Full Speech of Sayyed Nasrallah on Al-Quds Day: We will Never Recognize ’’Israel´s’’ Right to Exist
Sayyed Nasrallah delivered a televised speech through a giant screen in "Sayyed Al Shuhada" complex on Friday in commemoration of Al Quds International Day:
Today is Al Quds day, and is the last Friday in the Holy Month of Ramadan. Imam Khomeini had declared the last Friday of the Holy Month of Ramadan as Al Quds day, that came after the victory of the Islamic revolution in Iran, the bringing up of the Islamic republic and the decline of the Shah system along with its cooperate helpers, the U.S. and ‘Israel' and turning the ‘Israeli' embassy in Tehran into the first Palestinian embassy in the world.
Imam Khomeini had declared the last Friday of the month of Ramadan a day for Al Quds in every year for clear reasons related to reviving the cause and reminding the Ummah of its historical responsibility. After the Imam deceased and departed life (peace be upon his soul) His Eminence Imam Khamenei-may he be honored- followed his lead and stances in all aspects and issues starting with the Palestinian plight, Al Quds, the Arab-‘Israeli' conflict, supporting the Palestinian people and the resistance movements in the region.
Even after Imam Khomeini departed to the afterlife, Al Quds day remained to be one of the most important causes, a cause that is part of Imam's precious and great heritage he had left behind for this Ummah.
Al Quds day is the day of the Holy city and its people and belongings. It is the day of religious sanctities for Muslims and Chrstians, threatened ones of course. Here some might ask: aren't there Jewish holy sanctities in Al Quds? There is a debate concerning this issue. What the people of ‘Israel' did throughout history of harm and conspiring to their prophets, to themselves, to their tribes and people lead to their end.
Al Quds day is the day of the Holy city including its people, its Arab people whether Muslims or Christians who are threatened of being uprooted as well.
Al Quds day is the day of all Palestine from sea to river. It is the day of the Palestinian and Arab detainees remaining in the occupation prisons. It is the day of the Palestinian refugees displaced whether inside Palestine or abroad. Al Quds day is the day of Patient, resistance, besieged Gaza. Al Quds day is the day of Palestinian resistance of all factions and movements. It is the day of the Lebanese, Arab and Islamic resistance. It is the day of every resistant, withstander, survivor, and fighter in the face of the Zionist scheme in our region. Al Quds day is the day of the Ummah, a reminder to the Ummah of its historical and religious responsibilities in parallel.
The main issue in Al Quds day- which is the key and origin of all issues- is the stance of the Zionist occupation of Palestine and of our Arab land of which many parts are still occupied whether the Golan Heights, Shibaa Farms or Kafar Shuba.
The main aspect is also our stance from this occupation, therefore the stance from this entity that was established and based upon this occupation and economy and hegemony. We have a crystal clear stance, a stable and final principle which we always express on Al Quds day in particular nevertheless of the different opinions of people in Lebanon or elsewhere.
Righteousness is righteousness and should be proclaimed and said out loud, and wrongdoing remains wrongdoing and should be denied, rejected and confronted.
We say clearly and honestly and declare that the entire Palestinian territory is a possession of the Palestinian people. It belongs to them and to the entire Ummah. The Zionists own nothing and have no rights in this land. We are ready to discuss issues upon religious, historical, logical, reasonable, and legal basis and in reference to holy books- including the Old Testament which is well known to be adopted by the Jews of this age and earlier ages as to what we know from history.
We assure that Palestine is the right of this nation and this Ummah and it is not a right for the Zionists at all. During the Holy Month of Ramadan, Muslims read in the Holy Quran, try to finish reciting it once and twice and maybe more. They try to study the meaning s and lessons the Quran holds within its folds.
The Holy Quran talks a lot about the people of ‘Israel' and the prophets of these people, - not only the Quran talks about them but also the other Holy books especially the Torah.
So, no promises were made to these.
Forty years after the disobedient offspring ended- the ungrateful progeny to God's blessings and offerings- God's prophet Joshua entered the blessed land with a faithful, pious and devout progeny of the Israelites Abraham's descendants. But when they returned to corruption and killed the prophets again, God Almighty sent those who killed, destroyed and scattered them across the earth, and there they are now rummaging under the foundations of al-Aqsa Mosque looking for the ruins of a temple, destroyed three thousand years ago by their criminal and corrupt deeds.
No principal exists in the Torah, Bible, the Psalms, and Quran or in any holy book except for only one principle that says: the earth belongs to God; He bequeaths it to whomever He wishes of His faithful slaves. This land is God's promise to the virtuous among His slaves.
