I Take refuge in Allah from the stoned devil. In the Name of Allah, The Compassionate, The Most Merciful. Praise be to Allah, The Lord of the World.
Peace be on our Master and Prophet – The Seal of Prophets – Mohammad and on his Chaste Household, chosen companions and all prophets and messengers.
Peace be on our Master and Prophet – The Seal of Prophets – Mohammad and on his Chaste Household, chosen companions and all prophets and messengers.
Brothers and sisters! Peace be upon you and Allah's mercy and blessing.
I welcome you on the Day of Hezbollah Martyr. My special regards are for the families of the honored martyrs.
First, I salute the chaste souls of our great dear martyrs, and we offer them the rewards of reciting the holy surah of Al Fatiha.
Allah Almighty says in His Holy Book: {In the Name of Allah, The Compassionate the Most Merciful: Allah hath purchased of the Believers their persons and their goods; for theirs (in return) is the Garden (of Paradise): they fight in His Cause, and slay and are slain: a promise binding on Him in truth, through the Torah, the Gospel, and the Qoran: and who is more faithful to his Covenant than Allah? Then rejoice in the bargain which ye have concluded: that is the achievement supreme}
At the beginning of our ceremony and in the presence of the martyrs' souls, we pose before this holy ayah for a while and say it is among the holy ayahs that tackle one of the great kindnesses and generosities of Allah.
Brothers and sisters! Allah Al Mighty has offered us our souls. Allah also has offered us our wealth. So our souls and our wealth are His properties and not ours. Then pursuant to His generosity, bounteousness and kindness He offered them to us. Then pursuant to His kindness He approached us and demanded on us to sell Him these souls and wealth. In return, He did not give us or promise us a price that corresponds to what He is buying as is the case in any buying and selling transaction. Rather He promised us what is much greater from what we are offering in this divine transaction.
{Allah hath purchased of the Believers their persons and their goods} which are originally His possession. In return He promised the Paradise which is as wide as Heavens and Earth and which includes what no eye has seen, no ear has heard and had never crossed the heart of man. This Paradise is the price in return.
How is this contract and transaction executed? They fight in His Cause. Those who have sold their persons and their goods fight in His Cause. So they fight not through claiming, not through slogans and not through reverberating words but rather through jihadi bloody action. "They fight in the cause of Allah and slay and are slain'. They die as martyrs. 'A promise binding on Him' is an assertion by Allah Al Mighty. The truth on this promise is first that it is a promise binding on Him. 'In truth' is another assertion. Where is the third assertion? It's in the Torah, the Gospel and the Qoran. He is telling the believers that this covenant and selling contract is a commitment from Me in all divine messages and all Holy Books. It is one of the constants of belief since Allah created man until Doom's Day. This is the interpretation of 'a promise binding on Him in truth in the Torah, the Gospel and the Qoran'. The fourth assertion is in 'and who is more faithful to his Covenant than Allah?' Why are all these assertions for? That's because in other transactions or agreements the other party might fail to live up for fulfilling his promise. While it is impossible that Allah Al Mighty fails or becomes feeble or unable to fulfill His promise. Others might hesitate to fulfill their promises but Allah does not hesitate in fulfilling His promise, word and will. Some might feel remorse for their deeds as a result of something wrong in the given and many other suppositions. However Allah is The Lord, The Omnipotent, The Omniscient and The Al Mighty who owns the Heavens and Earth. 'And who is more faithful to his Covenant than Allah?
Then after this equation, He is the one who granted. He is the one who demanded buying. He is the one who granted Heaven. He is the one who promised. He is the one who is felicitating and congratulating them and giving them the good tidings. 'Then rejoice in the bargain which ye have concluded: that is the achievement supreme'. He refers to the achievement as supreme. Who is referring to this achievement in this bargain as supreme? Allah, The Supreme. The True and Absolute Supremacy is referring to this achievement as supreme.
Another ayah says: {And Another (favor will He bestow), which ye do love help from Allah and a speedy victory. So give the glad Tidings to the Believers}
Brothers and sisters! In our jihadi procession of belief, a group of brothers and sisters and of men and women who believed in this ayah and believed in the promise of Allah Al Mighty and trusted in His covenant sold their souls and goods to Allah. They fought with their goods and souls in the cause of Allah which is the cause of spreading righteousness, justice and freedom. The cause of Allah is the cause of defending the tortured, the oppressed, the prosecuted and the hungry. This is the cause of Allah or else Allah is not in need of our prayers, fasting, worship, endeavors, blood and money. All of that is rather in the cause of Allah.
Some of these brothers and sisters passed away as martyrs and they have received the good tidings of meeting Allah and Heaven. Some of these brothers and sisters are still waiting. They are alive. They are the mujahedeen who have tasted the sense of honor and witnessed the promised victories with their very eyes. On this very track we move with this spirit of faith which we rely on with such determination.
Today is November 11th. It's the Day of Hezbollah Martyr. It is the day of the most powerful and important qualitative jihadi operation in the history of the Arab-Israeli struggle. It's the day of the Prince of self-martyrs Ahmad Qasir. He is a prince because he is the founder and the pioneer in the era of self-martyrdom operations against the Zionist enemy. Truly he must be referred to as a prince. He was 18 years old if we counted his age in natural years but he who had reached a degree of knowledge, intelligence, awareness, faith, love, will and determination which enabled him to be among the most prominent figures in the life and history of this nation. On this day the martyr prince stormed into the headquarters of the Israeli military chief in Tyr killing 140 officers and soldiers thus hurling the Zionist entity in deep sadness and mourning for three full days. Through his qualitative self-martyrdom operation, he set the foundations for a different new decisive stage in resistance, fighting, jihad, operations and the true implementation of the fight of wills.
