Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah's speech delivered at the end of the tenth of Muharam procession

I seek refuge with Allah from the cursed devil. In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Most Merciful. Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the World and peace be on our Master and Prophet - the Seal of the Prophets – Abi Al Qassem Mohammad bin Abdullah and on his pure and chaste Household and chosen companions and on all prophets and messengers. Peace be on you O Messenger of Allah and Allah's mercy and blessing. May Allah reward you kindly for the martyrdom of your son Al Hussein (pbuh). Peace be on you O Aba Al Hassan – O Leader of the believers - and Allah's mercy and Blessing. May Allah reward you kindly for the martyrdom of your son Al Hussein (pbuh). Peace be on you Fatima – the daughter of Allah's Messenger - and Allah's mercy and Blessing. May Allah reward you kindly for the martyrdom of your son Al Hussein (pbuh). Peace be on you O Aba Mohammad Al Hassan and Allah's mercy and Blessing. May Allah reward you kindly for the martyrdom of your brother Al Hussein (pbuh). Peace be on you O (Baqiyet Allah on Earth) Imam Al Mahdi and Allah's mercy and blessing. May Allah reward you kindly for the martyrdom of your grandfather Al Hussein (pbuh). Peace be on the souls of the believers – the alive and the dead – and Allah's mercy and blessing. May Allah reward you kindly for the martyrdom of your lord Al Hussein (pbuh). Peace be on you O dear truthful and faithful followers of Al Hussein and Allah's mercy and Blessing. May Allah reward you kindly for the martyrdom of your lord and master Abi Abdullah Al Hussein (pbuh).

On the tenth day of Muharram, we offer our condolences to the one to be consoled Baqiyet Allah on Earth - the grandson of Al Hussein (pbuh) and the lord of our time (May Allah make his appearance soon) – and to all our religious authorities and scholars especially Ayatollah Imam Sayyed Ali Khamenai (May Allah prolong his life) and to all Muslims and believers on the day of martyrdom of the grandson of Allah's Messenger.

On this very day Al Hussein (pbuh) drew for all the generations to come all through time a way for jihad that will carry on in our nation until Doom's Day. He opened a door for martyrdom that leads to the shortest way to Allah Al Mighty. His words and the words of his companions will remain reverberating in the ears, hearts and minds to confirm the school of the true Islam of Prophet Mohammad. Here is the word of that young man Ali Al Akbar: "Aren't we righteous? So we don't care whether we got stuck by death or death got stuck by us." Here is the word of the companions who refused to "ride the camel of darkness" but rather said: "Do you want us to stay after your death. May Allah never make our life pleasant after your death O Hussein." Each of them said: "I wish I could be killed then burned then scattered in air and then resurrected again then killed then burned then scattered in air for a thousand times. Still I won't leave you O Hussein."

Now I address that great lady who lost her brothers, dear ones, sons and nephews in a few hours but still with patience and a content heart she sat by the body of her master and beloved brother Al Hussein to say but words of content and make a demand of satisfaction from Allah. After a few hours on this very day, Sayyeda Zeinab (pbuh) sits by the disjointed blood-shedding body and eyes the sky saying: "O Lord, accept from us this sacrifice." Now I address their lord, the master of all martyrs Al Hussein (pbuh). These were his eternal words: "I will never pledge allegiance to you as the submissive do, and I will never succumb to you as slaves do. I can't find death but happiness and life under oppressors but tedious. The bastard son of a bastard has put us before two choices: war or humiliation. Humiliation, how far! Neither Allah, nor his Prophet, the believers, the good hearted and the zealous honorable souls accept that we favor the obedience of the villainous to the death of the noble." These words said by the leader, the serene woman, the young man and the companions form the true Islamic school to which we belong and are committed in our thought, culture, consciousness, conscience, struggle and love for martyrdom.

Brothers and sisters, all this killing on Ashura which narration you heard early this morning was because Al Hussein (pbuh) refused to give legality to a criminal murderer ruler who sheds blood and violates the limits set by Allah and does not observe any sanctity in the religion of Allah and the nation of Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him and his Household). All what was demanded from Al Hussein – due to his great status in the nation – was to grant legality to this rule through pledging allegiance in a couple of words. But Al Hussein (pbuh) refused not to be an accomplice in the crime and tyranny. He preferred martyrdom because he knew that his chaste blood and that of his household and companions will shake the throne of the tyrant and set the basis of consecutive revolutions. These revolutions will not allow the tyrants of Ommaya Family to establish their rule and authority at the expense of the religion of Mohammad (pbuh) and his nation. This is what really took place. In the name of Al Hussein (pbuh), revolutions aroused rapidly in more than one Islamic region until the revolution of the Abbasids took place. Apart from its true motives, the revolution of the Abbasids held Al Hussein's name, blood and slogan. It was dressed in black for Al Hussein and it toppled a rule which they thought will never end.

