Praise be to Allah the Lord of the world. Peace be on our Master and Prophet Abi Al Qassem Mohammad and on his chaste Household, chosen companions and on all prophets and messengers. Peace be upon you and Allah's mercy and blessings.
We meet today with a clear-cut aim. We gather here to express our solidarity stand with the Egyptian people and youth as well as with the Tunisian people and youth. However before tackling some important points – and I am very cautious not to take much of your time and to reiterate what the dear speakers had already said as they were great in all what they said - I would like first to address the Tunisian people and now the Egyptian people with an apology for being a few day late in holding this rally. It's not that we were hesitant of doubtful or needed more contemplation – as we are parties which have this long history in resisting the US-Israeli project in Lebanon and the region and we can't stand on the hill when the struggle is between righteousness and oppression and between the oppressor and the oppressed. We were rather cautious that you won't be accused as you are accused now. This is what called on us to take a few days.
Should this show and stand of solidarity – we are talking about Egypt now - have taken place after Tunisia had transcended to a great extent this confrontation, it would have been said that the demonstrators in Tahrir Square and the protestors in the various Egyptian cities are motivated by cells affiliated to Hezbollah or Hamas – as they have started saying – or to the Iranian Revolutionary Guards. So this original true national move would be accused of serving a foreign agenda. We have a painful experience with the regime in Egypt. That's because when they arrested one of our brethrens – only one brother – who was cooperating with a number of Egyptian and Palestinian young men to help our people in Gaza, it was labeled the cell of Hezbollah. It was accused of working to topple the regime in Egypt, changing the image of Egypt and converting Egyptians to Shiites. Do you still remember the magnitude of accusation against one brethren cooperating with few Egyptians and Palestinians in a logistic activity in support of the resistance in Gaza. That's why we took our time. I also would like to tell you that since the very first days we made broad consultations with many of our Egyptian friends and they advised us also not to be hasty. That's because everyone knows that this issue is very sensitive as far as Egypt is concerned. That means that if anyone in Egypt is accused of following a foreign side – no matter what side it was and even if it was a dear loving rightful supportive brethren - or if it is evoked that there is a suspicion of intervening in the internal Egyptian affair, that would be a sensitive issue and we wanted to be cautious concerning this sensitivity.
Today, everything is over. In the past few days I heard in some official TV channels which are affiliated to the regime and some personalities which belong to the regime some words which we were afraid of. They started saying that. However all of these accusations will fall before the will of the Egyptian people and the original move of the Egyptians.
Today we are announcing our solidarity. One of the shapes of this solidarity is defending this revolution and this great overwhelming historic popular movement. One of the responsibilities of defending this revolution is revealing its true image as all field indications assert. At times we talk about our expectations and dreams and what we look forward to. At other times we start off from theories we suppose. At times we contact the field, squares, and streets, and the old and the young. We talk to them and listen to them and to their slogans, songs, chants, words and statements. We listen to what is said in satellite media outlets and communication means. That's because they are more capable of explaining to us the truth, content, shape, nature, goals and expectations of their revolution and Intifada.
In the available time limit, I would like to perform some of our duty on behalf of you too to express to the public opinion which is hearing to or is allowed to hear us some sides of this truth and of this historic revolution.
First: We are before a true popular national Egyptian revolution in which Muslims and Christians are participating in addition to Islamist, sectarian and various national and intellectual currents. In fact all the popular classes are partaking in this revolution: the young, the elderly, women, men, scholars, intellectuals, the elite, laborers and the peasants. However the most important and forceful element is the youth. So from this perspective we are before a comprehensive revolution.
Second: This is the revolution of the will and determination of the people. The people are demonstrating and offering martyrs and wounded. They are sleeping under the skies in this cold rainy weather. They are determining what they want, what they want to do, where they want to go, what regime they will accept and what formula to adopt. They are the decision makers in all what they say, do and look forward to. So all accusations of foreign affiliation – whoever this foreign side is and whether it is a friend or a foe to Egypt – are accusations which will fall before the will of the Egyptian people and brave young men. This is what I will tackle later on.
