Sayyed Nasrallah’s Full Speech on Second Liberation Anniversary | 28-08-2023
Translated by Al-Ahed News
Speech by Hezbollah Secretary-General His Eminence Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah on the anniversary of the Second Liberation | 28-08-2023
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.
Peace and God's mercy and blessings be upon you all.
I congratulate all of you on the anniversary of the Second Liberation. This is the other great victory that Lebanon achieved against the armed terrorist groups that occupied a large part of our Lebanese territory and attacked our people, our villages, the army, and the security forces and threatened the country.
Tonight, I will talk about this occasion. I will also touch on the recent “Israeli” threats, the recent developments in Syria, the Lebanese internal situation, the anniversary of the disappearance and kidnapping of Imam Sayyid Musa al-Sadr and his two companions, and a final word on the Arbaeen of Imam Hussein (peace be upon him) and the events in Karbala in the coming days. I’ll stick to the time allocated and tackle these points briefly whenever possible.
But before I start, it is my duty to condole all the Lebanese on the departure of one of the great pillars of the Lebanese and Arab press, Mr. Talal Salman, who was truly a great and dear fighter, who fought using his thoughts, words, and pen.
He was part of the resistance in its intellectual and media arena and supported it in all stages in Lebanon, Palestine, and broader region until his last breath.
I extend my condolences to his honorable family, to all his friends, to all those who loved him, to his comrades in the As-Safir newspaper, to all the believers in the resistance and those who share this great man’s stance, ideas, commitment, and affiliation. I extend my condolences to all of them and express my sympathy, and I ask God Almighty to cover him with His vast mercy.
1- I will start with the occasion. We must recall that with the start of the events in Syria and their initial phase, armed groups took control of areas adjacent to the borders with Lebanon, especially with the Beqaa. This included the cities and villages of Zabadani, Qalamoun, and Qusayr. These armed groups entered areas on Lebanese territory and used them as bases. What did they use these bases for?
[They used them] to launch attacks on the residents in the surrounding villages, towns, and cities and to attack the Lebanese army and security forces. We will talk about the events that took place later.
By doing so, they deprived the Lebanese of their lands, orchards, and quarries, given that, especially in the Arsal region and the neighboring villages, they depend mainly on stone and rock crushers for their livelihood.
They also used it as a base for deploying car bombs to the Bekaa, to the southern suburb [Dahiyeh], and other places, as well as to expand into Lebanese territory. They issued threats to sieze control of the Bekaa and to reach Beirut and Dahiyeh. Their recordings are still there.
There are people in Lebanon who might have forgotten or may deny this. However, these recordings exist and are online as well. They also used it as a base to further launch aggression against Syria by providing a crossing for fighters, weapons, and capabilities.
These armed groups that took control of the border area and a large part of the eastern chain, up to the Hermel region comprised of two organizations, Daesh [ISIS] and Jabhat al-Nusra.
Lebanon was part of Daesh’s objectives. Some people may deny or have forgotten this. The group announced that their objective was not only fighting for Syria or a response to Syria. We all remember that dark black map that Daesh published about the caliphate state that it wanted to establish, which included Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and all Arab countries, as well as many Islamic countries.
Lebanon was part of the Daesh caliphate, and the presence of Daesh on the outskirts of the Beqaa was a launchpad and a bridgehead. Daesh, which had taken control of areas from the Iraqi border to the Syrian desert and reached Palmyra, was then a step away from Qalamoun and achieving this wide expansion.
This is what the Syrian Arab Army and the resistance fighters prevented Daesh from achieving, and this had a great impact on achieving victory in Lebanon.
If Daesh managed to connect Palmyra with Qalamoun, Zabadani, and the Lebanese border, things would have been more costly and more difficult.
In any case, the events along the border began at the end of 2012 and the beginning of 2013. The battle continued until the decisive point that ended in victory on August 27, 2017.
We're talking about a battle that lasted years. We are not talking about a military operation or a qualitative achievement that was created by a limited set of operations.
We are talking about a large group of battles that were fought over years in order to accomplish this achievement. Hence, we must know that what we hold today is the fruit of sacrifices, giving, toiling away, trouble, and great efforts.
With the beginning of the events in 2012-2013 and the arrival of armed groups to the mountains, barren lands, hills, and valleys surrounding the Bekaa villages, the residents of the region i.e. the people of Baalbek-Hermel both Muslims and Christians decided to defend their villages, homes, honor, and blood. This was a decision made by the locals themselves.
They did not flee or abandon the region. On the contrary, they remained there and decided to confront the enemy. Some villages, especially Christian ones, made the decision to confront the enemy contrary to the decision of the leaders of their parties or most of their parties.
The Lebanese army took defensive measures in the areas it was present in. I will talk about the attack later. The resistance stood strongly alongside the people.
Of course, we must also recall the usual Lebanese division. We must not forget those who represent political forces and personalities who went to the militants in Arsal and held press conferences expressing their support, backing, and blessings.
They provided the militants with different forms of support, including media and political support. In addition to media and political support, some provided them with financial support. Others also provided them with fighters and weapons.