Many a years ago, we in Hezbollah have chosen this day to be the day for all our martyrs and to all our leader martyrs: Sayyed Abbass, Sheikh Ragheb and Hajj Imad and all the other leader martyrs. It is the day for all the self-martyrs who followed Ahmad Qasir. It's the day for all our mujahedeen martyrs. It's the day for all our men, women, elderly and children who were killed in the confrontation fields or in massacre zones or are paying the price of belonging to this resistance and this track starting with the first martyr in our procession to the last martyr who died few weeks ago – brethren martyr Mahdi Mohammad Hirz who was twenty years old. He was martyred while he was with his brethren mujahedeen in the Islamic Resistance detonating mines and cluster bombs in our fields and territories in our resisting and jihadi Lebanese South.
It's their right on us that on this day we talk about their jihad, sacrifices, the victories of their blood on all the swords of the world, great achievements and the esteem, pride, honor, freedom, liberation, sovereignty, independence, power and capability to face the upcoming challenges which they have left for us. However I will talk about their cause and their resistance and what their resistance is confronting in the current stage because this resistance has always been their primary will which they have recorded with their voices and inked on their papers that carried their final wills.
Brothers and sisters! We have now entered a very critical stage in the fate of the nation, the resistance and the region. Before these great and dear martyrs we are concerned in having a pause for contemplation and revision which is necessary for all of us and not for one group instead of the other. That's because when we face new and critical stages we must recall the previous stages. Where were we right? Where were we wrong? How did we confront? What are the elements of strength? What are the elements of weakness? We read what has taken place to know how we are to confront what is upcoming so that our stances and choices be right, appropriate and responsible.
We all feel that Lebanon today is before a new phase and a new stage, and that the resistance in particular is before a new phase of the phases of targeting the resistance. In this review, I want to reach the statue quo and set a group of points.
Perhaps with another brethren and with a various reading other divisions might be seen. As for me, I have seen that so far we have passed through five phases. That means that there are five phases and we are now living the fifth phase from the phases of targeting the resistance in Lebanon. Indeed the books which have been published in the past few days and weeks – so far I have not read any translations but only extracts which were published in newspapers and we have read whether the French book "The President's Secret" or the autobiography of Tony Blair or the other book for George Bush or the book of the former UNIFIL leader. All of these books help us. Indeed among these books those of George Bush and Tony Blair are of greater importance because they are valuable documents with judicial and legal importance. Why? That's because it is he who wrote, confessed, signed, acknowledged… It is he who is saying I thought as such, I did such and such… So no one is writing about him. Though I was told that the French book is of great importance also and has scientific value, its author after all remains someone who is quoting documents or presidents. However the other two authors are themselves presidents. It was they who were deciding, leading and plotting and are now writing and acknowledging some of what they did and this indeed might be resorted as a reference. So no one in Lebanon or in the Arab world may say where you got these things from. What are you saying? There is nothing of this sort. These are their books which speak out of what they said and did. Indeed we may benefit from that.
However first I must hint to the degree of grudge and savagery with which George Bush and Tony Blair used to think through their acknowledgements. For example when Blair talks about Syria he does not talk about toppling the regime in Syria.
Indeed Blair is a senior politicians and the Premier of Britain for long years so he does not make a mistake in the usage of such a term. He rather talks about destroying the Syrian state. Well the Syrian state is one thing while the Syrian regime is another.
What took place in Iraq is not a change of regime. What took place in Iraq was rather a destruction of Iraq and not a change in the political regime. They disintegrated the army; they disintegrated the state ministries; they disintegrated the country and the society and destroyed it totally. Today the Iraqi leaderships, people and elite are before a great responsibility and before an urgent need to reconstruct Iraq on all levels: on the level of human beings, culture, emotion, structure, state, decision making and institutions. The spirit which was brought about by Bush and Blair and those with them is the spirit of destruction – destroying Syria, destroying Iraq, destroying Lebanon, destroying Iran and not toppling the regime. What took place and is taking place in Afghanistan is destroying Afghanistan. All of that is for the sake of Israel. It's not I who is saying so. I will read a text for Kissinger, and the text which was published for Bush during these days also asserts the very meaning: For whose interest is all of this destruction? That is before going to the phases of targeting the resistance. I hope that a chance is given – as in Lebanon people do not listen for each other – I hope what I will say would be a topic for discussion among us as Lebanese because it has to do with our fate. Following the great triumph of the resistance in 2000 – one of the most important topics of this victory as I have said before is that it hammered the last nail in the coffin of Great Israel with geographic extension and thus it moved to a new stage. The Israelis clearly said along with the Americans that they will not remain silent on the resistance that has inflicted defeat on them. Here we entered new phases of targeting the resistance primarily in Lebanon.
I have set a name for each phase.
The first phase is the confrontation with the international community. In fact, I elected the names from the speeches delivered by our enemies. The first direct target against the resistance was following this victory through the issuance of Resolution 1559. Sylvan Shalom who was then the enemy's Foreign Minister said that following 2000 'I made a tour around the world for the issuance of this resolution'. Indeed he attributed that to himself. For sure, Israel is an accomplice in the issuance of this resolution. He justified that clearly when he said we want to put Hezbollah and the Resistance in Lebanon in the face of the international society. Why should it be in face of Israel? Israel was defeated in the battle with the Lebanese Resistance. So we go somewhere to put the Resistance in Lebanon in confrontation with the international community. The Israeli efforts were met with time, developments and events by a meeting between Presidents Bush and Chirac. This is what 'The President's Secret' and George Bush personally talks about.
