they'd bring some soap, kishek, and makdous. We’d tell them that we are at the front. They’d tell us, ‘This is what I have!’
I used to say to the brothers, this soap, this lira, and that makdous are worth millions of dollars because they are given with pure intentions. They gave us everything they had. If they had more, they would have given us more than that. All this must be remembered, including the “Israeli” bombardment the area was subjected to.
You remember the city of Imam al-Sadr, the gendarmerie car in Baalbek, the barracks of Imam Ali, which was later called the barracks of Sheikh Abdullah, the fall of large numbers of martyrs, and the car bombs as a result of this option, whether in the Baalbek market, at the entrance of Ras al-Ain, or in front of the headquarters of Mohebi Al-Shahada, etc.
We must bring back to mind all these memories, incidents, and details to mind, as well as the memory of the Bekaa’s embrace of the rest of the resistance fighters who came from different Lebanese areas.
The Bekaa became the rear base since all the areas were mostly under occupation. There was security, safety, training, the camps, the sessions, planning, logistical support, meetings. If someone wanted to breathe, he’d go to the Bekaa. The Bekaa also had a long history.
Of course, this responsibility receded when the withdrawal occurred in 1995, and Beirut, the suburbs, Sidon, Tyre, Nabatiyeh, and all these areas were liberated and eased the pressure on the Bekaa. Otherwise, all the pressure in the early years was on the Bekaa Valley.
We must also recall the presence of the sons of the Bekaa in all the resistance axes, in the western Bekaa, and in the south, and on all fronts as well as the martyrs, the wounded, the prisoners, and the sacrifices.
This landmark should include the memory of the second liberation. The anniversary of the second liberation will be upon us in a few days.
The towns of Baalbek-Hermel, the outskirts, and the eastern chain were the front line. This memory, in addition to what is related to the resistance in general, must be preserved as long as it is still fresh. It must not be forgotten or lost.
God willing, this general idea will be expressed in an artistic, interesting, and attractive way. I said this is the responsibility of the specialized and technical team.
Just for future references, so no one later says that you built on other people’s land, municipal common lands, and state common lands, etc.
We've been planning something like this for years. We bought vast areas of land located in the camps and the surroundings of the camps.
The brothers may need to buy more lands as well. We hope the [land] owners will facilitate [the transaction] and give us good deals. God willing, this landmark will all be built legally. This means, acquiring a license, the buildings are legitimate, and the landmark is legal. This, of course, has many benefits.
With regard to Janta, we aspire for two things. When the Janta Landmark for jihadi tourism is established, we hope it will open the door and encourage two things.
The first is religious tourism. We are here in fact thinking about this triangle, Janta-Yahfoufa-Nabi Sheet. Speaking of religious tourism, in the town of Nabi Sheet there is a well-known and famous shrine, the shrine of the Prophet Sheet.
It is a well-known and famous shrine that dates back hundreds of years. No one is saying it is new or is debating its authenticity. In the end, this is a blessed, ancient, and sacred shrine. In one of the documents, some investigators mention that it dates back to before 518 AH, meaning 1124 AD.
We're talking about 900 years ago, at least. It existed before, but there is an old written historical document that talks about the existence of this shrine, the visitors, and the endowments. For hundreds of years, this shrine was visited by the various religious sects in Lebanon and the region. People made vows to it. They’ve witnessed marvels over hundreds of years.
There is a very interesting and encouraging witness. In fact, more than 400 years ago, between 400 and 500 years ago, you know, the greatest [religious] reference of the Shiite religion in the Levant and in the Shiite world was Sheikh Zain al-Din bin Ali al-Jibai, known as the second martyr.
He was one of the greatest Shiite scholars. At that time, he was the first reference in the Levant in general and also in the entire Shiite world. He is still known until now. His books, writings, and opinions are discussed and studied. He was born in 911 AH and his martyrdom was in 965 AH, that is his birth was in 1505 AD and martyrdom was 1558 AD. We are talking about more than 400 years.
The second martyr came to Baalbek from Jbaa and studied in Baalbek in the religious school there, of course, with our honorable Sunni brothers. He remained there for about two years and was studying the five schools, the four well-known schools of thought in addition to the Jaafari school of thought.
On his return from Baalbek to Jbaa, he passed by the shrine – this is his own handwriting, this is found in his autobiography that he wrote – of the Prophet of God Sheet. He worshiped there and sought refuge in God Almighty there because he was living in very difficult and very remote circumstances. Hence, we have this holy and honorable religious shrine.