We must also not forget that they placed their bets on the armed groups remaining. I would like to emphasize this point when talking about domestic issues.
They bet on these armed groups remaining, on their victory, and on the defeat of the people of the Bekaa, the army, and the resistance.
Of course, this bet is not surprising. The project is not about Lebanon’s barren lands and the Bekaa. This was part of a major battle in the region, including Lebanon, Syria, and Iraq, managed by the Americans. I will return to this shortly.
These people are the followers of the Americans and the US embassy. They claim to be sovereign, but they supported takfiri terrorist groups that unjustly occupied Lebanese land and attacked Lebanese villages, various sects, and livelihoods. They attacked the Lebanese army and killed its officers and soldiers. They kidnapped members of the Lebanese army and security forces, imprisoned them, executed them, and hid their bodies.
However, until the last moment, they continued supporting, backing, and betting on these armed takfiri groups in our mountains.
Of course, the people wanted to fight, and we are with the people, especially since these people are also our people. Therefore, we strongly stood by them. The decision to fight on the outskirts, in the eastern chain, and face the armed groups was based on faith as well as humane, moral, national, and popular grounds.
At the very least, the locals in the area who were in danger – regardless of their religious and political affiliations and political contradictions – were unanimous.
We made our decision and entered this battle with full force. Of course, thankfully, the Lebanese army maintained its defensive measures, and this was very important in order to prevent attacks and expansion.
However, the government at that time did not authorize the Lebanese army to carry out any offensive action, even to liberate its officers and soldiers and the officers and soldiers of the Internal Security Forces.
The reason, frankly, was the US threats. The Americans prevented the Lebanese government from taking a decision allowing the Lebanese army to carry out offensive action in that area. This is basically because these militants were under the care and management of the Americans.
When was the decision made? In 2017, when His Excellency President General Michel Aoun was President of the Republic. I remember even at that time the Lebanese army was threatened that if it participated in the operation, the Americans would stop supporting it, and I have said this many times. This is the truth and no one can deny it. Whoever denies it is a liar.
During the years of fighting from 2012 to 2017, there were fierce battles, but these battles cannot be fragmented. It is true that there are borders, but there was no barbed wire. The borders between Lebanon and Syria are theoretical. The armed groups controlled a vast area inside the Syrian territories, in Zabadani, Qalamoun, Qusayr, and large areas within Lebanese territory. The operations went through many stages. We can divide them into four stages:
1- The first stage is the stage of liberating Qusayr as a city, district, and region. This led to removing the danger from Hermel, its villages, and neighboring areas.
2- The second stage is the Western Qalamoun and the liberation of part of the Tfail barrens, in addition to parts of the Nahla and Yuonine barrens.
3- The third stage is Zabadani. When the situation was shaking inside Syrian territory, the gunmen retreated, leading to the liberation of a part of Lebanese territory – Zabadani and a large area of the Lebanese barrens. This came before the beginning of the fourth stage. The importance of the second and third stages is that all the hideouts and places where cars were booby-trapped and sent to Lebanon with the suicide bombers were eliminated.
4- The fourth stage was in July 2017, which is the rest of the region. In the final stage, a very large fighting took place inside Syrian territory, i.e. along the borders of Arsal and the rest of the areas. The Syrian army and the resistance fought it in Lebanese territory. In many parts, it was fought by the resistance.
In the last stage, the front was divided into two parts: one part was controlled by Hezbollah, and the other part was controlled by the Lebanese army based on the decision of the courageous Lebanese government at that time.
These four stages led to the complete defeat and the expulsion of the militants from that region and its full liberation. The entire Lebanese territory was recovered. Of course, on the Syrian side, the battle was decisive; otherwise, it would not have been decided on the Lebanese side.
The bodies of the martyrs of the Lebanese army and the security forces were recovered. The prisoners were liberated. We also recovered our prisoners who were in Idlib. This germ and terrorist presence in our region and on our borders was eliminated.
This is what we call the Second Liberation and victory.
On the anniversary of this great victory, the first thing we must do is turn to the souls of the martyrs, the martyrs of the Lebanese and Syrian armies, the martyrs of the resistance, the martyrs of the people, who sacrificed their blood for this liberation and victory.
We must turn to the families of the martyrs, to the wounded, to the resistance fighters who fought for years in harsh climatic conditions you are all familiar with – the snow and cold in the harsh winter and intense heat in summer. However, after liberation, they remained for two years in those mountains and barrens to prevent anyone from infiltrating the villages and cities of the Bekaa Valley and threaten their security or do anything that would harm their people and residents.
We must turn to all of them, to our people in the Bekaa Valley, to the people who embraced this choice and were partners.
I do not forget the residents in the villages and towns that, despite their suffering and [difficult] circumstances, gathered what they had in their homes to deliver to the thousands of fighters on the frontlines. I must also commend the huge turnout of fighters to defend Lebanon, its villages, its people, its honor, and its children.
We have never suffered from a shortage of fighters. There was a huge turnout to fight in the last and decisive battle in 2017. For the first time, I can tell you that the number of our fighters were very large and overmatched the size of the mission.
