In The Name of Allah, The Compassionate, The Most Merciful. Praise be to the Lord of the World and peace be upon our Master and Prophet – the Seal of Prophets – Mohammad Bin Abdullah and on his chaste Household, chosen companions and all prophets and messengers.
Brothers and sisters! Ladies and Gentlemen! Peace be upon you and Allah’s mercy and blessings.
I welcome you all. You are the resistance. You are the people of the resistance. You are the true household.
First, I would like to welcome our honored guests who came from abroad. They are the delegation of the General Conference for Arab Parties which constitutes of 200 men and women from 60 Arab parties and from 13 Arab countries. You are most welcomed in the land of resistance, victory, dignity and pride. We celebrate today the fourth anniversary of the Great Victory which Lebanon achieved through its resistance, army and people over the most aggressive, terrorist powerful army in the Middle East in what was known as July Aggression or the True Promise War or Lebanon War II according to the various viewpoints.
I wanted to start my word today with the war – July War – and what took place during it. However an event took place today on the land of heroism, steadfastness, sacrifice and loyalty on the Lebanese border with occupied Palestine – namely in the village of Adaiseh. The heroic confrontation which the Lebanese national officers and soldiers were engaged in imposes reorganizing the speech. It imposes itself as the prelude. So as I have accustomed you, I have three topics. The first topic is the continuous aggression: the evidences of the continuous aggression, the responsibility towards it, the national responsibility, the state responsibility, the resistance and the people.
The second topic which is highly critical is the assassination of Premier Martyr Rafiq Hariri and the Special Tribunal for Lebanon. In this framework come the Arab visits and summits which were held in Lebanon.
The third topic is July War, the existing equations and our responsibilities in the present and future stages.
We start with the first topic: The continuing aggression.
In fact, the Israeli aggression against Lebanon never ceased. Military war and the general aggressive military operations ceased but there are various shapes of the Israeli war on Lebanon and its sovereignty, its land, its people, its security, its stability, its blood, its people and its children. The aggression first manifests itself in Israeli violations of Lebanese sovereignty. Statistics show that since August 14, 2006 till now there are more than 7,000 Israeli violations of Resolution 1701.
Indeed the whole world does not take any action and the Security Council as well does not do anything so that its resolution be observed. When people used to call on us to observe international resolutions, we used to tell them: Well then include these resolutions in the ministerial statement but first let them observe their resolutions. Let the Security Council observe the resolutions it takes. No one takes any action towards the aerial, sea and land violations, transgressing the borders, entering the Lebanese land and arresting Lebanese citizens. Such things are taking place.
What took place today was just another expression of this aggression and violation. A force from the Lebanese Army did assume its responsibility. Despite its humble materialistic capabilities, it confronted the aggression and offered martyrs and wounded from among its soldiers and fighters. Even there was a martyr from the Lebanese media, and it is not strange that the Lebanese media offers civil martyrs and wounded. The Army leadership, soldiers and officers acted with bravery and firmness.
As for the Resistance, I will say a short word. It goes without saying that what took place was not a trivial incident. I believe our people as well as ourselves must ask ourselves how we did act today and how we will act later.
Since the very first moment of confrontation in that area, the Resistance got mobilized. It showed highest alert and maximum discipline while following up the event in details. We remained in contact with our brethrens and the Resistance leadership in the south. We told them to hold on, not to take any action and to wait for orders. Wisdom, interest and loyalty necessitated that the Resistance puts itself under the orders of the Army which was directly engaged in the confrontation. Hezbollah leadership contacted the Head of the Lebanese Army and informed him that we are ready and mobilized. We are following up. We are by your side to back you and we are under your disposal. Our men, fighters and capabilities are under the service of whatever the central Army leadership or the field force in the south commands. We also contacted His Eminence the President of the Republic, the Speaker and the Premier and informed them that we would not take any initiative despite the pain we feel for what we were witnessing. The resistance will act with discipline but it is fully ready and is under the disposal of the Army leadership.
