Sayyed Nasrallah Speech in Nabatieh: Execute Spies Starting with Shiite Collaborators

The Secretary-General of Hizbullah Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah appeared at the huge gathering in the city of Imam Hussein (pbuh) celebrating the 9th Anniversary of Resistance and Victory.

His Eminence gave a speech on the occasion and the following is its text:

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. Thanks and Praise be to God, Cherisher and Sustainer of the Worlds, peace and prayers be to the seal of the prophets, Prophet Muhammad, his infallible household, his chosen companions and all the prophets and messengers and messengers ...

Honorable scholars, brothers and sisters, peace, God's mercy and blessings be upon you all.

God Almighty says in His Holy Book: "And We wished to be Gracious to those who were being depressed in the land, to make them leaders (in Faith) and make them heirs (28:5) To establish a firm place for them in the land, and to show Pharaoh, Haman, and their hosts, at their hands, the very things against which they were taking precautions. (28:6)" Holy Quran

It is with great pride, we come from all over south Lebanon today, to revive the Resistance and Liberation Day in the city of Nabatiyeh, the city of the Master of martyrs, Abu Abdullah al-Hussein (p), the city of those loyal to the lord of martyrs (p), the city of the first popular Ashoura-(the yearly 10-Day mourning commemoration of the martyrdom of Imam Hussain [p])-uprising against the Zionist invaders, in the name of the lord of martyrs (p).

Greetings to you all, those who have come from all of the South, from all its towns and villages, to celebrate victory day. You were among the forefront ranks of the makers of this victory, and today you are the people, leaders, masters, martyrs and prisoners, wounded, Mujahideen and the steadfast and loyal people of this Resistance and Liberation Day.

This liberation you accomplished with your blood, the strength of your sons, with your patience, defiance, and your enormous sacrifices, comes as a blessing from
Almighty God to you and a benefaction of your loyalty and honesty.

You were befitting for His championing you, deserving for his promise; you were humble and asked for His pardon; you were thankful, praiseful and offered your victory to all of Lebanon and the entire nation.

Peace be upon you, O for you refused humiliation, rejected injustice, protected the homeland, and kept the trust.

Peace be upon you our proud people, spirits of ardor, you who did not give obedience to the wicked, when the Zionist and world callers demanded a historic right in Palestine and placed you between two choices, either face a disproportionate confrontation or suffer a humiliating and disgraceful surrender, between rising up and submission?

You responded with your blood, awareness, resolve, young and old, man, woman, child, and elderly, loudly shouting echoing your Imam's historic cry in Karbala (City where Imam Hussain [P] the grandson of prophet Mohammad [pbuh] fell martyr refusing to pay allegiance to a tyrannical ruler) "disgrace us.... How remote!

Resistance began, leaders were martyred, legendary martyrdom heroes were born, the prisoners and the wounded, then came enduring displacement, destruction and poverty, followed by hunger, deprivation, conspiracy and collusion...in the meanwhile the ongoing Jihad was continuing...then came the promised divine victory in May 25, 2000.

Brothers and sisters,

We have before us a great occasion, the Resistance and Liberation Anniversary, and a greatly important event-the parliamentary elections on June 7th.

I have much to say, but since there will be more speeches after today's event in the Nabatiyeh, on Monday night God willing in the southern suburbs, and next Friday in the city of Baalbek. Three speeches in all; the headings and topics divided up over three talks. What I do not touch on here, I will cover on Monday, or next Friday.

Today's talk cannot cover all the topics, so today I will give a general speech and focus on matters concerning the South. The Dahiyeh speech will be a general public address, with special focus for the people of the Dahiyeh, the capital Beirut and the Mountain. Then last but certainly not least the closing celebrations speech in the city of the Sun, the City of Sayyed Abbas al-Moussawi, where I will give a general public address and I will address the Bekaa, and Baalbek - Hermel regions.

In today's speech in the Nabatiyeh I will address a group of titles attempting to be as short and brief as I can:
-the question of the resistance and the State
-the subject of the spy networks
-a quick word on landmines,
-the title of development and water
-the parliamentary elections, constituencies, and candidacy lists from Jezzine to Nabatiyeh, to Tyre, Zahrani, Bint Jbeil, Hasbayya and the people of Saida and we are certainly of its people.