Chirac and Bush met and agreed on Resolution 1559. It is they and not I who are saying so. So this resolution is a US-French fabrication. If we do not want to hold the countries responsible, we may say it was a Bush-Chirac fabrication with the contribution of various regional, local and international elements. Still the true makers are George Bush and Jacques Chirac. Prior to Resolution 1559, the Resistance was not part of the internal political equation or the internal political struggle. Still it has to pay the price for what was taking place in the region. The priority for Chirac was to pull Syria out of Lebanon. Perhaps he was not in a hurry concerning the Resistance. On the other hand, the priority for Bush was ending the Lebanese and Palestinian Resistance to serve the rest of the new Middle East project which we were heading to. After all, among the main targets of Resolution 1559 were and are still the Resistance and hitting the Resistance. Days ago Sylvan Shalom who is not anymore a Foreign Minister but the Vice President in the enemy's entity said that the indictment against Hezbollah – in his viewpoint – will lead to the implementation of Resolution 1559; but he is deluded. Perhaps they supposed that the Security Council would convene, the whole world will assent, there will be a Lebanese division, America is present in Iraq and Afghanistan, Israel is dominating in the region; so all of these factors will lead to the collapse of the Syrian-Lebanese-Iranian stance and the Resistance in the region. Then things will be achieved through bullying, war and pressure saying that 'you are in confrontation with the international community'. All what we hear today about confronting the international community started in 2004. In 2004, you told us that 'you are facing the international community through refusing Resolution 1559. There they were mistaken in their evaluation. They thought that if they put the international community in confrontation with the Resistance or even in confrontation with Syria, all will collapse and be defeated. However that did not take place.
Now we move to the second phase. The assassination of martyr PM Rafiq Hariri caused a quake in the country. There took place a US-French agreement, pressure and the utilization of all elements of strength in the world to pull Syria out of Lebanon. Syria withdrew from Lebanon. So it is indispensable that the country be recomposed. I consider the second phase which commenced with an internal political operation in 2005 among the phases that targeted the Resistance but in a soft way. I labeled the second phase as "Temptation with Power". Let's add to the book "The President's Secret" what was published by newspapers then about the meetings of the French Ambassador with me which is true. The administration of President Jacque Chirac had a vision that says 'let's engage Hezbollah and the Resistance in the authority'. This is not my analysis. That is what I used to sense always in my meetings with the ambassador. However what is more important than these meetings is that President Chirac in a meeting with the head of one of the states in the region said 'I and George Bush agree on the necessity of putting an end to the Resistance in Lebanon and disarming it. However the difference between me and the Americans is that I want to achieve this goal through the mind and politics while they want to achieve it through power. I see that we engage the Resistance and Hezbollah in particular in the political authority and open before it the doors of authority.
Following a period of time, Hezbollah on its own will feel that remaining in the domain of resistance and sticking to its arms have become a burden on it. Hence it will abandon its arms on its own'. This respected president furnished me with this given and I thank him. He said that they think as such; so be careful. Chirac demanded from that president also to 'help them and convince us to move in this direction and this peaceful track'. The deadline granted to Jacques Chirac to achieve this goal with his friends in Lebanon was one year or one year and a half no more. That's because the birth of the New Middle East couldn’t wait more. The conception is due and this New Middle East must be given birth. Time was limited. Actually we, in Hezbollah, had been offered the maximum of what might be offered to a political party within the Lebanese sectarian composition. Here I would like to make clear some pieces of information to some of the Lebanese who do not like to understand. It has to do with the issue of tripartite power-sharing. They say that some in Lebanon are working to achieve a tripartite power-sharing in Lebanon instead of a bi-power-sharing between Muslims and Christians. They accuse Hezbollah and Amal Movement of seeking this tripartite power-sharing – meaning Shiites, Sunnites and Christians. I do not know where Druze would be classified when they talk about a tripartite power-sharing. A couple of days ago I saw some of March 14 Bloc leaders accusing General Aoun of facilitating the idea of tripartite power-sharing. What has General Aoun to do with the idea of tripartite power-sharing? I can not grasp that.
The first to evoke the idea of tripartite power-sharing were the French in the administration of Jacques Chirac. We never considered a tripartite power-sharing. I challenge the entire world to find one stance only for a leader in Hezbollah, Amal, the Supreme Shiite Council, a Shiite scholar, politician, journalist or man who tackled the issue of a tripartite power-sharing. Never! The issue is not in our minds. The French made this offer on the Iranians. This is stated in the journal of the sessions of the Iranian Foreign Ministry. In Tehran this offer was made. Then the French told the Iranians 'don't you think there is an urgent need to reconsider the Taif Accord and to make a new agreement and a new contract?' Then the Iranians – who are unaware of any ideas – asked what ideas there are. The French answered for example among the ideas we may consider is a tripartite power-sharing because situations in Lebanon changed: the demographic situation, the political situation, the composition of forces… This is logical. This accord took place some 20 years ago. Now we may discuss a new agreement. Go to the French. They are your friends. It's they who talked about this issue. A couple of days ago who talked about a new agreement and that there are 5 Arab countries which back making a new agreement in Lebanon. Wasn't he Koushner? What does a new agreement mean? Why is it that when Koushner talked about a new agreement at the expense of Taif Accord, all those much interested in Taif Accord held their tongues? They remained silent. Where were they? Where are these much zealous? Where were the chivalrous gentlemen? Where were those who used to cause a media and press uproar in Lebanon when anyone talks about Taif Accord? For weeks we did not wish to make any comment on that; however, now it comes in the course of our speech. One of the promising deputies from March 14 Bloc talked about a new political regime which invalidates the Taif Accord and is closer to federalism. Where are March 14 forces? Where are those much interested in Taif Accord? Why did they hold their tongues again? This makes an indication of the political level we live in. Has a figure from the Opposition – especially the Christian Opposition - talked as such what might have taken place? Had a figure from the Free National Movement or Al Maradeh Movement said what Kuoshner or that promising deputy had said what would have happened in the country? They would have said it is a coup d'etat on the Taif Accord and a conspiracy against Taif Accord. They would have held Rabiyeh, Tehran and even the Seven Heavens responsible.