(Anyway this is a prelude to the discussion, if we are to discuss Quran or religion)
During the month of fasting, I particularly address the Muslims who are fasting throughout the world. If you truly want to be actually fasting, today we accomplish one of the results of fasting: "O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that ye may (learn) self-restraint-" Holy Quran 2:183.
The goal of fasting is to become pious. The ‘piety' means not to offend God with words or deeds. The piety means to keep what is true as truth and what is false as that; to be pious means not to turn righteousness into falsehood and vice versa, not because of fear or greed. Today, you and I who responded to the eternal call of Imam Khomeini (May God honour his soul), we announce from here at Sayyed Shohada complex, the place that used to embrace the bodies of our martyrs of the resistance at it continues to do, we declare our consistent unalterable principles:
First: Historic Palestine, from the sea to the river belongs to the people of Palestine and to the whole nation.
Second: It is impermissible for anyone and no one has the right, whoever he may be, whether Palestinian, Arab, Muslim or Christian, no matter who it is, regardless of the claims of representation anyone makes, whether representation claims of historic legitimacy, revolutionary, popular, legal or constitutional, no one in this world is entitled to give up a grain of soil from the land of Palestine, nor a drop of water from the waters in Palestine, nor a single character from the name of Palestine.
Third: the ‘Israeli' entity currently existing on the land of Palestine is a usurper and occupation entity, aggressive, cancerous, illegitimate and illegal presence.
Fourth: It is impermissible for anyone, whoever they may be, to recognize this entity, grant it legitimacy or recognize an existence for it.
Fifth: Collaboration and normalization with ‘Israel' are forbidden sins. All scholars, Islamic reference authorities are in consensus about this, and anyone that says otherwise, let him step forward and present his case.
These principles and constants are unalterable by time, circumstances, conditions, strengths or weaknesses at all.
Brothers and sisters,
When some people talk about helplessness- verily some of us may be for one reason or another unable to liberate Palestine and al-Quds under the current circumstances, or may be unable to do anything at all, such as go to war, resist, or declare intifada- but we are not at all forced to admit, recognize, surrender, acquiesce or sign over to our enemy the legal title deed to possess or control our land, our holy places and resources.
No one can impose this position on us.
This is a psychological stand, a popular and nation wide stand. No one can force us to do otherwise. This is our nation, for more than sixty years the whole world is pressing us into recognizing ‘Israel', to collaborate and normalize relations with ‘Israel' (so what) yet none has been able to impose that upon us.
Even the states that signed so-called peace treaties with ‘Israel' have not been able to force their people to hold relations or work with the Zionists, or to normalize relations with them.
Hence this is possible...
At the far end of vulnerability and helplessness, we are able not to recognize ‘Israel', nor give in to it or at least not to sign anything over.
Today, when we are not vulnerable or helpless...let us at least pronounce and say, in this month of fasting, on your behalf as a part of this nation I say and declare: Oh God take witness, in the days and nights of your month (Blessed Ramadan), we as part of this nation will never recognize ‘Israel'. We will not work with ‘Israel'. We will not normalize ties with ‘Israel'. We will not surrender to ‘Israel'. We will not accept ‘Israel' even if the whole world recognizes it. Our faith, belief and declaration will remain unchanged, that ‘Israel' is an illegal presence, a cancerous gland and must be wiped out of existence."
We are not obliged....even if our country is weak and our region is weak while "Israel" is strong and the situation difficult. True, there was a sole attempt, by which I mean the May-17 agreement, but there exists a country and there exists a determined population on not surrendering.... We don't want to fight or to enter a regional war.
Nevertheless, we will not let go of our rights. We will continue to demand our rights, and will not sign [peace agreements] or surrender. We might not wage a war to regain the Kfar Shouba heights and the Shibaa Farms, but will we leave it for the "Israelis"? Never. We will continue to demand them and talk about them. This is the least we can do, and we are capable of it.
Let's take a look at Syria: There are people that always displaying the tune of war drums, from the year 1967... then came the October war...and to this day...that is, transcending decades.
Syria doesn't have an open front, true, and it is not fighting to this day due to its circumstances and answers... be they true or false is another debate.
What should not be ignored is the fact that for the past 30 or 40 years, both under the rule of President Hafez Assad or that of President Bashar Assad, that despite the siege, international sanctions, isolation, conspiracies, and the toughest circumstances it has seen, particularly in the past few years after the occupation of Iraq and the transformations that have occurred on the international level and on the level of the Arab and Islamic world...added to all what Syria has endured....It is remarked that the Syrian authority didn't surrender a single grain of Syrian soil or a drop of Syrian water. This must be recognized and respected. In Syria there is a government.