Brothers and sisters, today we are facing this Zionist entity which is based on raping lands, violating sanctities, shedding blood, killing children, ripping the wombs of pregnant women and committing massacres. The least of our obligations is not to recognize the sanctity of this entity. We must not give it legality whatever the consequences and sacrifices were. The protectors of this criminal entity in America and all over the world want our nation, peoples and governments to recognize the existence of Israel and give it legality even if under fire and iron. Yet the overwhelming majority of our nation still refuses and will carry on refusing that.

The criminal war waged today on our people in Gaza confirms this truth about Israel's aggressive, racial and savage nature. This must be considered an additional and strong motive to carry on refusing to recognize this entity.

Brothers and sisters, boycotting Israel and all forms of normalization with it while giving the true description for the crimes it's perpetrating in Gaza today are the least and clearest obligations of rulers and peoples at this stage. Yesterday, the Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez expelled the Israeli ambassador in a solidarity show with the Palestinian people. Still Venezuela is close to America. He took this step based on his humanistic and great revolutionary nature. He did that also to slap all the rulers who still welcome Israel's ambassadors in their capitals and can't even dare to think about expelling these ambassadors. What's demanded from some Arab leaders today is to learn from a leader in Latin America how to show solidarity with the Palestinian people and to what extent this show must go.

Brothers and sisters, this criminal entity must be punished for its crimes and not to be rewarded with gifts and winnings for the children and women it's killing from among Gaza's people. I confirm to you that the peoples of our nation will punish this entity and its leaders for these crimes. For long rulers have been tolerant with Israel, but peoples can't be tolerant with Israel. It's the duty of Arab governments to be on the side of the people and resistance in Palestine and not a mediator between them and the occupier. Arab governments must help the resistance in achieving its goal which is to put an end to the aggression and to raise the siege and not to press on the resistance to accept the humiliating conditions set by Israel. Yesterday an Egyptian official said some good words protesting against the Security Council: Does the Security Council need more than 650 martyrs and 2500 wounded to settle the issue and act responsibly? This is good. I ask this Egyptian official: Does the Egyptian regime need more than 650 martyrs and 2500 wounded to open Rafah Cross point in a final and active form to assist the people of Gaza to remain steadfast and to gain victory? The very question you are asking the Security Council, I address to you.

All what we are asking for is opening a cross point and not opening a front or waging a war. Some brethrens have reported to me yesterday that a group of Egyptian lawyers loyal to the regime has filed a suit against me personally in the International Criminal Court pursuant to the speech I delivered during the first Ashura night in which I called on the Egyptian leadership to open the cross point and on the Egyptian proud people and brave army to force the leadership to do so. Unlawfully this was considered a call for a coup d’etat while it was a humble call to open a cross point. Anyway and in all circumstances I am proud of this judicial suit especially that it was filed by those who were not shaken emotionally by all the Israeli massacres in Lebanon, Qana, Jabalyia, Palestine and also the Israeli massacres against the Egyptian brave prisoner soldiers. When such a suit is filed against me because of my solidarity stance with the oppressed, killed and persecuted in Gaza, I feel proud in this world and in the Hereafter when I stand before Allah the Al Mighty. Yet I like to tell you frankly that we did not dispute with and treat as enemy those who collaborated against us, accused, abused and were an accomplice in our blood from among the Arabs during July war. But we will dispute with and treat as enemy anyone who will collaborate against Gaza, its people and its resistance and anyone who will be a partner in their blood and who will close a door for its livelihood and salvation.

Brothers and sisters, what we heard yesterday - there was much talk yesterday - from the Zionist Bolton in the US administration who is acting with despair and frustration points clearly to the true aim of the Americans and the Zionists - namely liquidating the Palestinian cause through separating decisively between the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. They want to put a decisive end for any talk about two states and to consolidate the state of Israel while handing the Gaza Strip to Egypt and handing to Jordan some parts of the West Bank which the Zionists may generously dispense with. This is the true US-Zionist scheme. All the previous talk about two states is a mirage, delusion and a fraud because when they come to defining the Palestinian state they don’t give the Palestinians a land on which a state may be formed. Then they come to say that two states can’t be formed. The solution is then to liquidate the Palestinian cause and to put an end to it. This necessitates first renewing the call for a Palestinian national unity by all its factions: Hamas, Fateh, Jihad and all the other factions because their project is all under threat of being liquidated. They’re working at liquidating them but they will not be able to God willing. So they are not trying to liquidate Hamas government, Fateh government, or the resistance of this or that faction. No they are aiming at the Palestinian cause and this necessitates renewing the call for all possible sorts of support to the resistance and the steadfastness in Gaza.