The reason is that we were unable to prevent these young men – you know it was during the summer vacation – from taking part in the operations.
Therefore, many of the martyrs of the last stage were from the Taabia'a [or mobilization]. They were volunteers and university students. This expresses the spirit and high will that exists among our people.
We will conclude talking about the occasion so we can tackle other topics.
This is a new experience for the army, people, and resistance equation. It’s a tangible, eye-to-eye experience. These people saw it; all the Lebanese saw it; the whole region saw it.
We called it the Second Liberation. The first liberation was the result of the army, people, and resistance equation. The July victory was the result of the army, people, and resistance equation.
The Second Liberation in the outskirts of the Bekaa was the result of the army, people, and resistance equation.
The gas exploration in Block 9, the demarcation of the maritime borders, and the restoration of our fields and our right to the territorial waters and the economic zone are what we call the Third Liberation.
The third liberation was made possible thanks to the army, people, and resistance equation.
If we want to draw lessons, we are presenting a defensive strategic equation, which is the army, people, and resistance. This national defense strategy that is based on the army, people, and resistance equation achieved historic, great, and major victories.
This is in the field. What others are putting forward is not a defensive strategy, or if it constitutes a defensive strategy, then it is just failed theories, from which Lebanon and the Arab region and everyone who followed them gained nothing but defeats and losses. This is the truth.
That is why even when talking about a national dialogue regarding a defensive strategy, the political team that went to the outskirts and supported the militants does not accept or want a dialogue on a defensive strategy. It has a preconceived position that the resistance must be disarmed. I will return to it when I discuss domestic issues.
Hence, we are presenting before the Lebanese people and reminding them of the achievement made by this strategy. We are also reminding them that the victory in the outskirts of the Bekaa is one of the failed choices of this Lebanese political team, which works at the US embassy in Lebanon. This is one of their many failed options.
Moving on to our other issues.
2- The second point are the recent “Israeli” threats regarding the assassination of leaders in the resistance, including Palestinian leaders and Lebanese leaders. The “Israelis” were also clear that they might resort to that. Of course, I will return to talking about the developments in Syria in the context of the conversation.
They also said that this extends inside and outside occupied Palestine. It was always said that the “Israelis” study their experiences and mistakes and draw lessons from them, but it seems that this was during the old days.
This statement does not apply at present to the “Israeli” government or the enemy’s army because they repeat the same fatal and deadly mistakes. I will give two examples:
1- The first example: In the face of the escalation of resistance in the West Bank and the “Israeli” inability against this resistance, its youth, and men and the people's embrace of the resistance fighters. So, what did Netanyahu and his people do?
They accused Iran and portrayed that what is happening in the West Bank is an Iranian project, an Iranian plot, and that the Palestinians there are Iranian tools and mercenaries. If it were not for Iran, they would not be fighting and confronting.
Of course, what the “Israelis” are doing are playing the world and the people of the region as well as themselves for fools. The “Israelis” are oblivious of the fact that the resistance in the West Bank is purely a Palestinian will. They forgot that this people has been fighting them for 75 years, that is, before the victory of the Islamic Revolution in Iran lead by Imam Khomeini and before the establishment of the Islamic Republic regime in Iran.
When Iran was under the rule of the Shah, an ally of “Israel”, the Palestinian people in the West Bank, in Gaza, in the 1948 territories, inside and outside Palestine, were fighting the “Israelis”.
They want to deny the fact that the Palestinian people have rights, including the right to exist, the right to remain, the right to life, the right to a dear and dignified life, and the right to recover their land and sanctities from the sea to the river.
Therefore, they try to portray the battle in the West Bank as being between “Israel” and Iran. They want the US, the world, the international community, and some Arab states that have animosity towards Iran to stand on their side because they are fighting a battle against Iran here in the West Bank.
The battle in the West Bank is against the Palestinian people. Yes, we thank the Islamic Republic of Iran for supporting and standing by this oppressed Palestinian people, whose land is occupied and sanctities are defiled. Iran did not abandoned them the way the world did. It is a Palestinian project with a Palestinian will and a Palestinian resistance. Where did the enemy make this mistake?
The “Israelis” have been making this mistake in Lebanon since 1982 until 2000 and 2006. To this day, the “Israeli” enemy continues to portray that those fighting it in Lebanon are Iranian tools, Iranian resistance, and an Iranian project. The “Israelis” do not understand that there is a national will and people – men and women – in Lebanon who reject humiliation, injustice, occupation, domination and living under the authority of the occupiers. These people fought using stones, wood, and boiling oil. They refused to shake hands [with the “Israelis”] and fought using bullets, their bare bodies, a spirit of martyrdom, and all means until liberation was attained in 2000.
This is an example. This will not weaken the Palestinians when their patriotism is questioned, and it will not affect the Iranian position. Iran takes pride in standing with the oppressed. This is just sophistry on the part of Netanyahu and the likes of Netanyahu.
