Sayyed Nasrallah’s Full Speech on the Liberation of Mosul

In His Name

Speech delivered by Hizbullah Secretary General His Eminence Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah on the Liberation of Mosul, on July 11, 2017.

Tonight I will talk about several issues. Indeed, what urged me to deliver a speech tonight is the victory of Mosul. In fact, I was waiting for an occasion to tackle some internal Lebanese issues because on al Quds Day, we talked about the situation in the region, al Quds, and the conflict with the "Israeli" enemy; we did not tackle domestic files. However, before the great and major event which we witnessed yesterday in Mosul - which we will return to later on - I found it necessary to deliver a speech soon.

Thus my topics for tonight are first the victory in Mosul - which we will discuss lengthily. There are also some domestic Lebanese issues which I will tackle briefly and which have to do with the situation after the approval of the electoral law, the refugee file and the issue of Arsal's outskirts which is being tackled extensively these days. I believe the time will not be enough to tackle more than these issues and topics.

First, I would like to approach the victory in Mosul not only to give my felicitations and congratulations - though I will wrap this part in hailing this victory - but also to pose before this event which is part of a group of events to contemplate them even if in a brief and quick way to draw the moral and take the subsequent decisions. In fact, what took place in Iraq and in Mosul is not only linked to the fate of Iraq and the people on Iraq; it is rather linked deeply and strongly to the fate of the peoples of the region, the states in the region, and the nation as a whole.

Well, we will start with the first topic. No doubt the Iraqi victory announced yesterday by Iraqi PM and Chief of Staff Haidar Abadi in Mosul City while surrounded by military and security leaders is a great and a very important one. No doubt this is a great victory though some may try to play it down. This great victory comes in the frame work of a group of ascending and accumulative victories which led to this victory in particular in the city of Mosul - for the significant importance of this city. It comes in the framework of the ascending and accumulative victories achieved by the Iraqis on Daesh and terrorism in Diyala, Salaheddine, Anbar and other Iraqi provinces. This takes us back to the very first days which we will talk about briefly to draw the moral. During the first days, the confrontations were tough and fierce between the Iraqi troops on one hand and Daesh on the other. Daesh made a rapid vast sweep for several Iraqi provinces until it approached the capital Baghdad. We all remember this rapid and vast sweep that took place some three years ago. No doubt the calamity was very tough on the Iraqis, and the Iraqis found themselves before an ordeal that makes adults old and the young white-bearded and the believer struggles until he meets his Lord. There was a state of uncertainty and perplexity. Vast milieus were beaten with frustration, bafflement, and despair. The magnitude of what took place was too huge and complex to be comprehended with ease.

No soon the religious authority in Holy Najjaf - His Eminence Grand Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Sistani (May Allah prolong his life span) issued a fatwa for collective jihad calling on everyone capable of holding arms and fighting to confront Daesh with every power possible. He said that jihad is the responsibility of everyone and that whoever is killed in this defense, this battle, and this confrontation is a martyr for the sake of Allah Al Mighty. Here is the sound judgment because the fatwa of the authority and its historical call at that time on all Iraqis was the decisive turning point and the starting point for these nice endings and great victories.

Well, some say why are you trying to give this fatwa and this authoritative stance this great importance? What did this fatwa and this historic stance do?

First: It put an end to the bafflement, perplexity, and uncertainty of the Iraqis and all the people. What will they do? Will they fight or not? What is the right decision?

What is the jurisprudential religious stance? After all, it is the issue of fighting, blood shedding, killing or being killed. Indeed, this fatwa put a decisive end to the uncertainty and confusion and informed them that they have to fight and defend and confront. The stance was finally settled.

The second point is also related to the fatwa. See the historical impact of this collection of short sentences. It specified the enemy in a decisive way - the enemy is Daesh which primary had the name of the Islamic State in Iraq and Levant which some mistook with an Islamic movement or an Islamic revolution. Some welcomed it and considered it a part of the Arab Spring and the popular revolutions. They acclaimed, applauded, supported and backed it. The fatwa of the authority came to say that this is the enemy which must be fought, and jihad against it is jihad for the sake of Allah and whoever is killed in this battle is a martyr in the sake of Allah. So he specified the identity of the enemy and the nature of the threat which must be fought.