The third point is the essence and content of this revolution and Intifada. Is it the revolution of bread and hunger or the revolution of social justice or the revolution of freedom and democracy or is it a political revolution and a revolution of what is related to the regime's foreign policies and the position of Egypt in the region, the nation and the world? We have heard many interpretations and analyses. Everyone is trying to take things in a definite direction.
The friends of Israel and America whether they are men of intellect, elites, political leaderships or media outlets want to convince the world that what is taking place in Egypt is a revolution of bread, hunger and food. The truth is said to the whole world by the demonstrators in the field and squares. It is expressed by their slogans, blood, smiles, anger and stances which are telling us that the truth is all of that. That means that we are before a comprehensive revolution in content and essence. It is the revolution of the poor, the free, the freedom seekers and the rejecters of humiliation and disgrace which this nation was subject to due to giving up to the will of America and Israel. It is the revolution of the human and social policy. It is the revolution against everything – oppression, corruption, oppression, hunger and the squander of the capabilities of this country and the regime's policy in the Arab- Israeli struggle.
Fourth: One of the duties of solidarity with Egypt's popular revolution is deeming it far above all accusations they try to stick to it. One of the worst accusations which we have heard by some of the great figures in our Arab world since the very beginning and we've heard also in the Tunisian revolution is that this revolution is fabricated by the American will, that the American intelligence apparatus, the Pentagon and the US State Department are the sides which motivated these youths and that they are coordinating fully with them and that they set the time, lead and direct the revolution.
On the solidarity day, we must say that this is great oppression. Any Arab or Muslim or free human being anywhere in this world may think this way towards the Tunisian youth or Egyptian youth is first perpetrating a great oppression and second is belittling the minds, will, awareness, culture and comprehension of these youths and people.
Brothers and sisters! Who among us might believe that America seeks to topple a regime which provides it with all the services it wants and works faithfully and truthfully to protect its interests and project on the level of the region and the world? This is absolutely illogical and irrational.
When we listen to the American leaders – in a few while we will talk about the Israelis – whether from the republicans or the democrats who praised the head of the regime and mentioned the great and strategic services which the Egyptian regime offered to the US project in the region, is it possible that we believe that America - which wants to evaluate, see and comprehend this president and this regime in this way - goes and works to topple this regime? This is the same rhetoric which we heard in 1979 during the great Islamic revolution in Iran. It was then said that America is directing the revolution in Tehran, Asfahan and Tabreez and that Imam Khomeini is affiliated to the CIA. Indeed the man was greatly oppressed against because the people used to say that he was affiliated to the CIA and others used to say he was affiliated to the KGB. Some people used to say that America is leading the revolution in Iran so as to impose on the Shah more concessions, privileges and profits. Some people used to say that the USSR which was present in 1979 is leading the revolution in Iran because it wanted to topple the US regime and wanted to reach the warm waters. The truth was revealed in the victory and days, years and decades that followed and showed that Imam Khomeini was the truthful, national, Islamic Imam who was faithful to his people, nation, history and the expectations and hopes of his people. This is the case of the people of Tunisia today as is the case of the Egyptian people and youth today. Yes, the Americans are trying to move with the current. They are trying to comprehend and absorb the revolution. They are trying to beautify their ugly image in our Arab and Islamic world and to present themselves as defenders of peoples and their rights, will and freedoms following decades of absolute protection to the worst dictatorships witnessed in our region. This is the most serious and greatest danger which our revolting peoples and resistance movements in our region must be aware of.
Brothers and sisters! In principle and for years we have been reading that in newspapers and magazines and books. We are following that in media outlets and through the activities of the US universities – the American academic universities in many countries in the Islamic world. The US administration had undertaken many studies and polls in our region and especially in the Arab and Islamic world. It wanted to know the inclinations of the peoples in the region. How do they think? What do they accept or refuse? What do they look forward to? The results were clear. These results do not need special information. They are published in newspapers and magazines - especially those which tackle strategic affairs – and circles and conferences. However as is the case we are peoples who are accused of not reading. This was of the past. The studies and polls had reached the following conclusions:
The overwhelming majority of our Arab and Islamic peoples are against the US policies and they refuse them as well. This is not antagonism to the US people. Perhaps with time we would discover that the majority of the US people are poor people who do not know what is taking place in the world and their priorities and interests are totally different.
