Sayyed Nasrallah’s Full Speech Commemorating Hezbollah’s Day of the Wounded
Translated by Al-Ahed News, Hezbollah Media Relations
Speech of Hezbollah’s Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah marking the Day of the Wounded and honoring the wounded and captured resistance fighters [13-02-2024].
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.
Brothers and sisters, honorable attendees, may Peace and Allah's mercy and blessings be upon you all.
I welcome all the brothers and sisters in the Beqaa, the south, and here in the southern suburbs of Beirut [Dahiyeh], and I ask God Almighty to grant you wellness, happiness, victory, pride, dignity, and the best of this world and the hereafter.
We are covering two separate occasions today. The first is the Day of the Wounded, which we mark every year. The resistance’s wounded fighters are a precious part of those making sacrifices.
From the start, a beautiful historical occasion was chosen to be a day for the wounded. This occasion was the anniversary of the birth of Abu al-Fadel al-Abbas, the son of Ali, the Commander of the Faithful, and the bearer Imam Hussein’s banner in Karbala. He was a great and the first military commander and fighter in the front rows. Even though he was injured, his wounds did not stop him from continuing until his last breath and last drop of blood.
Abu Al-Fadel Al-Abbas was born Shaban 4, 26 AH. Because he was the wounded resistance fighter and mujahid who was given the martyrdom that every resistor and wounded person desires, we chose his birthday as a day to honor our wounded and their honorable families.
The second occasion is related to the prisoners, the resistance’s prisoners who suffered long days in “Israeli” detention centers in Lebanon or inside the occupied Palestinian territories. Some of these prisoners spent 15, 20, or 30 years behind bars. Praise be to God, our prisoners [Lebanese prisoners] have been freed. Therefore, Prisoner’s Day is to honor the prisoners and those who have been freed.
Of course, we have a number of files that are still pending with the “Israeli” enemy, for example, the prisoner Yahya Skaf, brothers in Lebanon, and also brothers in Syria. We classify them as missing persons. We are, of course, following up on this file, and they are included in our event today.
The birthday of Imam Zayn al-Abidin Ali bin al-Hussein, who was born on Shaban 5, 32 AH was chosen to be a day for the prisoners. Imam Zayn al-Abidin was a prisoner who bore all those pains and suffering and lived through all those harsh and difficult circumstances before and during Karbala and after Ashura, all the way to Medina and until the last days of his life. He carried the cause of that pure blood, revived it, preserved it, and employed it in serving the cause for which his father Hussein was martyred. That is why, this is the Day of the Prisoner, the day of our prisoner. Praise be to God, our prisoners were all freed by the blessing of the resistance and its jihad and the sacrifices of the resistance fighters.
The Day of the Wounded and the Day of the Prisoner are based on the Hijri calendar and not the Gregorian calendar. For this reason, they fall in the month of February this year.
These Shaban days are decorated by the birthday of the Master of Martyrs, Abu Abdullah al-Hussein, on the 3rd of Sha`ban. He was born, according to what is found in the narrations, in 4 AH. There is a disagreement over the year, but what is commonly known is Shaban 3, 4 AH.
The brothers in Iran, during the life of Imam Khomeini, adopted the birth anniversary of Abu Abdullah Al-Hussein as a day for the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps in Iran. We must congratulate our brothers in the IRGC on their day. They are truly the guards of the Islamic revolution. They have been from the beginning the true and strong supporter of all resistance movements in Lebanon, Palestine, and the region.
The strength and ability that the axis of resistance possesses today and its high ability to be present and influence on many fronts and arenas are due to the blessing of God Almighty, His grace, help, and generosity as well as the blessing of this Islamic Revolution, which achieved victory 45 years ago to the day under the leadership of Imam Khomeini.
The revolution announced its clear, frank, strong and resounding position on the Zionist entity, the Zionist project and the project of American hegemony in the region. It also declared its commitment to the oppressed and persecuted peoples of the region, especially Palestine, Lebanon and the Arab countries that still have part of their lands occupied.
At the heart of this Islamic revolution, the Guards was the faith-based, revolutionary jihadist institution that bore the greatest responsibility in supporting and aiding these people and resistance movements.
On this occasion, first of all, I greet my wounded brothers and sisters on their day as well as their honorable families who bear all the burdens with them. I also greet my brothers and sisters the prisoners, who are still imprisoned or have been freed, and to their honorable families who endured hardship and suffering, especially while their spouses were in captivity. I ask God Almighty to accept your wounds, pain, suffering, struggle and sacrifices.
More than 129 days have passed, and more wounded men and women join other injured people due to the support front that has been open since October 8. These wounded are a new responsibility. I turn to their families – mothers and wives – and tell them that this is your responsibility, as is the case with the families of the wounded. You have great responsibilities, and today this responsibility has been added to you. Your care and concern for these wounded, especially those who suffered severe wounds, is one of the greatest ways a person can draw closer to God Almighty. It is one of the greatest things a person can save for the Day of Resurrection.
Brothers and sisters, wounds, captivity and suffering ultimately created achievements and produced results for this lifetime and the afterlife.
These wounds, suffering from captivity and imprisonment, blood of the martyrs, and patience and endurance will result in forgiveness, reward, gardens, satisfaction, and a Seat of Honor in the presence of the Most Powerful Sovereign, and something that no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and has never crossed the mind of man.