2- The second example: Threat of assassinations
Throughout the conflict with the resistance in Lebanon, in Palestine, and in the region, the “Israeli” enemy was carrying out assassinations (sometimes large-scale assassinations) of senior leaders, secretary-generals, scholars, cadre leaders, who were sometimes with their wives and children.
Were these assassinations able to shake the strength and the will of the resistance, or did they push towards a greater presence in the field and squares and a willingness to sacrifice, confront, and hope for victory? This happened with the Palestinians, the Lebanese, and the rest of the resistance fighters in our region.
On the contrary, these threats will not make the resistance retreat. Neither the threat nor the implementation of the threat will stop the operations and the resistance movement or weaken the resistance. Rather, they will increase the resistance’s tenacity, insistence, resolve, presence, and strength. All experiences have proven this.
The enemy must admit that it is facing an existential impasse, a historical impasse, and a strategic impasse. It will not find solutions. Let the security cabinet meet; let the current and former rulers and generals meet in the “Israeli” entity and consult all the world’s experts. They will not be able to save them or guide them to a strategy that will get them out of their predicament.
The only solution for the entity is the one outlined by the leaders of the Palestinian resistance. I am not the only one saying it, they also said it. The way out of the impasse is [for “Israel”] to leave this land to its people and its true owners. Otherwise, this fighting will continue for generations. It seems that we will not need generations, God willing. Hence, in the face of this impasse, all these steps will not lead to a result.
In this context, I must remind you of our position, which I have repeated many times – any assassination on Lebanese soil that targets a Lebanese, a Palestinian, an Iranian, a Syrian, or any other national, will certainly be met with a strong response, and it cannot be tolerated. We will not allow the Lebanese arena to be opened up again for assassinations, and we will not at all accept changing the rules of engagement that have existed until now, especially since 2006, and the “Israelis” must understand this well.
3- The third point that I want to briefly highlight is the suffering of the forgotten Palestinian prisoners whom the world has forgotten. A large number of them today are on hunger strike. They are facing the most difficult conditions that prisoners and men face, and also because of this extremist and brutal government that deliberately takes cruel and humiliating measures.
In the same context, we must shed light on the suffering of the political prisoners in Bahrain. They are all living in difficult circumstances, but a number of them entered a hunger strike. The Bahraini people and politcal factions are showing solidarity with these prisoners. The whole world and human rights organizations as well as the states that are fighting wars under the pretext of defending human rights and are silent over these injustices in Palestine and Bahrain are required to take a stance. Everyone is capable of taking a stance. Everyone has social media accounts and the ability to express. There must be real solidarity when it comes to this humanitarian issue, be it with the detainees in Palestine so it does not become a regular thing or with the political prisoner in Bahrain.
4- The fourth point is related to the developments in Syria. I will briefly talk about this point. From the start, Hezbollah’s understanding and opinion about what is happening in Syria were clear and known.
We used to say, and I will repeat it because what is happening today in Syria is a continuation of what began in 2011-2012. From the beginning, we believed that what was happening in Syria was an American project.
The US sought the help of a number of regional Arab, Islamic, and Gulf countries, and these countries supported it with media coverage, money, weapons, capabilities, logistics, and fighters. Internal events that could have been addressed were exploited, and the Syrian state was seeking to address them.
The project from the beginning was to overthrow the current regime and control Syria, subjugating it and plundering it. Now you say, to plunder it? What is happening now in the East of the Euphrates? There is daily looting by the Americans of Syrian oil and gas, and this is an area outside the circle of the Syrian state.
Even though there are those who claim to run this region and control it, including the so-called SDF and the so-called military councils in Deir ez-Zor, all these submit to the American occupier. They are plundering it on the one hand and dealing a blow to the resistance project as a whole in the region on the hand.
The actual leader from day one, O people of the region, O Syrian people, of the war on Syria was the US. The American ambassador in Damascus, by his own admission and by the admission of Arab officials, had spoken and clarified for some time ago.
We heard talk about forming a committee to lead the war on Syria, consisting of the United States and a number of neighboring Arab and regional countries.
This committee discussed the steps, stages, preparation, and budgets. It requested a $ 2000 billion for controlling Syria. I do not know if the $ 2000 billion was approved because this was omitted from the confessions.
But in audio and video recordings, Biden says that hundreds of billions of dollars were spent to occupy and control Syria, and they brought takfiris and terrorist groups from all over the world under a theory that says: We bring them from all fields and arenas to fight in Syria and let them be killed.
Take a look at the betrayal and treachery. This is what they are doing to the takfiri terrorists they brought from all over the world. They brought them with this intention, and the head of one of the most important Arab intelligence services who was managing this battle admitted this. I do not want to name Arab countries to avoid being told that I am stirring up problems.
The theory was: Let us bring them from all over the world and let them fight in Syria. Let them be killed, and we will liquidate whoever remains alive after that.
The armed takfiris and many of these simple people who were brought from all over the world to fight under the banner of Islam were unfortunately just foolish tools for the US project. They were meant to be drained and consumed, and the rest of them were to be eliminated in the coming stage.