First - The issue of the resistance and the state

Since 1948 and the establishment of "Israel", Lebanon in general, specifically the south, the southern border towns in particular that were otherwise known for decades as 'the occupied border zone, the south has always been subject of threats and ambitions, its land, water, the displacement of its people and population, always in the circle of assault since 1948.

This is documented and known to our fathers and grandfathers. Our generation who were born in the fifties and sixties may not be aware of that phase in its details, but the parents and grandparents, May God prolong their ages, still presently speak telling us about those periods.

Documented information can also be found on the subject in history books, official documents and media outlets.

The south, since the beginning has been the target of intimidation, ambitions, aggression, always in the danger zone, and since the outset the choice of the people of the south has been the state.

If we review stands made in Jabal Amel (Mount Amel) region by our learned scholars, politicians, elites and poets, the choice expressed by people in that phase clearly was the state.

I will mention one highly valued document, a letter written with eloquent expressions, because it contained the eloquence of Imam Sayyed Abdul Hussain Sharafeddine.
From a history book this letter-document was written in 1949 to the then President of the Republic, Sheikh Bechara Khouri, in the wake of the massacre committed by the Zionists in the town of Houla.

The letter described the massacre as "gruesome", resembling the massacres of Deir Yassin and Kafr Kassem.

He said: 'Lebanon thought that time had given it what it wanted, however, with regards to south Lebanon it was disappointing.

As the status of the ministries and related political triviality have caused patience to be lost, adorned the preposterous and concealed aberration. The south has particularly found disappointment, since neglect, deprivation, ignorance and foot-dragging was the state of affairs when dealing with the state. Since the beginning of the beginning of the founding of the Lebanese state, governing policies and politics have been of the ridiculous. Disregarding the wisdom of the wise while belittling the clement for his patience! How the unfeasible was seen with favor and to them aberration was disguised... we ought to regard the calamity of Mount Amel with all its villages that have been plundered and where children have gotten used to terror amid killings and destroying crops.

Our plight now is the Nakbah (catastrophe) of Mount Amel, its boundaries breached; the shedding of its blood is made permissible, villages looted by the Jewish Zionists, children struck with shock because of the horror and the lethality of the terror, and the ruined tillage..."

I would like to mention one highly valued document, a letter written with eloquent expressions, because it contained the eloquence of Imam Sayyed Abdul Hussain Sharafeddine.

From a history book this letter-document was written in 1949 to the then President of the Republic, Sheikh Bechara Khouri, in the wake of the massacre committed by the Zionists in the town of Houla.

The letter described the massacre as "gruesome", resembling the massacres of Deir Yassine and Kafr Kassem.

He said: 'Lebanon thought that time had given it what it wanted, however, with regards to south Lebanon it was disappointing.

As the status of the ministries and related political triviality have caused patience to be lost, adorned the preposterous and concealed aberration. The south has particularly found disappointment, since neglect, deprivation, ignorance and foot-dragging was the state of affairs when dealing with the state, since the beginning of the beginning of the founding of the Lebanese state, following governing policies and politics of the ridiculous. Disregarding the wisdom of the wise while belittling the clement for his patience! How the unfeasible was seen with favor and to them aberration was disguised... we ought to regard the calamity of Mount Amel with all its villages that have been plundered and where children have gotten used to terror amid killings and destroying crops.

Our plight now is the Nakbah (catastrophe) of Mount Amel, its boundaries breached; the shedding of its blood is made permissible, villages looted by the Jewish Zionists, children struck with shock because of the horror and the lethality of the terror, and the ruined tillage..."

This is a document directed to all the political leaders who want to take us to the ‘state', who on the dialogue table have said that between 1948 and 1970, Lebanon was not subject to any 'Israeli' aggression.

That 'Israel' only assaulted Lebanon after Palestinian factions came and their 'Fedayeen' (self-sacrifice fighters) started launching attacks into 'Israel' from Lebanon."

At this point in the meeting of the national dialogue table, a brother MP at the meeting walked out... and I think he is with us now smiling...'isn't that right Hajj Ali?'
Anyway, Hajj Ali returned soon after with an archive volume of al-Safir Daily Newspaper from that period, and handed photocopies to the conferees. But, did they take heed? No, they went back to repeating the same old denial story. And I will come back to the Military exercises shortly.