Third: The fatwa held everyone responsible. The fatwa made by the religious authority or the historic call made by the religious authority was not made to the Shia only but rather to all the members of the Iraqi people and to the various religious, sectarian, factional, and racial affiliations of the Iraqi people because though this fatwa had a jurisprudential and religious nature, it deeply expresses the truth of the humanistic, moral, and national stance which is an obligation on every member of the Iraqi people. Thus this was the obligation of everyone and the call was for everyone.

Fourth: This fatwa raised the ceiling of confronting this threat and put a final end to the form of confrontation to this threat away from any confusion or bargaining, negotiations, bets, or time for discussion or search for solutions here and there. This blessed and great fatwa was able to motivate the Iraqi people rapidly and emerged them from the state of perplexity, frustration, bafflement, and despair. The popular and official response of the Iraqi people was marvelous. The fatwa boosted the morals of the Iraqi officials and the members of the Iraqi security troops of various sects and factions. This fatwa and this call further pushed hundreds of thousands of Iraqi young men and elderly to volunteer and join the fighting fronts. This led to the establishment of the blessed Iraqi popular mobilization forces which formed from the very beginning and still forms the real power of Iraq next to the Iraqi armed forces as it has become part of it.

Thus when we talk today about the victory in Mosul and about the previous victories we must start from here - from the fatwa of the authority and its historic call. This is what all the Iraqis do and you listen to their statements and speeches. This is in fact what every fair person in the world must do when tackling the Iraqi situation and trying to understand, analyze, and present it to the people.

Well, as we said after the issuance of the fatwa, a great interaction was recorded first from the Iraqi government at that time which was headed by PM Nour Maliki.

This interaction carried on with the same efficacy with the government which was formed afterwards and headed by PM Haider Abbadi. Likewise all the religious and political leaderships, parties, and movements, and diversified sides backed this fatwa which was also supported by the various religious authorities in Iraq and Iran and in other places worldwide. Inside Iraq, the fatwa was backed with a broad sector of Sunnite and Shia religious men, and this was an important point to which I will return in the course of my speech. The popular interaction was very much high, great, and blessed.

We must as well be realistic as much as we can. We must not exaggerate, and eventually we must be fair. Likewise was the stance of the Islamic republic in Iran on top of which comes the stance of his Eminence Leader Imam Sayyed Khamenai (May Allah prolong his life span) along with the religious authority and the Iraqi government and Iraqi people. Major leaderships of the Islamic Revolution guards made haste to arrive in Baghdad and showed incessant and absolute readiness to offer help and support on behalf of the Islamic Republic. All of this took place, but the most important element is the popular interaction, the popular presence, the noble families, and the tribes from all regions and all affiliations. They offered their children, husbands, sons, brothers, young men, and dear ones. This is the true power and the true value. When this call, fatwa, and this stance find people who respond, answer, and hold their blood on their palm and move forward towards the fighting fronts. This is the true and primary power which made the change and made this stance take its humanistic, moral, national, and historic manifestation and consequently make victories.

All of this took place in a regional and international situation which at least represents international desertion of Iraq and its government and people. At middle or most level there are conspiracies and connivances practiced by some major forces in the world and some regional forces which facilitated, established, supported, and financed Daesh and eased its control over Syria and its entrance to Iraq, and followed up its battle against the Iraqis over the past years.

This was the regional and the international situation. What did the Iraqis do? This is what I wanted to reach in fact. I am not saying anything new, but I want to depict it to the Iraqis themselves to adhere to that more and to the other peoples of the region to draw the moral and add this experience to the rest of experiences in Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, Yemen, and other places of confrontations.

First: The Iraqis absolutely made their choice to confront and to make their fate through confrontation and to make their fate and future with their own hands. This is the first point. Consequently, they did not wait for the Arab League or for the Arab foreign ministers or kings or heads of states to convene. They did not wait for the Organization of Islamic Conference which is now called the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. They did not wait for the international community or for Europe, America, or anyone. Never! They trusted in Allah and bargained on their will, men, women, blood, jihad, and sacrifices. Indeed, this is an essential moral drawn from what has been taking place in Iraq for three years to our day.