The overwhelming majority of our Arab and Islamic peoples reject the American policies for obvious and known reasons: the absolute American adoption of Israel and its wars since the establishment of the Zionist entity till Gaza War in 2008 and Lebanon War II in 2006; the absolute American adoption of the corrupt allying dictatorships in the regions; America's very wars and crimes in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan and other countries in our Arab and Islamic world; the disclosure of US hypocrisy before all the peoples through double standards in everything: human rights, freedoms and democracy.
It was revealed through US studies and polls that there are major changes in store in the region. This is what Clinton hinted to weeks ago. They have become sure that the regimes that are allied with the US and cooperative with Israel do not meet the will of the people with respect to their stance from America and Israel and will not be able to withstand popular pressure for long. These peoples' will has had enough of this status quo. Polls also showed that these regimes, leaders and figures do not enjoy any popularity, respect, esteem by their peoples at a time the polls are presenting other figures who are occupying first, second and third places due to the stance of these leaders and heads from the Palestinian cause and the US project. Thus the US administration expressed its worry.
That does not mean that the US administration has plotted or is working to topple the regime which is working at its service. However it had got prepared, waited and expected. Whenever a people revolted in any country the US administration would stand in the middle to make use of its experience in confronting the revolution in Iran and from all its previous experiences. It would not go to support oppression and bloody field confrontation because it knows the results of bloody confrontation with peoples would be catastrophic on America, its allies, agents and ancient and new servants as well. Thus it stands in the middle. It tries to present itself in a different way – as a defender of peoples and their choices - and tries to provide a power transfer that would preserve after all its relations, alliance, projects and interests.
Here I will bravely reiterate a word. Regarding the US administration, what it cares for in the region is its and Israel's interests and not who is in power. It is possible that it abandons who is in power at any moment. So even if Islamists assume power, the Americans do not veto on anyone whether Islamists, an Islamic movement, a right or left party, a domestic, national, secular or religious party, or His Eminence Sheikh or Sayyed or patriarch or archbishop. It is not concerned with the ideological, intellectual, conventional identity of the substitute. What is important is the substitute’s political approach. Is it committed to US interests? Is it committed to Israel's interests? If it offers this kind of commitment, it has no problem at all.
I want to wrap up this point saying we must deem the Egyptian revolution far above that and no one must take as evidence the apparent US middle stance on America being behind the revolution and that it is leading and directing it.
Fifth: The Egyptian people and youths should be aware and sure of the greatness and effect of this popular revolution on world and regional equations. In few days it has imposed itself as the first international event cum laude on the great powers, the states in the region and on world opinion. It is enough for the people of Egypt and its youths and martyrs to witness this great confusion felt by the sole world power and its western allies and the perplexity in comprehending this revolution and how to deal with it. What is more important to us in Lebanon, Palestine and Syria is the Israeli issue. See what has been caused by fourteen days of the Egyptian people and youth's peaceful movement. What about Occupied Palestine on the Israeli level?
There is real Israeli panic, worry and fear besides calls for reconsidering national security strategies. I do not want to describe the regime which is challenged today by its people who want to topple it. I only want to say listen to what the Israelis are unanimously saying. There is no dispute in Israel over the evaluation of the regime and the services it offered to Israel since Camp David till today. Listen to what they say about the position of the Egyptian regime in the Israeli national security theories. There are calls now to make haste in reconsidering the national security strategies and the defense strategies. Even on the level of details, Netanyahu made haste and called for constructing an electronic wall on the border with Egypt. There are calls to re-control the border between Egypt and Gaza Strip. There are calls to form military bands which were disintegrated after Camp David. Israel today is wailing over the loss of its last strategic ally in the region after it lost the Shah in Iran in 1979 and after it lost to a great degree Turkey due to its aggression on Lebanon and Gaza, its killing policies and its crimes against the Freedom Fleet. Today Israel is wailing its strategic fate when it talks about its last strong strategic ally. There is an Israeli consensus on protecting the regime and its head and there is a strong Israeli criticism for the US administration hesitation and confusion.