That is why they created Daesh, and under the pretext of Daesh, the American forces returned to Iraq and occupied the east of the Euphrates. Today, the east of the Euphrates is occupied by the United States of America.
The east of the Euphrates is not an internal issue today. It is not an internal Syrian issue between the SDF or some clans and the regime and the government in Syria. No, it is an American matter par excellence. I will also return to it later.
Hence, this military project, this global war also failed thanks to God Almighty, the steadfastness of the Syrian leadership, the Syrian army, the Syrian people, and the support of Syria's friends, especially the resistance axis.
There are many reasons in addition to steadfastness that thwarted this war, including the infighting within these armed groups, the militants killing and liquidating each other, the bloody struggle over leadership, decision-making, and the monopolization of oil and crossings.
This was the alternative that America and some Arab states were preparing for Syria. Today, the Syrian people must remember this alternative because this ugly alternative is being prepared once again.
When they found that this military project failed and Syria began to recover and opened its doors to the world, they realized that Syria – I said this before, but I will emphasize it in the face of new developments – with its minds, thought, officials, people, will, and internal capabilities, are capable of rising within a few years if doors to assistance, foreign investments, activating internal production, exporting internal production, etc. were opened. Hence, the Caesar Act. The sanctions imposed a very harsh blockade on Syria.
What did the Americans want to achieve from the Caesar Act? What we were unable to achieve through fighting, war, and political pressure and dialogue with the Syrian leadership, we can achieve through sanctions, siege, and social, livelihood, and life pressure, which will – in their opinion – enable Syria to explode again or push the Syrian leadership to surrender. This was the objective of the Caesar Act's.
Of course, the Syrian government has made great efforts. I am not claiming that it has done everything that needs to be done. I do not know. This is a detail that the Syrians care more about, but we all know that the doors were blocked and locked, that the siege was tightened, and that the Syrian state was trying and is still trying, within available capabilities, to manage the difficult economic, financial, and living conditions.
Today, things are reaching a sensitive point. America is preventing everyone in the world who is able to invest in Syria or extend a helping hand, except for some of its friends who are also going through their own difficult circumstances.
Even a country like China, which has a good relations Syria, does not dare to invest in Syria because of the Caesar Act. Russian companies are not investing in Syria even though Russia is fighting in Syria. This is for fear of US sanctions. Same goes to Arab countries.
Instead of blaming the conspirators, the ones imposing sieges, the ones starving the people, i.e. America, it is being directed in the wrong place. America is the one besieging Syria, starving it, denying it aid, preventing investment in it, and prevent people from living a decent life.
Instead of uniting voices, fists, and rifles to confront the American occupier, you are going in the wrong direction. Let me give an example. The most important Syrian oil and gas fields today are in the east of the Euphrates. Who is controlling them? The Americans. Who is looting them every day? The Americans.
The Americans are the ones preventing these oil and gas fields from returning to the Syrian government. If the oil and gas fields in the east of the Euphrates were returned to the Syrian government, would the situation be as difficult as it currently is? Of course not, regardless of the level of influence.
But who is preventing a political solution between the Kurds and the state in Syria? The Americans. Who is preventing the liberation of eastern Euphrates? I tell you frankly. The Syrian state and its allies are simply able to liberate the east of the Euphrates militarily, as they did in the Syrian desert. The east of the Euphrates is not more difficult to liberate.
However, the battle there is not with the SDF or with the militants. East of the Euphrates is an area occupied by the American forces, and fighting there means a regional conflict and may be evolve into an international conflict.
Who, then, is turning the conflict into a regional and international conflict there? The Americans. Instead of focusing, as I said, on holding the occupier responsible for plundering Syria's oil, gas, and resources in the east of the Euphrates, the state, the government, and the Syrian leadership is being blamed. This is wrong.
I want to address the Syrian people. Some might like what I’m about to say, others may not. In the difficult and historical stages, every person must express his opinion and conviction clearly, frankly, and courageously.
I tell them that your only option is cooperation. The state and the people in Syria must cooperate in addressing this crisis with patience, possible solutions, even if with partial solutions, self-reliance, national capabilities, and endurance. Do not lend your brains to those who want to destroy your country and fragment it and plunder its wealth.
When I say plunder, you can many examples of this in East of the Euphrates. If America and its groups and tools seize control of Syria, it will be plundered, and you will not enjoy these bounties.
Your only hope and choice is cooperation, solidarity, and patience over these difficulties. God willing, when people are patient and tolerant, they will find relief and a way out of this harsh and difficult ordeal.
In this context, we are witnessing the American pressure on the east of the Euphrates, the tightening of sanctions, the new visits of American representatives to northern Syria, an attempt to revive Daesh again, and a talk – its credibility needs to be checked – that the Americans want to bring in armed groups and spread them from Al-Tanf to Al-Bukamal and close the Syrian-Iraqi border.
These are illusions and dreams. Neither Syria nor the axis of resistance will allow something like this, especially if the Americans want to fight with their tools. However, if they want to fight themselves, then they are more than welcome to do so. This is the real battle that will change everything and all equations.
