I take refuge in God from Satan the outcast, in the name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. Praise be to Allah, peace and prayers be upon our Lord and Seal of the Prophets Abu Kassim Mohammad the chosen and upon his infallible household, his chosen good companions and all the prophets and messengers.
My brothers and sisters oh most honorable, most generous and purest of all peoples, peace and God`s mercy and blessings be upon you.
Peace be upon you as you assemble here on this good land of earth, in the land of redemption, resistance, steadfastness, dignity and honour, the land of the Southern Dahia suburbs, the land of martyrs and resistance fighters, the enduring and God willing the victorious.
God Almighty says in his glorious book (SURAT AL-QASAS [STORIES] 4, 5, 6):
In the name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
"Truly Pharaoh elated himself in the land and broke up its people into sections, depressing a small group among them: their sons he slew, but he kept alive their females: for he was indeed a maker of mischief. (4) 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, (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. (6)
The 14th of August of this year is the first anniversary of the ‘Divine Victory’, the divine empowerment and divine promise, that enables the oppressed peoples and makes them the inheritors of the earth, and to ward the tyrants off them, tyrants who slaughtered their children and destroyed their homes.
This year’s anniversary is bounded by great holy festivities for both Christians and Moslems in Lebanon and the world.
This victory anniversary comes, just after the anniversary of the prophet`s Ascension (Israe’a wal Mi’raage), the day the Seal of the Prophets was ascended from the Al-Aqsa Sacred Mosque, from al-Quds (Jerusalem) to the heavens. It also falls on the anniversary of the delivery of the noble prophecy, when God sent his messenger, as mercy to the worlds, bearer of good news and harbinger.
This event today also falls on the anniversary of the birth of the grandson of the Prophet of God, lord of the martyrs Abi Abdullah Hussein (Peace be upon him), the ever rejecting injustice-leader, who taught us how to be in the arena, how to sacrifice and fight with our souls, sons and loved ones.
Also coincides with this anniversary the birth of Ali Bin Hussein Zine El Abidine (pbuh), the captive of Karbala, who taught us how to stand firm in the face of shackles, restrictions and torturers, and we will continue to speak a truth from which we will not budge an iota.
The birth of Abi Fadle al-Abbas (pbuh) also falls on this anniversary, the warrior and wounded soldier whose wounds did not hold him back from continuing his fight in defense of the cause, the leader, the sanctities and sanctums.
Also currently celebrated by the Christians of Lebanon and the world along with this anniversary is the transition of Virgin Mary, Our Holy Lady (pbuh).
These blessed anniversaries for Christians, Muslims and followers of heavenly religions bless the anniversary of our victory on the 14th of August.
Dear brothers and sisters,
Today, through you and through the Southern Dahia suburb, the enduring, steadfast and struggling for freedom, I wish to address the people of Lebanon, the peoples of the Arab and Islamic world, and all the peoples of the world.
First of all to thank the leaders, scholars, rulers, governments, nations and parties, forces of influence, movements, groups, associations, personalities, individuals and all those who stood by Lebanon and its resistance in the face of the July aggression, the American-"Israeli" aggression against Lebanon, against the people of Lebanon and the entire nation.
I also give thanks to all those who lent a helping hand after the war, in helping rebuild what was demolished, heal the wounds, wipe the tears and stand proud in the face of the coming challenges.
Dear brothers and sisters:
In the speeches of the previous evenings I talked about the goals, results and field events, as well as some of the political realities, but today my talk is about the people, the people of Lebanon, the resistance public, the peoples of the Arab and Islamic worlds and about all free people who stood in this battle and were among its elements of strength, steadfastness and ultimately among its elements of victory.
Here I will talk:
-First to the peoples of our Arab and Islamic worlds.
-Secondly, to the people of Lebanon and about what took place during the war with the people of Lebanon.
-Thirdly: to the resistance audience, hence briefly touch on the local situation and the reconstruction portfolio
- Then conclude with the prospects of the next phase, where the Zionists and the Americans are beating the drums of war, about the position and what we must do.
These are the titles of my speech tonight, I hope it finds enough time God willing, and accommodation in your big, great and loving hearts.
Dear brothers and sisters,
When this battle began, the United States and "Israel" tried to isolate the resistance and its public from the peoples of our Arab and Islamic worlds as well as the rest of the people and movements in Lebanon.
1- The political discourse and the mega-media owned by America and "Israel" in the world specifically focused on several titles in order to achieve this alienation, thus keep the resistance and its public alone in the face of this cruel and violent war.
First, they focused on the `terrorism` charge which they worked on it for many years. They might have affected some countries in the western world but no longer affecting the peoples of the Arab and Islamic worlds, or our people in Lebanon. This terrorism charge, for which they have employed all the media, incitement channels and diplomatic effort, began to break even in Europe and in many places; and we challenged them on it.