On the Day of Resurrection, they will find whatever they did present. You will find these wounds, pains, suffering, patience, trust, submission and contentment present before you on the Day of Resurrection, a day when neither wealth nor children will be of any benefit.
In this world, this blood, wounds, and suffering have created many real and clear achievements and victories for our people, our country, and our nation.
There are two results for faith and jihad. In the afterlife, your sins will be forgiven, and you will be admitted into gardens beneath which rivers flow. In this world, ‘He will also give you’ another favor that you long for: help from Allah and an imminent victory. ‘So’ give good news ‘O Prophet’ to the believers.
Our responsibility is to preserve these achievements. As it is said that maintaining an achievement or a victory is more difficult than making an achievement or creating a victory.
Firstly, it is our responsibility to preserve this achievement, provision, honor, and dignity that we have prepared for the Day of Resurrection and the afterlife. We must not waste it. We preserve it by drawing closer to God, obeying Him, and avoiding His sins, as well as avoiding everything that destroys our good deeds, struggle, and sacrifices, including arrogance, pride, desire for the forbidden. Attachment to God and drawing closer to Him preserves this achievement for the afterlife.
Also in this world, our responsibility is to preserve this achievement and victories through constant presence, continuous support and jihad, and strong support for the resistance, for the men of the resistance, and for the march of the resistance.
As our master Sayyed Abbas Al-Mousawi used to say, preserving the resistance is the main commandment, and it is the greatest responsibility today placed on everyone.
The wounded, the prisoners, the missing persons, and their families, as well as the martyrs and their families are the most deserving of people to preserve this achievement because they are partners in blood, in patience, in suffering, in sacrifices, in martyrdom, in wounds. Therefore, resistance is part of their existence, souls, lives, dignity and survival. This is a very big responsibility.
What is preoccupying our region today, brothers and sisters, and the entire world is what is happening in Palestine, especially in the Gaza Strip, and the subsequent opening of fronts of support.
It’s been 130 days of Zionist aggression, brutality, and massacres against men, women, children, young and old, human beings and stone in Gaza and the West Bank. It’s been 130 days of legendary steadfastness by the Palestinian resistance in the Gaza Strip. The women and children of Gaza, young and old, have shown over the past 130 days heroism that equates to a miracle and patience that is unparalleled in the world and history. These people have been living under the most extreme conditions. In the past 130 days, the “Israelis” have shown their inability and failed to achieve their objectives. You can only see images of brutal revenge against civilians and innocent people emerging from this entity.
It's been 129 days – since we started on October 8 – of support and solidarity, starting from the Lebanese front and extending to Yemen, Iraq, Syria, Iran and many nations of the world. These fronts and arenas are still continuing their resistance as the aggression against Gaza continues.
Today, we are commemoration an occasion related to the month of Sha’ban. A few days later, there is the martyrdom anniversary of the martyred leaders on February 16. Hence, we have two speeches, and I will be at your service, God willing. Therefore, I have divided the topics that I will be discussing between today and Friday, God willing, if we remain alive. Some people might interpret us remaining alive in security and political terms. But this is our culture, a person must always feel that at any moment he can leave this life.
If we remain alive, God willing, on Friday on the martyrdom anniversary of our martyred leaders, including martyrs Sayyed Abbas, Sheikh Raghib and Hajj Imad, we will continue talking about the rest of the topics. In today's speech, I will focus more on the affairs of the Lebanese front, even if it was related to other fronts. In Friday's speech, we will tackle broader topics, starting with Gaza, the developments in Palestine and in our region, and finally Lebanon.
Since my last speech, there have been martyrs from Hezbollah, the Amal Movement, the National Party, the Quds Brigades two days ago also, and civilian martyrs, as well as martyrs from the Internal Security Forces.
We turn to the families of the martyrs who passed in these past days and congratulate them on the martyrdom of their dear ones for obtaining this medal. We condole them on the loss of these dear martyrs. Same goes to the martyrs of Palestine, Yemen, Iraq, Syria, Iran and all the resistance fronts. We ask God Almighty to grant the wounded a speedy recovery and well-being.
1- What we in Lebanon have been doing at the level of our front for the past 129 days as well as what the brothers in other supporting fronts have been doing is primarily an honest response to the human, moral, faith, and religious responsibility placed on our shoulders. It is a response to this responsibility.
2,200,000 people in the Gaza Strip are under a severe siege, live in hardship, harsh conditions, terror day and night, and amid raids targeting homes, mosques, churches, hospitals, camps and even makeshift tents.
What is happening in Gaza must shake the conscience of all people in the world, who must feel the responsibility to face this aggression and humanitarian catastrophe, morally and humanely.
But the most important thing, brothers and sisters, is the responsibility before God Almighty. In this world, someone may or may not be held accountable. After all, events end, and people forget. This world is fleeting. However, the most important and most dangerous is responsibility on the Day of Resurrection, when we stand before God Almighty. Each one of us will be asked about this bitter and painful incident, and we will be asked based on the rules of faith and belief.