However, some argue that Hizbullah is a resistance movement, and that those in Palestine are resistance movements. They compare: That regime has an army, a government, an infrastructure, an economy, and relations...and it has endured...it didn't fight and it closed its front... that is true, but it didn't surrender, nor did it sell land or water. We can recall the Geneva summit which brought together President Hafez Assad and President Bill Clinton; the entire settlement fell apart due to a few meters of Tiberius Lake. [that] It proves that this is possible in the presence of an Arab regime, and not a resistance movement.
This Arab regime has economic, social, and political responsibilities as well as international relations is capable of withstanding because it relies on it right and the law, and when it has the willpower, it can continue to withstand.
Therefore, sisters and brothers, the issue is not that we are placed between three choices: surrender - fight - withstand. The third choice is to withstand, hold out, and resist, and to work on gaining the strength and power and wait for changes. This is our proposal on Al-Quds Day. Our choice is not that of surrender. We can withstand, we can hold out, and work on attaining points of strength and wait for change. This choice is reasonable, logical, and successful...as it has already succeeded.
Then, we must talk of our options today.
We have the choice of negotiating. The course of the negotiation path has become, over the years, a futile option requiring no deduction. It has lead to ever more surrendering and squandering of rights, sometimes for free. Whoever has a different account can come forth.
Today, Mr. [George] Mitchell tells the Palestinians he has failed to persuade the "Israelis" to temporarily freeze settlement expansion. This renders two explanations: One is that the Obama administration is weak and cannot pressure Netanyahu. Let us assume this, but I do not believe in it. If the American Administration is weak, how can you bet on a weak administration? How can you bet on weakness? If the ‘great' American administration, hypothetically, cannot impose on Netanyahu a temporary freeze of settlement expansion, how is it expected to create a settlement in the region giving the minimum rights o Palestinians and Arabs based on a supposed weakness.
The second hypothesis is that of deception, one that I personally stand by. I am not convinced that they are frail, for they are imposters that have come to say they've pressured Netanyahu who, in turn, didn't listen to us, his situation is difficult, and the extremist right will kill him like they killed Isaac Rabin...You Arabs must give a reasonable price to Netanyahu allowing the latter to temporarily freeze settlements, so let's normalize relations...allow more squandering, more meaningless yielding...such is the negotiation path.
A second option is that which was mentioned in the past decades in the days of my generation and the previous generation...the option of declaring an all-out Arab war, opening all fronts and preparing all armies to enter Palestine from all its gates. These words are beautiful, and the option is great and righteous. This means that if we want to wait for the day when all regimes are convinced to open all fronts and send the armies to liberate Palestine means we might have to wait hundreds of years.
Of course, this method of thinking has led us to losing the resistance in a many muddles, as numerous movements that adopt confronting the "Israeli" enemy and facing the Zionist project, making the movements, based on this theory, believe in regime changing...So, the road to Al Quds passed through Jounyeh, meaning we should change the regime in this Arab country and that Arab country so as to have regimes convinced in war so they would send their armies. But what has happened? Even when the regime is changed and a new government is fixed in place, it turns away from war.
Then, let's leave this option aside. I'm not saying that this option is hopeless, but it is not attainable in the next two years or the next twenty years, nor does it seem within reasonable reach. Yet, if you hear me or any other person calling for opening all war fronts, then that person, be he who he may, is searching for logical explanations for "not" fighting.
In all frankness, when Lebanon was invaded, had the Lebanese people waited for the Arab countries and the unified Arab strategy or for the Arab armies, "Israel" would still have been in Nabatiyeh, Bint Jubei, Haasbayah, Jizeen, Tyre, Beirut, Jounyeh...and would have reached Zahleh and Baalbeck, Hermel, and Tripoly as well...had we waited for this method of thinking.
The other option I noted a while ago is that of withstanding, of popular resistance...an option requiring much explanation, for you are its founders. In the history of the Zionist entity, since 1961 and to this day, the hardest decade for "Israel" has been the last ten years. As a result of what? As a result of this option. There are Islamic and Arab withstanding countries, rejecting surrender. And there is a resistance in Lebanon and in Palestine. To what end? The "Israelis" have left Lebanon save for the Kfar Shouba Heights and the Shibaa Farms and the Ghajar village. This has been a huge achievement and victory [for us] and a devastating defeat for "Israel".
We all know what the "Israeli" strategic experts said after their defeat in 2000. The year 2000 also witnessed the Aqsa Intifada (uprising) in occupied Palestine: a popular uprising and armed resistance that very clearly defeated the "Israeli" entity, making the "Israelis" lost and producing mass reverse-migration... In "Israel" word has it that they have begun the second war of independence. This means that the "Israelis" feel their own existence is threatened, for the first time, due to the Aqsa Intifada and the sacrifices of our fellow Palestinians.