Today again, I challenge them to hold an international conference to identify a single definition of `terrorism`, to know whether the resistance in Lebanon is `terrorism`, whether it is correct to classify it as `terrorism`.
I say to you that despite the appeal by many of the world`s Governments and peoples, they did not act, because the United States knows very well that any definition put forward for `terrorism`, would apply to the United States as a terrorist state, and will apply to "Israel" as a `terrorist` entity. Therefore, they always avoid defining `terrorism`.
This did not work on the peoples of the Arab and Islamic worlds. On the contrary, people of the Arab and Muslim worlds rather know that America and "Israel" are the terrorists, and that the resistance movements are honest, clean and humane movements defending the right of their homelands and nation to exist in freedom, sovereignty, dignity and independence.
2- They went to say and strongly promote that this war is between "Israel" and an Iranian-Syrian tool, that it is a regional war with nothing to do with Lebanon, its fate as a homeland and as a people nor with the fates of the Arabs and Muslims on larger scale; that Hizbullah objective of the war is to disrupt the International Tribunal or to provide assistance to the Iranian nuclear file.
They worked on this issue in Lebanon and the world from the first day.
Even this claim collapsed before the large and main declared objectives, spoken about by Ehud Olmert at the beginning of the war, along with the goals announced by Condoleezza Rice.
And the world knew that this war against Lebanon and the Lebanese resistance, that it was to subjugate Lebanon to implement resolution 1559 in order to attach Lebanon to the American-Zionist project, and that it was to pave the way for the auspicious-birth of a new Middle East, a threat to all countries and peoples of the region.
So, since this accusation fell by the wayside, they went to the third accusation, a most dangerous and most malicious ever, they went to the sectarian subject.
They talked to Arabs and Muslims, to Christians and Muslims.
They said to the Christians: `this battle is against an Islamic group, and it has nothing to do with you nor does it target you`.
To the Sunni Muslims they said: `this battle is with a Shiite group, it targets a `Shiite project` and the `Shiite crescent`, etc. ...
They tried to concentrate on the sectarian and denominational titles. They even procured Fatwas (religious rulings) that even went so far as to question `if it is permissible to pray for the Lebanese resistance to be victorious?!`
Even the legitimacy of praying for victory was placed under question, not to mention demonstrating in to support of the resistance, or providing it with money, political support, material support or simply stand by its side.
Here, just frankly imagine opening the file of religious factionalism and sectarianism in the face of the resistance in Lebanon … and when? During the confrontation of the most extreme, violent and longest "Israeli"-Arab war, the Sixth war against an Arab country.
They wanted to drag the matter to the narrow and very limited circle, but with the grace of God Almighty, and the credit here goes back to the senior Sunni Muslim clergy and scholars in Lebanon and throughout the Arab and Islamic worlds, it goes to the leaders of the Islamic movements, thinkers and Politicians, both Muslims and Christians, who stood in the face of this rift, and persisted with stressing the national, Arab nationalist, Islamic and humanitarian dimension of this battle and confrontation.
Thanks also to the wise minds, courageous and sincere voices with whom we managed to thwart this sedition the Americans and the Zionists wanted. We saw demonstrations, sit-ins and positions taken throughout the Arab and Islamic worlds. We saw activities by Muslims and Christians, Shiites, Sunnis and Druze, and followers of different Islamic sects in support of the resistance.
Here, I must specify how I ought to define the thanks to all these minds, pens and voices, which addressed and tackled the seditious attempt, and the attempt to besiege the resistance in service to the Zionist enemy and the US in the region.
In reality, we did not expect more than this amount of sympathy and moral, political and psychological support from the peoples of the Arab and Islamic world.
We are realists and we know everyone`s circumstances. We did not ask for more than this. Oh Arab and Islamic peoples, O all you free people of the world, O Muslims, and Christians who stood by us, we cherish and honour your moral support. We prize your love and prayer.
Even after the victory, they wanted to circumvent it and disrupt its effects in Lebanon and the Arab and Muslim worlds, because the resistance defeated "Israel" and smashed its myth through this longest and heaviest of "Israeli" wars.
Because the resistance resurrected and re-ignited the spirit of hope, confidence and enthusiasm, because the resistance in Lebanon provided an actual alternative to liberate the land and defend the homeland, a substitute for humiliating negotiations imposed by American and "Israeli" conditions on governments and peoples, because the peoples of the world, Arab, Islamic and rest of the world regarded the resistance of Lebanon with high ranking and high symbolism.