Everyone in the world heard about what is happening in Gaza. It does not only concern the Palestinians, the Lebanese, the Jordanians, Egyptians, Syrians, Iranians, Iraqis and Yemenis. The responsibility is not based on geographical boundaries. Every person on the planet who heard, witnessed, and knew what has been happening to the people of Gaza for 130 days has a religious responsibility. He will be asked about it on the Day of Resurrection.
God Almighty will ask this human being. He will ask individuals; He will ask groups; He will ask nations; He will ask peoples; He will ask individuals and groups about what we did in this regard. Of course, God Almighty does not demand things from people that exceed their power and ability.
For example, someone might say that he was not able to do anything except feel their pain and sadness, and when God relieved them, he rejoiced. This person is not like another person who continued attending dancing, singing, and entertainment festivals as if [Gaza] was not part of their moral and even religious and legal responsibility.
What does it mean when the believers are like a single body? If one organ complains, the rest of the organs suffer from fever. The rest of the organs, at the very least, suffer, feel sad, are affected, and do not live as if there is nothing. This is the bare minimum.
Some might say, ‘I was able to pray for them and I felt their pain. I suffered and prayed for them night and day.’ Another says that I can write a sentence or post something on social media, take part in a [pro-Gaza] demonstration, hold a sit-in, write an article, raise my voice, etc. Someone else says, ‘I was able to give them money.’ Another person may say, ‘I was able to fight with them.’
Everyone will be asked to the best of his ability on the Day of Resurrection, and no one will be saved from this question – not leaders, scholars, jurists, poets, writers, the rich or the poor. Everyone who has reached the age of puberty [Taklif] will be asked on the Day of Resurrection.
What we're doing on our front in Lebanon and what the brothers are doing on the other fronts is an honest fulfillment of our duty. We are acting in harmony with our values as well as our moral and religious responsibility that we will be asked about on the Day of Resurrection.
We must prepare a response for the Day of Resurrection. In this, we shall not be subjected to the blame of a blamer, and it is not permissible for us to be subjected to the blame of a blamer. In everything we can do, it is not permissible for us to stop for a moment and think about what others think about our action. That is not our concern.
Our primary concern is to have an answer we are proud of on the Day of Resurrection. This answer today is our martyrs, our blood, our wounded, our homes being destroyed in the south, displaced families, pain and suffering, facing dangers, challenges, facing all possibilities, families of martyrs, achievements, heroism, the presence of fighters on the front lines in the most difficult circumstances who carry their blood on their palms. This is our answer on the Day of Resurrection.
2- What we're doing on our Lebanese front is a national responsibility. Dear brothers and sisters and everyone listening. We must not forget a foundation – the establishment of the occupying “Israeli” entity in Palestine is the cause of the crises, pains, wars, and disasters since 1948 of not only the Palestinian and Lebanese peoples but also of the people in the region.
I repeat and say that there are people who have not read history and do not know the history of Lebanon, unless they consider the south not to be part of Lebanon. The entire history of Lebanon is witness to that. Since 1948, there have been “Israeli” attacks, brutality, massacres, ambitions and threats.
“Israel's” presence in the region is a disaster for all the peoples and countries in it. As long as a strong “Israel” exists, it is a threat to the region, while a weak, deterred, and fearful “Israel” poses a less dangerous, harmful and disastrous situation for the countries and peoples of the region.
When it comes to Lebanon, a strong “Israel”, which almost thought that it can occupy Lebanon with a musical band, is a threat to Lebanon. A deterred “Israel”, as happened after 2000 and 2006, is a lesser threat to Lebanon as well the region and its people. This is a rule.
When there is an enemy that is usurping, occupying, and launching aggression in our neighborhood, it is in our interest as Lebanese people, state, and citizens that it is not strong and powerful. Rather, it should be in crisis, defeated, exhausted, weak and deterred. This should be the rule. If someone is questioning this rule, of course, then they have a problem with the concepts, basics, and axioms.
In light of what is happening in Gaza – I mentioned this at the beginning – regardless of the Palestinian national interest, the Lebanese, the Syrian, the Jordanian, and the Egyptian national interest is for “Israel” to emerge from this battle defeated and broken.
“Israel’s” emergence from this battle victorious is not only a danger to Gaza, the Palestinian people, and the Palestinian cause, but to all the countries and peoples of the region, primarily Lebanon.
That is why this front had to be opened to help and contribute to preventing “Israel” from winning and to defeat it. This is the national responsibility that the brothers explained many times, but I wanted to emphasize it as well.
3- Since the beginning of the battle on the Lebanese front, i.e. since October 8, we’ve all heard and still hear debates regarding the battle, as is the case in other countries. This same debate exists in Yemen, Iraq, and other places – it is not about the feasibility of the battle but the battle itself.
It is one thing when someone discusses with us the feasibility of what we are doing on the Lebanese front – whether it is useful and rewarding, how much it annoys, weakens and inflicts defeat on the enemy and put pressure on it. And once a person comes and discusses, and it is his right to discuss, and there is no problem in the discussion. It is their right to ask, and there is no problem in these discussions.
We have logic, evidence, reasoning, and numbers regarding the enemy’s losses as a result of the fronts in Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon, Yemen, Iraq and Syria. These include human losses, human attrition, enemy army losses, the wounded, mental illness, economic losses, the displaced, the political impasse, the strategic losses that I talked about, and we will talk about some of them again on Friday. We have logic and evidence.