Isn't this the level of political composition in the country? We go back to the original topic. Why did they think, offer or approach a tripartite power-sharing? That is to tempt the Shiites in Lebanon. When we come to the Shiites in Lebanon - who had all their lives been abandoned in the political composition in Lebanon – and tell them now you represent one third of the country. You have the right of veto. What is the price in return? The first price is stepping out of the Arab-Israeli struggle – meaning abandoning the resistance. Second, I tell all those who bet on the Americans: should we open before them the gate to Haret Hreik, many places will not be stepped again by the Americans. If we want to make bargains in Lebanon, the price of the Resistance is greater than the tripartite power-sharing which they accuse us of. The tripartite power-sharing was offered so that we abandon the resistance in face of Israel and forsake Syria which was targeted by the new project. As we said Tony Blair used to talk about destroying Syria and not toppling the regime. The price was also to fit in the project. There was a US-British-Western-Israeli project which has room for all - even for an Islamic party, an Islamic movement, the Islamic Resistance and the turbans of bearded religious scholars.
The Americans are pragmatic. They have no problem in anything. Even if you were the killer of his father, he might make a project with you. Here again the project did not work because they have misunderstood us. Here I stress on the term 'they misunderstood us'. You thought we are seeking power and that our resistance did not seek to liberate the land and sanctities and achieve freedom and dignity but rather seek to gain positions so you started offering us positions to abandon the resistance. You were mistaken and deluded. We are not authority-seekers. We do not sell our resistance, freedom, dignity and our martyrs' blood for one-third of the power, not even for the entire power. To us the Resistance is a divine and a religious duty. It is a selling contract with Allah – the Creator of all creatures and the Lord of all lords and not a bargaining field with anyone in this world. You were mistaken and you gained nothing. I also want to recall that in 2005 until before the war especially following the Parliamentary elections under the quartet alliance, the local forces were the ones who offered us authority. They know themselves. I want to say even more. Go back to the archives and note the level of courtesy and praise we as well as our behavior, morals and abstention used to receive. That was clear on behalf of March 14 Bloc.
They said poetry in us. Days ago when one of the Opposition leaderships addressed us with one kind word you attacked him. In 2005, you said about us more than what he said about us. However he was saying so because he is sincere in his alliance, while you said so about us because you were executing the phase on tempting with authority among the phases of conspiracy against us. So there are those who praise you to slay you, and there are those who praise you because they believe in you and want to build a country with you.
The third phase is war. Time was over. The conception of George Bush, Dick Cheney and Condoleezza Rice must be given birth. It's due that the New Middle East be delivered in 2006 because by the end of 2006 the semi-elections in the Congress were due as you remember. The choice was thus war. In Lebanon, they believed they have laid their hands on the Parliament, the government and the country. True the Opposition forms an essential factor but there remains one essential knot and a true problem which is the armed resistance. The Americans do not want to address Lebanon’s problem, but rather Israel’s. We as Lebanese and Arab people must always bear in mind that what counts for the Americans is neither Lebanon nor Palestine nor Syria nor Iraq nor Egypt nor Saudi Arabia nor Iran nor Pakistan. Rather what counts according to them are Israel and its security, power, persistence and arrogance. This is the absolute US constant.
I will read a couple of words quoting Annahar Newspaper. Annahar Newspaper publishes the letter Kissinger sent to General Eddeh. General Rimon Eddeh first sent a harsh letter to Kissinger with a brave but hard content. When someone reads this letter he will be amazed by the courage by which Eddeh expresses his position. In it he accuses Kissinger of seeking to demolish Lebanon. This is the accusation in brief. Kissinger answers back with a lengthy letter a part of which is ridiculous. It shows a kind of arrogance and it says that he is writing in the airplane. What is important is that there are two sections which I like to read on you so that the Lebanese hear them. I hope March 14 Bloc would hear them – particularly the Christians in March 14 Bloc and more precisely the Christian youth in March 14 Bloc.
Kissinger was the one who wrote the American constant which George Bush now committed himself to as he acknowledges in his book. Kissinger says in the letter that it is true that I am thinking of creating petty nations like Israel (This letter is dated on 14/6/1976 meaning during the Lebanese civil war when the country was being demolished and devastated). So he said true I am thinking of creating petty nations similar to Israel after I failed to convince the Arab states in the idea of open peacemaking and in accepting this new state as part of the region. But it is also true that the bloody events we contrived in Lebanon (so the US Secretary of State is with his very words acknowledging that at that time that the events which were contrived in Lebanon and the civil war in Lebanon were made by the USA) had secured an ideal platform for disjointing the united souls and destroying the coexistence formula (So the coexistence at that time among the Lebanese was between Muslims and Christians and not between Sunnites and Shiites) and put into disorder the only democratic regime in the region.