They wanted to besiege and isolate the resistance again. So, again the focus was returned to the sectarian dimension, and attempts were made whenever they admitted to the victory, to paint it as a victory for a party or a religious group, and I assure you, as I said on August 14, of 2006, that this victory is for Lebanon, all of Lebanon, the Arabs, all Arabs, Muslims, all Muslims and for the free of the world.
They want us torn apart, divided in war and in battle, country by country, a people at a time, a religion at a time, faction by faction and party by party.
This is their plot, when we are segregated, in dispute, when some resist and others abandon them, they will prevail and we will be defeated.
As for us, in the war we said we fight on behalf of the entire nation, and some have tried to wrongly explain my words, and I said if we won the July war, it would be a victory for Lebanon and the entire nation, and if we lost it would b a defeat for Lebanon and the entire nation.
Had we been defeated in Lebanon imagine the fate Lebanon would have been in?
Would Lebanon be enjoying peace and stability, or would it be pushed into civil war?
Will it be turned to absolute American-"Israeli" control?
What will be the fate of the Palestinian cause? How about the Palestinian people?
What will be the fate of Syria, Iraq and even Jordan, which will be turned to an alternative State?
Even Saudi Arabia, which will be torn apart within the framework of a new Middle East?
What of Egypt even? And so on and so forth…
The New Middle East, which was declared at the beginning of the war, had it succeeded what fate would the region have today?
Had it succeeded, regrettably the Iraqi model of fighting, conflict, schisms and sectarianism would be the dominant model in the region’s countries.
With you we aborted this new Middle East, but they will attempt to revive it again. This is the point I want to conclude with as I address the Arab and Islamic worlds, before I come to address the Lebanese people.
Dear fellow Arabs and Muslims, dear Lebanese:
The Middle East project is originally an old project that dates back to the beginnings of the last century.
To verify this assertion listen to this script.
Theodor Herzl, founder of World Zionism wrote in 1897 in his diary: “A Middle East Commonwealth must be established”, which means there has been talk of a New Middle East since the late 1800, where there is no Arab or Islamic Worlds, but a New Middle East. “Within which the Jewish State”, Herzl says and not me “Jewish has an effective leadership standing, and a leading economic role, it would be the centre to attract investments, scientific research and expertise.”
Moreover, in 1907 published in London in the Campbell Benauman report, the then Minister of English colonies, which he submitted in a conference convened by a group of scholars of history, politics and economics with a number of European politicians during which the situation in the Arab region was discussed.
Look at the text in this report’s recommendation, worked on by Britain and Western countries and later inherited by America to which it renews its commitment with each passing phase.
The text appeared as follows: “the danger on the west lies in the Mediterranean Sea because of the interface it represents between East and West, on whose Southern and Eastern coasts lives one people that shares a unified history and language”; meaning the Arabic language and geography; “as well as all aspects of assembly and interdependence, with their revolutionary tendencies,” meaning not a dormant or subservient people; “and with large natural sources of wealth.”
The report also wondered as to “the fate of the region should education and culture spread”.
So you can see over the past decades the planning imposed even on our rulers to disallow the spread of education and culture, and for the majority to remain illiterate and ignorant, unable to learn and develop.
The report went on to answer that “should the spread of education occur, it will represent a knockout to the existing empires.”
The mentioned colonial Conference put in place schemes and ways to weaken this region and its peoples and facilitate the control and containment of its coasts and the containment of the will of their peoples, along with their resources and wealth to prevent their development, progress and unity.
He identified two main methods:
1- The first and very important thing comes in the formation of an alien human barrier so strange that it remains separate from the structure of this nation and strong so that it can achieve the goal of separating the easterly Arab states from al-Maghreb (westerly) states. The establishment of a force near the Suez Canal that is an enemy of the peoples of the region and friendly to the West.
So, the establishment of the strong state of "Israel" at this location, not because Palestine is the promised land, but because Palestine is the natural barrier between the eastern and western sectors of the nation, overlooking the coasts, the Suez Canal and the oil rich fields, this is first.
2- Second: Here religion, religious feelings and hopes are subjugated to serve the colonial project, employed in the fragmentation of the Arab world into states and multiple entities, which is what happened thus far.
The will of the nation, resistance movements and the aware peoples frustrated them each time they attempted to establish a New Middle East. Then, a time passes before they return again to the ‘New Middle East’ project.
Today, we thwarted this birth, but this does not mean that the Americans, the heirs of the old colonialism, will not re-attempt to fragment our world, to tear apart what is already fractured, and divide what is divided, but this time not on the basis of geography but the basis of sectarian, factional and ethnic basis, to leave them in dispute with one another, weakened by fighting among themselves to be ruled by a mighty "Israel", where America forms the only regional guarantor of civil liberties, ethnic and religious minorities.