They say that 'Israel' has been conducting drills and exercises for 50 years. How shameful it is not to b aware that "Israel" has been waging wars for 50 years, killing Lebanese fellow citizens and destroying Lebanese land.

Anyway, Imam Sharafeddine continues on saying "This garrisoning mountain pays the blood fee to vagrant imposters rejected from the corners of this earth and its skies; to whom this high standing mountain is forced into submissiveness and by whom into misery."

Here I would like to interrupt our Imam Sayyed Sharafeddine to say 'Rest assured O Sayyed, from your cloak and that of Imam Moussa Sadr, Mount Amel has dusted itself off and stood shouting, "Disgrace us ... how remote."

The Imam continues "...This south is struck with submissiveness and humiliation by the earth's Zionist rejects, this mountain pays its dues and taxes, yet it is not given its rightful endowments, as if the looser in this nation's partnership."
Today I say it again, the south is still the losing partner, it gives from its produce, yet it is deprived it.

Imam Sharafeddine continues: Didn't you hear O Lebanese President how the poet describes this calamity saying: I yearn for your amends and wish I could perish in my sorrow and regret for you O Houla.

The Imam continues: "If you, your Excellency the President, have no ability to provide protection, is there also no ability to provide care? If we are unable to defend, fight and preserve the country, can we not wipe the tears, heal the wounds and feed the hungry? If the rights are not given to their due owners, why continue the ungratefulness."

He concludes to the President saying: "If you want to salute Mount Amel, say peace on you and on Lebanon."

These words date back to 1949 in the wake of the horrific Hula massacre in 1949, when the lives of dozens of Lebanese martyrs from Hula town perished. This is how long this has been going on.

Hence since the beginning the project of the south and the southern Lebanese people has always been the state. Imam Sharafeddine was followed Imam Moussa Sadr who shouldered heavy responsibilities since the beginning of the 1960's until his abduction and absenting from the Jihad arena.

He used to say to no avail, always addressing the state and the Heads of the state saying "this south Lebanon is a part of the homeland, send in your army to provide protection and to defend it, it is your responsibility. There is either negligence as if south Lebanon is not a part of Lebanon or weakness. In either case, the south shed precious blood. Ultimately, Imam Sadr called the southerners to take up arms to defend their people but he had never abandoned his calls to the government to take the responsibility of defending the south. Then came the "Israeli" invasion of 1982 and the ‘state' remained absent.

The sons of Imam Sadr in the Amal Movement and Hizbullah by their side along with other national and Palestinian factions confronted the occupation and defeated it. All of this happened while the ‘state' was on another planet, except for the few years before liberation, precisely under President Emile Lahoud and the successive government of Salim Hoss, martyr Rafik Hariri and Omar Karameh. Today, we must underline and praise President Michel Sleiman who was also army commander. "

There are two conditions, let's leave complicity aside, if we are to be suspicious we could say neglect and indifference as if the south is not part of Lebanon, treated the way the other peripheral parts are treated, with neglect, deprivation and disinterest.

If we are not to be suspicious and rather think trustingly, we would say inability and weakness, negligence and helplessness. Between negligence and helplessness blood is shed and the south pays the hefty cost, at the end of the day Imam Sadr was forced to call on the southerners to purchase and take up arms.

We all remember the Kalashnikovs with tow wooden handles in those days, the young people remember them, when Imam al-Sadr founded the Lebanese Resistance Battalions (Amal Movement) and asked the youth to be trained, to join the battlefronts to defend the south and its people in al-Taybeh town and other areas.

But he did not stop for a moment calling on the Lebanese state to assume its responsibility in defending the people of the south and the south.

Then came the 1982 invasion, the State remained absent, I do not want to open the files of that bloody and difficult stage. Yourselves, the youths of Imam Moussa al-Sadr in Amal Movement and Hizbullah, along with your brothers and comrades from the Lebanese National and Islamic forces along with the Palestinian factions, who confronted, repelled and defeated the occupation; all that was going on while the State was in a different world completely!

Yes, in order to be fair, except for the last few years before the liberation, and specifically during His Excellency the President Emile Lahoud's term in office, a clear major strong shift occurred in favor of supporting the resistance officially, morally and protecting its back strongly.