Second: The Iraqis agreed unanimously on this national choice: heads of governments and parliaments, movements, parties, political forces of various ethnic and religious affiliations. Here as I said in previous occasions, we must highlight the extraordinary and exceptional stance of several senior Sunni scholars and political leaderships in Iraq. Why? That is simply because since the first moments of the attack of Daesh on the Iraqis, some unfortunately sought to depict the struggle in Iraq as being a Sunni-Shiite conflict. They are the very governments, satellite channels, and elites who tried to present the events in Syria and Lebanon and the war in Yemen as a war between Sunnites and Shiites as their preacher in Haram Mosque said. What crippled this ordeal and put off the fire of this sedition and blocked the way before this affliction is the faithful, honest, and courageous stance taken by the Sunni scholars and the Sunni political leaderships in Iraq who gave the true dimension for this battle with saying that this is not a struggle between Shiites and Sunnites but rather a battle between the Iraqis and the killers, the criminals, and the Takfiris who threatened all sects, shed the blood of all sects and declared killing everyone permissible.

So second comes this unanimous agreement on this choice. Third comes the involvement of all sects in the battlefield. Thus the various Iraqi armed troops include Iraqis from among the noble, great, struggling Iraqi people from all over Iraq. The popular mobilization forces also belong to the Iraqi armed troops.

It goes without saying that most of the members of the popular mobilization forces are Shia because this is the demographic nature in Iraq. However, the national mobilization is a popular mobilization that includes many members from various affiliations.

Tribes fought next to the Iraqi armed troops. So they are present in the field. Their participation is not limited to a political stance or to speeches; rather their presence is strong in the field. Their participation is collective in the field.

Fourth come the courage and heroism manifested in the field despite all the big troubles and the great sacrifices. See the tens of thousands who are always present in the field and their patience. They were present in all fields because the battle was not only in the battlefields. See the popular incubation. Notice this patience displayed over three years of bloody fighting. So this was an important element. In the first stages, the logistic situation was still difficult and stumbling because the surprise was very big. Despite the big troubles, the harsh weather conditions, the geographic situation in Iraq, the readiness of the enemy and the unwillingness of the friend, heroisms, great sacrifices, and determination were manifested by tens of thousands of fighters always ready to be in the field; they never quit the fields.

See the thousands of martyrs, wounded, and the families of martyrs and wounded. Notice their patience, their faithfulness and their honesty. The Iraqi people bore the repercussions of this wide and comprehensive confrontation on all perspectives - the moral, the psychological, the economic, and the security levels. That is because the battle was not on the fighting fronts only, but also in every city and town which were targeted by suicide bombers and booby-trapped cars. The popular incubation of the armed troops, the battle, the jihad, the fight, the continuous reinforcement of the fronts, and the patience displayed over three years of bloody fighting and bleeding wounds were very important elements.

There is one last element which I want to talk about - as there are other elements but I will not tackle to be as brief as possible. It is never relying on foreign entities and satellite channels, and this is a very important point. The role of these foreign entities had from the very beginning been and is still instigating conflicts, seditions, and ordeals among the Iraqis. They used to call on them to succumb. These satellite channels still support Daesh and its entourage in an indirect way.

So this element is not bargaining on foreign entities and not listening to foreign entities. The Iraqis did not wait for anyone. They started, continued, and are still.

Here, I would like to mention a very important and critical point which requires a calm stance. At the beginning, the Americans and the NATO sat and watched the Iraqi people, the Iraqi Army, the popular mobilization forces, and the Iraqis while they were fighting - at times with their bare hands. Then the Americans started saying that they wanted to help and to put a plot. Indeed they were late to make any plot. They also said that it needs a long time to get rid of Daesh. Some of them including presidents, defense ministers, and CIA officers said that the battle against Daesh in Iraq and Syria takes 30 years. Others made some cutting down to 25 years; others lowered the number of years to 20. At last, they said 15 years. The least number reached by American officials is 10 years. However, whoever really knows figures about Daesh and its capabilities would realize that if the international, regional, and national will in Iraq and Syria and the region is available, it does not require years to get rid of Daesh - should efforts be honestly mustered. However, when the Americans talked at least about 10 years and at most about 30 years, that means that there is a vision and a scheme and a notion to invest Daesh, to exploit Daesh, and to exhaust Daesh to achieve definite schemes and targets - indeed not to the interest of the Iraqi, Syrian, or Palestinian peoples or the peoples of the region but rather to the interest of the American hegemony and the interest of "Israel".