Here, we need no mistakes in diagnosing the situation nor in diagnosing the enemy, the friend nor in the setting of priorities, where some collaborators, fools and madmen attempt to assist the original plotters in tearing up this nation and its peoples for the benefit of this project.
This requires that we stay together, together in this battle and in all arenas, to join forces and hands, to refuse whatever may divide us whether religious, as Muslims and Christians of the region, or on sectarian, denominational or ethnic basis, for we, the peoples of this region are its native landholders. We are this area’s real people, it is our natural, legitimate and legal right to live here freely in sovereignty and to enjoy our natural wealth, away from any looting, control or outside domination.
Now, I move onto the second title, to the people of Lebanon, also the proud and loyal in this battle, who was also one of the surprises of the July 2006 war.
In spite of the sharp divisions that existed or still exist, and there is nothing new about that, despite the political climate and media storm that occurred in the beginning of the war and continued during and after the war, what did the Zionists do?
As I said they focused their campaign trying to claim that the problem lies directly with the resistance environment, meaning with the Shiites in Lebanon. So, they attacked the towns, villages, markets, and all places. They displaced more than one million human beings.
When those are forced out of their homes in Lebanon and to Syria as the only neighboring country, under the existing divisions and sensitivities, the plan was for them to clash with the rest of the Lebanese population.
The "Israelis" and Americans expected the sensitivities in Lebanon to prevent the rest of the Lebanese from embracing the displaced, who will in turn be pushed to commit errors. Hence, a civil war will break out, which they were betting on.
But what actually happened?
The rest of the Lebanese sects, religions and movements received the displaced regardless of the political position and party affiliation. All the Lebanese acted humanely, ethically and with a high sense of patriotism. Yes, there was an odd case here and there in the capital Beirut in Mount Lebanon in the north in the Bekaa and in the rest of the south, but not worth mentioning.
Syria too, when the Syrians embraced the displaced they did not discriminate nor were they affected by atmosphere that had previously prevailed in Lebanon. They did not discriminate by sect or religious denomination that had been stirred earlier.
The displaced acted responsibility too, except in incidents also not worth mentioning. They acted responsibly, with a very high nationalist spirit.
Here was the embrace and the surprise. The United States and "Israel" waited for the towns and villages where the displaced went to burst in flames. Yet, the surprise was that the Lebanese accepted each other lovingly, sincerely and honestly.
Here and with all my heart I say to all the Lebanese, communities and movements, both institutions and societies, also the brothers in Syria, as leadership and a people who embraced each displaced person during the 34 day, I tell them that this embracing surprised our enemy and your enemy, and formed a significant component of strength for the resistance fighters and public, which led to making the victory.
Even after the victory and after this moral and humanitarian epic was expressed by the Lebanese socially and domestically, they tried to besiege this victory after the war and disrupt its effects and traces on the internal level, and I do not want to go into all aspects of this topic, but I will address one.
After the victory we stood and said this is a victory for Lebanon and the people of Lebanon, all of Lebanon. They came to play the game of intimidation between the faiths to instill fear between them.
Unfortunately, some leaders in Lebanon with no political plan, without ideology nor persuasion or a civilized thought, unable to accommodate a large group of people, they work through his/their religious denomination by raising their fear from other religions to strengthen his/their control over them.
This is happening in Lebanon and among all Lebanese religious denominations. There is someone without a political project, speech or literature within their religion except only to frighten his/their own people from others.
Now, precisely because of this trend, where they frighten others from the Shiite community in Lebanon, specifically from the Amal-Hizbullah alliance, from the resistance weapon and the like. They worked on this as they are still doing.
Today, we can frankly and clearly find in the Lebanese arena two leadership paths. Here, I am not talking about loyalists and opposition, but about two different paths:
- One being a path of conciliation believes in accord and unity that invites for building bridges, spreading of understanding, calls for the convergence of Lebanese, for internal settlement and to reach internal settlements on all internal issues over which we differ as Lebanese.
- Another being one of confrontation, domineering and intimidation, makes their position stronger by leaning on the American and international community, a path that considers a national partnership suicide, and internal settlement a betrayal deserving the death penalty.
This is the reality in Lebanon today; of course, we call for mutual understanding, extending of bridges to converge onto internal settlements.
Note this difference, to reach a settlement with the enemy some say let the captives stay in the "Israeli" prisons, and actually said this; they said let occupied Shibaa Farms and Kafr Shuba hills remain as they are, and they said that too.
They want to form a settlement with the "Israelis", at the expense of our occupied land and our prisoners in jails, our sovereignty and our future, something they do not see as treason!
Yet, a settlement between the Lebanese to come together, create understanding and cooperation to build one’s country is seen as treason, deserving the death punishment!