Israel has insolently announced that dictatorships and not democracies are the regimes which are protecting Israel in the region. They told the Americans: What are you doing with us? You are playing a very risky game which might eliminate the very existence of the state of Israel.
Today we are before a clear scene which we will put before the honorable Arab and Islamic peoples. Before I address the Egyptian people and youth with a final word, I would like to say: There is a regime that Israel unanimously wants to defend and preserve and protect, is working day and night to maintain and is pressuring on the political decision making circles around the world to this effect.
This is one part of the scene. There is another part: there is a regime that the people are seeking to topple. Millions of these people have massed in squares and offered hundreds of martyrs and thousands of injured so far. The question now is for religious authorities all around the Arab and Islamic world and around the world, for religious men, religious institutions, men of intellect and elites in all domains, for the Arab and Islamic peoples and for all the free and the honorable around the world: In which front you must stand and be; in the front of Israel which is defending the regime or in the front of the Egyptian people who want to topple this regime?
Today, any true, precise, right approach to the struggle taking place on the land of Kanana is but this approach: I tell religious men, scholars, religious men and all those who believe in Doom's Day: On that day Allah Al Mighty will ask us about this stance in this historic moment and the punishment will be very difficult because the issue is not that of a blood of a man or the fate of a woman or a child whose bones were crushed or a crust of bread stolen from the mouth of a poor man or a hungry man. It is the cause of a people and a nation and the fate of sanctuaries, a history and a future. Those who stand today neutral or on the other side will be punished for all the repercussions that will take place for decades to come if – God forbids – this revolution was frustrated. Those who stand on the positive side will be highly esteemed by Allah Al Mighty because they stood a historic stance that will set the basis for generations and decades to come. This is my address to the religious people.
I tell all those who believe in human dignity, human freedom, human justice and conscience: you must be decisive in your stance to the side of this faithful people and this brave youth.
As for the people of Egypt and especially its youth, I say: We won’t interfere in your internal affairs. You and only you will decide what to do and how to move, what to accept and what to refuse. But as brothers and friends, we would like to express our belief, feelings and expectations. Our belief says that what you’re doing is very great and one of the very important turning points in the history of this nation and region. Your move and victory will change the whole face of our region to the interest of its peoples in general and especially Palestine.
Today, you are engaged in the battle of Arab dignity. You are restoring today with your shouts, blood, steadfastness in the squares and fields the dignity of the Arab man which was humiliated and disgraced by some Arab leaders for decades of defeat and submissiveness. Your action so far is no less important than the historic steadfastness of the Lebanese resistance in July War 2006 and the historic steadfastness of the Palestinian resistance during Gaza War in 2008.
O Egyptian youth! We see in the faces of your martyrs the faces of our martyrs. We hear in the moaning of your wounded the moaning of our wounded. We witness in your steadfastness in the squares the steadfastness of the heroic resistance fighters in Lebanon and Palestine in confrontation of all wars and threats and risks.
O people and youth of Egypt! Our oppressed people today link great hopes on you and your steadfastness and decisive victory. It has always been truly said that Egypt is the mother of the world. You are in the squares today. You are its great people who could with their strong will, firmness and faith change the face ofthe world or else how could Egypt be the mother of the world?
We are certain and you own the same certitude. We are certain of your great capability to make the change. We look forward for the day in which you will restore to Egypt its leading historic advanced position in the life of the nation and the region.
O brothers and sisters! O dear youth of Egypt! From afar, from Beirut what are we to tell you at the end of this world? We wish we can be with you. We wish we can be with you in Tahrir Square, Cairo squares, the streets of Alexandria, Ismailiya, Sways and the other great cities of Egypt. I am one of these rallying there. Allah is the witness on my longing to be among you to offer my blood and soul just like any Egyptian young man in Egypt for the sake of these noble and honorable goals.
Today in the name of Hezbollah in Lebanon, in the name of the resistance and all the Islamic and national Lebanese resistance factions, in the name of the Islamic and national Lebanese political parties and currents, in the name of all those kind demonstrators in this rally, we put all our capabilities at the service of the people and youth of Egypt. We pray and hope Allah will grant you victory, bestow on you steadfastness and make every oppressed and deemed weak in this world proud with your deeds. Peace be upon you and Allah's mercy and blessings.