That clearly emerged with the formation of the governments under President Lahoud. The first Government was headed by Prime Minister Salim al-Hoss, then the martyr PM Rafik Hariri, and PM Omar Karami's government.

Except for that phase and the firm positions taken by His Excellency President Michel Suleiman, which we must affirm and commend today, whether in the stands he made since taking office and previously as head of the armed forces, the State was always for many long years in a different world if I'm not to use a different description.

Dear brothers and sisters, do you know what your crime or sin is?

Your crime is that you refused occupation, when you were required to accept it.
You stood up and resisted when you were supposed to stay put and submit.
You fought with your bear chests, and empty fists, with basic domestic items such as oil, stones, and metal and little weapons, yet with much faith at a time when the entire world abandoned you.
The biggest crime you committed was not only that you resisted, but that you triumphed in defeating "Israel", and that you regained your land and liberated your prisoners.

This achievement embarrassed, in the full sense of the word, all those who were being complacent, who remained silent and scared, discouraging and frightened, the submissive advocates of surrender and waiving of rights, all those insist on your punishment.

When you faced the July war together, they wanted you wiped out, but you were steadfast and with you stood all the noble and honest people of the homeland and nation, you were victorious.
This was your greatest unforgivable sin!
Are there no sins for which a person's repentance is accepted?

There is one sin for which repentance goes in vain, your victory in July, it is the one sin you committed and cannot be repented, it is staying in your land and speedily returning to it on the 14th August of 2006.

I will always remember the speech I gave after the July war, as long as I alive. I met the older brother His Excellency the House Speaker Nabih Berri, who told me that day: "Sayyed, we must be watchful, they will not let us enjoy this victory, and they will work hard to make us pay dearly for it."

Hence, if we fight we pay dearly, if we are defeated we pay dearly, and if we win, we must pay dearly also.

Brothers and sisters,
Today, on the Resistance and Liberation Day, we the sons and grandchildren renew the call of the fathers and grandfathers and say 'Yes we want the State, but which State?
Do we want the State of taxes and fees?
No.
Do we want the State of real estate companies?
No.
Do we want the State which turns the whole of Lebanon to neglected parts?
No.

We want the strong, capable and fair State, a State that is courageous and responsible.
We want a State along with its Army, security forces and political authority to defend, and protect the south as well as preserve its dignity.

Quite frankly and honestly, we do not present the resistance as a substitute for the State, while this State which calls itself a 'State', forgets the south and its citizens, forgets its responsibility towards them, excludes them from any of its planning, does not defend them, and when principally this is not a State, it cannot be said that the resistance is proposing itself a substitute for a 'State', nor can it be reproached thusly!

I say to you and to all the Lebanese, we, in the National Lebanese Opposition Alliance, want to build the strong State, one capable and serious about defending its territories, waters, sovereignty, honour and dignity, with you and with your resolve, your votes on the 7th of June, and the will of the patriotic Lebanese, we will build this strong State, God willing.

This State, ought to gain the people's confidence and faith, through deeds, actual practice, effective presence, persistent follow up of all that threatens the people not by slogans, if we give a thousand speeches to say the State possesses the decision of 'peace and war' when it is absent, even if we work a 1000 slogans about the State extending its authority, when it does not even visit our land, to shoulder its responsibilities, it still does not solve the problem.

The problem is solved when there is a State that convinces its people that it is strong, capable and committed, undertakes their protection, conservation and security, to preserve their dignity.

This is the first issue.

Second - Espionage networks and collaborator cells
To start with, we must commend the efforts of the National Lebanese Army, the Internal Security Forces and the various security organs.
We confirm that this is the effort required from the beginning, this is the basic function of the security apparatus, and this is the right path we must all continue to follow.

Have you (State's institutions) noticed how when genuine efforts are made, such as the efforts in recent weeks pertaining to the spy networks, with the State's presence and assumption of responsibility, you earned the respect and trust of the people in you, this is what we want.

Please hear us, we do not want any moral achievements, whether the security of the resistance actually worked or didn't, leave that aside, all that concerns us is the dismantling of these networks and the arrest of these collaborators, to blind the eyes of the Zionists, to protect the people and preserve the country, it does not matter to us who wants medals and decorations for these achievements.

