I take refuge in Allah from the stoned devil. In The Name of Allah, The Compassionate, The Most Merciful. Peace be upon our Master and Prophet – the Seal of prophets – Abi Al Qassem Mohammad and on his chaste and pure Household, his chosen companions and on all prophets and messengers.
First I would like to welcome you all – ladies and gentlemen, and brothers and sisters – in this blessed ceremony in commemoration of the sixth anniversary of July War and the divine victory and epic that marks all the great glories, victories, values, morals and scenes which we have witnessed together years ago. I thank you for this massive attendance and ask Allah Al Mighty to give you the tolerance to bear the hot weather and me. Inshallah the brothers and sisters will tolerate the weather as together we recall the 33 days during which we used to bear rockets, shells, fighting, displacements, tears, pains and tough challenges.
Brothers and sisters! There are many topics which I would like to tackle. However, it goes without saying that the developments in the region and especially in Syria and what took place today necessitates on us to assign a section of the speech of this occasion to tackle the regional situation.
Thus and to have an idea, the general outline of my speech would be as follows:
First I would like to talk about one of the incidents that took place in July war so as to reveal an Israeli failure and an Israeli delusion even regarding the people of the Zionist entity. On the other hand, it reveals a qualitative achievement by the Resistance in July war which we have not talked about during the past years for several reasons. Today the requirements help that we tackle this incident.
The second point is the post July War era and this will especially lead us to tackle the regional scene.
Third we will tackle the internal Lebanese situation in which I will point to several quick topics.
On the sixth anniversary, the enemy – all of Israel along with its politicians, military men, generals, parties, people and public opinion – is still under the impact of the shock of the sudden defeat which inflicted it in 2006.
Indeed in the Resistance, we are not concerned with those from here or there who do not accept to say that what took place was a defeat for the enemy. I am interested in that the enemy views it as a defeat because my war and struggle are with the Israelis. As for what others say and whether they acknowledge that or not, that has other analyses and considerations. On the sixth anniversary, the Israelis are still holding sessions, meetings, lectures, researches, interviews and articles in which senior former and current Zionist leaders unanimously still talk about the defeat. As for us, we feel content when the head of the Mosad who was during the war Daggan and who is considered in Israel - as it seems - one of the most important Mosad heads tells Olmert - the head of the cabinet then – that the war was a national catastrophe through which Israel was hit by a fatal blow. Another theorizer man named Dan Meridor – the head of the Intelligence Affairs in Netanyahu's current cabinet and was the head of the Israeli National Security Theory Modernization Committee which was formed before 2006 War and continued its work following 2006 War. It set and modernized the National Security Theory – said: Never before did Israel witness such a thing. We reached the perigee. Furthermore, Moshe Arinz – the former Defense Minister who is considered as one of the strategic theorizer in Israel and has witnessed all the previous wars and is now 70 or 80 years old - said that for the first time in its history Israel received a defeat. He added commenting on those who have doubt that Israel was defeated - That's because some might say it was not defeated. Rather some say there were some nonsuccesses or that some achievements were made -: It had made some tactical achievements here and there. Is there a war in which the defeated side does not make some successful strikes? Man may make some tactical achievements; however, the final result is that 250 rockets were shelled against Israel on the last day of the war. This is the outcome. The enemy's leaders, strategic theorizers and senior military men talk about a defeat, a fatal blow, and about being at the perigee and that they haven't confronted anything of this kind. Was I to gather their testimonies, I will have much to say. I will be content with these few testimonies. Still they are searching for achievements. Last year, I talked about two achievements. I said that these two achievements are trivial and do not deserve a war being launched. However, they always used during the war and following the war to try to deceive. Thus I will tackle this point. They talk about a great and qualitative achievement and about an operation that took place during Lebanon war II – as they dub July War. They call it the qualitative balance operation. Now I will explain this operation and what took place. Thereof I will usher into the second point.
As for the Israelis, they staged an operation. On Friday July 14th, 2006, a proposal was made to the mini-cabinet. They said the following to the cabinet: During the past years – from 2000 to 2006 – till now, we – meaning the Israelis - gathered precise, serious and very important information. We know all the locations of Hezbollah rocket platforms, whether Fajr 3 or Fajr 5 – so they specified the names – and these rockets are made in Iran.
Israeli defense minister then said the locations of the platforms in the south are all specified. We have carried on a very precise intelligence mission – so they overstated their intelligence work. We could specify the locations of all platforms. We specified the coordinates and over the past years we performed aerial maneuvers to hit similar goals. Thus the air force is ready now to stage the operation. Should you agree on the Qualitative Balance Operation, this operation could crush Hezbollah and the Resistance and it would put an end to the war. They supposed that this operation could lead to astonishment and a very massive collapse among the leadership of the Resistance, and consequently, the war would be over and Hezbollah would fall short from launching any middle or long range rocket. Indeed they were not talking about the Katusha Rockets which may hit targets 17 or 20 kilometers far or a bit more. They were talking primarily about mid range rockets and long range rockets, according to our and their considerations.
Well, the cabinet endorsed the operation. An hour after the endorsement – see to what extent they were full fledged – more than 40 Israeli F 16 and F15 planes – according to Israeli sources – launched an attack. That is besides the planes which were offering coverage. According to the Israelis, the planes stroke more than 40 targets, and according to the Americans, they stroke more than 50 targets. Within 34 minutes the operation was over, and all the predetermined targets of Fajr3 and Fajr 5 platforms were destroyed.