We also have the mausoleum of the master of our martyrs, martyr Sayyed Abbas al-Mousawi. May God be pleased with him, his wife Um Yasser, and their son Hussein.
Sayyed Abbas was a believer, a fighter, pious, sincere, and honest. In fact, a person gets closer to God Almighty by visiting his honorable shrine.
We have this profound and powerful religious heritage in this triangle.
We also aspire that this [landmark] open the door of recreational tourism, I don't know what you call it.
I know it as jihadi and religious [tourism], but when we get to entertainment, we get lost because we are imprisoned. The meaning of tourism is known.
When people come to Janta Landmark, God willing, it will be like the case with Mleeta. People go there before noon, at noon, or in the afternoon.
This led to the opening of restaurants, resting places, and reception places. Regarding the climate in the area, there is clean air, delightful water – as I have tasted it a lot – and tall trees.
God willing, afforestation of the rest of the hills, valleys, and the area will be included in the project. This will be part of the project.
This will open a door to the economic aspect, meaning this landmark will open a spiritual life, a jihad life, a religious life, and an economic life.
God willing, this landmark will be a compensation for the people who have endured all these years – the people of Janta, the people of Yahfufa, the people of the area. It will compensate their patience and endurance during all the past years, by the blessing of the blood of the martyrs and the wounded as well as the sacrifices that were made on this earth.
Of course, the landmark needs time to be established in stages, similar to other landmarks. This means no one should rush the brothers and ask them after a few months what they’ve done or if they’re done.
This type of work is not building a normal structure. In the end, there is a specialization and a technical aspect and feasibility. It will take us some time and financing, God willing, God Almighty will facilitate this.
In our experience with this type of project, when it is for God and in the eyes of God Almighty, God Almighty facilitates it easily.
Certainly, we need to cooperate with the municipalities in the areas, with the Municipal Union, with the people, with the relevant ministries because of a main weak point.
The brothers presented me with a study of the weaknesses and strengths to help choose Janta as a landmark.
There is a main weakness which is the roads leading to the landmark. The problem is not that they are a little far, everything is far, it is rather that the roads are narrow.
God willing, when there is a blessing, attendance, and turnout, this matter will coincide with the establishment of the landmark. This means that the same way we talk about afforestation, we must talk about [fixing] the roads so the landmark will be fully prepared to achieve the desired goals.
I will briefly talk about the political issues and cconclude with the issue of laying the foundation stone. I will mention two or three brief points.
1- The first point: It will be a week or ten days since the talk about the Iranian nuclear deal and going back to the deal started. The brothers in Iran replied to the Europeans, and the Americans are still studying the Iranian response. One minute, the atmosphere is positive, and another minute, the atmosphere is negative. The same with the demarcation of our maritime borders.
In any case, I will not talk about the Iran nuclear deal. Unfortunately, I want to say to all those in Lebanon who are tackling this matter – because after a few days, we have an important challenge that has to do with the demarcation of the maritime borders, the issue of oil and gas extraction, Karish, etc. – analyzing, hypothesizing, writing articles, and linking everything with the nuclear deal in Vienna.
The “Israelis” can link something to the nuclear agreement; the Americans can link something, but we do not have anything related to the nuclear agreement.
What I'm going to say today is that there are people who are assuming that if a nuclear agreement was signed, Hezbollah in Lebanon will turn a blind eye to everything it said regarding the issue of maritime borders, oil and gas, and Karish.
This whole hype and commotion is for the nuclear agreement and not the maritime borders. There are people who are reasonable except when it comes to this point.
What I want to say is that the issue of the maritime borders, Karish, oil and gas, and the Lebanese rights that the Lebanese state is demanding have nothing to do with the nuclear agreement or whether it is signed.
This is the main point – whether or not the Iranian nuclear deal is signed again, if the American mediator gives the Lebanese state what it is demanding, we will calm down.
There are people assuming that if the nuclear deal was not signed, Hezbollah and the resistance will escalate. This is small mindedness, with all due respect.
Therefore, I say whether the nuclear agreement was signed or not, if the demands of the Lebanese state are met, we will opt for calm. Whether the nuclear agreement is signed or not, if the Lebanese state was not given what it is demanding, we are going to escalate.