Alas, this is due to this methodology of intimidation, where some constantly place us in the position of the accused, who must defend themselves, always demanded to reassure the Lebanese and Lebanon, that is everyday and in every speech I must stand and speak for co-existence, civil peace, the Taif Accord, the unity of the Lebanese and that we have no undeclared goals or ulterior motives, nor a ‘three way power sharing’ of government etc…
I mean must I every day and in every speech re-iterate, as we constantly do, that we stand for co-existence, civil peace, the Taif Agreement, the unity of the Lebanese and that we have no hidden Goals or ulterior motives, that we do not want to take control of the government?
In fact, if one should ask for reassurances since year 2000, and again as was confirmed by what happened in 2006, in addition to what preceded in resolution 1559, the war that followed it, the threats and intimidations that ensued, all that places the resistance and its public in a position where it must be given assurances because it is the one targeted with murder, assassination, mass deportation and demographic change ...
We are tired of this discourse, and what to say, what additional reassurances do we provide?
We have provided everything we can. Our intentions are openly declared. Our conduct is evidently clear. Today nearing the birth of Imam Hussein (pbuh) I can only say a word said by Hussein (pbuh) himself: “he who accepts us as it is the truth, thus God is most worthy of truth; and he who rejects us, then we be patient until God judges between us and our people" then this is the honest truth we declare, these are our intentions and this is our conduct….
I mean what more than that could we do?!
In any case, this trend is a threat to Lebanon. The Americans work hard on this trend of intimidation, segmentation, slicing and raising of doubts and suspicions between sects and Lebanese forces, to introduce themselves as protector and guarantor, as is the case in Iraq.
But O Lebanese, do we not take a lesson and a warning from Iraq?
Has America in Iraq been able to be a protector of Christians?
And where are the Christians in Iraq today?
Has is it been able to be a protector of the Shiites or the Sunnis? And where are the Shiites and Sunnis today?
Was it able to protect the Turkmen or Kurds?
This is the lesson.
Should we return to ourselves or listen to those who meddle in our midst every day and night to disrupt any internal settlement?
Yes, we will once again support an internal settlement, the entrance to which is through a partnership government, away from all the erroneous and unjust interpretations given by some on the formation of a national unity government. Today, the renewed endeavours at reaching a compromise and conciliation are being conducted by the Parliamentary Speaker, and brother Nabih Berri to solve the crisis.
We affirm our support and cooperation with all the initiatives put forward, but who is it continues to declare sharing governing as suicide? Who is it that calls any settlement as an act of treason?
He who makes these declarations is clearly telling the Lebanese and the world who is responsible for closing doors – not us –he who disrupts settlements and initiatives, who insists on not forming a national unity government, on holding elections without constitutional quorum to bring in a President to be used to impose a government on the Lebanese.
Where can this situation push Lebanon to?!
The Lebanese here in politics are invited to a humanitarian, moral and ethical stance akin to the social position they took in the war days. This time not to embrace and save the displaced, but to save the nation and the entire people of Lebanon.
Third: I come to address the resistance community and its public to say that here was a targeting of the most serious, harshest, most violent and most painful one. Here laid the gamble wagered by the Americans and "Israelis", together with their researches and wrong information.
Their gamble was this: ‘if we came to Lebanon, kept aside other Lebanese communities, and focused on the Shiites by destroying their towns, villages, markets, religious institutions, schools and enterprises -of course the bombing touched everyone but clearly the focus was here- if they killed their women and children’.
This means that the destruction was deliberate, the killing of women and children was intentional, and bombing markets and businesses was on purpose.
The objective was the destruction of the infrastructure of the humanitarian, social and economic environment which preserves the resistance or produces it. That was deliberate, therefore, we find, for example, in the southern Dahiya suburb entire neighborhoods destroyed!
Were missiles being launched from al-Dahiya?! No, nothing came from al-Dahiya.
Many of these buildings did not contain even Hizbullah centers, but still they were destroyed. Entire towns and villages were destroyed in the south. Large numbers of houses demolished in the Bekaa and the North and elsewhere.
Why all this?
First, to punish the resistance community, and therefore to say to the Lebanese people and all peoples of the Arab world ‘this will be the punishment and reward for whoever supports, produces and embraces the resistance’.
Secondly, to incite the public against the resistance, to emerge in demonstrations and verbally abuse it, to detract from its stance, to question its path and leadership, to demand its surrender, to hand over its weapon and to say ‘enough, we cannot take it anymore, enough homes destroyed, enough women and children killed, we have given more than we can bear, enough is enough.’