During that time, Israeli Chief of Staff Dan Halotz contacted the enemy's PM Ehud Olmert and told him: We won! The war is over. If you still remember Shimon Perez – he was the enemy deputy prime minister - the following day said: Israel had won and Hezbollah Secretary General fled to Damascus (while I was still in Dahiyeh). This was the Qualitative Balance Operation.
Later on, the Israeli military and security leaders talked about intensive security efforts, great security professionalism, collecting information and serious operations in collecting information, and maneuvers and great budgets spent on making this achievement. See to what extent they bargained on the first strike! They compared what took place to what took place in the War of 1967 when Israeli Air Force stroke and hit a great part of the Egyptian Air Force. They also compared what took place to the strike staged by Israeli planes on Syrian Sam 6 Land-Air Rockets which were in Lebanon. The Israelis still believed this until this very moment because they kept the truth from them. Halotz then said: We have destroyed 70% to 80% of Hezbollah's rocket capacity. They praised the step and tackled it with much administration and they still do.
Well, what did take place precisely? What is the true scene which is based on evidences? The truth is that the rational, ever alert Resistance and its security and military mind discovered early the intelligence and reconnaissance mission over the mid range rocket platforms. However, it carried on with the game. It helped them, and thus they gathered the information they wanted. How did they gather it? This is another issue which we will not reveal now. Anyway, they know how they gathered the information. Now in no time the creative security mind of Martyr Hajj Imad Moghniyeh and his brethren leaders in the Islamic Resistance had an idea. The Israelis build all their considerations on this strike. In the Israeli military mind – or rather in the classical military mind – there is usually the first strike. The Americans used that in the Gulf. In Gaza War, the Israeli worked accordingly when the war started. As you still remember, they hit a massive assembly for the Palestinian police belonging to Gaza Government and hundreds of martyrs fell. This is called the first strike.
In any new war – God forbids – the Israelis think, plan and prepare for a first strike. Thus we are talking about the first strike in July War. Well we kept them moving in the first strike without they knowing. This was the first military achievement. It is that the Resistance knew that the Israelis knew the locations of the platforms. The second security achievement is that the Resistance could bring out these platforms from these places without the Israelis knowing or feeling. The Israelis kept believing that the mid range rocket platforms are in these place; however, they were moved to other places while the enemy did not know or feel that.
When the Israelis took the decision to perform the qualitative balance operation, they stroke these locations. The overwhelming majority of the locations hit during the Qualitative Balance Operation were empty. What took place was that these platforms were brought out of their true places and started their fight which lasted for 33 days. Rockets started to fall on the north, on Haifa and behind mid Haifa; they were ready to hit Tel Aviv. This is what took place.
The Qualitative Balance Operation of which the Israeli Air Force and the Israeli Intelligence brag about is to be dubbed today on the sixth anniversary of the War as the "qualitative illusion", "the qualitative failure" and "the fall in the trick of the Resistance operation" or "the tricky war". Indeed the evidence on what I say is that the 70% -80% of the Resistance rocket capacity which Halotz claimed was demolished was active until the last day of the war, and it was able to work much longer. I don't remember if I said before that if during those days we used to launch a limited number of rockets that was not because our arsenal was limited or because we hadn't the capacity to launch more rocket. We were able to launch rockets and we had a great number of rockets; however, we were taking time into consideration. We used to organize our rocket shelling on the supposition that the war would last for long and we did not want the war to end because we ran out of rockets.
Thus this was the "Qualitative Balance Operation" and the first strike. Indeed the following day when they discovered the truth and found out that a great number of rockets was launched on that very day, Halotz entered again to the mini-cabinet and told them: Unfortunately, it seems we ushered in a long operation which might last for weeks. As for Shimon Perez who said that Israel had won in the fourth day of the war and that I fled to Damascus, he became speechless, and he is still speechless.
As for the upcoming stage, we know and we follow up. In Lebanon, many of the people are preoccupied with the living details and difficulties. This is their right. They are preoccupied with political contests and the various and diversified struggles. However, be quite sure that besides this chaos, the Resistance, the leadership of the Resistance, the leaders of the Resistance, the cadres of the Resistance, and the men of the Resistance are working around the clock on this file – the struggle with the enemy and protecting the country. Nothing diverts them or distracts them from their mission – whether cries from here or yells from there. The Resistance is following the Israelis day and night. We know that they day and night collect information about our edifices, platforms, arsenals, and the supposed leading operation rooms in any upcoming war, and they are preparing for a first strike as was their case in all the previous wars.
I call on them first to draw the lesson and study the nonsuccesses and flops. I tell them: Your Qualitative Balance was a qualitative illusion. In any new war we know your first strike and we expect it and we will take you by surprise when you would launch your first strike. Here I add to all the previous promises I made that we will confront the Israeli first strike in any war. We promise the Israelis a big surprise.
Indeed today I will not say what the great surprise is because as such it will not be a surprise anymore. However, for sure I want you, all the Lebanese people and the peoples of the region to trust fully in the capacities of the resistance, the minds of the Resistance, and the awareness of the Resistance. We also want you to know that – and this is one of the most important and the greatest result s of July War – that we in Lebanon, in the Arab world, in the Islamic World, and in the region have minds, Hearts, wills, determinations and capacities to plot, organize, manage, fight and gain victory at the end. Our fate is not as some Arab rulers – most of the Arab rulers, Arab regimes, Arab authors, Arab satellite outlets and Arab mass media – try to convince us saying our fate is defeat, and we are incapable and futile and that this is in our very existence and in our genes.