Well, as I said there is a point that requires contemplation. After all, in the last battles lately, the Americans offered a kind of support. What is the background of this support? When did this support start? What is the magnitude of this support? This requires a pose because some people say that if you want to be fair, why don't you talk about the support of the Americans? Now some Arab satellite channels want to present what took place in Mosel as a US achievement and a US victory.

This is indeed fabrication, lying, hypocrisy, and confiscation of the efforts of the Iraqis and the sacrifices of the Iraqis themselves.

In fact, here I say that the situation requires some contemplation. For example, we can go back to Trump's speeches which I referred to in more than one occasion and in which he accuses the administration of Obama and the then Secretary of State Clinton of fabricating and founding Daesh and supporting it besides allowing regional allies to finance it, open the borders to it, and sell the oil of Daesh on the Turkish borders and the Jordanian borders and others. In fact, these accusations are valid, and other American official made their confessions to this effect.

So the Americans are primarily held responsible for what took place. Later they came to help. Why?

Did they find out that this choice failed? Did they find out that Daesh had caused them much trouble? What did they find out so that they consequently turned against their erstwhile backers and abandoned their own fabrication, ally, and tools? In fact, the primary code of the American is not values, morals, or principles but rather major interests. So they offered this support to participants in the victory which started to be made by the arms of the Iraqis, the blood of the Iraqis, the sacrifices of the Iraqis, and the steadfastness and perseverance of the Iraqis. This indeed requires a calm pose and contemplation.

Anyway, so these are the true and main factors behind what took place so far and led to the victory in Mosul, and the Iraqis must adhere to these elements: their national decision, their unity, their presence in the field, their respect, love, and consistent answering of the call of the religious authority, incessant readiness to offer sacrifices, awareness and insight, and rapid rushing to take action at the appropriate time without any delay or postponement. These were decisive elements in the making of victory.

Based on all of the above, we felicitate and congratulate first His Eminence Grand Ayatollah, the religious authority, Sayyed Ali Husseini Sistani (May Allah prolong his life span), the religious authority in Holy Najjaf, all the authorities who backed and blessed this stance and this fatwa, and the Iraqi officials in their various posts - the heads of the state, the government, and the parliament. Our special regards are to the Iraqi PM and the Chief of Staff Haidar Abbaddi. We also hail all the religious and political leaderships, parties, and movements in Iraq, all the security and military leaderships in the armed forces and the popular mobilization, all the officers, fighters, and mujahedeen in these blessed frameworks, and the dear, oppressed, struggling, patient Iraqi people in general whose blood gained victory over the sword. We also offer our special congratulations to the families of the martyrs, the wounded, and all those who offered sacrifices, and we tell them that the blood of their martyrs and dear ones had yielded victory, pride, honor, destiny, history, and success in this world and in the Hereafter, and this is the great attainment.

We congratulate them all on this historic and divinely-backed victory. We likewise facilitate all those who supported Iraq and backed it in its fateful battle on top of these come the Islamic Republic in Iran and His Eminence, Leader, Sayyed Khamenai (May Allah prolong his life span).

Brothers and sisters! Everyone in Iraq and outside Iraq must feel that this is their victory. This is the victory of all the Iraqis. It is also a victory for all the peoples of the region. It is a victory for all those who are fighting terrorism and confronting terrorism. It is a victory for all those who are threatened with terrorism every morning and night all over our Arab and Islamic world and worldwide.

Liberating Daesh is a very great and advanced step on the path of getting rid of the scheme of Daesh; that's because Mosul was the largest city which Daesh was controlling. It is truly as they said the center and the capital of the alleged caliphate.

From this city, they announced the new stage of the Takfiri scheme and its enmity to all the peoples of the nation. Thus, liberating Mosul is an achievement in this path, and its dimensions and outcome will be very great on Iraq, Syria, and all the states, governments, and peoples of the region and further on the entire world.