Brothers and sisters the experience of July 2006 War and the experience of the Palestinian resistance in Gaza Strip so far through its miraculous wondrous steadfastness have put a decisive end and must put a decisive end to all dispute around the defense strategy whether here or there. This arrogant army which is one of the most powerful armies in the world and which owns the most powerful air weaponry in the region failed to achieve its goals against a resistance humble in capacities but great in its faith and will within a limited and besieged geographic spot. This stresses that the choice of public armed resistance which is based on faith and determination and which is embraced publicly is the best and most powerful choice for confronting the most arrogant armies in the world if it wants to occupy the territories of any country. What’s taking place adds to the clarity of our view and way.

Can you see brothers and sisters that even the Security Council, international resolutions and the international community are not only unable to protect the Palestinian people in Gaza but also failed to condemn the massacre which was perpetrated in a school which belongs to one of the United Nation’s bodies as it failed in the past to condemn Qana Massacre in which more than a hundred martyrs were killed in one of the United Nations headquarters. Similarly they failed to condemn Qana’s Second Massacre. How can the Security Council which fails to condemn massacres perpetrated by Zionists against women and children protect a people or do justice to a cause?

Brothers and sisters, what is taking place today concerns us all. I know that the internal eyes are looking at you and the region’s eyes are looking at you. We are all in a critical historic stage. I tell you we don’t know the dimensions of the project and the extent of collaboration. We must act taking into consideration all possible possibilities. We must always be conscious and cautious. We must observe the situation closely. We are ready for whatever scenarios. Yesterday also Olmert was quoted as saying to the French president: today is the turn of Hamas and tomorrow that of Hezbollah. I tell Olmert who failed and was defeated in Lebanon: you won’t be able to exterminate Hamas and you won’t be able to exterminate Hezbollah.

For days and weeks and even before the aggression on Gaza and after it, we started hearing threats. `This wants to destroy us in days and that in hours. This threats us overtly and that covertly. I tell them: we won’t be weak. We won’t be frightened. We won’t give up. Your warplanes will not frighten us, not even your threats. We are ready for all possibilities. We are ready for any aggression. I won’t repeat what I said in the past. If you treaded our land, villages, neighborhoods and houses, I tell you in a simple word: the Zionists will discover that their war in July was a pleasant ride compared to what we have prepared for them in case of any new aggression.

We will not flee the field or throw our arms. Our resistance will remain a title for our history, sacrifices and the blood of our martyrs. I hoped that instead of all the voices which were heard in Lebanon or the mediators with Israel which reassured Israel on the borders with Lebanon, we've heard one voice answering the Israeli threats to Lebanon, the resistance in Lebanon and to Hezbollah in particular. Why don't we hear any response when the Zionists speak out, but when some talk about possibilities, some make haste to offer a free reassurances at a time when Zionists are slaughtering our people in Gaza and threatening our people in Lebanon?

Brothers and sisters, on the tenth day of Muharram and before all these challenges, we need most Al Hussein's spirit, insight, wisdom, content and patience in the fate set by Allah, steadfastness, steadiness, jihad and love for martyrdom. As we were in the past decades with Al Hussein in every position, we are still ready to offer our souls as our brethrens and leaders had offered their souls as martyrs. We are ready to offer our children and dear ones as martyrs for the sake of what we believe in and for defending a noble dignified life. After all these years in which experiences have proved the rightness of our path and logic and the truthfulness of our choices, we add our experience to our belongingness and the present state to the conscience and say: peoples, generations, women and men do repeat day and night their well known slogan. They can't be defeated. They can't be scared by any threat as long as their voices repeat again and again: Here we are O Hussein.

Israel is our enemy. It's the enemy of our nation. It will remain our enemy even if some made peace with it. America is the maker of Israel and its sponsor. So it's our enemy and the enemy of our nation and it will remain our enemy even if some made peace with it.

We end our gathering today. I thank you again for your massive, truthful, faithful and defying attendance. Let our enemy hear our voice and know that we are and will always be the nation which when put between two choices: war or humiliation, its logic, mentality, conduct, stance and slogan will always be: Humiliation, how far.