Kissinger then says that contrary to what His Holiness the Pope and President d'Estaing and many of the European leaders at that time see, I see that Lebanon has become a burden on the West as its freedom has given birth to many ideas which were used against us and not against the states in the region. Thus I decided to annul this freedom in Lebanon despite the opposition from so and so and then make its regime an annexed regime (So he is the first to assume the responsibility of creating a weak, feeble, annexed state. (These are the American policies – for those who talk about crossing to the state). And you know very well that blotting out the Lebanese regime for at least two years is an important issue to make the necessary settlements. He then says your look O Rimon Eddeh is emotional and does not fit a man like me (meaning Kissinger) who views the world geography through the interests of America and through the interests of Israel in the region. The evidence on that – listen O Lebanese so that you understand all what has been taking place since the seventies until today – is that the war in your country will not stop if Israel's security is threatened. (That's your worth according to the Americans) That's because everything that takes place in the region must be subject to this logic. Finally you ask from me O Mr. Eddeh to trust the faithful friendship which you have to the US people. In return I want you to be sure that my faithfulness to Israel is equivalent only to my faithfulness to my wife and my third country, the United States. This is the first section. Did the United States change from the time of Kissinger to this very day or is it still the same?
The second section is very important. He talks about when he visited Lebanon and what took place with him when they hid in the barracks. He says so I discovered during the few hours which I spent in the military Barracks that I am in a homeland which is hiding from its deteriorating statue quo. Of course I know your response to this image, for the responsibility always lies on the United States. However, be sure that we have repetitively tried and are still trying to conspire on several regimes in the Arab world. However all our attempts flopped. Why? (Listen well) Why? That's because we were confronted with national resistance and internal invincibility. (So he failed. Then he goes back to Lebanon) Earthquakes do not occur except in cracking land. (So the intact firm strong land is not shaken even by earthquakes.)
I will not conceal on you that Lebanon is an ideal country for achieving conspiracies not only against it (That means not only against Lebanon) but also against the entire Arab world. I have discovered in its contradictions new elements to set up a great trap for all the Arabs. President Ford had once told me with much joy that the success my plan achieved in Lebanon had covered for the mistakes I perpetrated in Chile, Cyprus, Bangladesh and Angola. I personally did not accept this degree of success. True the existence of Israel expanded the magnitude of action but the Lebanese contradictions were the reason that used to provide continuity and integrity to the plot. (Peace be upon you and Allah's mercy and blessings). This must be written by gold. This must be taught in the educational curricula in Lebanon and the Arab world. This must be clearly printed and circulated so that every Lebanese man, child and old man read it. This is America and this is the American policy. To all those who have followed America since the sixties, seventies, eighties, nineties until this very day: this is America. It is making use of them and investing them in its projects but it is not concerned by anything; neither their security, integrity, stability nor any other thing. It is only concerned about its own interests and about Israel. It is not concerned by any other thing.
Based on this reading we go back to the third phase: The Israeli war against Lebanon. The US decision maker said it seems that this is a group who are not tempted with power. So any local given to terminate the resistance is useless.
There is no way out here. We want to make a New Middle East and we are running out of time. Let's head to war then. Here we go back to the two captives. Was it they who caused the war or not. We then said had we not kidnapped the two prisoners in July, the war was to take place in September. It was a show of kindness from Allah that we kidnapped the two captives because that made the war earlier. Perhaps was the war to take place in September, it would have been harder because the element of surprise would have been available while on the eve of the kidnapping the element of surprise was eliminated. We became precautious even if for a definite limit. The decision of war was taken. Bush thought – this is clear in the book – along with Olmert that Hezbollah could be destroyed in a week at most. In fact in materialistic natural equations that was logical because the magnitude of the aerial campaign which took place and the magnitude of destruction, killing and targets was massive. You brethrens know and the Lebanese also know. Go back to the records to revive your memory. They did not spare any of our headquarters or houses. There are targets which were hit once, twice and thrice when the list of targets was covered and there were no more targets to be hit. It was supposed that the plot works and the resistance be demolished and those who remain alive be arrested and jailed and people give up and surrender. Still that did not take place.
George Bush expresses his disappointment and holds what he called the shaken military performance responsible. He said that a golden chance was missed by Olmert and Israel to terminate Hezbollah in the first week because as he said in the first week eight nations were with us and the whole world was with us. However when the resistance remained steadfast and massacres started being perpetrated while the whole world was watching – this is what Bush said – it was clear that the Israelis were lost. Here we add Israeli given which says that Olmert called for putting an end to war when the first week was over.
He became aware that this war will not achieve any of its goals. Who insisted on carrying on with war? The Americans. George Bush acknowledges that he called for the continuation of war to renew the chance before Israel to put an end to Hezbollah. He thus offered them a second, third and fourth week. He could have also given more time but George Bush said that they made an evaluation in the National Security Council and reached a conclusion that said that they are unable to carry on with war. So let no one begrudge us that saying that he had halted the war. As I told you on August 14th or perhaps on May 25th. Let know one begrudge us that. The steadfastness or Lebanon, the resistance, the people, the army and the sacrifices of the heroic brave martyrs and not the treacherous who had put an end to the war. They made a revision and they concluded that they should not carry on with the war. So far three weeks have already passed with their being no hope. Rather on the contrary during the fourth week that became clearer to the Israelis. As you might have noticed most of the Israeli military losses and casualties (soldiers and tanks) were afflicted in the last week and during the last days. So finally they found that they must go to the Security Council and make use of it. Bush says that he took the decision of going to the Security Council for three reasons which are the sum of discussions which took place in the US National Security Council.