Regarding the spy networks topic, I want to point out some quick points:
First: The broad public duty to cooperate with all the security services, starting with families, average citizens and the various political forces, anyone with information, news stories or remarks, must be submitted to the security services.

Second: to lift any cover of spies and collaborators, regardless of their sect or denomination, the area or town they come from, or the family they belong to, to not protect anyone nor seek justification or excuses for anyone; any link to the enemy and high treason with the enemy is an unjustifiable crime or fault.

Third: On your behalf and on behalf of the families of martyrs and wounded, whose homes were destroyed, those displaced and those who paid their taxes to build the infrastructure, I call for giving the death penalty to the collaborators who provided information that led to all this.

Drop all these "quips" of punishment sentences that are a month or two months long, year, two years or even ten years, that does not protect a country, homeland or national security.
Whoever treats this matter lightly, is a partner in shedding the blood of the Lebanese.

In this issue I want to be frank and decisive, do not play with security or the judiciary, like the old game of '6 by 6 per sect repeated.' In other words placing the treatment of collaborators under the influence of balances religious confessions and sects.
I say begin the death penalty with collaborators from the Shiaa community.

Fourth: An invitation. Today I like to address the rest of the spies and agents who are still on Lebanese territory, who have not been arrested yet. I say to you 'You are completely exposed, the hands to arrest you will soon reach you, it is why I offer you to quickly surrender yourselves to the official security services and the Lebanese judiciary, lest that lighten your penalty, you spies and collaborators must know you have no value to your Zionist masters, because as far as "Israel" is concerned you are worth a handful of dust, that is why you should guard yourself by quickly returning to your home, people and State before it is too late.

Fifth: We in Hizbullah have always cooperated with the security agencies, but I announce today that we in the resistance will maximize the efforts and cooperation, without any reservations with all official bodies, in a comprehensive national public effort to achieve this noble goal, which is to clean Lebanon up from the networks of spies and agents.

Sixth: we must cooperate to mitigate the political environment, to not allow political and sectarian divisions in the country to justify collaboration and treason. I must also draw the people's attention in all areas, especially in towns and large cities where issues quickly dissipate and become forgotten, when in villages a dead person is kept alive in the people's memory for even a hundred after their death.

I want to say we must act responsibly with legitimacy, morally and fraternally.
The Holy Quran says "... no bearer of burdens can bear of burdens the burden of another" Holy Quran 6:164.
The collaborator and spy in one of our villages or families, is not the fault of their father, mother, wife, children or family. It is bad enough that this or that collaborator wronged his own family therefore; it is not permissible for anyone to wrong his family or relatives.

They are our community, people, citizens, neighbours and distant relatives, we must lament their situation, lighten their burden, and stand by their side, because their wound is very painful, it is more painful than any wound, I know as you do, particularly in south Lebanon, the feelings of any family, father, mother, wife, child or daughter whose son, husband or father is a collaborator.

In this regard I hope the collaboration matter is dealt with in complete compassion.
God Almighty calls on us to reflect His characteristics in His creation, He is with great mercy and compassion and strong impunity. I invite you express mercy with the families and severe punishment with agents and spies.

On the subject of espionage networks I like to draw a final remaining note now, and leave something for another time.

Because the networks are not always limited to a single network or person (the "Israelis" contact one individual or a small group of individuals so that if one person is arrested the rest are not discovered, or if one group is captured the other networks remain intact) those spies, collaborators and networks, do not only work on assimilating data, there is a something more dangerous than just collection information, some of them are executors.
For example when twenty-kilograms of TNT were found at the home of one of the collaborators, one asks what 20 kilometers of "TNT" is doing in a collaborator's house?
The answer to this question is obvious.

If a collaborator gathers information, now for this person to protect himself he may resort to possessing a Kalashnikov, a grenade, or "RPG" in his home!
Ok, that is possible, but why possesses 20 Kilograms of TNT?
Hence, those collaborators are executor agents.
There are collaborators like Mahmoud Rafeh who confessed to having transported bags containing explosives. Others made executive surveillance. They did not collect incidental information, no; they worked on executive surveillance in the field in preparation for murder.