Then came the retreat from Gaza and the defeat in Gaza, followed by the July 2006 war which shook basic foundation of the presence of the entity in relation to its army, morals, self-confidence, and abilities. Hence, this is the option I am discussing, and I'm not making theories here: In one instance, we may say this option is correct because it leads to this and that. I say to you, Arabs and Muslims, that this option is correct not because it leads to something, but because it actually has lead to something. In other words, we are capable of regaining our land through resistance based on the fact that we have actually regained land in Lebanon and in Gaza.
We are capable of neutralizing the enemy objectives regardless of its might based on the fact that we did thwart its objectives in July 2006 and that our brothers annulled them in the Gaza war. It is possible, and in effect I tell you, frankly, we are not in need for opening fronts. There are people that have come out to theorize opening fronts. We don't need to open fronts.
On Al-Quds Day I declare the proper strategy to be the following, and if we want declare a correct strategy then it would be:
We start from Lebanon. Preserve the resistance present in Lebanon. Well, if you don't want to preserve the resistance in Lebanon, then so be it. Just leave it alone. These words are not intended for the Lebanese, for most of them support and preserve the resistance, a matter proven over time. My words are intended for a few in Lebanon and some Arab countries that have committed what they committed in the July war, and committed what they committed before the July war, and committed what they committed after the July war.
Second, support the Palestinian people and preserve your armies to protect your thrones. Congratulations. Simply support the people and resistance of Palestine, assist the Palestinians in staying on their land, raise the siege, don't give them weapons but allow them to pass weapons [through your soil], don't give them money but also don't cut the road on money on their way to them. Can there be more humbleness? You, the Arab countries, nation, governments, and peoples...you don't want to support. So be it. Iran will support. "Ahmadinejad is coming and he couldn't care less" And now, let it be known.
Support the Palestinian people and the resistance in Palestine, and raise the siege on Palestine....assist the Palestinians in unifying themselves, aid them in reconciliation and unifying their word, don't conspire against them, and don't incite one party against aother, and don't buy arms for one party to kill others. In Palestine, what arrives is the weapons for incitement and internal conflict, yet the weapons for fighting the Zionists are confiscated.
Is this not the truth??!! Don't tip off the "Israelis" with information on the Palestinian resistance and its cells, weapons, capabilities, tunnels, arms-smuggling techniques... its leaders and their residences. In other words, let them be! As I mentioned in the July war addressing the Arab rulers "Let us be!", I now say "Let the Palestinian people be!" Either aid the Palestinians, or leave them alone.
These days are those of fasting and of Ramadan....If the Palestinian people is left to do what it wants and the siege is raised, and it is supported and aided...the Palestinian people possesses the capabilities and leaderships, the men, women and children, the courage and sincerity, the patience and perseverance, the willpower and dedication, and the spirit of Jihad and martyrdom...enough to regain the Holy Quds for all the nation, and is needless of you armies and your fronts...nor do they need our front either.
This is the horizon, and this is the choice.
Today some may say: Sayyed, you say this, but the circumstances are difficult, and the Arabs seem to have even more difficult conditions. It is true, for this is the reality. But I would also like to tell you that "Israel" as well, in the present or the future, has ever more tough circumstances.
"Israel" prior in the year 2000 is different from "Israel" after its defeat in 2000. Pro-Gaza-defeated "Israel" is unlike post-Gaza-defeated "Israel". Pro-July-defeated "Israel" is nothing like post-July-defeated "Israel". Fear not "Israel" for it is training, arming, maneuvering, and working day by night because it is afraid. It wails of fear.
Yes, there is a horizon. I will lead you to the horizon as I have mentioned it over and over on many occasions. What I would like now is to clarify it a bit. We will go back in history, as it is a must to comprehend ancient and modern history: There were many big and strong states that withstood upon attack and won the battle. But at times it would send its army outside its borders to another state where it would be defeated and destroyed. That would be the end of that government and the end of that state. Aren't there any historic witnesses to this matter? In ancient and modern history?
I will give you the prospect. Support the Palestinian people, allow it to be prepared, capable, and strong, and not busy with itself or its livelihood or housework or prisons or internal-detainment etc... Give the resistance some space and the day will come when the "Israeli" who huffs and puffs....
[On the margin] I do agree in principle that what is being circulated in Lebanon by some political authorities is undeniable, that "Israel" might wage a war one day on Lebanon. We don't want this war. I am not talking theory here to say we want a war. No. We don't want this war. In 1982 did we want this war? Did the Palestinians in Lebanon at the time want the war? No.