No doubt, the latest several hours were very critical. They demanded calm, careful and responsible action from everyone. Anyway, the blood shedding Lebanese message was very clear to the Israeli enemy. Lebanon – Lebanon as a whole - will not tolerate any violation or aggression against even one hand span of its sacred land. It will confront with bravery. Lebanon is not frightened by your threats and appalls of war. Lebanon is not afraid of confronting you. Its army will face you even if in open air. This is what really saddens. The tanks of the Lebanese Army are overt as well as all its points and posts. They were not given the chance of being fortified. This needs to be addressed. It’s the responsibility of the state. They (the enemy soldiers) were behind their fortifications and mattresses, and our army was in the open air. However this army which was in the open air fought with bravery and heroism. What’s most noticeable is that the enemy was bold enough to hold the Army as well as the Lebanese government responsible for what took place. Even more, the enemy expressed its astonishment because the Army confronted it. Well what does this enemy believe? Where did this army come from? Where does this leadership come from? Are the officers and soldiers mercenary who came from abroad? They are the children of the country, the people of the country, the men of the country and the mainstay of the country. The message also was that the Resistance is fully ready and integrated. Moreover, the very important message is that its people in Adaiseh, Kafar Kila and the front villages are steadfast and firm in their land and villages. They do not fear and are not struck with panic as their coward settlers. Today the formula of 'the army, the people and the Resistance' was again baptized with blood. It was baptized with blood, manhood and firmness exactly as it was consecrated in July War and as it was asserted with the great achievements and victories in July War.
We laud the epics of the army. We congratulate the army on its national Day on August 1rst. We pay tribute for the courageous Commander of the Army and the brave officers and soldiers. Yet, it’s not enough for us in the Resistance to give our regards to the army which baptized its post with blood today. You know that I talk openly and frankly. I say things as they are. At times that might be appropriate and at times not. Today as we followed the events we saw that martyrs fell. There is a post for the army which was bombed. There are posts which were shelled with tanks and I am not sure if they were attacked with war planes. There were martyrs from the army and civil martyrs. There were civil wounded. Our men were present in Adaiseh, Kafar Kila and the area. They were supposed to show discipline because we put ourselves at the disposal of the army. Many people will say: It’s strange! Why did Hezbollah show much patience today? I do not know if we are as such usually or not. I do not know how people evaluate this issue. I will tell you frankly how we view things. First, there is a nation and there is an army which is leading the battle. The limits of the development are not known and if things developed, how will the army act. This is one. Second we take the general political situation into consideration. Here I would like to be frank. Unfortunately, there are some ill- intentioned people. Someone might show up tomorrow and say the Resistance wanted to overbid the Army. The army does not need anyone to protect, help and support it – as if the Israeli Army is a regular army which does not possess massive capacities and that if the Army, Resistance and people in Lebanon stood together, they can flop the aims of the aggression though the confrontation will be harsh. Anyway, we are realistic. Others might say that Hezbollah is waiting for seizing an opportunity because they believe we are defeated. We are not defeated. They only imagine that. That means that Hezbollah wants to get through to explode the situation so as to flop the STL and the indictment. Others might go even further. President Assad says that the possibilities of war are increasing. President Ahmedi Najjad talks about war possibilities in the region. Indeed what is the given and what are the analyses is another point of discussion: Hezbollah is in the Iranian- Syrian axis. It is subject to the Iranian and Syrian administrations and wants to put into action the orders of its presidents. Others might go even further to say that this is an Iranian response to the sanctions imposed on Iran by the Security Council.
Indeed there are such people whom I label ‘ill-intentioned’. Indeed this is trivial thinking. Unfortunately, I confess that today I was one of the people who were obliged to take this into consideration. Thus we did not stand still and watched. We are ready. We put ourselves at the disposal. We were ready to fight and defend. Praise be to Allah, everything was over and things did not develop further. However, does not anyone from the resistance men and leaders feel that there is a question mark here or something lacking there or something without our general course? That is for sure. Thus today I have something else to say and I hope all the politicians, sovereign men, men of law, the Lebanese, the Arabs and the whole world would pardon us because we cannot quit our values, good manners, responsibilities and commitments. This time the men could stand aside and watch and abide by the decision. However for us the Lebanese officers and soldiers are our brothers, sons, fathers and dear ones on the human level. On the national level, they are the symbol of all the Lebanese and the honor and pride of all the Lebanese. How can a Lebanese person who is capable to stand by the Army and fight with it and defend with it, stand an observer from now on when he finds the Army subject to Israeli tank shelling and aerial bombardment?