There are agents who brought in "Israelis" then helped them out of the country again after operations were carried out. This executive aspect should be taken into account, the investigation door should wide opened, and those with ready-made stands, biased prejudices and ready made judicial decisions must become convinced of the need to carefully investigate in detail this "Israeli" lead.

We may arrive at a point in such an investigation to find a great number of those with links to the assassinations and bombings that took place in Lebanon, especially in 2005 and beyond... so enough stubbornness against this investigating this aspect.

Some of these collaborators had roles in the sedition at sectarian and locality levels, some even confessed to having had roles assigned to them to create discord between Hizbullah and Amal movement.

Even during the last few years and now when it has become clear to us, in some towns, that in spite of all the positive and excellent atmosphere-which I will talk about shortly between Hizbullah and Amal - and all the excellent political, emotional, social and fraternal atmosphere we enjoy in the southern villages, problems used to occur at times and some actually worked on their instigation, only to find out later that they were pushed by "Israel" through these networks of spies.

This is why we must be vigilant and confront strongly the issue of the espionage networks.

Third - Landmines
Many fields have been demined thanks to firms and supporting states as well as the efforts, supervision and coordination between the resistance and the Lebanese army especially the cluster bombs. The Islamic Resistance participated employing its capabilities and youth in de-mining wide areas, martyrs fell in this process. There exists a funding problem today and it is the government's responsibility to seek funds. But in all cases, today, on the Resistance and Liberation Day in Nabatieh city, I pledge to our people in the south that in case of deficiencies, as is the case now, I pledge that the Islamic resistance will employ its capabilities and youth to assume responsibility and will work thoroughly with the Lebanese army across south Lebanon to swiftly bring the file of cluster bombs to an end.

These bombs are a part of the daily criminal war still waged by "Israel" against our land.

Fourth - Development and water resources
After the liberation of the then occupied border zone, we stood in Bint Jbeil and openly said-(our speeches often stir issues, this time the "Israelis" had it in failing to plant their flag in Bint Jbail during the July war)-frankly said 'We are not a State, nor an alternative to the State, nor do we assume the State's responsibilities.

This region has been neglected for decades. The ‘state' was absent before the occupation, as stated by Sayyed Abed al-Hussain Sharafeddine, during occupation the State was absent, and now that the occupation has ended, what is keeping the State from spreading its authority over the entire Lebanese territories?
Where was the State in the recent years in relation to development in border areas and to creating stability for the community there?
People started to move away because of the scarcity in work opportunities.

After the liberation, the border zone lived a huge vacuum, because the State did not shoulder responsibility. Unfortunately the State in our country is still the same as it has always been, it only knows Bint Jbeil, Hasbayya, Shibaa, Jezzine and other regions when it comes to payment of taxes, while the south Lebanon Council was boycotted during the last few years, and denied its share of budget funding.

Up until the July war, you (The ruling team) used to say that the Lebanese Army was not deployed in that region, and therefore you doubted it the area was under state control and rule, because of which you said you could not provide development work, and we will view this as an excuse. But now three years later, the Lebanese Army is deployed in the entire region, right to the border in addition to fifteen thousand UNIFIL soldiers.
So, have you done anything in these past 3 years?
Where is the state we call on today that comes to shoulder its responsibilities?

On this point I also would like to say 'the government that will be established by the national opposition, through which it will build a strong and just state, will be a fair state, it will give heed to balanced development and the border zone will be clearly visible on its development program and responsibilities.

The same goes to our waters, our rivers are lost in the sea. The American will soon come to tell us how inhumane we are to waste our Litani River waters into the sea, when there a water crisis in the region and that we should give our waters to "Israel". This is unfortunate.

The Litani Project Speaker Nabih Berri had raised in an election campaign gathering a few days ago, when he said: "We must all join forces to work on executing it", I second him in that call for 'The MPs of the south, and with them the MPs of the opposition, to work together in the coming phase on fulfilling this project and achieving this dream.'
It is the dream of our fathers and forefathers.

I like to mention a last phrase Sayyed Abed al-Hussain Sharafeddine mentioned on the 9th of December 1941, during the French mandate, from a letter he sent to one of the influential leaders reminding him of a number of demands, of which "To Irrigate Mount Amel terrain and people, from the Litani River whose water is wasted in the ocean, while people move about thirsty, their land barren, perhaps they and their livestock together drink from stagnant water pools."