If we simply went back a bid - some three years ago - and put the possibility of the Iraqis not rising. What if they felt despair, grew weak, retreated, and gave up their responsibility? Daesh would have gained control over Iraq. What would the fate of the entire Iraqi people have been - Muslims, Christians, Arabs, Kurds, Turkmens, Shabaks, Yazidis, Chaldean, Assyrians, and Sabians?

What would the fate of Iraq have been? What would the fate of the Iraqi civilization have been? What would the fate of all the peoples and states of the region have been - even the Gulf states which supported, backed, and applauded for Daesh?

These states were fear-stricken when Abu Bakr Baghdadi announced the establishment of the caliphate in Mosul because that meant a threat to them.

Thus today the victory of the Iraqis as I always used to say - the victory of their defense and jihad - is a victory to everyone. It is a victory on behalf of all the Arab peoples, the Islamic peoples, and all the state and governments in the region and security in this world which was threatened and is still threatened by Daesh.

This is a very big and great victory. Thus wrapping this part of our speech, we express our hope that the Iraqi brethrens, the Iraqi leaderships, the Iraqi government, the Iraqi parties and movements, and the Iraqi people not to be content with the victory in Mosul - as I have been saying for three years to our day.

Indeed, they will not be content. So let their primary priority remain purging the rest of the holy Iraqi territories from this malicious Takfiri, terrorist existence. This cancerous existence may rise again and expand anew. This existence will not accept the defeat and will not allow the Iraqis to feel happy and enjoy their victory. To this effect, it will stage terrorist attacks and dispatch booby-trapped cars and suicide bombers.

Thus the security of the Iraqi cities and neighborhoods is achieved only through a final uprooting of this terrorist Takfiri organization. Cross points and security measures are of utmost importance but what is more important is extracting this terrorist, criminal, fatal, existence, and this must remain a priority.

Some will try to deviate the Iraqis from this priority by preoccupying them with other things which may be important but of less importance. However, what reinforces this victory in Mosul and all the previous victories and what will make the victory of Mosul a strong pillar for the final and decisive victory is keeping this a priority.

On the other hand in Syria, the fight with Daesh is on more than one front on behalf of the Syrian Army and many of the forces which are fighting the Takfiri terrorism in Syria. This is simultaneous with what is taking place in the Iraqi square. In fact, I have tackled this point previously and said that should we all fight simultaneously - everyone from his position, his land, and his field - we will be able to attain final victory.

So today, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the peoples of the region and the states in the region which are afraid of Daesh and terrified by Daesh are before a historic chance which was provided by the sacrifices of the Iraqis and the Syrians and all of those who stood by their side. This chance must be seized, and it must not be wasted - as it is said hit the iron when it is hot. We must not wait for this iron to cool down. We must not give Daesh the chance to rise again and be supported anew by any side while seeing that the popular, massive, local, and national will is what really makes victories Inshallah.

So blessed is this victory for all the deemed-weak, the oppressed, and those threatened with this brutal gang.

You must not forget that something noticeable took place in Mosul. We can understand that the enemy may take your people as human shields and threaten to kill your women; but it is not understood how an armed group may take their own people as human shields while claiming that it is defending them. This is something new contrived by Daesh. It kills these people should they think of leaving and opens fire on their backs! This is something original unprecedented in history. Daesh is really a very weird sample.

So today and following the victory of Mosul, we are before a historic chance to extract this threat which was distorting the image of Islam, shedding blood, attacking civilizations, serving the enemy in a way the enemy was never served during all the past decades, and this historic chance must be seized.

I will move now to tackle briefly some Lebanese issues.

The first cause is the era that followed the endorsement of the electoral law. Indeed tackling this point has become an old issue; thus I will not talk about it, and the stance of Hezbollah from this point was clear as it valued and backed this law.

We are today before a chance as per the next elections. Contrary to what was circulated by some people in councils based on the arguments that took place in governmental sessions or some political contests taking place now in the country, I assert that we are with the continuity of this government, with guarding this government, with activating this government so that it would be effective and give the priority to the files which serve people - the security, services, economic, living, and social files and the like.