Reviving Daesh will be confronted with the same firmness, strength, and determination, militarily and security wise. They will not be allowed again to tamper with the security of Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, or the region.
5- Lebanese affairs: I will delve into the Lebanese affairs.
1- The extension of UNIFIL’s mandate: This topic is being raised in sessions in the Security Council. Of course, some of the drafts proposed by some Western countries are interfering not only with Resolution 1701 but also with the Lebanese affair. There were some remarks that were made by Lebanon regarding these modifications or additions that can be taken into account.
The main issue is related to UNIFIL's freedom of action in the South, without coordination with the Lebanese army.
Allow me to comment briefly. Doesn’t the UN Security Council, especially the American practices and role see? Is it one-eyed? It is not seeing the “Israeli” violations in Lebanon, including air and naval violations, the aggressions on the borders, the threats, the new occupation in northern Ghajar, with barbed wire and walls erected in vast lands.
The Americans do not see all of this. The Americans want the South to be devoid of any defense capabilities, resistance, and protection. That is how they want southern Lebanon to be safe, i.e. does not pose a threat or danger to the “Israeli” entity. This is what the Americans want. Nothing else.
They want UNIFIL to work for “Israel” and be spies for “Israel”. The “Israeli” drones cannot fly freely like in the past. The “Israeli” spies face certain problems. They want UNIFIL in a place that the “Israeli” drones, spies, or cameras cannot reach to bring information. So, the cameras of UNIFIL will do that instead.
We have always endured this situation as a result of the political situation and the state’s position in Lebanon. In the end, some Lebanese consider that the presence of UNIFIL is a national interest, a Lebanese interest, and so on. This is, in any case, up for discussion.
Why is UNIFIL only in Lebanon? Why is there no UNIFIL in northern Palestine? The “Israelis” are the ones attacking. They are the ones who launched war against Lebanon; they are the ones who invaded in 1978 and in 1982; they are the ones who launched the war in 2006; they are the ones who are always threatening, and they are the ones who infiltrate Lebanon and violating its sovereignty, waters, and land.
We overlooked all of this. However, what happened in the past year was either due to the negligence of the Lebanese diplomacy or the weakness of the Lebanese diplomacy, etc. It required correction.
We thank the Lebanese government for trying to correct last year’s mistake, which granted UNIFL (according to the resolution) full freedom to move in southern Lebanon without coordination with the Lebanese army and state.
Of course, people in Lebanon who claim to be sovereign kept silent about this. This is a violation of Lebanese sovereignty – a foreign armed force moving on Lebanese soil without the permission of the government and the Lebanese army and without coordination with the Lebanese army.
To those who claim to be sovereign, what happened to sovereignty? One might accuse us of being a military force moving in the country. We are a Lebanese force; we are the people of Lebanon; we are the people of the country; we are not a foreign force.
This is an internal matter that has nothing to do with sovereignty. Rather, it is related to the internal problem between a group calling for real sovereignty and America's followers in Lebanon.
Anyway, Lebanon is suffering greatly in the Security Council. We appeal to the Lebanese government, and we hope that it will succeed in making this amendment. We hope that Lebanon’s friends will help it make this amendment.
Even if this amendment did not take place, making this amendment has to do with national dignity; otherwise, this will remain ink on paper like last year, as the people of the South will not allow a decision to be implemented despite the Lebanese government’s refusal.
In the south, no force will be allowed [to roam freely]. The people will not allow it. No weapon was used in this matter, and there is no intention to use weapon.
2- The presidential elections: The Lebanese are waiting for the French delegate. A debate took place in the country. Mr. Le Drian asked the representatives and parliamentary blocs some questions. There are people who do not want to answer them.
This is a violation of sovereignty. They are bullying the French. But let me ask you a question. If the envoy was American and the message was American, would you dare say we will not reply and our answer is what the five-year committee decided?
If the envoy was from one of the main Arab countries, would you have said that? In any case, this is a discussion. Regardless of the substance, I am discussing the form.
Some people collected signatures. Of course, I listen to their statements and what they say. I classify these people into two categories. A category that does not represent anyone and only represents himself (maybe he does not even represent his wife at home). I do not bother myself to read their statements and stories. The other category represents political forces, parliamentary blocs, elected deputies, and so on.
It is natural for you to read to what these people write because we respect others’ opinions, and it is important for us to know what the other are saying. We must not close our ears or eyes as they do.
What is being said with regards to the presidential file? This was said yesterday by a key party in the other team. First, they say we reject dialogue. They are telling Le Drian and others that they reject dialogue.
What do we do if a person is refusing to engage in dialogue? Would you force him? We will not react. A person can get angry at a moment and say, “I also don’t want a dialogue,” and that’s it.
But because we are pragmatic, have evidence and arguments, are not weak and are not contradicting anyone, and we are the decision makers, we are not afraid of dialogue; we continue to demand dialogue and are ready for it. Of course, we are not begging anyone to engage in dialogue.
That is why, in my last speech, I told our brothers to talk less about dialogue, so people do not think that we are calling for dialogue because we are in crisis, in need, and weak. Never.