God willing, there is no problem for someone to have a useful discussion with you. However, the problem is when someone tells you there is no point in fighting the battle and asks you to stop. It’s another thing when they tell you that what you are doing is wrong and incorrect, harms Lebanon and does not serve the Palestinian cause and Gaza.
Of course, this is a disaster in addition to the other ones. This position is expressed in various forms, and sometimes in a manner that insults the martyrs, the wounded, the sacrifices, those who made sacrifices, the displaced, our people in the southern villages and all the resistance fighters in Lebanon and the region.
What I want to say in this context, especially when we are talking about the wounded and the prisoners, is that you’ve been there since 1982 when they were wounded and imprisoned. But the new generations were not there in the 1980s or 1990s. These generations did not live through that stage.
I would like to address the new generations in particular. This is also an address to the general public and not only to people in Lebanon. The disagreement and division in position is old.
Since 1982, there has been a group that already has a preconceived position, i.e. whatever the achievement or how clear and decisive the victory was, this group will deny it and say it’s an illusion and not true.
There is a preconceived position. This was also the case with the prophets [peace be upon them]. They performed miracles, revealed heavenly books, and performed divine blessings and wonders. Yet, there were people who disbelieved them.
Therefore, there is a group of people who have a preconceived position and absolute hostility. They are deaf, dumb, and blind. It does not matter if you talk to them, they do not hear; you show them, they do not see. They also do not want to admit. Deep down and in internal meetings they might confess, but in public and before the general public, they cannot acknowledge the consequences of their prior position. There is much evidence, but we do not want to waste all the time on this point.
In 1985, the resistance defeated the invincible army and expelled it from Beirut, the suburbs, Mount Lebanon, Sidon, Tyre, Nabatiyeh, the Western Beqaa, and Rashaya. Yet, some people continue to argue about the feasibility of resistance.
In 2000, the “Israelis” were expelled to the border fence. Yet, they still debate with you about the feasibility of resistance, arguing that “Israel” implemented Resolution 425 in 2000. Despite the security, safety, and secure borders, and “Israel” not daring to attack Lebanon, they question the resistance’s victory from 2000 to 2006 and until the start of the events.
You present them with this achievement – security protection based on the balance of deterrence. Yet, they tell you that “Israel” has no problem with Lebanon. Dialogue and discussion with this group is useless. They express their opinions in a way that is sometimes harmful.
Here, I would like to address people, especially the younger generation who are most affected, get emotional and angry and take to social media sites to express their frustration in ways that are sometimes very harsh towards those who hold these positions. Firstly, this is a hopeless group. It does not matter whether you engage in discussions with them, object to them, attack them, or criticize them. This is a position that will last until the Day of Resurrection.
Even if victory falls from the sky and they see it, they will tell you that this is not a victory, this is not an achievement, and this resistance is useless. What protects us is the international resolution. Resolution 1701 is what protects Lebanon. Since 2006, there have been thousands of violations, according to Lebanese Army statistics and the official security forces. Lebanon has not been protected by Resolution 1701.
The equation created by the resistance, the army, and the people is what protected Lebanon. In any case, this is a hopeless group. Do not tire your heart and be sad, upset, or angry. Let it go.
I would like to recommend two points regarding this topic:
1- There is a very large segment in our Lebanese society and in all societies that may be affected by this logic. We must look to this segment that is not deaf, blind, and dumb, who have not taken a prior and decisive position. These people have the potential to accept inference, logic, argument, and proof. It may be influenced by that position, those words, false information, and deceptions, forgeries, and distortions. We must focus our speech on these segments, especially the younger generations, who may accept you and may accepted ideas from others.
Leave this group and people close to it alone. However, we must not despair of the general public, even those affected by these people. We must continue to address them, explain to them, try to convince them, and call them to make the right position, which is in the interest of Lebanon and the region.
2- The second point in this context is that we must be careful not to allow this debate to lead to sectarian conflicts. We must not turn it into a sectarian conflict.
This is in the interest of “Israel” and the other project. It is not in the interest of the country and the homeland, the resistance, national dignity, or the project of victory. How can the issue become Muslim vs Christian when both followers of both sects have expressed their support for this position. This is wrong.
There are political positions that we must not turn into a religious position or a position that holds an entire sect responsible. This division in Lebanon since 1982 regarding the position on “Israel” has existed since 1948 and the establishment of this entity. There are Christians and Muslims against “Israel”. They resisted and fought “Israel” and offered martyrs. There are Muslim and Christian martyrs and wounded. In the Khiam detention center, there were Muslims and Christians.
Also, when it comes to allying with “Israel”, spying for it, and committing treason for it, there were always Muslims and Christians. When it comes to the network of collaborators and the Antoine Lahad army, it was the same thing. In the Antoine Lahad army, there were Christians from all sects as well as Muslims, including Shiites, Sunnis, Druze.
There are also people who were neutral, both Muslims and Christians. In opinion polls, they tell you they have no opinion and does not concern them. These people include Muslims and Christians.
Therefore, it is not permissible to make it into a sectarian issue just because of a certain cleric, politician, journalist, party, association with a certain sectarian color. This is a loss, a moral, social and national loss. Rather, the position must remain within the circle of those who hold the position themselves.