The "Israelis" made an excuse of the assassination of the "Israeli" ambassador in London to wage a war on Lebanon and occupy Lebanon. I have no idea what their excuse is to wage war on Lebanon. Nevertheless, what many Lebanese and Arabs see as a threat can be transformed, under the proper wise leadership, into an opportunity. I say to the Lebanese and Arabs: we don't want a war, but if "Israel" attacks Lebanon, we must transform the threat into an opportunity. What opportunity? It is that which I noted previously. If they send us 6 or 7 contingents, it means that over half the "Israeli" army is outside Palestinian land. If the resistance is ready, then it can destroy and crush half the "Israeli" army and dispel it.
What future does "Israel" have in the region in such a case? When I declare that the coming war will change the face of the region, most translated that as me having nuclear arms. By God, no, we don't. It is impermissible to own or use nuclear arms. What the Imam Khamenei says is legal-sharii doctrine and not political discourse, as is the doctrine of our school of thought. Attaining such weapons or using such weapons is forbidden by doctrine [shari3aa].
The face of the region will change because "Israel" is a state created for an army. If the army is defeated, and we shall do so God willing... if we crush the army, and we will crush it... if we destroy the army, and we will destroy it God willing in Lebanon...then what will be left of "Israel"?
I recall in the year 2000 we didn't need an army to reach Bint Jubeil. When the front lines fell in the occupied border band, we didn't need an army to reach Haasbayah, Bint Jubeil, and Naqura... How did we reach them? In buses and vans and cars... If the "Israeli" army is defeated in Lebanon, it is possible if God grants us success to reach al-Quds in buses and vans. It is a logical, practical, and scientific option, not hypothesis nor slogans or ‘Arabic prose' or ‘Lebanese poetry'...These are facts and actualities and occurrences... as approved by present history and past.
On Al-Quds day I call on all Arab and Islamic governments and all Arab and Islamic nations to endorse the option of withstanding and resisting, and to support the resistance and reject surrendering and normalization and submissiveness, and to abandon emotions of weakness, incapacity, worthlessness, and inferiority... We, our people, are a great nation sent to people, not for our race or blood, but because we are the nation of calling for charity, and denouncing evil, and exercising jihad and charity and calling for the rights and wellbeing of people and humanity.
I call for this option on Al-Quds day. Let us overview the titles. First: the Aqsa Mosque which is in grave danger today, and we must all pronounce a cry: Woe the Quds! Yet today the Quds says: Woe my nation! And the Aqsa mosque cries: Woe my nation!
The "Israelis" continue to excavate underneath it, a matter which is no longer a rumor placed in the news by the Palestinians to draw sympathy from the Islamic world. This matter has been confirmed in many ways and by the confessions of "Israeli" organizations. Excavations are happening night and day under the Mosque, and the day may come when, God forbid, we may wake up to find the Mosque in rubbles.
Is there anyone among the Muslims who can endure such a sight? Who among their scholars and leaders and parties and men and women would? What nation is it if the first Qiblah and the Ascension of Prophet Mohammad PBUH [to the seven heavens] is in danger of destruction and collapse at any hour, at any moment, on any day...
There was an attempt once and the partial arsenal of the Aqsa Mosque led to the formation of the Islamic Summit. Doesn't what is more dangerous than fire, doesn't destruction and collapse require of the Arab nations a crisp clear decisive position in this respect. Isn't it worthy of that? Muslim scholars can convene and send the Zionist a clear message: touching our Mosque will certainly lead to unpredictable incidents, developments, and situations in the region, and that the reaction of the Islamic nation to anything that befalls the Mosque will go beyond any regional and national calculations. The Zionists must hear a clear strict message to stop digging tunnels which may lead to such a catastrophe.
Another topic: The people of Al Quds: All of us in the Islamic world break our fast with our families and relatives, in restaurants and hotels during the Holy Month of Ramadan. But aren't there tens and tens of families in Al Quds who break their fast in the streets as they were illegally evicted from their homes?
A third topic: Al Quds day is the day of Palestinian and Arab captives: These captives among which we have missing in addition to the captive Yahya Skaf. Here, I would like to note some issues concerning the captives. I would also like to say a couple of emotional words... I already tackled this issue earlier. If we tour around the Arab world at least and ask a question: "Do you know who Ron Arad is?" Many will answer saying he is the ‘Israeli' pilot who was lost in Lebanon in the eighties and the entire world is looking for him.
And then we ask who Shalit is? Many know the answer as well. But if we conduct a survey in the Arab streets, or ask a question on one of the Ramadan Month programs, or ask any body about the names of only 3 Palestinian prisoners remaining in ‘Israeli' prisons, only 3 out of the 8 thousand Palestinian captives, very few are those who are capable of naming three prisoners and mostly are family members or friends of captives... Isn't that unjust? Again can any body name three of the women detained in ‘Israeli' prisons? Three children imprisoned in "Israeli' jails...etc. This is an indication that we all are negligent and careless of the Palestinians in the Arab and Islamic world.