This is one of the contradictions of the political and media discourse of the other team. Some of them, of course, are doing a great service in the battle for public opinion. I thank them for that – the contradictions, their stupidity, their ignorance, the wrong information they provide, etc.
At one instance they say that Hezbollah is in distress, in trouble, weak, afraid, and confused. Then, they forget and say that Hezbollah has surplus power; it controls the state, etc. Which is it? Strong or weak?
They don't want dialogue. That's the first point.
The second point is that they say, we will not allow the opposition candidate to reach the presidency. In other words, they are saying that if there is an understanding that could lead the opposition candidate to reach half plus one, they will disrupt the quorum. Hence, they are closing the door on electing a president. This is clear.
The third point, which is the most dangerous, is that they want a president that will build a state which will confront Hezbollah. They do not want to build a state to solve people's problems.
Despite the problems of electricity, water, unemployment, currency, medicine, hospitals, they do not want to build the state. State institutions are in critical condition, yet they do not want to rescue them.
They want to build a state so they can confront Hezbollah. Does this show you that they are serving the national project or the American project?
Who wants to confront Hezbollah? Who is demanding the disarmament of Hezbollah? The first people on earth demanding the disarmament of Hezbollah is “Israel”. I am not accusing you of being “Israelis”.
However, you are serving the declared “Israeli” objective. “Israel” and the US are the ones who are always calling for disarming Hezbollah. Then, a political team presents itself as sovereign and patriotic and tells you we want a president to build a state that confronts Hezbollah. If you can, go ahead.
But this only points to a mentality that cannot build a state, cannot build a homeland, and cannot contribute to getting Lebanon out of the difficult conditions it is experiencing. This mentality will take Lebanon to civil war. After my last speech, many people said that I was accusing parties of pushing for civil war and that it is not true.
I tell you that this is 100% true. The evidence, numbers, and journals confirm that. Some said that I am waging a psychological warfare on the Lebanese by intimidating them with a civil war. I am not waging a psychological warfare. I am telling them the truth that some are working towards achieving it.
Some believe that they can only realize their dreams by destroying Lebanon and on the skeletons of the Lebanese people. Therefore, yes, they are pushing in this direction. In front of such a team, a political project, mentality, and discourse, guide us. Tell us what we should do.
6- Hezbollah-FPM dialogue: In front of this complicated situation, Hezbollah and the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) willingly engaged in dialogue. It is the only open dialogue in the country which can be relied on.
I would like to talk about two points that are related to this dialogue.
1- The dialogue with the FPM is on behalf of Hezbollah and not our allies and friends. God willing, if we agreed, the agreement is not binding for our allies and friends. Rather, it is very natural that we take the outcome of this dialogue to present it to our allies and our friends, and we talk together and make a decision together.
Our friends and allies should not think that we make a decision and go ahead with it. We were never like that. The brothers in the FPM also know that if we agree, it is a bilateral agreement.
This requires effort from the rest of the political forces in Lebanon. As for us, we are certainly concerned in talking to our allies and friends and agree with them.
2-We are engaged in a serious dialogue. I said earlier that it takes time. Here, I want to clarify a little because I am following the media and articles every day. There are always questions about the progress of the dialogue and points of view. Of course, many are speaking of their aspirations. They are not speaking of external facts.
Basically, a large part of the Lebanese media is the media of aspirations and intentions and not the media of facts and external realities. Of course, the issue needs time, why? I am talking about this because FPM officials are also talking about this.
The issue of administrative and financial decentralization has been proposed to us. The subject of discussion was proposing a law that is already in parliament. A parliamentary subcommittee was formed and discussed half of the articles and made amendments to this law.
Because of the events in Lebanon or the end of the parliament’s mandate, the subcommittee stopped discussing the rest of the articles.
Hence, this law has many articles. We first need to discuss them bilaterally, article by article, to see what we agree and disagree on, and then figure out how to agree with each other. This is a discussion.
And if we agree on a draft or on a proposal, of course, we are concerned to discuss that with our friends and allies and also with other political forces, because this law needs approval in Parliament, and it needs a majority to be approved in Parliament.
So, this draft law includes dozens of articles, and we are seriously discussing these articles.
Our answers have become ready regarding the presidential priorities that the FPM has proposed. We will engage in discussions within a few days.
Regarding the administrative decentralization law, we discussed it internally and formed committees. We reached certain results and a vision. Committees will be formed for direct dialogue.
3- The trust fund: So far, there is no legal article; there is no detailed proposal, but there are some ideas that also need more discussions. Realistically speaking, we are engaged in a serious and deep discussion that needs some time.
There is no doubt that these issues are very important for Lebanon. These are strategic issues and topics that open up great and important horizons. However, they certainly need consensus and political agreement with many political forces because they all need laws in Parliament.
Anyway, we are making every effort, and this is the only open and available dialogue. We hope to get results. In any case, in the next few days, we will see developments. Will the French delegate come? When will the French delegate come? And what ideas will he bring with him? Old or new? How will you deal with the political forces? There is no doubt that when September comes, we will have entered a very important stage in terms of the presidential elections.