This means that even if the nuclear deal was signed, they sat with the Americans, the Europeans, China, Russia, Iran, the whole universe, and the world – some brothers remember this literature; this is one of Sayyed Abbas' jokes.
If the entire universe agreed on the nuclear agreement, went forward smoothly, and was signed, but Lebanon did not obtain the rights that the Lebanese state is demanding, this means that we are going to escalate.
This will, in any case, be the main test that should end the discussion for those who still have logic, reasoning, and a place for positivity. But for those who insist on accusations, you can't do anything with them. We are not paying attention to them.
This is the first point. Hence, if the Lebanese have their eyes on Vienna, it is not a problem. In the end, going back to the nuclear deal is an important event. Not going back to it is also an important event.
But the eye must be on Karish, on the Lebanese border, on the south of Lebanon, and on the north of the entity. The eye must be on the American mediator, who is still wasting time and has ran out of time. This is the first point.
2- The other point is also related to Lebanon. There is a world championship in mixed martial arts taking place in Abu Dhabi.
Considering that normalization is normal there, it happened that the turn of a 15-year-old Lebanese young man named Charbel Abu Daher was up against an “Israeli” player. He refused to face him and withdrew from the competition.
This is one of the titles of resistance. This is a patriotic and heroic stance. This is a stance we, the Lebanese people, all of us should be proud of.
This means that the resistance is cross-sectarian in every sense of the word, and this is a form of the peoples' rejection of normalization in our region.
Normalization is the will of some regimes, the will of the Americans and the “Israelis”. As for our peoples, they do not have the will to normalize.
There has been a lot of lies and misinformation over the past years and the presentation of false opinion polls that talk about 60, 70, and 80% acceptance of normalization and normal relations with “Israel” and the establishment of diplomatic relations with “Israel”. It turns out that all of it was made by regimes.
In any case, the latest opinion polls conducted by pro-“Israeli” and American institutions, showed that there is a very low percentage of people that support normalization, and the very highest percentage still sees and will continue to see “Israel” as a usurper entity occupying Palestine and an enemy of all the peoples of this region.
Therefore, also on the occasion of [laying the foundation] of the resistance landmark in Janta, we tell this young man, Charbel, and his honorable family, that we in the resistance take pride in their son’s patriotic, humanitarian, and honorable moral stance.
3- The next point is related to the customs dollar.
We want to appeal to the head of government. The decision may not have been signed yet by His Excellency the President of the Republic because there is no government today.
If someone says that the government made the decision, there is no government to make the decision; this is a caretaker government. It seems that there will be a decree, that is, the Minister of Finance, the Prime Minister, and the President of the Republic will sign it.
We will express our position that this amount, 20,000, will see a huge, harmful, and unsuitable leap. We understand that the customs dollar does not remain 1500.
It is difficult for the state because, in the end, customs are one of the resources for something to enter the treasury, and it is one of the forms of budget financing that is being discussed now in Parliament.
But [a hike] from 1500 to 20,000 in one blow this way, especially since, so far, the representatives are appealing to those concerned to give them a presentation of its damages. It is all general talk. Before any decision is made, there must be an actual and realistic study on the repercussions of this matter.
4- The next point: We stress on the importance of continuing the effort to form a government, an actual government, a government with full powers.
There has been movement in the past few days, and I hope it will not stop. We call for continuing this effort to reach the formation of a real and effective government.
5- The last point before the conclusion is related to what happened to Salman Rushdie in one of the cities of the United States of America. It is a very important event, but I will not comment on it now because we still need some information, some data, and some details.
When the scene is complete, there will be an urgent and definite need for us to have a position on this important incident.
This is what I wanted to talk about today. I do not want to prolong you for more than that. I’m used to speaking for an hour, an hour and 20 minutes, or an hour and a half. We finished early.
I don't know if the weather was hot or good for you. I don't know. I don't want to burden you more than that. In any case, it was my duty to be among you. I am honored to be with you and next to you, but we know the circumstances.
The person who gets the honor to lay the foundation stone for this jihadi tourist landmark that will preserve this historical memory is our great and dear brother and elder Sayyed Abu Hisham, Sayyed Hussein al-Mousawi.
So, I invite him and ask him to come forward. We will bother him today. We give you the floor the same way you gave it to us. Good luck, God willing. May He grant you well-being.
May the peace, mercy, and blessings of God be upon you.