Here I am saying frankly: If the Army is attacked by the Israeli enemy in any area where the resistance has a presence or a say, the resistance will not stand aside silent and disciplined. The Israeli hand that reaches out to attack the Lebanese Army will be cut off. Let no one show up tomorrow and say that Sayyed Hassan or Hezbollah is solely taking the decision of war or peace. This is not a decision of war or peace. When the bodies or the Lebanese Army soldiers are torn into pieces in Adaiseh, this won’t be a decision of war or peace. This is defense. This is a decision of noble defense. This is a decision to be taken by every noble person in this country and is criticized by every disappointing person in this country. Let everyone take this into consideration. The Army defends the Resistance and the Resistance has the honor to be defended by the Army. The Resistance as well defends the Army, and the people defends both the Resistance and the Army. This is the only equation that defends Lebanon and preserves Lebanon’s dignity.
This is first. The second manifestation of the continuing aggression is the cluster bombs which are spread in the South and which are seen by the whole world. Indeed the UNIFIL writes a report and the report is promulgated by the media. This is incessant killing that has been taking place for four years. So far we have in the South 306 wounded. Many of these wounded had their hands and legs severed or were totally disabled. There are 44 martyrs including men, women and children. This is not a trivial number, and the aggression continues. Indeed the Lebanese Army, some of the civil societies and some countries are offering help. Last year in the elections I promised that we have started working in this perspective. Actually the Resistance via its fighters or more precisely through one of its civil societies under the name of The Generations of Peace (Ajyal Assalam) has dismantled over 52 thousand cluster bombs and mines. Martyrs fell as well. The sum of cluster bombs dismantled by the Lebanese Army, the civil societies and the various groups and companies partaking in this act is so far 200 thousand. There are still a million cluster bombs. That means that hard work around the clock for four years, the martyrs who fell and the sacrificed which were offered were offered to dismantle 200 thousand cluster bombs and there are still one million cluster bombs. How much time does that need to be dismantled. How many martyrs must fall?
Anyway, that needs more effort. However that also needs more political and diplomatic pressure on behalf of the Lebanese government and Lebanese, Arab and international media light shedding on the crimes reiterated in Lebanon due to cluster bombs left by the enemy. There must be true endeavor to pursue and hold Israel responsible as it always escapes punishment.
The third manifestation of the continuing aggression is the issue of collaborators, agents and the Israeli continuous attempts to violate everything in Lebanon whether military (today there is talk about a colonel), security, political institutions, private institutions, political forces, the civil community and in every sector. However the most crucial of all sectors is the communication sector. Why? That’s because the aim of these agents is to collect information and the best and most powerful means to collect information is communication. Thus we must expect that the size of Israeli violation in the sector of communication and communication companies be greater and larger than what have been revealed so far as this violation does not provide the Israelis with data only but also with a great capacity to control. This is what technicians must explain to people so that they be careful and cautious.
So Lebanon is subject to a daily continuous great security aggression. Still it is also before a great and continuous security achievement. What does it mean when more than 100 collaborators are being revealed in less than two years? Some have important and critical posts. Others are ancient agents which means they have been at the service for long years. Unfortunately some are respectable personalities in the society. Well where in any agents’ war in the world, do some reveal six collaborators and the others reveal other six; some reveal ten collaborators and the others reveal another ten? Those who were revealed so far are a hundred besides those who fled. How many more agents are there in the country then?
No doubt revealing these collaborators and agents had formed a specific blow to the enemy and its spies. Here we must stress on carrying on without any retardation by the security apparatuses on their work to this effect. The Resistance was, is still and will remain under the disposal of the security apparatuses, and will continue working in every sector and section especially communication. Efforts must continue to reveal more collaborators. There must be no show of tolerance with the collaborators for whatever consideration whether sectarian, factional, six for six duplications or political. There must not be any considerations. This must not be subject to any considerations of any kind. Remaining silent over an agent in the place where he exists for one day, month or year is a great sin. That’s because in the duration in which we allow him to remain where he is he would offer much critical information to the enemy which in turn helps the latter to afflict much damage on the Lebanese, kill the Lebanese and demolish the institutions of the Lebanese. Consequently there is no consideration that allows remaining silent over a collaborator unrevealed or not under arrest. We also called for death sentences for them. Praise be to Allah, some death penalties were issued. Today we call in your name for the execution of these sentences as soon as possible. We must not wait for a long time because we are in a true battle. In particular the criminal collaborators who partook in July War and provided the enemy with information that led to the demolition of edifices, compounds and the perpetration of massacres by this enemy must not remain alive at all. This is the continuous effort on the security level. As I said before, everyone who wants to force out a war from Lebanon and annul a war against Lebanon must continue in the security work to reveal collaborators because the enemy who lacks data is a blind elephant which cannot achieve any of its goals.