First it was taken to save Israel. Does March 14 Bloc accept this evaluation from their master Bush? Let one of them show up and argue with him: How come that took place to save Israel! What Bush is saying is correct. O people! During the last week, forty thousand officers and soldiers were entering the South. Tanks were being demolished. Soldiers were being killed. There was mounting confusion. The troops who were ushered in parachutes without food and water were suffering from hunger. Cries were made openly without any codifications. They were cursing their officers and supreme leadership. Some were saying we need water; others were saying replace us; some saying evacuate us. The Israeli elite troops could not remain steadfast for 48 hours in the land of the South. They call for their replacement. I sent to the Resistance men in Bint Jbeil, Aita and other positions – you know the whole story that took place in Aita – in the middle of the war that there is no need for you to stay their. Still they remained there for 33 days and even more. George Bush is talking with precision when he said 'to save Israel'. Had the war carried on, you would have witnessed a different scene and a greater defeat because at that time the confidence of the cabinet in the staff was shaken as well as the confidence of the staff in the officers, the confidence of the officers in the soldiers and the confidence of the fighters in the officers. That spirit was hit. It was possible that a greater achievement be made. Someone might say: Why did you accept stopping the war? That's because our project is not war. We were aware, we believed and we were witnessing what was taking place on the ground before us. Still we assume the responsibility of our country, people and homes. So first the war was stopped not for saving Lebanon. George Bush did not stop the war either to save the children of Lebanon and the people of Lebanon.
The massacres did not move his emotions. He first put an end to the war to save Israel. Second, he put an end to the war to prevent US isolation. That's because with time the whole world started abandoning their support to the war and America was about to remain alone. So the image of America in the Arab world which came to save it from the tyrants and dictatorships and which wants to spread democracy and believe that its greatest achievement is the Arz Revolution was about to be hit.
So the second reason is saving America from isolation. The third reason is saving 'the democratic government of Saniora.' In this he is a liar son of a liar. He does not care for the government of Fouad Saniora or any thing else. This is meaningless. He meant to say that there is a degree of democracy in Lebanon and we want to guard it.
Mr. George Bush was still in the White House when May 7th incidents took place. What did Bush's administration do for Saniora’s democratic government? The whole story has to do with Israel. The war came to an end and failed to achieve its goals.
Before moving to the fourth phase, there is a file which we did not open after the war though it deserves a pause. We have the right to ask in the name of 1140 martyrs who fell during July War whether Lebanese, Syrian, Palestinian or Arab and whether from the Resistance with all its factions and parties or from the Army, the security forces, peasants or laborers – in your name we ask this question: were there any Lebanese political forces and leaderships who called for launching a war on the Resistance in Lebanon or not? Where there such parties or not? Were there Lebanese political leaderships or forces who during the war called for extending the duration of the war until Israel is able to destroy the Resistance or not? Were there political forces and leaderships in Lebanon who bet on this war or not? What are the roles which were played by the Lebanese political forces and leaderships during the war whether on the media, political or even security and intelligence levels? Is there anyone in Lebanon who is responsible of the postponement in solution finding during the last weeks of the war so as to extend the duration of war on the resistance? Yes. Let's go back to the French. The man is still alive. He is the international relations official and has become a deputy.
Well during the war he was the international relations official. The French man called and told him let's meet in such and such a place in Beirut because we can't meet in any other place. He told him: Well dear things are over in the Security Council. The Americans consented. The French consented. The Israelis consented. Only your government has not consented yet. I am not accusing anyone falsely. The sound records which have to do with the Security Council are all available. Still following the war we did not raise this issue. We never approached it. We did not question anyone. We did not call for an international tribunal. (In fact we do not have confidence in international tribunals. We do not even trust a judicial council or any other ordinary judicial side or anyone.) We said well Lebanon has emerged from war devastated. True it was victorious but there were great wounds. We must cooperate altogether to reconstruct the country as I said in my speech shoulder to shoulder and hand in hand. But will this file remain closed forever? Isn't it part of the truth which we must search for in the name of 1140 martyrs? Don't the families of these martyrs have a right? Aren't the martyrs with souls and blood? Don't they also have the right to call for truth and justice? I am not placing one file in face of another. Never! All causes are respectable and must remain as such. I am posing a question only.
In the third phase, I want to tell them again that you were mistaken in estimating our power and capacity as well as our faith, determination and trust in Allah Al Mighty.
You were mistaken in estimating our ability to remain steadfast. You were wrong in evaluating our capability to tolerate pains, betrayal and stabs in the back. You were mistaken in everything. You only had by then to challenge our triumph which was acknowledged by the whole world. Still you did not acknowledge it.
The fourth phase is May 5th. American-inspired decisions were taken with the aim of causing a clash between the Resistance and the Army and sowing strife between Sunnites and Shiites. Well events took place and on May 7th, the fourth phase was thwarted. Here again you were mistaken. You were mistaken in your considerations. You were mistaken in understanding our priorities. You were mistaken in comprehending our way of thinking. You were mistaken and you’re still.