We strongly back all what was issued by the consultation meeting in Baabda headed by His Excellence President General Michal Aoun as well as the document issued from Baabda - let's call it Baabda document, the road map, the path, the principles, or the main topics. Call it whatever you want. We are with following it up seriously.

Thus in this framework, we call for activating the government and for parliamentary activation. We invite the PMs to attend the budget committee because the head of the committee is making a call for that. We are with endorsing the general budget in the parliament because that is important for the country. We are with endorsing the salary and scale series because that is very important to the employees while asserting the need to fund the budget. However, we must not fund it from the pockets of the poor but rather by other available means.

So as far as this point is concerned, there is nothing new. I hope that no one would listen to the leakages or some of the accusations because unfortunately some have been talking for some time by now about efforts to topple the government, explode the government, weakening the government or the like. No there is nothing of this sort at all. That has no place. We stress that the great national Lebanese interest is in the continuity of the work of the current government besides motivating its activity, decision, and follow up of all the files presented before it, and it is not allowed by any means to let any dispute or file lead to crippling the government, toppling the government, or to any member to threat to withdraw or resign from the government.

The second point pertaining to the local situation is the issue of the Syria refugees, the debate that took place, and the stance from this issue. Six years ago, anyone may have given it inappropriate and untrue explanations. But in the meanwhile, the Syrian refugees are everywhere in Lebanon. The Syrian refugees themselves are carrying the burden; many of them live in tents and camps in hard living conditions.

All Lebanese regions and villages are suffering from this burden too. In the past, people would look at this issue from a sectarian perspective. But today, everyone in Lebanon is complaining about the consequences of this file and the fact that it hasn't been solved yet in the level of security, economy, job opportunities and other domains.

This file needs to be resolved. Previously we called, and we now reaffirm our call in our recent discussion to the need to keep working on this issue. For example, initiatives were taken by Hezbollah or some political leaderships in Lebanon with the Syrian government so that the Lebanese government would officially contact the Syrian government to carry negotiations and discussions so as to facilitate the return of Syrian refugees to their homes, cities and villages.

Unfortunately, this discussion no soon took a political inclination. I'll rapidly answer some of the inferences which were said to the effect that the Lebanese government shouldn't contact or negotiate with the Syrian government.

Some said that contacting the Syrian government means that the Lebanese government is giving legitimacy to the Syrian government and the Syrian regime.

Well this kind of speech does not make any difference. Today, the Syrian regime still has embassies all around the world. Its embassies still exist, except in some countries. They have an ambassador in the United Nations, and everyone communicates with him. Most of the countries negotiate with Syrian ambassadors secretly and in public. The number of those who secretly negotiate with them is not few. The former French president delegitimized Al Asad but the current one recognized him. Therefore, should the Lebanese government negotiate with the Syrian government, that doesn't mean at all that it's giving it legitimacy. First, they are not in need of the legitimacy you will give them. Second, negotiation or communication between two conflicting governments in the world doesn't mean that the first is giving legitimacy to the second or vice-versa. Furthermore, the Syrian opposition itself with its various factions is negotiating with the Syrian government secretly and in public. Thus that doesn't make sense.

Second, some said that they refuse to send the Syrian refugees or displaced to jail. These displaced who returned are now in their houses and farms leading a normal life. So far, hundreds of thousands returned home. The United Nations itself which you refer to talked about 500 thousand Syrian displaced who were outside Syria and returned, not to mention those who returned from one region to another inside Syria. Well, are these 500 thousand refugees the United Nations talk about held in Syrian prisons? Thus, what they're talking about is invalid.

Third, some say: We don't want to force the Syrian refugees to return. In fact, nobody from inside or outside the government has ever mentioned forcing the Syrian refugees to return home. We are rather talking about a voluntary return. The two governments are negotiating to provide the required guarantees and facilities.

The Syrian refugees are being contacted; whoever wants to return would return, and I assure you that a huge number would return if they are offered the required facilities and guarantees. So let no one talk about forcing or compelling. They are even issuing accusations of violating human rights or willing to send the Syrians to jail or the like. So far no Syrian has been forced to return.