Another show of the continuing aggression is the incessant occupation of the rest of the occupied territories in Shebaa Farms and Kafar Shuba Hills and the Lebanese part of Al Ghajjar village. I renew the call for setting a liberation strategy. Here in Lebanon they talk about a defense strategy. Well, what are we doing to liberate the rest of our occupied territories which we unanimously agree are a part of the Lebanese occupied territories. I wrap up this topic saying that the state is primarily responsible and we acknowledge that and take it for granted. We always used to say that we used to confront aggressions because the state was retarding or was not able to do so or was not determined to do that. So the state is primarily responsible along with all the Lebanese that we have a national view and a clear national strategy to confront the aggression and to liberate the rest of the Lebanese land and to protect Lebanon against all Israeli threats and dangers. We are able to have the best liberation strategy and the best defense strategy. We as Lebanese and also as Army, people and Resistance possess the greatest modern experience which could make historic victories. Hereof I move to the second topic.
I was saying a while ago that Lebanon is confronting a daily continuous Israeli aggression of various forms and shapes. One of these shapes also is what we witnessed today. Hereof I usher into the second topic which is what we were acting on for years. However, in the past few weeks, everyone of us heard General Ashkenazi talking about the issuance soon of the indictment in which Hezbollah is accused of the assassination of Premier Hariri. (He even specified what the indictment is about before its issuance). Well you know Ashkenazi and as far as I know he is not a journalist who writes in a newspaper or a magazine. He is rather the Chief of Staff of the most important army in the region and in a country which the world views as a democratic civilized country. Even more it is viewed as the oasis of democracy in the Middle East. Well Ashkenazi was talking about the STL which does not answer journalists and Ashkenazi is not a journalist.
There is a general atmosphere which must be taken into consideration. We have all followed up Israeli media tackling details, expectations, names and predictions. The most important thing which the Israeli media roars about is bargains. Israel is talking with great hope and overwhelming happiness about what it supposes Lebanon is heading towards. Its eye on the first hand in Lebanon is on the Resistance. They speak of a big explosion, an ordeal, the distortion of Lebanon, the isolation of the Resistance and the crisis of the Resistance. (As though they are having a festival).
We have rung the alarm bell as the saying goes weeks ago. We raised our voice high so that the Lebanese and all the friends of Lebanon who care for Lebanon be aware of the seriousness of what is being prepared for Lebanon, the Resistance and the region as well from this gate. No doubt that evoking a cause with such gravity and seriousness has stirred up many arguments in the country. This is normal but it highlighted great risks. That was not limited to us. Senior and important national leaderships in the whole country raised these fears as well. Everyone is living this atmosphere. However little was being said in the media. But councils and saloons hustled and bustled with such talk.
Then came the joint visit of King Abdullah bin Abdul-Aziz and President Bashar Assad to Lebanon which we welcomed. We express our pleasure over every Arab rapprochement, especially between Syria and Saudi Arabia. This is the equation of Speaker Nabih Berri which says S(audi)-S(yrian) rapprochement. That’s because the blessings of Arab or S-S rapprochement would first affect Lebanon and the consequences of Arab disputes would first be reflected in Lebanon. Indeed in the past few days we also witnessed the kind visit of the Qatari Prince especially to the steadfast villages in Southern Lebanon: Bint Jbeil, Khiam, Deir Mimass and the other villages. People expressed with candidness, loyalty and faithfulness their gratitude to those who stand by their side and help them in reconstructing what was demolished during the war and whoever shows solidarity with their political stance. Lebanon is also expecting the visit of the President of the Islamic Republic in Iran Ahmedi Najjad during Al Fitr Holiday. We welcome all our senior guests who come to our country – the country of hospitality, dignity and generosity in every field. The tripartite (Lebanese-Syrian-Saudi) summit took place and its first concern was to protect Lebanon against all what is being woven against it. We understood that there are Arab efforts exerted to protect Lebanon and to block the way before the Israeli dreams. So all of us must cooperate and calm things down until we see the fruit of these efforts and act accordingly. We welcome this Arab effort and this call and stress that we want the truth and reject falsification and politicization. We want justice and in as much as it is a personal and familial right for the family of Premier Rafiq Hariri it is a public and national right for all the Lebanese. We want to protect our country, the unity of our country and its civil peace. And because we want the truth, justice and protecting our country we made our outcry weeks ago. As I have promised you of holding a press conference prior to the Holy Month of Ramadan, this coming Monday on August 9th, I will hold a press conference Inshallah. In fact the press conference which we have primarily prepared consists of two important and large parts. We even had the issue of time to take into consideration. How long may a press conference be? Anyway, what took place was best.