The most important message for all of us and for all our peoples from July War and afterwards in Gaza War is that our fate is to gain victory and not to be defeated. As we made the great victory in 2000 and as we made the great victory in 2006, we are indeed able to make a greater victory at any time we face a war of this kind. This is the message which we must assert in the sixth anniversary of July war.
War was over, and here I move to the second point which leads us to the regional situation. The war was over and the Israelis moved for evaluations. Both the Israelis and the Americans made a joint evaluation. So it is not only they who took the morals. Thus we ushered into a new stage.
It was supposed that July War be a war on the Resistance in Lebanon to crush it and thus it would be a primary link in striking the opposing resisting axis in the region.
There is a true fact that says that the remaining side in the Arab and Islamic world who remained adherent to the Palestinian cause, the Islamic and Christian sanctities, the Arab soil, and the rights of the Palestinian people is the axis that spreads from Iran to Syria to the resistance movements in Lebanon and Palestine. This is the truth. Most of the Arab regimes have become under the service of the US-Israeli project and the settlement. They play on time and bargain on time so that the Palestinians give up and accept the morsels given to them by Sharon or Olmert or Netanyahu. This is the truth.
As you remember, George Bush Administration and the Neo conservatives entered the stage of controlling the region. It was required that this axis be demolished. The first link was Lebanon and crushing the Resistance in Lebanon. Was the Resistance in Lebanon to be crushed, war would not have stopped. It would have rather carried on against Syria under the pretext that Syria backed the Resistance and supplied it with arms and rockets….
The direct second link following the Resistance in Lebanon was toppling the regime of Bashar Assad, destroying Syria and making it submit to the US-Israeli project and not to establish democracy and reforms in Syria. It is rather to make it submit to the US-Israeli project. However the victory of the Resistance in Lebanon toppled the second link which is attacking Syria. That's because in the final days of the 33 days, Israel was begging for a way out. By God, believe me Israel was begging for a way out. Ask the Arab delegation which was negotiating in New York at that time. They told us about that. In the final days, Israel renounced all its conditions. After all it went out with something moral in 1701 which is condemning the Resistance. However what are its achievements? Shimon Perez himself says in an interview with Vinograd: "There wasn't any other choice. That was the far most point we could reach. Here I am telling you on the sixth anniversary, was there in Lebanon national political solidarity, national political unity, and were the swords – some swords in Lebanon – sheathed and not stabbed in our backs, achievements on the national Lebanese level could have been made during the last days of political negotiations. However, some support Israel on the political level to step out of the crisis it ushered itself in.
Well, we overstepped this stage, and they headed to another link – Gaza Strip. Gaza remained steadfast. The beginning was in Lebanon. The Neo Middle East Project collapsed. The Resistance in Gaza gave it the final blow. This was over. However, does that mean that the US-Israel schemes came to an end?
No! There are alternatives. There are always alternatives. They search for alternatives. They are pragmatic. They have no problem in anything. Do you remember when in one of the years in this square I told you that America does not care who rules in the Arab world whether an Islamic Party, an Arab Party, a national Party, a socialist part, a Right party or a Left party. This is of no importance to them. They do not care if you wear a beard or shave your beard, whether you wear a necktie or not. Your politics is what counts. The pragmatic persons do not have a problem. Now in Afghanistan they are searching day and night for negotiating with Taliban which is fighting them every night and in every square and in every hour. On the light of the facts, they started searching for alternatives. One of the facts they saw and witnessed during and following July war was the dilemma of Hezbollah. This is first and as far as Lebanon is concerned. Frankly speaking the dilemma is named Hezbollah. How are we to address this dilemma? On the light of July War experience, convictions were formed. There is not enough time to read upon you the testimonies. If only Al Manar or the other television outlets make an episode on this topic. They reach a conviction that says that aerial shelling does not put a decisive end for the battle. That was over. So if their air forces shelled Lebanon they will be shelling houses and destroying highways and roads. However, this does not put an end to the battle.
Second: They reached another conclusion also which is a territorial operation is very dangerous and a big adventure. A few days ago, Olmert said: Any territorial operation in Lebanon to a depth more that 3 kilometers is a stupidity. Halotz agrees with him on that. Shimon Perez says something deeper, and I would like to tell you what he says with precision because it is very important. I also hope that Hajj Abu Hassan (Mohammad Raad) would take this text with him to the dialogue table and distribute it on the members of the dialogue table. Shimon Perez says in Vinograd investigations: "Because this war is taking place from afar (He is talking about the Resistance rockets which reached the cities there. Listen well to what he says), it is impossible (Who is talking? It is Shimon Perez who was there since the establishment of the entity and followed all the wars and all the fronts.) via a F 16 plane which is worth a 100 million dollars to track every 16-year-old young man". This is what they used to do in July War. F16 used to track 16-year-old young men. Well if we have tens of thousands of young men, how many F16 planes you will need? It is impossible via F 16 planes which worth 100 million dollars each to track every 16-year-old young man. After all, the resistance men have anti-aircraft rockets and war planes also. He also says: It is impossible to dispatch a Mirkava tank which is 10 million dollars worth and place it before every trench. We are obliged to create a totally new deterrence. All of these means are useless. The young man who is not defeated with F16 plane and stays in the south for 33 days remains in the south for 33 years. In fact, he remains in the south forever without shaking. This is the true defense strategy. This is what he says in the text I mentioned a while ago. On Israel accepting Resolution 1701, Perez says: Israel had no other way to stop the war which was necessary to be put to an end (They were taking pains so that the war stop) and that was the most to be achieved in the conditions which took place.