One of the strange arguments that were made about this issue is that we don't want the Lebanese government to contact the Syrian government concerning the refugees file because that would give Hezbollah a political role and political profits. If you don't negotiate, that would give us a political role. Well, if you do not negotiate, that would give us a political role. Here I am calling on you to play this role and do this work. Why are we, as Hezbollah, performing this role? The official Lebanese government is invited to negotiate, contact the Syrian government, provide the guarantees and the facilities, and let us out of this issue altogether. If you don't need our help, we will be thankful. That way, you'd be sparing us much work because we already have a lot to do. We are not looking for a political role or political investment. We consider the return of the displaced to be to the interest of both the displaced and the Lebanese people for humanitarian, social, moral, security and economic reasons. From this perspective, we made this call, and we're still making this call and this demand. Disagreeing on this issue or arguing and discussing it wouldn't overthrow the government or ruin the country. We're trying to convince each other. Why should we turn a deaf ear?

Let's have bilateral, trilateral and quadripartite discussions on this issue. Let's discuss the alibies and guarantees, the advantages and disadvantages. Nobody should close this file and say that it is nonnegotiable. Nobody will force anyone to make a decision. We all agree that we in the government and through the political forces partaking in the government want to reach agreements. So far we have already accomplished that. Well, what's the problem in discussing this issue to the end? After all, nobody's going to impose decisions or choices on anyone. We're only trying to find what's best for the Lebanese people.

Of course I've read what one of the Future Movement deputies said to the effect that the refugees must stay in Lebanon for economic and financial issues as we grasped from other places that this is a gate for Lebanon to receive international aid. We hope that this isn't a valid reason. We hope that the Future Movement leadership doesn't think this way - that in order to get international assistance for Lebanon or if we get it, we would allow the refuges to remain in Lebanon and eventually allow the persistence of the misfortune of the Lebanese, the security threats, the hard economic conditions, and the loss of many job opportunities. We would allow all of these disadvantages in the community just to get international aids. It is really regrettable that someone would seriously think this way and put this as main consideration behind his stance.

Anyway, we reaffirm our call to discuss this issue, to negotiate with the Syrian government and to bring this file forward. It's not hard since there are guarantees and facilities, and today, many regions in Syria are safe, peaceful and stable, and it is possible to secure the return of the refugees to them.

I would like to remind you of an example which was mentioned today, by some satellite channels supporting the militants and their coordinations. We all remember those who left to Jarablous pursuant to one of the settlements and reconciliations in Al Waar neighborhood in Homs, left to Jarablus. These same people are now returning to Homs. Some media outlets mentioned 350 persons; others talked about 500. Are these returning to go to prison? Are they returning to danger? Or did they compare their life in Al Waar neighborhood to their lives as displaced and refugees in Jarablus where they enjoyed political and security protection? They contacted their relatives in Al Waar neighborhood and they've been told that everything's fine - life is normal and nobody's threatening, assaulting or hurting them, and that they're living a normal life. So they preferred returning and that is happening in more than one region.

Thus facts confirm the veracity of our logic which we call for it to be further discussed.

The last point is the security issue in Arsal outskirts.

Indeed, I would like to hail and highly esteem the great efforts exerted by the Lebanese Army and the various official Lebanese security apparatuses.

Today, if the Lebanese enjoy security, stability, and peace, that is not because Daesh, al Qaeda, and al Nusra do not want to detonate explosions in Lebanon. No, these groups are working around the clock. In as much as they are bombarding in Syria, in Iraq, and in other places in the world, they are active in Lebanon. However, great efforts have been exerted to expose these nets and those who fund, support, and facilitate them as well as their officials and suicide bombers. The last of these discoveries was what the Intelligence directorate in the Lebanese Army disclosed in Arsal and the refugee camps in Arsal whether today or days ago. Suppose that these nets and suicide bombers were able to execute their schemes, indeed the security situation in Lebanon would have been very difficult as well as the economic and tourist situations...

No doubt what took place in Arsal outskirts on the level of besieging these outskirts and the great efforts exerted by the Lebanese Army and the resistance fighters greatly diminished these dangers. However, as I used to tell you always that does not absolutely end these risks.