The first section is what I will explain in a while and it has to do with the Israeli enemy accusing us of assassinating Premier Hariri. On the other hand, I will talk not about a supposition but about an accusation on our behalf to Israel of assassinating Premier Martyr Rafiq Hariri on the basis of given and indications. This is section one. As for section two, I want to tackle in it our evaluation and comprehension of tangible given and our evaluation of the international investigation committee, the STL and the working mechanism concerning the indictment. All of that constituted the second section.
Now some might consider that talking about the STL and the indictment makes the country tense and at this stage calming the country is demanded besides giving a chance for the Arab effort to bloom. Thus we will pull off part two though it is ready and prepared until a further notification whether for a week or two or a month or more or less. Only Allah knows.
Now I would like to tell you something about section one which I will talk about on Monday. Over the past few months we have exerted great efforts after the manner in which things are being tackled has become clear to us. Well let’s work seriously – and after all we have our capacities and capabilities. We resorted to our archives. In fact we have sizable archives on the struggle between the Resistance and Israel. Praise be to Allah most of the archives were spared from being shelled in July War. We formed a special team to review all details. They worked for months and for long hours and reached conclusions. On Monday August 9th press conference at 8:30 pm I will present for all of you a tangible evidence that Israel – through its agents – was exploiting the political disagreement (that was then between Hezbollah and Premier Hariri) even back in 1993 to make Premier Hariri, his friends, some of his environment and friends at home and abroad believe that Hezbollah wants to assassinate him. I will bring along with me an audio-visual document to this effect. Also in the press conference I will address you and the public opinion not on the basis of making an appeal for an investigation committee here or there to work on the Israeli assumption. Rather on the day of your victory in July War and as everyone of us has the right to accuse (Days ago they told us that we do not have the right to accuse. Well dear, for four years you made accusations without evidence and given. Based on political analysis you made a political accusation!) No I have given and indications and things that aid in this perspective. Here I tell you today that we accuse the Israeli enemy of assassinating martyr Premier Rafiq Hariri on February 14th, 2005.
As it won’t work during a speech because that needs a TV screen, I will bring along with me films, documents and data which will open important horizons in the investigation to reach the truth at least. Consequently, I will answer all those who told us: You accuse Israel; then give evidences. I will present these evidences to you with facts and figures, and for the first time I will be obliged to disclose one of the very important secrets for one of the specific operations in the history of the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon to prove the authenticity of the given which I will present to you. Indeed after the press conference, the Lebanese government is concerned – it can’t say it is not concerned – of knowing the truth and establishing justice. It can’t be content by saying this issue is in the hands of the STL. No, if it finds that what I will say will help, let it charge any side (whether security, judicial, or a joint committee), and we are ready to give the data, the documents and the original copies and whatever they want and to cooperate to proceed through this path. Indeed if we cooperated and serious efforts were exerted to this effect not only Lebanon and the region will be spared a blind ordeal woven by the Israeli enemy for all of us, but also we will be able to know the true killer so as to establish justice with our hands as Lebanese Inshallah.
In the framework of the second topic and before moving to the third topic I must add one thing and stress a point that has nothing to do with the STL or with the international investigation or harms anyone. Well dear the STL says it has no competence to deal with the fake witnesses. Whether we accept that or not is another story. Well we have heard many voices among the Lebanese themselves, and here I reiterate my call for forming a Lebanese judicial, parliamentary, ministerial or whatever committee. We do not want to try anyone or to behead anyone. Let this committee summon the fake witnesses and thus know who fabricated them. This might as well help in taking in hand one side of the thread or might lead to the truth. What’s the problem in that? We can do that as Lebanese apart from the STL and the general prosecutor and whether we accept them or not, respect them or not, dispute with each other over our evaluations… This is another space for research. Let the STL do its work. We as Lebanese have been harmed by the fake witnesses. Don’t we have the right as Lebanese citizens to call on our dear government to form a committee of whatever kind to open this file before everything that might help in knowing the truth, establishing justice, protect Lebanon, protect the resistance and protect the civil peace? Here I am telling you tonight that you will find Hezbollah on top of those committed, seeking and working to know the truth Inshallah.