Who are these prisoners? What are their names? Why should the whole world know who Ron Arad is? You see those two captives we arrested... I intentionally did not memorize their names. Why should we memorize their names? Why do we memorize their names and not the names of our captives and detainees?! Why should the entire world know who Ron Arad and Shalit are and not know the names of Palestinian, Syrian, Jordanian and Arab prisoners?
Do you know why did the name of Samir Kintar become so famous worldwide? We captured captives for the sake of Samir Kintar - and did not start a war. Therefore, when we call for the release of a captive or prisoner, then it is when he becomes famous and well-known worldwide.
Why are our prisoners known in numbers and theirs in names? When talking about the captives, theirs have names while ours are recognized as nine thousand and ten thousand and eleven thousand.
When talking about cemeteries, ours are known in numbers and theirs in names- and they are a minority- and we are the Ummah of one billion and four hundred million entities... Isn't that considered as an insult? Isn't it an insult to all the religious dress whether the Abayas or the Turbans... Isn't it an insult to the beards of men of religion and armies and stars on shoulders of generals? Isn't this a fact I am talking about?
Now, who is doing any effort for the sake of these captives? Our fellow brothers in Gaza captured a captive, the world went upside down... in Lebanon we captured two soldiers and tried to work on the Palestinian cause, they (‘Israelis') started a war against us... ‘Israel' has the right to start a war, and it turns out to be righteous even in the eyes of the International community and many of the Arab countries! At the same time, shame on you Hizbullah, how dare you capture two ‘Israelis' and detain them!? Also Hamas in Gaza, shame on you for capturing Shalit and for assaulting the ‘Israelis'.
Isn't it painful to see at the same time nine, ten, and eleven thousand Palestinian captives including children, women, elderly and sick remain in ‘Israeli' prisons suffering without any efforts to help them?
This topic is also an opportunity to remind that we should do something whether through media, politics, law, society, and by any means possible whether pressure, war, fighting, and I do not mean here that we want war but at the end it is a responsibility and we should take it.
Even though we have given them clear conclusions but did not give them evidence and that is true. The ‘Israelis' refuse to believe the Ron Arad issue, but I have to accept the fact that there are hundreds of missing Lebanese and Palestinians who were arrested at ‘Israeli' checkpoints. I have to accept the fact that they died and the case should end right here and I should not ask about them without any evidence this is true?
Is Ron Arad a human being while the Lebanese and Palestinians as well as the four Iranian diplomats are not?! No, I tell them this case will never be dismissed or closed. These cases will remain a major concern and will remain opened. Our people are human beings and they have dignities whether their dignity, the dignity of their land, their soil, and we will not put this case aside nor will we neglect it.
First of the headings the Palestinian refugees in Lebanon
In Lebanon all the Palestinian people and forces say they are against resettlement, all the Lebanese say they are too, a Lebanese and Palestinian consensus exists on the matter, yet there are fears that resettlement could be imposed at any moment; should resettlement be imposed it would be a conspiracy first against the Palestinians before the Lebanese... It is also a conspiracy against Palestine before Lebanon. Resettlement will be at the expense of losing Palestine forever before being at Lebanon's expense...This is our view on the subject.
Let us focus on the subject of the right of return, because once discussion starts on the resettlement topic, and due to certain existing apprehensions in the arena, such discussions sometimes begin to slip slowly away without us being aware of it, toward a speech about confessional differences of Muslims and Christians, sectarian or the like... this is unacceptable, there is a right- the right of these people to return to their homes, country, land and sacred places.
Second: the Palestinian civil rights in Lebanon
This is one of the constants of al-Quds Day speeches, and we will continue to remind of it and confirm it. We are also able to carefully and with wisdom and precision dismantle this topic without sliding into the dangers of resettlement, but the continuation of the current reality of the Palestinian refugees to Lebanon is unacceptable.
Third: The camps
Two days ago when rain flooded the streets, you all saw some of the camps, including Borje el-Barajneh camp, the fact of the situation by being neighbours with our Palestinian brothers, I wonder how all of us Lebanese can accept this for our guests, (do we not always say the Palestinians are our guests, and we continue to say it so as not to settle them here), as our guests how can we accept for them to live in these camps and in these alleys in these difficult and harsh conditions?
Religion and Arabism aside, let us talk as human beings with values and feelings, this issue needs serious treatment, I'm not talking here just to lift the blame; I say it is our responsibility as a civil society and as an official regime, to all cooperate in this issue to see what can be done.
So this too was one of al-Quds International Day headings.