Now time is running out. I wanted to read on you a text for Dan Meredor – the owner of the national security theory - in which he says that he partook in Sinai and I partook in the wars in so and so but in Lebanon and Syria the story is different because of geography. So he touches on the issue. However I wrap up talking about the testimonies with their conclusions – with the word said by the former Chief of Staff Moshe Yaalon who is currently a minister in Netanyahu's government. He is showing off because he is looking forward to the post of PM. Thus he is presenting himself as a strategic theorizer. I also would like you to listen to this text because it concerns the Lebanese internal which discusses, distorts, shouts and does not know where it is. That man says: "It was clear to me that Hezbollah is a deeply rooted phenomenon and that it will not be crushed via a military operation. It was clear to me as well that there is no final military solution in face of the Hezbollah's rocket system. This is what a chief of staff and a strategic theorizer is saying. Thus he says that he backed a political action that leads after all to disarming Hezbollah as an outcome of a Lebanese internal operation. So what is he saying? He is saying that there is no military solution. You want to put an end to Hezbollah's arms dilemma, go then for addressing it through the Lebanese internal. Via an internal political operation and an internal action you may address the arms of Hezbollah.
This is the problem of the Arabs. Do you know that the Israelis used to say about us that we – the Arabs – do not read? They still do not read. Some Lebanese are doing what Israel wants and say what Israel wants whether they know it or not. They may not know that. Do you know why? That's because they do not read. Yaalon carries on saying: "I realized that there is no way to uproot Hezbollah from the hearts of the Shiites. (Even Israel when it looks at Lebanon it unfortunately views it from a sectarian perspective) Thus I realized that there is no means to eliminate the threat of the Katusha rockets at once. Accordingly, I suggested working on a military political level to contain Hezbollah and narrow Hezbollah's maneuvers scope so that would at last lead Hezbollah to be viewed as illegal internally. This is what is required. It is required that the Lebanese people come to see Hezbollah as illegal and its arms as illegal too. This is the solution. Israel does not have any other solution whether July War, August, September, October or November war. No war may afflict a faithful, fighting, martyr offering and sacrificing party with defeat.
They bet on internal data. Well! Here the Lebanese must be aware. Well hold on! Indeed as far as this point is concerned and before moving to the second topic in this file which has to do with Syria and Iran and moving to the internal situation, I would like to assure you – that's because later on I will call for calming down – I would like to assure you as brethrens, some of our masses and some of our dear ones may feel a bit worried. Analyses might lead them to suspicious points. Do not feel worried. Rather calm down and be assured as a war like July War could not harm the resistance and its arms, will, men, morals, and dignity. So for sure abusers here and there would not indeed harm it. So and so would not be able to harm it and I will not say more. Well, when the Americans and the Israelis carried on their scrutiny, they found out another problem which is Syria. How are they to find a solution for this problem? There is a true dilemma called Syria and it is not any Syria. The Syria of Abdlhalim Khaddam is not a problem. The Syria of Bashar Assad is the true problem. Well they looked at Syria and found that an important development took place in Syria in the last years. Here also, let us say things frankly. Perhaps the Syrians can't tackle these issues. Let me then talk on my own responsibility.
First, a new military strategy had been set in Syria, and it has been worked at over the past decade. It is a strategic view which has turned Syria during these years to a true military power able to pose a strategic threat to Israel in the full sense of the word. I know what I am saying especially on the level of developing military industries and on the level of invention on more than one domain.
Thus there came to be a problem, on light of these developments, capabilities and available abilities. Well when the Syrian mind worked, renewed, and read the points of weakness and the points of strength and the available capabilities, the Syrians set a new military strategy. Consequently, Israel's view towards Syria in the recent years became more worried and alarming because Syria came to have a military capacity especially on the domain of rockets where it has become very great and enormous. Today, the rocket capacity is a decisive capacity. What did Hezbollah own in July war? What did Hezbollah own? Did we have air force? It is the rocket capacity which has no solution. Well this issue needs to be addressed.
Second: Some say that Syria is only a crossing point to the Resistance. It is the connecting bridge between the Resistance and Iran whether for Lebanon or Palestine. That is true. Allow me tonight to say that Syria is more than that. It is not only a bridge. It is a true support for the Resistance not only on the political, moral, popular and social levels but also on the military level and I have two evidences.
The first evidence: Here I am not disclosing a secret because the Israelis have announced that in July war. The most important rockets which fell over Haifa and beyond Haifa and in the mid of Israel - "Occupied Palestine" - were Syrian-made military rockets which were donated to the Resistance in Lebanon. Syria was not an airport to the Resistance in Lebanon or a customhouse. Never! Syria was a support. It provided the Resistance in Lebanon with arms that enabled it to remain firm in July War. I also tell you frankly that the most important arms we fought with in July war were from Syria. That is not only true in Lebanon but also in Gaza. Brothers and sisters! In Gaza, the arms and the rockets which used to reach Gaza were Syrian made. Today I want to talk frankly. Israel today is afraid from Gaza Strip. In the first time in its history, this strip could make a million and half a million Jews hide in shelters. Israel is afraid today on Tel Aviv from Gaza Strip, and it has the right to be afraid. How did these rockets reach Gaza Strip? Did the Saudi Regime deliver them to Gaza? Did the Egyptian Regime deliver them there? Did the Arab regimes deliver them there? No! These rockets are rather from Syria or reached there via Syria. All through these years, the Syrian leadership used to put its interests, regime and existence at risk for the sake of the Resistance in Lebanon and the Resistance in Palestine.