We always call for a national position and national embrace, and we appreciate all national positions. We see, hear, and read the positions of leaders, figures, authorities, young men and women, students, elites and real figures on social media from various sects.
To be frank, there are some Christians who take a hostile stance toward the resistance when they see Christian names on social media that support the resistance. They claim that these are fake names. What about those who talk on television? Are they fake names?
There are many who write using their real names and not pseudonyms. This is a fact. This matter must be a point of strength. We must not lose them as a result of nervousness, emotions, anger, or haste in the situation.
4- The people of the border villages and the people of the south are the ones who bear the primary burden today in the confrontation on the Lebanese front are. Lebanon stands in solidarity with them. Brothers from the Beqaa, Dahiyeh, and other places come to fight in the south and are martyred in the south.
However, those who bear the burden primarily, over the course of 129 days and until the end of this battle, are the people of the border villages and the south because the confrontation, the fighting, and the operations are taking place there.
Those displaced from their homes are from the south. Those whose homes, livelihoods, and shops are destroyed are from this region. The surroundings of the towns and villages in the south are being bombed. Shelling sometimes occurs deep on south.
If you notice, there is a phenomenon in this battle – a large number of martyrs are from the people of the border villages, including Aita [al-Shaab], Blida, Meis [al-Jabal], Yaroun, Maroun [al-Ras], Yarin, and Khiam.
The people of the border villages are the ones who are fighting and offering their children as martyrs. This position, which has been continuing for the past four months, in fact expresses the will of the people of the border villages, the real will, the will of the overwhelming majority. We are not claiming that there is a consensus on a position in Lebanon. It is difficult to find consensus on a position. It is normal to have people with different opinions.
However, in the south and in the border villages, there is an overwhelming, cross-sectarian majority whose will, choice and decision are not only to embrace the resistance, but rather to resist.
Therefore, these people are not only embracing this resistance and this choice, but they are the one practicing the act of resistance and this choice. They are the ones practicing this in the field with blood, wounds, fear, hope, terror, achievement, heroism, and bravery.
Their opinion and will must be respected. This position is not an emotional or out of enthusiasm. We are talking about a battle, about a fight. This expresses the awareness and insight of the people of the south and the frontline villages because they are the largest segment of Lebanon that has been suffering from the presence of “Israel” and this usurping entity since 1948.
Where are the attacks taking place? Most of them are in the frontline villages, in the south – the killing, kidnapping, massacres, bombing, displacement.
Based on the experience from 1948, the people of the frontline villages and the south have witnessed that the resistance is what has recovered their land and protected them and their dignity and properties. The resistance brought them back to their homes and put an end to “Israel’s” ambitions and threats. That is why they were the resistance and why they embraced this resistance. For this reason, they express their support for the resistance and send their children to fight, even the father and mother who only have one son.
A few days ago, one of my brothers told me a story. He said that a martyr left behind a young son. They asked him, ‘as a son of a martyr, what do you wish for?’ The boy said, ‘The first thing I told my mother, and I’m her only child, that when I grow up, you have to give me a letter asking them to allow me to join the resistance.’
These are the families of the martyrs. Do you want to know about the will of the people of the border villages, the south, and everyone who supports them in Lebanon?
Listen to the families of the martyrs, the mothers of the martyrs, the wives of the martyrs, the fathers, sons, and daughters of the martyrs. Listen to their honest, sincere, loyal, expression. These people express their position through their fighting, their embrace of the resistance fighters. Take our homes. They know that the resistance fighter frequenting their homes will cause their destruction. But, God willing, these will be rebuilt and will become better than they were.
They offer not just their homes but also their children. They endure suffering, displacement, anxiety and fear, and this is normal.
The civilian women and children bear all the brunt of airstrikes. They bear the wounds. They bear everything, and they express it. There is the phenomenon of the burial of martyrs in the border villages. The people of the border villages insist on holding the funeral of their sons and martyrs in great crowds in their lands and under the eyes of the “Israelis”. This insistence is an expression of their choice and will, which must be respected. They express their will and choice in political and public events, in parliamentary elections.
In fact, today, the strength of the resistance in the south, through the presence of all its factions in Hezbollah, in the Amal Movement, in the National Party and in the rest of the participating parties, is not only in its organizational or military strength, but also in this great, sincere and loyal popular embrace of it.
This is the first point of strength. After that come the other points of strength. We rely on these solid mountains of wills and the strong determination of men and women, young and old. This is not something new to our people in the south, the Beqaa, or Lebanon.
We witnessed this throughout the days of the resistance in the face of the occupation, most clearly in the July 2006 war. In fact, this resistance, with these sacrifices, and these people, with their steadfastness, are also the ones defending all of Lebanon.
Otherwise, “Israel” would have violated all of Lebanon. Do you remember before 1982 when the Palestinian factions or the Lebanese National Resistance would carry out an operation and launch a Katyusha rocket or an artillery shell or target a site, where would the “Israelis” aircraft retaliate? They would bomb the capital, Beirut, and destroy buildings.
The front has been opened for 129 days; there have been daily operations on sites, on enemy concentrations, and on its vehicles, with heavy and high-quality missiles, inflicting heavy losses. Despite all the losses the enemy suffered, but the enemy is fighting within limits and constraints. It is still fighting within limits and constraints. Yes, it is threatening expansion. I will mention this point later.