The situation is still the same, and must our main focal point.

Fifth - The important June 7 parliamentary elections
Some may say that there might not be an election battle in the south as the drive and the incentive for voters to go to polling station is missing. But I tell you that every region is concerned with the elections on the seventh of June. But the south, the people of the south and its constituencies, for the reasons I will briefly address shortly, they are the first and most people to be concerned to make their presence felt at the ballot boxes on the seventh of June.

We will start with the electoral districts in Jezzine.
We were extremely keen to form a single ticket for the opposition in Jezzine; however two tickets were formed by each of the dear allies there. We respect and consider the circumstances of either ally and at the end we arrived at this sporting formula.
I stress that either ally, is equally close and important to each person in Hizbullah, and everyone appreciates our sensitivity and position in Jezzine, but God willing, we will endeavor, in cooperation with both allies, to support in a way that wins the approval of both.

Yet what I must stress in Jezzine is that the competition between two tickets for the opposition must not be a reason for our supporters to back off. We must have a strong presence in this constituency to secure another three candidates to parliament.

As for other districts, the backbone of the alliance is the Amal-Hizbullah alliance with our brothers in other parties and the respectful political figures.

I would like to stress the deep rooted alliance between Amal and Hizbullah. It is not a compulsory alliance the way some described it as a "forced marriage", no, wrong. Through the many experience, events and the tough challenges of the past five years that took Lebanon by political and security storms, and military earthquakes, when this alliance proved strategic, historic, deep, strong and well-founded alliance like Mount Amel itself.

No one can bargain on any weakness in this alliance. This alliance was pivotal in the 2006 victory. We integrated politically, militarily, socially, popularly and in the battlefield, in every village, city, neighbourhood, in every home and family.
We were embraced by the rest of the allies and honorable people in our homeland, but the environment that was most targeted by the Zionists were the villages, towns, cities, families and markets of the Hizbullah and Amal movement environment.
We were bonded by our wounds, our martyrs' blood, our belonging to the same Imam and great leader, by the one cause and one fate.

I want to say that this alliance, not only did it save Lebanon in the July war, but this alliance was a well established cornerstone of the National Lebanese Opposition alliance that saved Lebanon from the most dangerous plots in the history of Lebanon. This same alliance will also be the cornerstone in the opposition, which God willing will move the opposition forward to winning the elections on 7th June, to thrust Lebanon to a new recovery phase.

This alliance is first a national interest, and second an interest of south Lebanon, the primarily benefactors are south Lebanon and the south Lebanese, through the added security, effectiveness and sense of increased immunity and dignity.

I assure you that lots of politicians have been bargaining on sedition between Hizbullah and Amal, between the leaderships and support bases of both.
They continue with the same old provocation of insisting for example on repeatedly using the phrase ‘Hizbullah's led opposition', by which they target Hizbullah-Amal ties, Hizbullah- Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) as well as Hizbullah and the rest of the allied forces of the National Opposition, be they Sunni, Druze or Christian.

Presenting the opposition as Hizbullah and the rest are attachments, is a false and deceitful image, as if Amal and the Free Patriotic Movement, the national or Islamic groups within the opposition are inferior to Hizbullah. Clearly insult, incitement and provocation are the intentions of such practices.

There are of course other aims as well, like rousing the outside powers and alerting them, for example when they say "If the opposition wins, Sayyed Nasrallah alone would rule apart from other allies, meaning not Speaker Berri, General Aoun, or any of the leaders or personalities of the opposition-I am not able to mention them all by name, all of whom I love and respect dearly.

By such talk - which is not slips of the tongue-, they mean to indirectly tell the Americans and the West: 'If the opposition wins, come to our rescue because Hizbullah will in effect rule.' When they know that in the last national unity government we were modest in our representation within the Cabinet, and I say to you, we will be at the service and support of our allies.

All their talk is provocation and incitement, but will not deceive or trick Hizbullah and Amal leaderships, support bases or supporting public.

Hizbullah and Amal are dear brothers, rational, aware, and independent and cooperative, whoever seeks to break the Hizbullah-Amal alliance will definitely fail. We are counting on mutual and deep trust between us that has surpassed politics and political interests into a matrix of emotion, cordiality, care and hankering, a relationship above all such ridiculousness.