Now name me one Arab regime which is ready to take these risks. All Arab regimes know what supplying Hezbollah with arms means as far as the Americans are concerned. Hezbollah is on the terrorist groups list. What does supplying Hamas and Islamic Jihad in Palestine which are on the terrorist list mean? While some Arab regimes used to prevent food and bread and even money – some Gulf states and in Saudi Arabia they prevented gathering funds for Gaza – from reaching Gaza, Syria used to send arms along with food to Gaza. Let the people of Gaza know that. It took risk for that. Yes, Syria of Bashar Assad, Syria of the martyr leaders, Syria of Dawood Rajha, Asaf Shawkat and Hasan Turkmani – is the very Syria which supported the Resistance in Syria and the Resistance in Palestine.
Where were those who claim today their interest on the welfare of the Lebanese, Palestinians and Syrians? They were on the line of the enemy. They were with America, Israel and the West. Why do you neglect these facts? On such a day, we must say the truth. Let this appeal to whoever likes it, and let the abusers say out their curses.
Brothers and sisters! Primarily, there is a US- Israeli project which says that it is forbidden that there be strong armies in the region for the sake of Israel. What is accepted is internal security forces in the army's dress.
What took place in Lebanon today? Our army is internal security forces in the dress of the army. What is acceptable in the neighboring countries and what and who surround them are internal security forces armies. However, if there is to be an army, its equipment, arsenal, training and everything must have to do with the Americans. That's because then it will be an army that fights everything except Israel. This is the plot of the Americans, and these are the Arab armies as you see them. Here I want to pose a question. When the Americans came to Iraq, what did they do? They dissolved the Iraqi Army. Why did they dissolve the Iraqi Army? That's because they are not able to control the army. Why? The army follows whatever authority. The Iraqi Army may have followed the new political authority. This army unfortunately fought the Iranian army for eight years, invaded Iraq, threatened the neighboring countries and faced the Shiites, Kurds and Sunnites in Iraq. Why did they dissolve the army? That's because they do not want a strong army whose arms, training and mind are not with the Americans. The arms of this army are Russian, its training is Russian and its arsenal is Russian….
The Iraqi army was gone. What do we have today in Iraq? We have a police. They try to form an army however we will see what will take place. What is accepted in the region is a police. They do not know how they will accept an independent Palestinian state. The best they accept is a police. They do not accept an army. Which is the only strong Arab army in the region? Which is the strong Arab ideological army whose arms, arsenal, mentality and tactics are not with the Americans? There only remains the Syrian Army.
Is this right or wrong? This is true. This is the very truth. Thus following July War, the required act was to destroy this army in whatever means. Yes, what took place here is that America and the west and their tools in the Arab world exploited truthful demands made by the Syrian people and acknowledged by the Syrian president Assad himself. They are true demands that have to do with reforms and democracy and the like and hurled Syria in war and prevented it from dialogue. The Syrian – even national - Opposition is prevented from dialogue. That's because it is not reforms which are required in Syria. What is required is demolishing Syria and its army and people as well as disjointing and breaking it as was required in Iraq. Was it not for the resistance in Iraq and the political steadfastness, the situation would have been more difficult in Iraq.
So this is what is taking place today. Israel has the right to be happy today. Yes, Israel is happy today because pillars of the Arab Syrian Army were targeted and killed today. In fact, their aspiration is that there remains in Syria no strong ideological army and that it later would have a police. Today we renew the call to guard Syria, the people of Syria whom we love and the Syrian Army whom we admire.
The only solution is that we accept dialogue and hurry for it. Yes, today we say that this army and these martyr leaders played a great role in the resistance movements and in Palestine and in the region. Upon their loss, we offer the Syrian army, the Syrian people, the Syrian people and their dear families our condolences as we express our condemnation of the attack that does not serve but the enemy. These martyr leaders were there for the resistance fighters in more than one square. They were our friends of arms. As we offer our condolences, we felicitate them for their martyrdom and feel sorry for their death and decease because they are the friends of arms, and the road comrades in the struggle with the Israeli enemy for tens of years. However anyway, we believe that this Syrian Arab ideological army which has bore the unbearable has the capacity, determination, and will which enable it to carry on. It has many of these faithful, national, fighting and sacrificing leaderships which enable it to flop all the aspirations of the enemy.
Well, they intend to carry on in Syria. The story in Syria is as follows. In the previous speeches I used to tell you that when they talk about sedition, in sedition what is right is mixed with what is wrong. Some people see what's wrong; others see what's right. So let's take a closer look. Let's see very well. We who shout are in which side. For whose interest are we fighting? For whose interest are we struggling? Let's step out of our wrath and fanaticism and agitations and think for a while. What's taking place in Syria? Who is benefiting from what's taking place in Syria?
Well, days ago Clinton was in the region. It visited Egypt and then went to the Israelis. Did she ask about the Palestinian people? Palestine and the Palestinian people are not taken into consideration. She expressed the whole issue in a couple of words. However, as analysts we must pose on it in this era of no confidence. This is the era of no confidence even as far as Egypt is concerned. Where is Egypt heading to? What will it do? Nobody knows. Clinton came to appease the Israelis as far as the Egyptian stance from it is concerned. She told the Egyptians we are with you; we back you; we help you; we are at your service even if it was an Islamic government for example. However what is important is peace with Israel.