The third topic is war. It is supposed that what I said and will say on the Israeli issue must not disturb anyone unless if he wants to defend Israel and that will be his concern and that will be another story. As for war, the existing equations and the statue quo, all of us know by now the targets of July War. The direct and main aim was crushing the Resistance. Indeed crushing the Resistance is but a part of a scheme or a step among other steps which were set to draw the features of a neo Middle East as Condoleezza Rice labeled it. It was a link among other links. One link had to do with Palestine. Another link had to do with Syria. One link had to do with Iran. Another link which had to do with Afghanistan was already over. We were one of the links of the chain. (Even this expression, it was not I who used it).
During the first days of the war, one of the Lebanese political leaderships (I will not mention his name because when we mention names we embarrass people. However he is very affectionate and he knows that we adore him very much) contacted me and said that the story is very big. Be careful. In fact I have contacted the senior official in one of the important Arab countries and called on him that his country interfere to stop the war on Lebanon. He told me not to exhaust myself. There is a very huge international decision to crush Hezbollah. He used this expression: crush Hezbollah. The story is not that of two captives or of arms. There is a great international decision to crush Hezbollah. Everyone of us remembers how the whole world backed the aggression except for a very few who are truly faithful in this world. We member the meeting of the G8 and the statement they issued. Now are Lebanon and the Resistance that much important so that the G8 meet and ink a clause in which it condemns the Resistance and covers the Israeli aggression on the Resistance?
One of the Arab officials (I will not mention his name. Maybe he does not object on mentioning his name but I won’t do that as a precautionary measure) in the Arab delegation which went the International Security Council in New York (in the middle of the war an Arab delegation from the Arab League went to the Security Council in an Arab attempt to stop the war) told me: When we reached the edifice of the Security Council in New York, we were welcomed by our dear friend John Bolton. He told me what did you come here for? I told him we came here to see if we are able to do anything to stop the war. He told us you are wasting your time then. It’s summer now. Why don’t you go for a resort? This war - and this is what Bolton told the Arab officials – will not be stopped except in two cases: If the Resistance is crushed or if Hezbollah surrenders and gives in its arms. In no other cases the war will be halted.
This is the nature of the war we all were steadfast in and we all gained victory in. This was the war. See the wrong considerations. Here I tell the enemy again: You are miscalculating. You still miscalculate and one day you will discover that you are all wrong.
During July War and July Aggression, the overwhelming majority in the world were with the Israeli enemy. The case is not as it is today. As they say the enemy is suffering from international isolation and has a problem apart from some Arab exaggerations.
Then the enemy waged the war and it was given much time. You remember Professor Naom Chomsky who loves Lebanon and visits it frequently. He says: All Israeli wars on Lebanon were made with an Israeli decision and an American approval except July War which was made pursuant to a US decision and with Israeli execution so as to assert that it was a part of a greater scheme. The story is not that of two captives. Today the story is not that of the tree in Adaiseh village. It might have ignited a war. Let them cut off the tree. You will wage a war for a tree. Isn’t this the logic of some people who like to simplify issues? During that war, there were great considerations and bargains. Wait for the collapse of the Resistance. See how it will be disjointed. Soon its fighters will flee the fronts of combat. But they found them as the steady prideful mountains of Lebanon. They are more arrogant than the arrogant and they will remain as such.
Wait until the Lebanese Army is disintegrated when its posts and barracks are bombarded. But they found it truly a manifestation of the slogan it raises over its head (Honor – Sacrifice – Loyalty) and it will remain as such.
They bargained on the million displaced from the South and the southern suburb of Beirut (Dahiyeh) and West Bekaa (especially the region of Baalbek – Al Hermel) and many other Lebanese regions. They bargained that these million displaced will make an outcry, object, protest, hit the street and demonstrate against the resistance and to impose on it accepting the conditions set by the enemy. But they found you the most honorable people, the most generous people and the purest people and you will remain as such.
They bargained on the other Lebanese regions and sects abandoning whoever belongs to this Resistance and its displaced from a specific sect.
They bargained on the other Lebanese abandoning the people of the Resistance. But mosques, churches, monasteries, houses and hearts were vast and spacious enough to embrace them all. Thus Lebanon was a true embodiment of Jesus and Mohammad (peace of Allah be on both of them).