This effort must be highly esteemed and thanked. Indeed, difficulties are faced in the working domain. At times, mistakes may take place. Such mistakes must be given their actual magnitude, and they must not be exploited to challenge those who fight terrorism, spend sleepless nights, and work around the clock to provide the country and all its regions with security, stability, and peace.

Day after day, it is proven that there is still something in the town of Arsal. Indeed, this is fully the responsibility of the state. I am not talking about the internal of the city of Arsal. I don't want anyone to misunderstand me. I don't want anyone to think that we have any plots pertaining to the very town. Not at all! This is the absolutely the responsibility of the state. However, today and in previous incidents, it was proven that there are people who are running terrorist networks, terrorists, receiving suicide bombers, plotting to stage security operations, and preparing suicide belts and bombs, and these people exist inside Arsal, and this must be resolved.

Indeed, the Lebanese Army and the security apparatuses are assuming this responsibility and the government is giving them a full cover as we heard yesterday, and this is perfect. This must continue.

In Arsal outskirts, there is a serious problem. A number of the suicide bombers come from Arsal outskirts. A year ago, they went to Qaa town. Thus the bombs and the threats are still valid in the outskirts, and we said on more than one occasion that this must be addressed and resolved.

This may also be a point of disagreement. We never practiced muscle stretching. We welcome it when the state assumes its responsibility, and when the Lebanese government assumes responsibility, we support and back it. Furthermore, if it wants us to rest at home, we will sit at home. If it wants us to be before it in the front, we will be before it in the front.

However, I believe that the issue reached its final stage. Things are over. This is the last time in which I will talk about Arsal neighborhood. This is the last time I will talk about this issue. After all, they are present there, and they pose a threat around the clock for all the Lebanese and the Lebanese forces and the refugee camps.

Consequently, what does it mean when they go to the heart of a refugee camp and place their bombs, explosives and suicide bombers there? They do not have mercy on women and children. They play the same symphony Daesh play in Mosul when they take women, children as human shields while claiming to defend them. They do not have any problem in detonating themselves even if amid people, women, and children because they have a definite way of thinking.

Anyway, we are totally convinced that it is time to put a final end to this threat, and I believe that this is the last opportunity before the armed troops in Arsal outskirts. There is a very limited time to reach definite settlements and reconciliations.

Otherwise, they know their end very well on light of all the field changes from Mosul to the Syrian Desert to Riqqah. By the way, some people are saying that this resistance aims to defend homelands; so what do we need it for in Lebanon?

However, if unfortunately, Syria fell in the hands of Daesh and Iraq fell in the hands of Daesh, was Lebanon to remain safe? This is an absolute fact; but we in Lebanon argue over absolute facts too. This is first. Second, these nets which are affiliated to Daesh were run from the city of Riqqah in Syria. The sides present in Arsal neighborhood or in other places in Lebanon are executive sides which receive support, orders, and instructions from its operators in the city of Riqqah and the city of Mosul; and consequently, fighting in Mosul and in Iraq and in Syria is also an act of defense. It is an act of defense not only for Iraq and Syria, and not only for Lebanon, but also for all homelands and all peoples.

They know that everything is over; there is no horizon; there is no hope. Some people in Lebanon want to put a decisive end to this issue. They don't want their people, children, women, and villages along Baqaa and nationwide to remain living in the sphere of threat and danger as a result of considerations here and considerations there.

I hope that this sphere would be made use of and this chance would be seized; or else, we would be before the last words and the last situation which we must reach so that no armed groups would remain over the Lebanese territories. The Lebanese authority is able to spread its sovereignty over all the outskirts, the valleys, and the towns as it is always said. There remains indeed the security confrontation, and this confrontation is ongoing as in all over the world.

Anyway, I ask Allah Al Mighty to inspire us all, to assist us all to have insight and awareness and to draw the moral from all the events which took place in our region over all these past years. Depending on personal efforts, national determination, insight, and perseverance, and acting on the appropriate time without postponement or wasting opportunities, we can save our countries, peoples, and region from the lurking danger which was threatening them and is still even if it is at its last breath.

Peace be upon you and Allah's mercy and blessing.

Source: Hezbollah Media Relations, Translated and Edited by website team