She came for the sake of Israel and not for the sake of Egypt or the Egyptian people or Palestine. Are the Americans today bleeding for those being killed in Syria – whether its generals, officers, soldiers and civilians from both sides or are they drinking in honor of the blood of the Syrian people and the Syrian Army? Doesn't that impose that we view the topic in a different way? The same applies when we handle the Iranian topic. I have a couple of words to say here too. They know Iran's central role in this axis. Thus they headed to targeting Iran. Iran is always targeted. However, following 2006, I read Israeli studies which say: If you want to get rid of Hezbollah, Hamas, Islamic Jihad, the Palestinian Resistance factions, the Lebanese Resistance faction, and Syria, then you have to get rid of Iran. If you get rid of Iran, you get rid of all the others. Thus you see that in the past few years what was the source of all Israel's grief? America might sell arms for 60, 70 or 100 billion dollars to the Arab states; Israel would not protest. However, all of the focus is on Iran, the siege on Iran, pressuring Iran, sanctions on Iran, assassinating nuclear scholars, assassinating military leaders, assassinating deputies, and explosions targeting people. The same applies here on the Arab world. There are scores of Persian satellite outlets which have the task of instigating the Iranian people against the Islamic regime, the Islamic leadership, and Iran's stance. They tell them that as a result of Iran's stance from Palestine and the causes of the region's peoples, you are paying the price from your bread, food, power, water and university scholarship. Thus they promoted many demonstrations in Iran on Al Qods International Day which Imam Khomeini wanted an international day and not only a day in Iran to support Al Qods. They made some partake in these demonstrations and say out slogans such as: Neither Gaza, nor Lebanon, I offer my soul only for the sake of Iran. This was said in Iranian streets thanks for the Persian satellites which are much similar to the Arab satellites.
Today, I would like to hint to the latest sanctions which the Americans imposed on Iran. The Americans and the West did everything they could do: selling oil, the banks, the siege, the sanctions…. However Iran – and as Imam Leader Sayyed Khamenai (May Allah prolong his life span) said days ago – is today more powerful than it was 30 years ago. Its power is increasing though they are besieging it. It trusts in Allah and in itself more and more. Iran is a large and a rich country. It is rich with its people and minds. It is rich with its materialistic capacities. There remains the war. War is welcome. Who wants to fight? They do not know what to do with Hezbollah and still they want to fight! They were waiting for the moment to get out of Iraq, and they made a settlement under the table – and not under fire - to get out. We know this. We know how the Americans get out of Iraq! Still they want to fight! These who are searching thoroughly for Taliban in Afghanistan want to fight!
They magnify the war. However, following all these decades we could live in the region of war and be its men, women, youngsters, and seniors without having any problem in that.
There remains Gaza which must take care of itself very well. It must take care of its choices very well. We can fully understand how embarrassing the stance has become as a result of the developments in the region. However, I address the Palestinian people and the Palestinian factions with a truthful faithful word. They know that I personally as well as all my brothers and sisters like the Palestinians and the Palestinian people, and that we support, back and advocate them and assume with them a portion of this burden. I tell you that should the Palestinian cause return to the bosom of the Arab regime which you have tried for 60 years, Palestine will be lost forever.
Today, there are difficult options which are required to be taken. An axis stood by Palestine and paid the price of standing by Palestine and is still up till this very day being subject to very harsh attacks and the worst among these attacks is resorting to the sectarian ordeal. Before saying that what is taking place in the region specifies the fate of the Syrian people, the Iraqi people, the Lebanese people and the Iranian people, we must say that it specifies the fate of the Palestinian people as the cause of Palestine is the primary target and the first to be influenced by the results.
As far as the situation in Lebanon is concerned, I have a couple of words to say.
First: Confronting all the internal and external threats and risks, in Lebanon we have a point of consensus or it is claimed that there is a national consensus on the army and consequently on enhancing the power of the Lebanese Army as an institution which guarantees civil peace and defending the country. We used to say that in the defense strategies. They used to say either the 'army' alone or the army and the Resistance. So the army is a common factor, and there is a consensus over it. However, is there really a national consensus over that? Is there a uniting national will over that? I doubt….
Brothers and sisters! Before it being a matter of a tank, a plane, arms, and rifles, the army is above all a human being with his mind, spirituality and will. The element which mostly enfeebles the army today and strikes it at heart is accusing it with sectarianism and factionalism and it being penetrated by some groups here and other groups there, doubting its nationalism and doubting its neutralism as far as the internal affairs are concerned though the army has asserted its nationalism and neutralism all through this stage. After all, the generals, the army leaders, the soldiers and the officers are the sons of this people. They have there emotions, inclinations, ideas, and viewpoints. So they are not disjointed from the people. Still the army has proved all through these years its nationalism and neutralism and that it forms a true guarantee. However, today the army leadership and some of its parts are accused of factionalism, sectarianism, penetration and for working for the sake of this side or that side. This is the worst threat to the army. In my viewpoint, those who want a strong army must protect this army first on the political level before talking about money. You may say I supplied the army with the budget and I equipped it with arms too. However, this does not make an army. Moreover, placing the army before the first internal incident and before the first incident with Israel would be catastrophic. Even as far as Adeisseh incident is concerned, I hope Inshallah that this will be evoked on the dialogue table so that we come to know the true official performance in Adeisseh incident and to what extent the state protected the army and covered it. This is indeed for discussion.