Other headings still remain, but due to lack of time I will quickly and briefly cover them.
One is that we are not alone along this course; in all frankness we are not alone. Here I wish to say a couple of words about Iran.
Since the triumph of the Islamic Revolution in Iran, it was fought because it adopted the key causes of this nation; let everyone investigate why the war was waged against Iran, why Iran was isolated and why it was blockaded?
Why most of the Arabs had been friends with Iran when the Shah had control of it?
And why when Iran was the policeman of the Gulf States, everyone was friends with it?
All this is because this Iran severed its ties with ‘Israel'; it cut off oil supplies to ‘Israel' and turned the ‘Israeli' Embassy to the Embassy of Palestine, and clearly and openly adopted the support of the Palestinian people and the resistance movements. Imam (Ayatollah Khomeini) was straightforward from day one when he said: "this ‘Israel' is a cancer gland that must be removed from existence", President Ahmadinejad (remarks) has not come up with anything new, he only revived what the late Imam Khomeini's (May God honour his soul) had said: "‘Israel' must be removed from existence."
This America and the entire West considered that a threat, Iran the great supporter of the Palestinian and Arab peoples, gets blockaded, war waged on it, all this pressure and isolation, and now it is exposed to a major image distortion campaign by some Arab satellite channels and some Arab regimes.
Iran's real fault is that it stands by the resistance, the peoples of the region, and by Palestine, this is its real fault!
Should Iran turn its back on Lebanon, Syria and the Arabs, the entire world would be ready to hold ties with it right now, because Iran is not a small country, it has oil, gas, coal, a market and much more... it is a powerful country that has been so historically. Iran is paying the price for its commitment to its principles, a fact that must be known to all the Lebanese, all Arabs and all Muslims.
During recent events the whole world gambled on the system in Iran to fall, and of course there are those who participated in the war against their system, some of whom were from the official Arab governments and Arab media, but they failed as they did in the July war, and in Gaza... they failed.
This axis, which we take honour and pride of belonging to, God willing, will not be defeated.
This Iran came out today in all its cities and streets, to say to the whole world, which has been awaiting its confusion, vulnerability, shake up and collapse, it came out into the streets to say we are with al-Quds, with Palestine, Lebanon and Gaza, and that " ‘Israel' must be eliminated from existence."
We saw the people, we heard the clear speeches by both the president, the Imam leading the Friday prayers and the slogans of the demonstrations; I know Iran and its leader, the wise, courageous, good-manager and mastermind of Iran, I also know its leaders, people and its stance, and I tell you that it is impossible for Iran to walk away from the peoples and the resistance movements of this region...
As far as Iran and its leader, its leaders and people, the question of Palestine and al-Quds is their Salat (Islamic prayers) and fasting, it is why they up awake in the night, it is their faith and footing in the afterworld... anyone gambling on ousting Iran from this field and domain, would be deluded and confused...
Today I extend my sincerest thanks on behalf of all the resistance combatants, the martyrs, the prisoners, those who sacrificed and believe in the option of resistance and steadfastness, to His Eminence the Grand Ayatollah Imam Ali Khamenei (May He live long), to the brothers in the Iranian leadership and the Iranian people, many thanks for all the support and the backing, moral, political (in the past we used to get to this point and stop, but today we will continue), and material, financial backing and at every other level too.
This is a source of pride for Iran in front of the whole world, even in front of the international community as well as the UN Security Council, and His Eminence the leader Sayyed was clear about this during the Friday Salat.
Hence this nation is not alone, Lebanon is not alone, Syria and Palestine are not alone, nor are the peoples of our region; we therefore have a lot of elements of strength.
Brother and sisters,
The most dangerous stage we have crossed is the Bush (George W.) phase, today ‘Israel' is in a bad situation, and so is the U.S. in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Today we came to hear about the missile defense shield story in Poland and the Czech Republic, these two poor countries are lessons to all those who were betting on the Americans, because now the Americans abandon them after they started a dispute with the Russians!
Why do the Americans scrap the missile defense shield now, because they have a problem, a weakness and a financial problem, so they now claim to have discovered that Iran's missiles do not pose a threat!!!
Amazing, overnight you (the Americans) discovered and altered this long course that once nearly caused an international crisis verging on a world war?
Overnight they discovered that the Iranian missiles do not represent a threat and that they now have another way of dealing with these missiles...
We have surmounted and surpassed the most difficult stage....
Two recommendations and a final word.
Besieged Gaza
In Lebanon, a lot of Arab and Islamic states came to our aid, gave us money and a large number of houses were rebuilt, reconstruction is afoot and its nature reconstruction takes time, but in the Strip it has already been nearly a year, we have heard talk about billions of dollars in support funds from Sharm al-Sheikh conference, yet where is Gaza and the people of Gaza from those funds today?