The fifth and last phase is the STL and the indictment. (That is at the present time. Only Allah knows. As long as there is America and Israel and there is a beautiful country like Lebanon which has water and perhaps oil and diversities and special properties conspiracies will not stop). We go back to the very beginning – dragging us to a confrontation with the international community. Now we entered forcefully in a new stage of targeting the Resistance via an indictment? What is the whole idea? When Bush talks in his book he talks about evidences and not a political indictment against Syria. No they were rather evidences which they accused Syria of. Well accusing Syria was worn out. Let's accuse the party of the resistance of assassinating a predominant and important premier. That means putting the Resistance vs. the government and the project of the government. Let's accuse Shiite men of assassinating the most important Sunnite leader and consequently issue an indictment in this regard. We will call on the Lebanese government which had signed an agreement with us to arrest these men. The latter would set to arrest them and dispatch army troops and security forces which would be engaged in a clash with the Resistance. Primarily this is the plot. It is not important for the Americans, the Israelis and the sponsors of the STL what would happen or what might happen in Lebanon. Lebanon in itself is not important, neither is martyr PM Rafiq Hariri, the Sunnites, the Shiites, the Muslims, the Christians, the Future Movement, March 14 Bloc nor March 8 Bloc. What is important is Israel, and Israel's interest is that the Resistance be hit, eliminated, isolated, besieged, weakened, snatched away from its popular environment and its image be distorted. Its morals, belief and will must be harmed and consequently, it would be ready to be hit or to surrender to this plot.
I do not want to tackle the investigation or talk about it. I do not want to talk either about the false witnesses, communication or how the investigation is taking place. We have heard much about that. It seems that here also there are wrong evaluations including telling Hezbollah that it would be accused. Well everyone knows that Hezbollah observes very much its reputation, image and morals as well as its arms and not being dragged into an ordeal or fighting with anyone. Today a figure from March 14 Bloc said that if 'Hezbollah laid down its arms we would have gained victory'. See they are conspiring against the arms. Imagine someone always provoking you, picking on you, attacking you and abusing you day and night until you become angry and resort to your arms. Then when you resort to your arms he would say that he gained victory. Well how it would be that he gained victory? He is distorting the arms and dragging you to use your arms internally. Isn't this a conspiracy against the resistance? You must always be by my side so that my arms remain pointed on Israel if you are concerned about the fate of the country. But as long as you are a conniver on the Resistance you want to provoke me to use my arms internally.
This is the equation.
So let's go back to the very initial supposition. If we told Hezbollah which is observant of its image and honor as well as its arms and priorities that see they will accuse you; then Hezbollah would collapse and say we will do what you want us to do. What is this? This is not true. Or if we reached somewhere with Hezbollah after saying that the cause of three or four or five undisciplined men is a trivial story. The Resistance is much greater. The Resistance has offered thousands of martyrs. Now the story is limited to three or four men only? Where would they be ushering Hezbollah then? To the guillotine. We will be putting the resistance under the guillotine. The story would not be that of three or four men. The guillotine will not stop at that limit.
Here indeed they were mistaken in their evaluation. Here I stress again you were very much mistaken. Actually we announced our stance. Everyone by now knows that the Resistance won't accept any accusation of this kind neither does its people and masses accept. Even more, the National Lebanese Opposition is consolidated and united in the face of this new conspiracy. This is quite clear. They hoped the case would be otherwise. They thought the resistance will remain isolated and that people will abandon it. This is a great accusation. Who is able to tolerate it?
The country was then hurled into a stage of political and media tension. In brief, amid this atmosphere of media and political tension, Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz made a kind, careful and faithful initiative, I say. He visited Damascus and then made a joint visit with President Bashar Assad to Lebanon and held the tripartite summit with President Michel Sleiman. The tripartite summit took place. It was then said there is a critical situation in the country and that must be addressed.
Here I am telling you: Today even if a window of hope was opened, this country is always targeted. They always want to put it in a state of tension. It is not us who put it in a state of tension. They called us for a truce, calmness and cooperation. But under the cover of this truce, calmness and cooperation, we discovered that they are digging a hole for us. But this hole will destroy Lebanon and not us. Here I am telling you the Saudi-Syrian efforts are very serious. Let's open a space for hope for there are great and true expectations pinned on these efforts which are still taking place and their results are supposed to be yielded soon I believe. Any results yielded by the Saudi-Syrian efforts which would be agreed on by the concerned sides in Lebanon will surely be supported by the Islamic republic of Iran.
I am saying so, so that no one would say that Iran is vandalizing. No others other than Iran are the ones who are vandalizing and I will say who they are. No it's not Iran. When President Ahmadi Nejad came to Lebanon he did not present any initiative or solutions or settlements. He did not get engaged in details. His primary concern was addressing the situation and he backs any solution. This is the position of Iran. When some Lebanese political sides sensed that the Saudi efforts are serious and that King Abdullah is truly working along with President Assad on radically addressing the situation in a way that protects Lebanon and puts it on the track of salvation, they felt terribly uncomfortable. They asked for the help of the Americans. Did they believe that the Americans were awakened? They were asleep. They were occupied with the partial elections and they had enough troubles. What are they to do in Iraq? What are they to do in Afghanistan? I am not analyzing. These are facts. They know themselves and they know what they said and what they did. So they took action. They asked for help from the Americans, the French as well as some Arab governments without mentioning names.
Help us! May Allah help you. Relieve us! May Allah relieve you. The situation will be addressed. If Saudi Arabia and Syria reached a solution and the Lebanese sides agreed on it, the issue might be solved. Well if the crisis was resolved, what does that mean? That would mean that the fifth phase in the conspiracy would fall. That would mean that their dreams would collapse. Some politicians in Lebanon live on dreams and on what? They do not have anything except their tongues indeed and some dreams. They live on a dream of witnessing clashes between the army and Resistance. Well this is a mere chimera. They live on a dream of witnessing Sunni-Shiite strife.
This is a mere chimera as well. They live on others' struggles and conflicts. As such they will have their value and prestige. As such they will find a place in the photo. As such their voice will be heard. Thus they asked for help. That might cast light on July War as well.