7- I still have two points or occasions left to talk about at the end of the speech.
1- The first occasion is the anniversary of the disappearance of the imam and leader Sayyed Musa al-Sadr, and his two companions, His Eminence Sheikh Muhammad Yaqoub and Sayyed Abbas Badr al-Din (may God restore them all well).
Of course, this is a painful occasion for all the Lebanese as well as many Arabs and Muslims in the world because Imam Sayyed Musa al-Sadr represented Islamic, Arab, patriotic, jihadi, intellectual, scientific, and religious values.
When this anniversary comes, of course, we are reliving that harsh and difficult stage and remember the reasons he was targeted and in what context.
In any case, today, we join our brothers in the leadership of the Amal Movement and its supporters as well as our brothers in the Supreme Islamic Shiite Council.
We all consider ourselves the children of this great and venerable imam, and we all consider ourselves his students and those who will continue his path in resistance and in embracing the Palestinian resistance. He used to say, ‘I will defend it [the Palestinian resistance] with my turban, mihrab [prayer niche], and pulpit.
We will continue his path in aspiring [to attain] Al-Quds. He used to say that the honor of Al-Quds refuses to be liberated except at the hands of the believers. We will continue his path in insisting on coexistence in Lebanon.
We will continue his path in having faith in Lebanon as a final homeland for all its children and that refuses division and fragmentation.
We will all, God willing, continue on this clear, jihadist, and honorable path. The cause of this imam will remain alive until he returns with his two companions to the arena of jihad, even if he has grown older.
On this occasion, we express our solidarity and stand beside our brothers who, from the beginning, took responsibility of this case and followed up on it until the last moment.
2- Arbaeen: I would like to draw the attention of the Lebanese, the region, and the world to the majestic scene that is taking shape today in Iraq on the road to Karbala, from Baghdad, the honorable Najaf, Basra, different Iraqi cities, and various borders of Iraq.
Millions from inside and outside Iraq are walking for hundreds of kilometers under the scorching sun towards the city of Karbala, which embraces the shrine of the Master of Martyrs Abi Abdullah Al-Hussein (peace be upon him) and the other martyrs with him.
What is driving these millions on foot to walk in this intense heat? This scene prompts many intellectual, cultural, doctrinal, emotional, spiritual, and humane questions, especially in this time of intellectual and cultural degradation and decline. Why decline?
Today, in the heart of America and Europe, in which they present themselves as civilized peoples to the world, we find a large wave of human pups and people who want to be animals. This is degradation.
There are people who want to turn into dogs and those who want to turn into pigs. They want the rest of the peoples to do the same. There is also degradation in terms of morality, sexuality, and family life.
In any case, this scene raises many questions. How is it possible for a country emerging from war to embrace 20 million, 27 million, or 25 million in a few days?
These million-man processions are managed, fed, and secured. They are provided with a place to sleep. The scene reflects the excessive generosity of the Iraqis, the Iraqi families, and the Iraqi clans who provide food and drink for days.
It is an interesting scene, a majestic scene, and a great scene. We need to ponder at. This scene expresses one of the strengths of this nation, which if it is benefited from will have an important impact regionally.
We hope to see many more scenes of this kind, as in the Hajj season. These seasons must be seasons of disavowal from tyrants, occupiers, criminals, the dominant, and the arrogant, as the million-man march on Arbaeen has already turned into this meaning.
Al-Quds is present in the Arbaeen march, in the conference, in Imam Hussein’s visit, on the roads from Najaf to Karbala, in exhibitions. There are pictures, banners, and names. The people walking to Karbala today see pictures of Palestinian prisoners and models of Al-Quds and are interacting with them strongly.
With the passing of time, this occasion turns into a great moral and spiritual source for the resistance movement and the axis of resistance in the region. This is thanks to the Iraqi brothers, the Iraqi people, the Iraqi families, the Iraqi generosity, the Iraqi loyalty to the Master of Martyrs Abi Abdullah Al-Hussein (peace be upon him).
I hope from the Lebanese visitors, and I know that this year there will be large numbers of visitors, that they interact with the rest of the visitors and present a bright, kind, and good image as they did in the past years representing Lebanon, the people of Lebanon, and the resistance in Lebanon.
I hope they take full spiritual, moral, humane, and cultural benefit from this great occasion under the dome of the Master of Martyrs Abi Abdullah Al-Hussein (peace be upon him). May they have patience to withstand this intense heat, the difficulties, the complications of going and returning.
May they go, God willing, in peace and return in peace, and this is how we pray for all the visitors who will come from all over the world, from inside and outside Iraq. May God take care of them, grant them peace, and accepts from them their quest and visit.
Once again, I greet you, the Lebanese people, and all the peoples of the region who were in a position to confront the new American project of hegemony over the region and over Lebanon. Special greetings to our people in the Bekaa and Baalbek-Hermel on the Second Liberation Day.
May the peace, mercy, and blessings of God be upon you.
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