Yes, we want a strong army. However, O Lebanese! O government! O dialogue table! O all supporters of the Lebanese Army! To have a strong army, we must have a strong will. This is what I mean.
That means that it becomes in the position of not being frightened by the US ambassador, the US secretary, the US secretary aid, the US president, and the US general when they address us. Only then we can form a strong army. However, if our Army will keep its American arms, arsenal, and training – as they say its bowels are American – it will then be security forces in the dress of the army.
America will not give this army arms to fight Israel. This is over. O brothers! That is not only true to the army; it also applies to the security forces. We have disclosed the documents before you. Even the simple arms they offer to Lebanon, they have control over them to know whether they are being used against Israel or not while they are simple arms. The story in which the Americans claim that they would not give arms to the Lebanese Army so they won't fall in the hand of Hezbollah is mere falsehood and baseless claims. We do not need arms from the Lebanese Army. Supply the army with arms. Do you want guarantees? We will give guarantees. We will swear by God. Supply the Lebanese Army with arms and even if we find them in the street we will not touch them. We are not in need of them. These are rather lies and baseless pretexts. Thus they do not want this army to be strong. They do not want to supply it with arms.
Well, let's go to the dialogue table. Perhaps the government may shoulder that. You are all there at the dialogue table. Make a recommendation for the government to the effect that the Islamic Republic in Iran wants to offer you a donation. Iran wants to give us donations and there are things which Iran may sell us with their cost prices, without red lines and without reservations. I – Iran – want Lebanon to be strong and Lebanon's Army to be strong too. Who is the strong in Lebanon who dares to take this decision not to buy but rather to take a donation from Iran?
When we have a strong national will, we will have a strong national army. However, if our will is afraid of Connelly, Burns, Clinton and Condoleezza Rice, how are we to have a strong army? Supplications alone are not enough. A strong army needs capacities, arms, equipments, training, morals and a political cover. This is what makes a strong army.
The second point has to do with the internal affairs.
Today there are internal tensions in Lebanon for several reasons whether political, living, syndicate demands…. Indeed the media outlets are not falling short behind helping in tensioning the atmosphere. I am not arguing their media right. However, after all there is a right and a kind of national responsibility which they must assume. As far as the Lebanese internal situation is concerned, I call on you and on all the attendance, listeners and especially the Resistance masses to calm down, to show patience and to have tolerance. You have heard many abuses and you will hear much more in the future. There is no problem in that. As far as we are concerned, our blood, children and souls are for the integrity, dignity, respect and stability of this country. Should we lose face and some of our personal dignity, there would be no problem in that. Do not respond to any kind of provocations. Some want to provoke you. Some want to drag you to fighting. Some make haste to have chaos in Lebanon. I used to say as far as the Iraqi issue is concerned that they do not want to keep a stone over a stone or a human being with a human being. The same applies on Lebanon. This is their project for the entire region – absolute, blind chaos. Some want to push Lebanon towards chaos. We are not among then. We do not want to be among them. Thus I call for much patience, much tolerance and much control. Let those who want to talk do so, those who want to speak abusively do so, those who want to lie to do so and those who want to make claims to do so. Prepaid claims are abundant these days. This does not apply only as far as the Sunnite-Shiite issue is concerned. It applies on Muslims and Christians, among Muslims, among Christians, among Shiites, among Sunnites, among Druze and among each sect. yes, some are working on fragmenting our society through familial struggles, tribal struggles, regional struggles, party struggles, factional struggles and sectarian struggles. They are working on that now. This is not by chance. So it is not because people are suffering from the hot weather and the power is off. It's not because people are in need. These are helping elements. However, in fact, the entire country is agitated. Some are funding and offering the media coverage for this provocation. There is an administration for that. Thus we do not want to be part of that. Let's adhere to the silence of the strong and the honorable and not the silence of the weak. Everyone knows that we are not weak; however, we put forth the national interest especially as far as the Shiite-Sunnite issue is concerned. I further assert though I would have preferred not to tackle this issue. However, I watched on satellites in Egypt that in the people's assembly, they are tackling it, in Sudan also in Friday Prayers and in some of the Gulf states. I really am not obliged to talk about that. Speakers, religious men and politicians were showing a toy and telling the praying people: Look at this! First they are lying when saying that the Shiites made this toy and are selling it and presenting it to their children. The toy says kill Lady Aisha. Was that limited to Lebanon we would have transcended it. However, that is being said in Egypt, Sudan and the Gulf states and on the internet. They made big fuzz about the story.
First the voice which is in English does not say that. Second, should it be saying so, who said that the Shiites made this toy? Who said Shiites are selling it?
When I heard about this story and they said it is taking place in Dahiyeh, I told the brethrens to go and find out if anyone is selling such things. In fact, we did not find any such things.
Still the news spread out. See what are the Shiites doing? This reveals to the Israelis and the Americans to what extent we as Muslims might be deceived, provoked, lost and abandoned.
Now, what prevents Israeli industries and western companies from fabricating such rifles for children which really say: Kill Lady Aisha; Kill Caliph Abu Bakr; Kill Caliph Ali, Kill companion so and so? We are really shallow-minded as we Shiites and Sunnites fight with each other.
We are not saying that to the Israelis. We are telling them we are people with no minds or with shallow minds. You do not need to set complicated plots to make sedition among Muslims. With a toy for children you can make sedition among Muslims!