This experience has fixed one of the most important achievements of the battle on the Lebanese front – the balance of deterrence – and proved that Lebanon has a deterrence force. Otherwise, how can a small country like Lebanon, which was weak and whose capital was occupied and bombed, force the “Israelis” to think twice for the past four months.
I'm not saying they won't do anything at all. But these past four months have proven that the “Israelis” think twice when they say they want to expand the attacks. This is one of the achievements of this front. This is also what gives value to Lebanon.
5- If anyone in America, France, Germany, Britain, the European Union, and the Arab world is asking about Lebanon and sending delegations, it is because of this front, this resistance, and these people.
All the delegations that have come to Lebanon over the past four months and those that will come, let us speak frankly, honestly and transparently, have one objective, which is the security and protection of “Israel”, a halt of fire against the “Israeli” posts, and the return of the 100,000 settlers to the settlements in the north of occupied Palestine. This is the number Netanyahu admitted to, while some “Israeli” officials said there are 230,000 displaced settlers.
All these delegations that came to Lebanon and brought proposals, ideas, and mechanisms had only one objective. They present Lebanon with a proposal not as a mediator. The Western delegations are fully endorsing the “Israeli” paper and submitting it to Lebanon. It is all about “Israel’s” safety and no reference to Gaza if the fighting on the southern Lebanese front was halted.
When the aggression against Gaza, the starvation, the killing of the people of Gaza, the nightly massacres in Gaza are mentioned, you only hear emotional talk. They’d tell you something like we will see, or we will work on it.
In the entire paper, there is no mention of Gaza – the 30,000 martyrs, 60,000 wounded, and 2,300,000 people threatened with death and starvation around the clock. When you ask them to stop the war on Gaza for us to sit and talk, the answer is: We’ll talk about Gaza later, but now we have to calm the front in southern Lebanon. When you ask them about our occupied land, including Ghajar, the Shebaa Farms, and the Kfar Shuba Hills, the answer is ‘God willing, this will come in the final stage during negotiations.’
Basically, what they want is to provide “Israel” with security, close the northern front, return the settlers, and “Israel” feels reassured, while Lebanon implements the measures they read in the media, and after that, we will see about your occupied lands. What about the “Israeli” attacks and violations? There have been thousands of violations and attacks since 2006. They only make promises.
In other words, you have to pay in advance, and then we will see. These are the initiatives proposed at the Lebanese level, simply put. Now, I do not want to enter into discussions about these proposals. I do not want to discuss our opinion in the media.
In any case, we are in the parliament and government and are in contact with Speaker Nabih Berri and Prime Minister Najib Mikati, as well as and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the parties that are usually visited by these delegations and hold meetings with. We, Hezbollah and the Amal Movement, as a resistance duo are concerned with consulting and coordinating to have a unified position. God willing, it will be.
Hence, they take their answers from state officials, and I am not required to give answers, but I wanted to shed light on the situation and to say the following:
Firstly, the delegations that come to Lebanon using “Israeli” statements are trying to intimidate us. One of the delegates warned that if the South Lebanon front does not stop after two days, “Israel” will start the war. This was said a month ago. I am sure that these words came from him. The “Israelis” did not ask him to say this. Intimidations – “Israel” wants to wage war against you and destroy the country.
If “Israel” could wage a war, it would have done it on the second, third, or fourth day. I am not saying it will not do that. I am not speaking about certainties. I am speaking about facts. All these delegations came and held an intimidation party. They have a first and no last. Of course, it was of no use. These delegations came and tried to intimidate us, and this has been of no use.
Secondly, the political gains that they are waving cannot affect our stance and will not lead to calming this front. Regarding the presidency, the internal political gains, or the internal political employment, I will talk about this issue on Friday, God willing, to save some time for the last point. The issue of the presidency is an important topic, and we must talk about it a little.
The topic that is often raised and talked about is the issue of political employment of the southern front or victory. Even the one who says that there is no point in the battle in the south while he has his back tied to America and “Israel” acknowledges that they are defeated is discussing with you whether you will use the axis’s victory in the internal arena or not. Look how he is contradicting himself in the same interview and conversation. We will return to this.
The front in south Lebanon is a front of pressure, support, support, solidarity, and participation in defeating the "Israeli" enemy, weakening this enemy, weakening its army, settlers, politics, economy, and security until it reaches the point where it is convinced that it must stop its aggression against Gaza, and a point at the beginning of the line.9
The front in south Lebanon is a pressure, participation, and solidarity front aimed at weakening the Zionist enemy and its economy and security until it halts its aggression against Gaza. Even if it wages war, this front will not stop. We have nothing else to say.
Let them intimidate, threaten, expand, and do whatever they want. Even waging war will not stop this front. This front will cease firing only when the aggression against Gaza stops within a clear agreement with the resistance in Palestine and with the Palestinian resistance in Gaza. When the aggression against Gaza stops within a clear agreement with the resistance in Palestine and Gaza, fire from this front will stop.
We would also like to say to the delegations and people in Lebanon, who come to us with papers and conditions, that the enemy is not in a position to impose conditions on Lebanon. “Israel” is not the strong one and Lebanon the weak one. No. “Israel” is weak and defeated and is the one stuck in a problem. For the past four months, it has failed and was unable to achieve the declared goals. six or seven of its invincible army’s divisions fought in Gaza and were not able to resolve the battle.