They still live in tents! They are building mud homes while winter is only a few days away.
They are building mud homes; can these homes withstand the weather, the war, and the attacks?
On al-Quds International Day I make an appeal...a wish if you like...brothers lift the siege on Gaza, help Gaza, allow them cement, soil, steel, raw materials and plumbing accessories, help them build their homes. They do not want villas or large buildings; all they want is to protect themselves from the rain. Is this not a responsibility?
How can this be called an Arab or Islamic world?
Take a look at Arab satellite channels all of which are broadcasting chants and songs about the Prophet (peace and God's blessings be upon him and his household) and the blessings of the birth of this messenger of God, this Muhammad (pbuh&hh) the master of Apostles and seal of the Prophets-our Prophet, tells us: "He who reaches morning and enters into evening without concerning himself with the affairs of the Muslims, is not a Muslim."
We are all going to the Eid holiday, what Eid is that in Gaza? What Eid is it for the families of prisoners, for the Iraqis, the Afghans and the Pakistanis ... Well, may be we cannot do anything for those in remote places, but to those here next to us, can we not do something?
Yemen
Another appeal, regarding the sad and very painful situation happening in Yemen, I do not want to intervene in any internal situation of any Arab State, but I will say a couple of words.
On the day when we some events occurred in Beirut, I do not know if this received media coverage at the time or not, when the Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh contacted us, and of course I could not speak on the phone, he spoke with one of the brothers in the leadership and said to him to give me his regards and expressed feelings, for which he is appreciated. He expressed concern about the events of May 5th and May 7th, and said: "by God I appeal to you for the safety of this and that person."
We reassured him and told him "We are responsible about the people, and God willing, we accept your appeal" and that "this is actually a responsibility we seriously uphold."
Today I do not have a phone and I am not able to speak with Yemeni President on the phone, and I'm going to use his same words by saying to him: Dear Mr. President Ali Abdullah Saleh, by God I appeal to you for the safety of your community and people, I have no business in who is wrong, who is right, or in the details of the conflict, but thereupon I urge you to take the initiative in issuing a cease-fire order, to stop the fighting and the brotherly bloodshed, the bleeding of the families and people, and urge you to open the door to political solution. You are able to do this and you hold the key to taking such initiative.
I speak these words only from a sense of responsibility; I do not know the situation on the ground, nor do I know to whose gain a ceasefire would be now, the Huthis or the Yemeni army, no one has asked me to call nor do I involve myself in such matters.
But we are in the month of Ramadan, and two days from now it will be Eid festivities. One day your Excellency Mr. President you appealed to us, we listened and did you honor, and it was our duty I might add, today I too, appeal to you to order the cessation of hostilities and the bleeding, to take the initiative which you are able to do, and to open the door to political solution to spare the blood of our people, the people of Yemen.
A few words on the Lebanese issue
Each and every one of us worked his constitutional right, the Prime Minister-designate worked his, which he considers his right, the opposition worked theirs, we went to the nominations (nomination of a PM) and the opposition did not nominate anyone not out of vulnerability, disability or lack in men, because the opposition could have named any personality of the Sunni leaders in Lebanon for Prime Minister, according to our sectarian constitution.
But the opposition did not, because the nomination of any person other than the PM the majority was going to nominate, would have been considered as creating tension. So we decided, as opposition, not nominate. A step we considered positive, because in the final end we are an opposition with parliamentary blocs with the right to nominate any personality we want appointed for forming government, and the majority was going to nominate a different PM or person.
Though this step can be negatively viewed, it can also be viewed positively.
We then all said we are ready for dialogue and cooperation.
What I want to say is this: No one can plunge the country into political, religious, sectarian or security tension; it is not worth it for anyone. There is no need for that, we have all tried and we all lose in such scenarios. We all lose in a Lebanon taken into internal tensions, into the lanes and alleys.
Sectarian discourse is a double-edged sword; let no one return to resorting to sectarian speech. Let the scene remain calm as it has been since the elections; once the Eid festivities are over, the PM-designate can again sit with the concerned parties and the parliamentary blocs, he can communicate with them, and according to our legal and constitutional process in the democracy we have in our Lebanon. Let us keep things calm and be patient with one another, and see how to reach results, better late results than lead our country to ruins.
On al-Quds Day, I thank you for your presence, I know you are all fasting and tired, with little sleep but this is part of your loyalty to al-Quds and to the Imam. May God include us with the adherents of principles, constants and justness; may we be granted success to pray together, God willing, in al-Aqsa Mosque in al-Quds Sanctuary.
Peace and God's mercy and blessings be upon you all.