They waited for the fall of the political administration. But there were in Lebanon and are still senior men and high-headed figures who bargained on the Resistance, protected it, supported it and backed it faithfully and thus gained victory with the Resistance. We all were steadfast and we all gained victory. Here I am telling you today: We have imposed our will on the whole world.
I will continue the story of the Arab delegation. This official told me: When he welcomed us, Bolton told us why are you wasting your time? War will not stop unless if the Resistance was crushed or if it surrendered and gave in its arms.
After 10 or 13 days of our arrival, the situation was changing in southern Lebanon. Rockets were still falling on occupied Palestine. Tanks were being demolished in Hjair. In Bint Jbeil, Ainata and the surrounding villages, the stone along with man fought.
See how small the mind of the Israelis is! At times you feel they are small children! What for did the Israelis lead a lengthy battle in Bin Jbeil? It’s because the Resistance in May 25th, 2000 held a festival in Bint Jbeil and a Lebanese man stood there and said “Israel is feebler than the spider web”. Now the Israelis stage a war and change the track of the plan to stand there and say that Israel is a steel house. But as Sheikh Ragheb used to say: No way! They are feebler than the spider web.
So the Arab official says to me: These developments took place and negotiations were taking place between nations. Lebanese officials were being contacted apart from the sufferings of that stage because there was a decision to calm down and we want a calm mind. So one night the Israeli envoy comes to one of the officials in the Arab delegation and tells him: Today we will take a decision to stop the war. The latter answers: You are kidding indeed. Because during the past few days they were still putting conditions – many conditions. They want multi-national forces. Then they accepted to dispatch the UNIFIL. But they will not stop the war before 15 thousand UNIFIL are ready and are dispatched. What will we do with the 15 thousand UNIFIL? The Israeli envoy answered: The 2000 who are already there are enough. Later the 15 thousands will come. He told him: Are you talking seriously? He told him yes we will take a decision to stop the war. The Arab official says: We returned to the session. On the door leading to the meeting room I saw John Bolton standing there waiting for me. He embraced me and took me aside. He told me we need you endeavors tonight. We want to stop the war. I told him: Are you serious? He answered: Yes. I told him: Why do you want to stop the war? The Resistance has not been crushed yet, and it did not give in its arms either. He answered saying: No. Our Israeli friends had reported to us that they have become unable to continue the war. Going on with the war will turn to a terrible catastrophe on Israel.
It was the right of the Arab official to come and begrudge us saying we had done so and so in the Security Council. He told me one phrase which I thank him for. He said: O Sayyed, let know one in this world begrudge you for stopping the war. The whole world wanted this war to carry on to crush you. It is you who stopped the war. You have imposed on the whole world to stop this war. It was you and only you.
Today I want to add one thing to what I said on May 25th, 2000. We the Lebanese said that indeed there are some people who helped us and supported us and may Allah bless them. In Syria and in Iran and in the world we have friends. But neither the international community nor the Security Council, nor anyone in the world can begrudge us saying we have restored for you your occupied land and detainees in prison. We always used to say we restored our land without anyone begrudging us that. Only Allah blessed us with this grace and we thank Him always but no one else. Our people, martyrs, army, land and our cooperation and solidarity…all of these sacrifices for this long period of time led to this result.
Today on the anniversary of July War, I liked to tell you on the basis of all these facts: When the whole world declared itself your enemy, you obliged Israel to stop the war so that it would not turn to a catastrophe on it.
Accordingly, we have made a true deterrence equation which protects our country and our cause. In Lebanon we always have the reason to be worried. Still I do not think that an imminent war is possible and I do not have any further information. If we talk about the possibility of war, this possibility always exists because Israel has an aggressive nature. But yet there is something that calls for worry. Always when there is something woven against Palestine, the Palestinian cause, the Palestine people and the Palestinian resistance behind the scenes and in dark rooms, experts and men of experience in Lebanon have the right to feel worried. Yes, there is worry but it does not seem that war is on the doors. That needs much contemplation and discussion. However apart from any analysis and as we always say as long as this enemy has an aggressive nature and as long as its greedy interests persist, it does not need a pretext at all. When the enemy wants to make a war, he won’t need two captives or the tree of Adaiseh or a rocket which he sends his men to fire on occupied Palestine or an Ambassador in London whom they open fire on but remains alive. He does not need any pretext or excuse.
Thus as Lebanese who are responsible of our country, people, dignity we have to be cautious, alert and ready because who does protect the country? The International Security Council? Then we will repeat the very symphony: international resolutions, international agreements, international accords… The answer to this has become clear for the Lebanese people, the peoples of the region and all the peoples of the world.