“Israel” is the one suffering and in trouble. It is not Lebanon that is in trouble. “Israel” is the one in crisis and not in a position to impose conditions. In fact, the official Lebanese position says: Implement Resolution 1701. I call on the Lebanese authorities to add new conditions to 1701 rather than implement it.
I wanted to say is this so that no one would act on the assumption that Lebanon is weak, afraid, and in crisis and think that they can impose conditions on it.
I don’t know whether this joke is true or not. I will not mention his name because I’m not sure if he said it. In the negotiations, they are saying that we want to put Hezbollah to the north of the river. This person told them, ‘By God, bringing the river to the border is easier than putting Hezbollah to the north of the river!’
Where are they living? What are they dreaming about? No, Lebanon is in a strong position and in the position of an initiator and can also be in a position to impose conditions.
6- The last point is the issue of intimidation, war, and expansion of the war. I will say a couple of words about it. If we run out of time, I will continue on Friday, God willing, if we remain alive.
As soon as the front opened, someone started fomenting an atmosphere in Lebanon that this would lead to the enemy launching a war on Lebanon. Be careful, what are you doing? You will destroy the country, you will burn the country, you will ruin the country.
As I said a little while ago, four months have passed, and we are still within a certain discipline – we will find a terminology later. Its essence is the balance of deterrence, and there are precise calculations on both sides of the fighting. So far, the matter remains like this.
But there is an intense atmosphere of intimidation that politicians and the media sometimes participate in spreading. We must pay attention to this issue. Sometimes you have a point of view, and sometimes the issue actually rises to the level of moral decadence, and allow me to say this, to the level of immorality. You feel that there is a corrupt person.
Sometimes you have a point of view, but sometimes the issue actually rises to the level of moral decadence and immorality. You feel that there is a corrupt person.
For example, about a month and a half ago, some on social media worked day and night and set a date for the start of the war on Lebanon. Some of these people belong to a well-known political party in Lebanon, and there are active figures on social media who are well-known. I am not honored to say their names. They addressed the people of the south, telling them a decision was made and that the war on Lebanon will start at a certain time. Who does this serve? Is he even a human being? Does this person have feelings, morals, and values? This is something else entirely!
God Almighty speaks about the lowest of the low. This is the lowest of the low, decadence.
Let me give you another example of decadence and immorality. Some might be doing it out of stupidity. However, some do it on purpose. For example, when some call the people of this village in the south and tells them that he is an “Israeli” defense force. He tells them that they have to evacuate their home as well as the surrounding houses because they want to bomb them. The news spreads in the village and causes panic. Who does this serve? This is despicable.
Or, for example, when someone makes a false statement or misquotes. Someone said that the commander of the northern region met with the settlers. [He met with the heads of the settlements in the northern region. They insulted him and said some very harsh words. I read the words they said to him, and that there was now a security belt inside Palestine.]
There are things that he did not say but they wrote on the social media that a certain area had become part of the circle of clashes. The news spread and people began calling each other.
We must pay attention to this today. This is part of the battle, and for this reason I am talking about it. This is part of the psychological warfare.
When someone calls us, we must make sure, even if it is an “Israeli”. That it could be part of a psychological warfare. Can the “Israelis” simply attack a house in which there are women and children? So far, the controls and rules are still working. When they break the rules, we break them.
When you get call: Be patient, confirm and contact the relevant authorities. Sometimes impersonate officers from a police station, officials from a municipality, or people from the electric company.
Not everything you read on social media is true. A lot of it is psychological warfare intended to intimidate people, terrify people, terrorize people, and harm the will of the people and their decision to continue supporting. We must pay attention to all this.
Then they tell you Hezbollah has the state in its hands. If there is a state in Lebanon, these people should be tried on charges of treason and aiding the enemy. Is there more assistance to the enemy? I would like to emphasize this point.
Another point related to social networking sites, the brothers posted statements, but perhaps if I speak, I will help more. Brothers and sisters, especially who are on social media and their phones a lot, you are providing free information to the “Israelis”. For example, when a car was bombed in Nabatiyeh, people on social media start to speculate who was in it. What are we doing here? What are we providing “Israel” with?
If you want to make sure your brother was safe, call him and talk to him. Do not post it on social media. Do not reveal who was martyred, what his responsibility was, his rank, or anything about his injury. The “Israelis” look for these things. We did not comment or post statements even though we could. Why? Providing information to the enemy is not permissible from a religious, moral, national, and legal perspective.
I will also continue in this context since I already mentioned two examples. Let me give you a third example.
From the start of the war, we spoke to our brothers in the south, issued circulars, and took measures. But I also find it necessary to speak now and God willing, those concerned will explain it further.
Brothers and sisters, our people in Lebanon, and elsewhere in Syria, Iraq, Yemen, and Iran. The phone that we have in our hands – I do not have a phone in my hand – is a listening device.
Many say that the “Israelis” hit a target thanks to its agents on the ground. But they do not need agents. I swear to you that they’ve despensed of them a long time ago. They need agents in some places, but for these things, agents are no longer needed.