Accordingly, they attempted to write about shares in the remaining electoral districts. To begin with, I believe and I do not know if a similar situation exist, that when we sat together to discuss tickets and the distribution of allocations among us with the brothers in Amal leadership, the whole matter was settled in no more than a quarter of an hour, this is so I do appear to be exaggerating if I say it actually took us 5 minutes, we were complete in a quarter of an hour.
You might wonder what we did for the rest of the meeting...A sitting with President Nabih Berri "is always delightful."

We have no problem with quotas, the number is no problem, and we do not have any problem at all. We are satisfied with the existing arrangement, we even demanded it and we did not portend to have any demands or expectations, as some assumed even expected this would lead to a problem, but no...never.

Accordingly, regarding the existing tickets, some have returned to writing on their Websites saying that Hizbullah has resorted to talk of 'religious obligation', when the level of awareness, maturity, sense of responsibility and suffering you endured in the last four years, has turned you to scholars and jurisprudence specialists, you do not need anyone telling you your obligations.

Today I will tell you what Hizbullah's goal is, to make it extremely clear our goal is for the opposition to win the majority of seats in parliament to save Lebanon from ill intentions. This I will repeat in al-Dahiyeh and in Baalbek.
Our share as Hizbullah in an alliance or a majority is not important; this is a political and an ethical issue, it is about being loyal to Lebanon, to the people of Lebanon, to the resistance, the National Army and to future generations.

That is why we are engaging in an election battle in which we practice politics and ethics. When we commit to the tickets of the opposition, we consider every candidate a Hizbullah candidate, be they in Zahrani, Nabatieh, Tyre, Bint Jbail, Hasbayya or Marjayoun. This is our basis.

Sixth - The importance of strong voting turn out in the south
The last remaining issue is about the importance why the south and the southerners to show a strong turn out at the ballot boxes on Election Day?
Some may say there are no competing tickets; others in the area do not stand a chance due to the strong, clear popular support for the opposition in south Lebanon districts, but I will tell you why?

Some seek to project elections as a referendum on the resistance and its arms. The most concerned people about the resistance and its arms, are the citizens of the south, why?
Because the south is the border with occupied Palestine, it is the most forward Lebanese terrain exposed to constant enemy assaults, because the south is most present in the circle of "Israeli" ambitions, threats and dangers.
The rest of the Lebanese territories bear the implications of the confrontation endured by the south in facing the dangers, assaults and constant threats.

Therefore, whose concerns are the aggressions and their confrontation? Who is under threat? Who is in the circle of "Israeli" ambitions? Who is under daily threats of having their resources plundered, their homes destroyed and of being displaced, they are primarily the citizens of the south.

Yes, the resistance protects you and you have embraced it and protected it, the resistance defends you and you it, because you are the resistance and the resistance is you. That is why on June 7, when world media will attend to observe the elections in Lebanon while international associations have come to monitor them, we have to provide a scene of celebrations of the victory, of the martyrs and of the resistance fighters in every village, town, farm, neighbourhood and southern Lebanese city.

On the 7th of June, we will show up in voting stations in south Lebanon to tell the world that we, the citizens of the south whose homes were destroyed in July, whose children and women were killed in the massacres of the south, will not abandon the resistance.

June 7, must be a day to thwart every conspirator and every schemer who thinks about colluding against the resistance.

Our dear beloved people, on the seventh of June you will prove again that this resistance, which is you in your hearts, minds, fists and your steadfastness in our land, is for all the citizens of the south, and for all the Lebanese, it is what strengthened our dignity, championed and preserved Lebanon and gave back the glory of its cedars in the entire world.

On the 7th of June, you will prove that you the sons of Moussa Sadr are as he himself was, you also are the hope of the oppressed and the tyrannized, the constant cry in the face of tyrants.

Lastly, dear honorable ones, on the 7th of June again you will prove what you did on the 22nd September, that you are the most honorable, most generous and most pure people.

May God bless you, direct your steps and gaze upon you as He would the loyal persevering patient subjects.

Till we meet again in the near future God willing.
With our trust in God we look in your faces, and rely on you, on your conscience, hearts and will, with hope we look to you for the final decisive say, we all believe in, that 'The time of defeats has gone, and the time of victories has come.'

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