Imagine what happened today! The Israelis “killed and cried; made haste and complained”. Then Lebanon was to be blamed. The Israelis made haste and made a complaint to the Security Council. There was no one to veto that. The resolution taken by the Security Council might be a condemnation to Lebanon. We must expect that. But as a condemnation to Israel, that is impossible. It was never condemned following the massacres it perpetrated, is it to be condemned now in the Adaiseh incident and aggressing against the Lebanese army?
Since July War until this very day, the Resistance is trying to make equations for the struggle, confrontation and battle with the aim of protecting the country. In all the previous speeches, I never was searching for prominence and making headlines. Presenting the equations that protect the country is among our responsibilities. The importance of these equations which we are talking about is that they are based on facts. The Israelis know that what I say is true. It’s not because they believe I am truthful and they in fact believe I am so. They have data one way or another due to the numerous agents, the technical issue and many other various reasons and they can have an idea that what I am saying has grounds. But can they know things in details? No they can’t. This is difficult for them to achieve. We must see the agents who are providing them with services. In July War, the Israelis perpetrated many blunders that have to do with information. It was later revealed that much of the information on which they built the war was wrong.
Once I said that if you come to our land, we will fight. We tackled the Israeli internal front. We talked about the rockets and in the previous time, we talked about the sea. We have tackled the sea and the land. What is there still? Everyone is waiting. There is still the air. No! We can’t make an equation on that and we can’t announce any equation on that. As far as air is concerned, we carry on with the policy of constructive ambiguity. Let the Israelis remain lost and think however they want. If they want to believe we do not have air defense, let them believe so. If they want to believe we have air defense, let them believe so… Here lies the strength of the Resistance. We reveal some points to protect the country, and there are other points which we must not reveal apart from its truthfulness also to protect the country. There are some points that should we reveal we would be exposing the country for danger… I say again that is if they exist.
Finally, I would like you to give a message to the Israeli enemy. Today it’s your turn and not mine.
Lately we have noticed that the Israelis are again working on the people in Lebanon especially on the masses of the Resistance. They started organizing a psychological war which targets the people and their will. This is normal. They are responding to our targeting at its internal front. We have managed successfully to target the Israeli internal front. We have managed to plant true anxiety in the Israeli community (And this is based on facts and not on illusions and falsehoods). And the Israeli cabinet can’t but take the anxiety of the Israeli community into consideration whenever it wants to launch a war. On the other hand, Israelis are trying to make a war against our internal front – i.e. towards the people. They want to frighten them and make them feel appalled. They talk about bombing civil targets in the next war. They talk about rockets and arms among civilians and this is indeed sheer lying. Why is it so? That’s because when they shelled in July War Al Hassan Compound in Rweiss in Dahiyeh, were there rockets and arms there? The same applies to Chiah massacre in which more than 50 martyrs fell. Were there military and military capabilities? The same applies to the massacres which Israel perpetrated in Nabi Shith and Ali Nahri, Qana, Sreefah and Qaa (more than a hundred Lebanese, Syrian and Palestinian laborers were killed). Were there rockets and arsenals? They do not need a pretext. In fact, Israel’s policy and strategy is to target civilians and kill them to pressure the will of those who resist, stand steadfast and confront.
Tonight I would like to ask you a question, and you will give the answer and the equation. You and only you. Following July War, Israelis believed that the people will abandon the Resistance and that the people are fed up with the Resistance. But does man feel tired of protecting his dignity, pride, high head and esteem? They only assumed that. The great answer was given by the masses of the Resistance and the people of the Resistance following July War and on August 14th when processions of groups of southerners, Bekai and the people of Dahiyeh returned to their demolished houses and villages which were packed with cluster bombs. They were not afraid of death or of being killed or of bombardment or of Israeli treachery. I ask you after all these victories, will you abandon the Resistance? Our message tonight to the enemy and to anyone who makes miscalculations is that the most honorable people who offered the most honorable martyrs will never abandon the path of the Resistance.
I felicitate you for this victory as well as your martyrs, your wounded, your sacrifices, steadfastness and your patience. I congratulate you on the birthday of Imam Mahdi on the 15th Lunar month of Shabaan. I wish Allah may return the Holy Month of Ramadan – the Month of Allah – on you with victory, blessing, unity and peace. Peace be upon you and Allah’s mercy and blessings.