Thus you notice many of the local, and unfortunately Arab and academic media alongside much of the political discourse tried to focus on this aspect. It is true that the sacrifices and the losses were great, but they worked on increasing it out of proportion by two and three fold, to erode the will, consciousness, faith, determination and embrace of the public behind the resistance.
That is what happened, but here we found the greater surprises by the resistance community. How did the resistance public deal with this harsher, most violent and most painful aspect of this war?
How did the people deal with this abuse in the Dahiya, the South, the Bekaa and other areas?
You and I do not forget the pictures of women who stayed back in the frontier villages carrying knives and boiling oil preparing to fight the occupation soldiers. This is our people, this is our public.
How did the displaced behave, how did they express their faith, hope and affection, while the whole world failed to capture even one wrong scene of the displaced, despite the harsh living conditions.
What was the behaviour of the families of the martyrs, the wounded, and those whose homes and livelihoods were destroyed?
They simply said “Fida al-Moqawama" ‘sacrifice toward the resistance’.
Yes, we, eastern people focus on the symbol and some faulted us when they were saying, “Fida e-Sayyed Hassan” ‘sacrifice toward Sayyed Hassan’, which is an emotional and sentimental expression with no basis in our culture.
You are not a sacrifice for a person, but you know as well as the families of the martyrs, the wounded, the prisoners and those whose homes were destroyed know that Sayyed Hassan himself, his soul, and his children are ready sacrifices toward you.
Then came the startling, surprising and unprecedented stand in the history of warfare. I searched this in depth during two weeks and did not find a precedent of a people or popular group who were displaced, whose homes destroyed, who were murdered, massacres committed against them, cluster bombs filled their fields and farms, with no cease-fire announced yet, yet upon hearing that there is a ‘halt of hostile activities’ at eight o’clock and at exactly eight their wheels start turning for the return trip, hundreds of thousands of displaced persons begin to head back to the Dahyia, to the South, the Bekaa and to all the villages and towns in Lebanon.
Here was the real victory and the culmination of the real triumph.
When the displaced people prepared for their return, they were told: to where do you return? To your houses, you no longer have homes to dwell in.
And they responded: ‘we return to our villages and put in place tents and inhabit them rather than remain displaced.’
They were told ‘more than a million cluster bombs were scattered in your fields, houses, farms and roads, and it will kill your children, it will explode under you.
They replied: ‘we will go back to our villages, towns and die under the olive tree, near our tobacco plant and would not remain displaced.
You were told: ‘to where do return and the war is not over yet, nor a ceasefire has been declared?’
You said the word of the self-assured ‘we defeated them and they will not dare do anything’.
You also returned as promised, as was your confidence and hope.
You returned home tall, heads high without favour from anyone and with the grace of God Almighty and the blessings of the blood of your martyrs.
The whole world saw hundreds of thousands return within one day, smiles on their faces, covering their tears and pain, declaring their hope, feeling proud and dignified with their victory.
Dear brothers, O Lebanese, O world,
After this epic legendary scene, that is unprecedented in history, do not such a people deserve to be called ‘most honourable, most pure and most kind’ of all people?
This stance taken towards the resistance community and its public is not incidental but a deep and rooted one whose credit goes back to the grand clergy and their culture, thought and unified position, credit too goes also to this historic and strategic alliance between Amal Movement and Hizbullah in Lebanon, and this awareness and maturity is the result of experience and suffering.
Today, the resistance community along with what it possesses and embraces of culture, wisdom and awareness, with this embrace by the Lebanese in the background and the shared understanding, the mutual love and established bridges form a cornerstone of this victory and a pillar of steadfastness.
One of the senior Zionist experts said: “what is the real question ‘Israel’ is facing with?”
The question is no longer on whether "Israel" lost its ability to deter or that "Israel" has failed to demoralize the opponent’s moral, this ended. But this expert says “if this opponent enjoys morale that is the highest since the establishment of ‘Israel’ until now," the question is then: “can ‘Israel’ in truth launch any war again?!”
Hence, he is looking at your confidence that remains intact.
Yes, this is the grass-roots level that is strong, sacrificing, faithful, conscious and rational on which the resistance is founded, a base the resistance still depends on in all its challenges. Therefore, as I said in the first days of the war in July, through trusting in God and my knowledge of you and of this people, and these resistance fighters and this enemy and as I used to always promise you victory, again I promise you victory now.
On the 14th of August, I promised you a good return.
Here, I will open the file of reconstruction, compensation and assistance. I will brief you with my report of what we did in the last year.
Certainly, there are countries, governments, and sides that made great efforts, I thank them for that.
Before and after the Lebanese government lost its legitimacy the government did something, but we all express irritation of this lag. I do not want to touch on this aspect, but I want to present my report:
Ever since August 14, we have tried to be in service of the displaced, the owners of destroyed and damaged homes, owners of institutions in general. I shall mention that what is provided is not considered compensation, but contributions and assistance to heal the wounds.