The listening device is in your pocket, in your son’s pocket, your daughter’s and your wife’s. It is at home, at work, in the car, and on the road. They can hear you speak from your cellphone and retrieve everything you store inside it – voice notes, messages, pictures. It determines your exact location – which room, where you’re sitting in the car. Do the “Israelis” need more than this? I am giving them what they want.
We’ve asked our brothers, and now I am asking again from people in the border villages, and if possible, in all of the south at this stage, especially the resistance fighters and their families, to dispense with the cellphone. Bury it, put it in an iron box and lock it for a week, two weeks, a month. God knows how long this will last. Do it for the sake of the safety, security, and preservation of the blood and dignity of the people. This is the agent.
You ask me where is the agent. I tell you that the phone in your hands, in your wife’s hands, and in your children’s hands is the agent. It is a deadly agent, not a simple one. It is a deadly agent that provides specific and accurate information. Therefore, this requires great seriousness when confronting it. In most cases, incidents happens as a result of cellphones.
We are implementing internal measures. But the phone has become like oxygen to people, they cannot breathe or live without it. He knows that the phone is a listening device, where your voice and your wife’s voice is heard, and everything you do at home or at work is heard, yet he holds on to it.
This is not permissible from a religious standpoint, at the very least, during the stage of fighting, battle, threat, and endangering the safety and lives of others.
Also regarding the cameras, the brothers issued statements. Brothers, the “Israelis” do not need to plant agents on the roads, these cameras are connected to the Internet. The “Israelis” hacked the Internet. They are in our cities, streets, and villages. They see cars and people coming and going and they know who is entering a house and leaving it. They do not need agents.
Therefore, early on, we call on our people who have cameras in front of their house, market, street that is connected to the Internet to disconnect them for the sake of security, safety, blood, preservation, and victory of this battle.
This is a religious duty and wishful thinking because being lenient in this matter leads to more martyrs, more bloodshed, more lossess and more exposure of the front to the enemy. It is not about agents anymore. These are the least of our problems.
The most important thing that the “Israeli” enemy relies on today is its technical espionage capabilities. There are people who still do not understand what a pole, radar, or a camera is? This is an essential part of the resistance’s continued work to protect the resistance fighters. But the person sitting in air conditioned room or next to the heater, for example, is not interested and does not understand what is in the front. Thus, he writes what he wants.
I wanted to emphasize these matters, but the thing that I want to conclude with before thanking you in the closing speech is that we are following all developments in the region. All possibilities are open. In assessing the situation, it is possible for someone to prefer one possibility over another, but for us, we are fighting in the south with our eyes on Gaza. We are fighting in the south with our eyes on Gaza.
When the aggression against Gaza stops and the shooting in Gaza stops, the shooting in the south will stop. What did the “Israeli” war minister [Yoav] Gallant say? He said that even if we stopped in Gaza, we would continue in the south.
There is no problem. You want to continue in the south, we will continue in the south. You do not want to stop, don’t. When the aggression against Gaza stops, we will stop firing in the south, but if the “Israeli” enemy carries out any action, we will return to the same equations and rules. We are a resistance and part of our responsibility is to prevent attacks on Lebanon and deter the enemy from attacking Lebanon. Our responses will be proportionate. Our proportionate responses have always been effective, productive, and influential.
He [Gallant] knows that if the “Israelis” face our appropriate response, the 100,000 and 200,000 he is promising to bring them to the north of occupied Palestine will not return. They will not return to the north of occupied Palestine. This is clear.
Another thing. The settlers are demanding to be evacuated. Of course, there are two opinions among this group. The enemy may threaten. They are saying that in order to bring back 100,000 or 200,000 settlers to the northern settlement, they may have to escalate, expand the battle, or launch war. I tell them then that you will not return the 100,000 and 200,000 settlers, but rather you must prepare shelters, hotels, schools, and tents for two million displaced people from northern occupied Palestine.
To whoever is threatening us with expansion, I tell them, of course we are rational, meticulous, and disciplined people. However, we will expand if you expand. There is no problem.
This is for the enemy’s calculations and our friends’ calculations as well as those who came as intermediaries. If you think that the resistance in Lebanon is frightened, confused, or weak, you are mistaken. You are adopting completely wrong calculations.
This resistance that is fighting today is more certain due to the equations that took place and the events of the field in Lebanon and Gaza and in the Axis of Resistance. It is more certain and more determined than ever before to prepare and decide to confront the enemy at any level of confrontation, without any hesitation and without any anxiety.
All of this must be taken into account by the enemy, and our friends must pay attention to it. Therefore, this enemy will have no choice but to admimt defeat in the end. Even if it does not admit, it must practice the act of defeat and stop the aggression against Gaza. The result of this battle, God willing, is the defeat of the enemy and the victory of Gaza and the resistance in Gaza and with it the axis of resistance.
Again, to the wounded, the prisoners, and their honorable families, I extand my prayers for acceptance, steadfastness, patience, well-being, recovery, victory and dignity.
Of course, we thank the brothers and sisters in the Foundation for the Wounded, the managers, and the employees for their constant efforts in serving their wounded brothers and sisters.
I ask God Almighty to accept from them, as well as the brothers in the Prisoners’ Association. I ask God Almighty to protect you all, grant you victory, well-being and a good outcome.
May peace, mercy, and blessings of Allah be upon you.