So there was a Lebanese call on America to practice pressure on Saudi Arabia and King Abdullah in particular as well as on Syria. Thus you noticed how Clinton, Feltman, Suzan Rice went into action. This pressure was pursuant to a local demand. They called for pressuring President Michel Sleiman. They called for US pressure on MP Walid Jumblat. They called for a US pressure on the Opposition as a whole. The Americans came to practice their pressure. So they made the Americans come to hamper the efforts. It is clear that the Americans and the Israelis have become deeply involved with the Special Tribunal for Lebanon whether on the political, media or bullying levels. They had the same aim and the same inclination. The STL is making the hot headlines in the Israeli media daily. They mention names of leaders and evoke endless causes. They also started bullying with war and saying O Lebanese! O Resistance! O people of Lebanon! If you do not move as the STL wants we will go to war.
Accordingly, I say:
First, following all of these experiences, mistaken is whoever thinks the resistance could possibly accept or surrender to any accusation against any of its mujahedeen or leaders under whatever bullying and threats and pressures.
Second: (This is to those who are looking forward to the issuance of the indictment.) Mistaken is he who believes that we will allow the arrest or detention of any of our mujahedeen. The hand that attempts to reach them will be cut off.
Third, mistaken is he who believes that the resistance will not defend itself and its honor against any accusation or attack by the means it finds appropriate, in agreement with its faithful and truthful allies in the Lebanese National Opposition who are concerned about Lebanon's honor and invincibility.
Fourth, mistaken is he who believes that threatening us with an Israeli war will be fruitful. On the contrary, whoever speaks of a war is bearing good news and not threatening us. Here I will say it again: whoever speaks of a war is bearing good news and not threatening us. We are waiting for this day – whether with or without an indictment. We are ready for any Israeli war on Lebanon in which we will be able to achieve the greatest victory, Inshallah.
Fifth, mistaken is he who bets again on the Americans. I repeat. Mistaken is he who bets again on the Americans. When the Americans were at the peak of their power when they used to storm through, threaten and wage wars, they abandoned and let you down. Today they are retreating and falling back. They are lost and going astray. What may they offer you now?
Sixth: you have lost all chances to put things in their right track. There were chances to put things in their right track but you lost and are still wasting them. However there is one chance. We have told you to put things in their right track try the false witnesses and those who fabricated them. However instead of trying them you are offering them protection with legal and judicial fabrications and things of this sort. Who wants truth and justice tries the false witnesses and finds out who fabricated them. Now, we’re debating in the government whether they should be referred to ordinary judiciary or to the Judicial Council. I go for the Judicial Council. Still I ask why the judiciary didn’t act until this moment. Or at least let's ask why did not it move since the speech of the Premier with Al Sharq Al Awsat Newspaper? Why did not the ordinary judiciary act since that day until now? That is because their real stance is what is said by some of them. There are no false witnesses.
The more forceful truth is that the file of false witnesses will lead to senior heads and to the greatest political scandal in the history of Lebanon and the region. Thus they are providing the false witnesses with protection not to protect such and such but rather to protect those who fabricated them. We told you to work on the investigation and prevent leakage but leakage increased. We told you work on other options. We even more told you there is an Israeli supposition and these are indications and given. It appeals to me that some political leaderships in Lebanon are acquainted with everything whether in politics, medicine, wisdom, geography, military and everything. On the day I presented the indications, one of the great philosophers in March 14 Bloc showed up and said that is Google. However later when the Israelis said they were true and precise images and they examined the images after those who primarily examined them they said they are true images, they held their tongues and remained silent. Where is Google then?
Seventh and finally I say that the Lebanese now – let's talk about 11/11/2010 - are before a golden chance. Frankly speaking there is a chance to save the country from what the Israelis and the Americans are plotting for them. Some people are moving along with them with or without knowing.
Perhaps some do not know but are taking the country somewhere which serves the Israelis and not Lebanon. There are the Saudi-Syrian efforts. You Lebanese are before two choices and you have to choose: either to hand your country to Feltman, Clinton, Suzan Rice, Condoleezza Rice, Dick Cheney and Kissinger or have as Lebanese the will, determination and courage to sit and say the truth and cooperate with the Saudi-Syrian efforts to reach a way out.
However let it be quite clear. Let no one ever think that if we are talking about an address, a settlement, a solution that is on the basis on our will to accept any accusation. Never! From now we are saying that we do not accept any accusation. Let no one approach us. We are not accused. Whoever accuses us is the one who had killed. It's not we who had killed. However after five years of the tribunal, investigations, scandals and blunders it has become a must that we put the fate of our country before our eyes. Even concerning the truth, we might sit down and cooperate and discuss means for reaching the truth. Will this tribunal and this investigation lead to the truth? The Lebanese are before this chance.
On November 11th, on the day of our dear martyrs, on the day of our martyr who sums up all our martyrs, I want to promise, reassure and calm you down. We will step out from this phase. We have overcome the first, second and third phases. The third phase was very hard. We have overcome the fourth phase as well. We have overcome the third in 33 days and the fourth in 3 hours. This is the fifth phase. Indeed the conspiracy is great in which international, regional and local elements had partaken but here I am telling you: God willing, we will overcome this stage and this phase raising our heads triumphantly as in the previous phases. Our fate in Lebanon as long as we are observant of our country, dignity, pride, honor, wealth, generations, children and grandchildren is that we be subject to pressures as long as there is Israel and those who sponsor it. Shall we surrender? On the Martyr's Day, on 11/11, on the Day of Prince Ahmad Qasir we have written with the blood of our martyrs that we are a people who have vowed Allah, His messengers, His prophets, His angels, His holy books, all the good men and all the martyrs that we will carry on this track until achieving one of the two good endings either victory or martyrdom.