Compensation must be paid by the State. The State received nearly $ 1 billion to help those affected by the war. This $ 1 billion is the minimum right of the people and must be given to them. What we have done by ourselves, is paid money from a brother to his brother away from legal and official responsibilities. Therefore, it did not exempt the State from providing compensation in the same areas:
First: we started with what was called the "Accommodation file"
This means securing annual rent and house furniture so that no one is left in the street, and thank God for the accomplishment of this file, no one is left on the street. They wanted more than 25 thousand families at the minimum to remain in the streets, but the effort and cooperation with our friends and allies in the political and national forces in different regions, associations, we were able to accomplish this file quickly, including 28 thousand and 300 cases to the value of 133 million and 500 thousand dollars.
Second: repairing damaged houses, other than the houses that were destroyed
The damaged houses which were supposed to be restored -with the exception of the four towns adopted by the State of Qatar, thankfully- in remaining villages, towns and regions received in payments for 113 cases and 820 housing units so far to the value of 190 million and 700 thousand dollars.
Of course, the restoration file is not completed until now, which means there are buildings that will not be brought down, therefore will now be listed for restoration.
In some cases, there are shared sections in the Dahiya where work is still ongoing.
Third: assisting the economic and trade firms and institutions
This type of assistance I will talk about now is, in fact, a contribution and not compensation, and secondly a percentage is marked within it, i.e. we gave priority to homes to return to housing. What we presented is contribution and assistance for direct damages, and not indirect, and this file remains open. We are still trying to secure a communication to improve some of these contributions.
In the economic and trade institutions 12,500 cases worth $30 million
Helping direct agricultural damages to 1,300 cases worth $2 million
Assistance with direct animal damages, 2,000 cases, to the value of 3 million dollars
Assistance for public vehicles which are a source of livelihood, public taxi vehicle, a bulldozer and 2,300 cases worth $4 million.
Support to stricken villages, whose conditions were extremely harsh, $3 million
In order to launch the reconstruction project in southern Dahiya and not have to wait for anyone hoping they would join us later on in the process, $14 million have been paid so far through WAAD reconstruction project,
Support extended to fishermen 3500 cases, to the value of $700,000.
The total amount spent so far is $380,900,000 dollars, ‘now some get upset’ when I say ‘this money is Halal, legitimate and comes without political conditions.’
There are two points I want to stress before I move to the last section:
1- Regarding the subject of demolished homes that has not been treated yet, there exists a delay, and since the state has taken money and has received money to restore these demolished houses, we committed ourselves to pay the difference.
Even in the southern Dahiya, I was clear when I said ‘we and the people’ with the money they will receive as compensation from the State we will build the southern Dahiya. I did not say we alone from our funds alone will build the southern Dahiya. Therefore, the lag in the payment of compensation for demolished homes, led to the delay in the reconstruction of houses in all areas.
Considering that these families still have no homes to go back to, I declare to you that God willing we will again renew our contribution to all families who rented houses for periods ranging from one month to a year, hoping all the reconstruction of all demolished houses would be completed during this year, and we will not need to repeat this process later.
But to avoid any confusion or ambiguities, I want to emphasize that this contribution is for the actual tenant.
The actual tenant is the rent payer. Should the tenant still has a month, two or three or a year delay, we are committed God willing to rent contribution from a month to a year, so that no one goes to the street, nor incur the financial consequences of the delay in rebuilding the destroyed house so far.
Here, I must mention efforts spent by your brothers in the resistance, the Mujahideen, who have worked since the first days on dismantling and exploding cluster bombs especially in the habilitated villages. They were able within a few months of the cessation of hostilities to dismantle and explode 40,000 cluster bombs, offering in this process five dear martyrs from the Islamic Resistance fighters.
I reach the last section, to the position that we must deal with responsibly;
Since the end of the war, there is talk of whether we have seen the end of the "Israeli" wars on Lebanon?
Will we enjoy peace and security and not face a new war again?
Some people said that, and provided their strategic, political, security, military and psychological reading, and so on.
Some people say no. "Israel" will not acquiesce in defeat. It will work to regain its reputation, its ability of deterrence and prestige in the region because if it does not do so, it will be putting itself on the road to extinction; along with this reading those people also provide a strategic, political, military and security reading.
I do not want to enter into this debate to say yes or no, but I want to talk about a responsibility and remind of two matters:
1- First, that in our midst is an enemy whose nature is aggression with historic ambitions for our land, waters and natural wealth. Its plan is based on the logic of force, bullying, frightening and spooking others, where now it is the one spooked.
This is our enemy and this is its nature.
2-The second thing is, we cannot rely on the analysis to say there will be no war. Hence, rest easy and sleep on soft silk.
I do not say THERE WILL BE a war, God willing there is no war.
We, as I said in previous speeches do not want war. We did not even want the July war. they wanted this war for which they placed objectives on the level of the Middle East as a whole, and it was they who pushed the situation into this direction.
In all cases, precaution is our duty, thank God if no war erupts, for ‘and enough is God for the believers in their fight’, and if God forbid Lebanon was faced with a new challenge we would be able to meet this challenge. However, I tell you that preparedness and preparations for war, are the most important means of war prevention. This is what is called a balance of terror and deterrence.
From year 2000 to 2006, that which protected Lebanon and South Lebanon is this balance, because Barak and Sharon were committed to this balance. 2006 war, due to Olmert’s stupidity, and because he is carrying out an American decision where the decision to go to is not his, since the issue expands beyond the question of Lebanon and southern Lebanon to building a ‘New Middle East’ and remapping the region.
Hence, when our enemy understands, and we make him understand that we have the strength to confront, and stand firm, even the strength to win, this will stop and deter him from launching a new war. At the minimum level, it will make him very much hesitate before launching a war of this kind.
This is why when I spoke in a newspaper interview early on of the celebration days that the resistance possesses missiles able to hit every point in occupied Palestine, I was not trying to lure a war, but I worked to prevent one, because by that I am saying to the "Israeli" government, army and people that they must understand that any future war on Lebanon will cost them dearly.
We also learned from the July war experience, and made the required evaluation, discovered our strengths and weaknesses and those of the enemy’s and worked on them, and therefore in an upcoming war, the enemy must know that they will pay very dearly.
I tell the enemy this so they do not think of war.
Some say “you exercise psychological warfare”, true, and this is a part of the battle.
But I exercise honest psychological warfare. I am talking about facts and not lies. I am talking about truths. When the war started and I told them ‘if you want to go to an all out war, then, we will too and I promise you surprises”. It is true this was psychological warfare, but a truthful psychological warfare that was not based on lies.
The surprises came through the sea, when we hit their battle ship, the pride of the "Israeli" marine industry Saar 5. The surprise came also when we destroyed their Merkava IV-generation in the valleys, hills and entrances to villages. There was a surprise when our Mujahidin downed their helicopters in the night and day as well. The surprises continued when they were unable to destroy our rockets and we in turn were able to bomb their interior for the first time in “Israel`s” history over the entire 33 days without interruption. We surprised them with our command and control network. We surprised them with our public and resistance community the most honourable of people, with the Lebanese people, with the peoples of the Arab and Islamic nations and there was victory.
Today, I want to conclude the celebrations of this anniversary, and by the way I would like to thank all who joined us in this commemoration and this victory.
I want to conclude this ceremony and celebrations with a clear promise. Take it as psychological warfare if you like, but an honest psychological war, that if you ("Israelis") are to think of attacking Lebanon, and I do not advise you on this, should you think of declaring war on Lebanon, I will not promise you surprises like the previous ones, but I promise you the Great surprise that can change the fate of the war and the fate of the region God willing.
With this commitment, I place a substantial responsibility on myself and on the resistance. This commitment is an actual commitment. Now, I am not talking about anything related to the future. They themselves (“Israelis”) must analyze. I will not tell you nor tell them, because if I said what this thing is, it will not remain a surprise.
With the resistance I hold this commitment in order to protect Lebanon and the people of Lebanon, and should war breakout, God forbid -and again I repeat that we do not want war, we do not want it- we must be ready, as a resistance, as an army, as a people, as a State.
Yesterday, we all heard the commander of the Lebanese Army say that so far all the Lebanese Army has been provided with is promises, talk and some ammunition which had been paid for. I say paid for from the funds of the Lebanese people.
There is a ban on arming the Lebanese army until it removes ‘“Israel” is the enemy’ from its nationalistic creed. America has never given nor will it allow anyone give the Lebanese army what enables it to defend Lebanon, but the resistance stands alongside the national Lebanese army, its fighters alongside their soldiers, its martyrs along with the army’s, its vigor alongside their’s, and together with the people of Lebanon we will face this challenge.
God willing as we triumphed in May 2000, in August 2006, I forewarn and advise them ("Israelis") that here in Lebanon, resistance, army and people, are all a part of a nation that refuses subservience, rejects humiliation, only afraid of God, only kneels to Him, a nation that fights, every ready to sacrifice and win the decisive historic victory, God willing.
Again through trusting in God, my knowing of you, this people, the fighters of this resistance movement and this cowardly and lowly enemy, who is more fragile than a spider`s web, as I always promise you victory, I promise you victory again.