Thus we must be more aware, alert and careful. Here I call for a parole agreement. I hope such a thing will take place in Lebanon. Today sectarian and factional speeches are loose. If someone from a definite sect talks and another from another sect responds, they would start fighting. The parole agreement says – and I will start with the Shiites –: If a Shiite religious man, politician, man of intellect, or journalist says something abusive to the followers of another religion or sect, we Shiites whether scholars, parties, elites or people must stand in his face and silence him down. The same applies to Sunnites. If a Sunnite does such a thing, Sunnites must stand in his face. If a Durzi man does that, Druze must deter him. If a Christian does that, Christians must make him refrain.
Are we able to do such a parole agreement? Should we be able to do that we will be able to guard the country! Indeed our brethrens in Amal Movement, the Shiite Council, the scholars and all the Shiite sides agree on that. We are the first people who make this suggestion and adhere to it. Indeed I am talking about the Shiites in Lebanon. Well if someone in London who is controlled by the British intelligence with whom you are friends says anything, I have nothing to do with him. In Lebanon, when anyone of the Shiites of Lebanon, whether media outlets, an article, a journalist, a television, a speech, a platform, or a mosque, abuse the sanctities of the other religions or the followers of the other religions, or cause sectarian and factional provocations, we – the Shiites – must silence him down. The Sunnites, Druze, and Christians must do the same if we wanted to guard the country. However, if we left the country as it is now forsaken, all of us will assume responsibility in the world and in the Hereafter.
Third: Among the current majority, disputes take place. Some see in these disputes the negative aspect. They have negative aspects; but there is also the positive and good aspect. As far as we – at least - are concerned these disputes assert that this is a coalition government and not a comprehensive government or the government of Hezbollah. From the very first day, March 14 Bloc said it is the government of Hezbollah - while they know it is not the government of Hezbollah – so as to hold Hezbollah responsible for all the repercussions. Well do you know what the repercussions are? March 14 Bloc knows the accumulated loans. In fact they were the reason behind these loans. They know the corruption in the country and they were the one who caused it. They know the bad and heavy heritage left for any government, whether the government of PM Mikati or any other government.
From the very beginning, they know there is no money; there are rather loans and problems. Consequently, this government would face problems and will not be able to address much of these crises. So from the very first day they claimed it is the government of Hezbollah so that they held Hezbollah responsible of all the repercussions.
We accept that. We accept to assume all the repercussions but let the government remain in office so that Lebanon remains stable and so that Lebanon remain adherent to the option of keeping oneself apart which is being practiced by the state and which is to the interest of Lebanon. Perhaps our viewpoint is something else. However, this is the interest of the country.
Indeed and between parentheses, you will find those who for example call for disarming the Resistance in face of Israel and arming the opposition against Syria. Those who call for neutralism with Israel are part in the struggle against Syria. Keep this between parentheses.
This is a coalition government just like any coalition government in the world. It has blocs, convictions, and views which might agree and disagree with each other. However, in principle we seek to solve our problems and disputes through dialogue and close discussion. We in Hezbollah are committed and we commit ourselves to keep any dispute with any component in the current government and any dispute with our allies covert and not make it open. We do not say our remarks openly. We do not mention our criticisms openly. We do not answer the criticisms of our ally openly. We rather prefer dialogue as we are allies and partners.
This is what we came to know. This is our methodology. Thus amid what took place and what is taking place so far with all our allies and among our allies, we assert our strategic, kind, intimate and faithful relations with all our allies especially the National Free Movement. Why do we mention this movement in particular? That's because in the past couple of weeks, some abusers started manipulating with us – i.e. Hezbollah and the National Free Movement in particular.
We remain silent in all times. For the first time, take these couple of words from me: We in Hezbollah assert our respect, esteem and strategic relation with the person of General Michel Aoun and the brethrens in the National Free movement and all its cadres, members and masses. We stress on this alliance which is a strategic alliance and that what is between us and what was established between us in the past six years, in the hard times, and times of difficulties, and in confronting the internal and external challenges can't be disintegrated by a disagreement or a supposed disagreement over demands, living, political or administrative causes.
Allies vary. When we call allies we mean two parties. So Hezbollah did not turn to the National Free Movement or vice versa as they accuse General Aoun. General Aoun is General Aoun; the National Free Movement is the National Free Movement and Hezbollah is Hezbollah. The same applies to any party or movement in this majority. No one has become subsequent to the other or annulled for the interest of the other. Everyone has his convictions, ideas and views. We work on what we agree on. We hold dialogues on what we do not agree on and try to step out of the disagreement. This is the true relation between allies. Let no one expect that the National Free Movement would become subsequent to Hezbollah. I say the same to the masses of the Movement: Do not expect that Hezbollah has become subsequent to the Movement. The National Free Movement has its entity, leadership, path, methodology and presence. Hezbollah as well has its own characteristics. There is an agreement and an alliance among us. From our perspective, my brethrens and I view the stance of Imad Aoun and the National Free Movement – because it is the issue of debate these days. Likewise we view the stances of all our allies in the Islamic and national forces from July War as a moral and human stance above all apart from the political considerations and the considerations of gain and loss. This is the truth. We establish our relations with all of the parties according to this norm.
We hope Inshallah that the parties in the current majority would be able to carry dialogue, discussions and reach agreements and would not allow some crises or problems to let them go much afar because that does not serve Lebanon or the people of Lebanon or the interest of Lebanon at all.
On this great day, I renew our salutation to the souls of the martyrs – all the leader martyrs and the martyrs who passed away on this path. We renew our salutation to the Imam of the Resistance and the Imam of the martyrs – Imam Sayyed Moussa Sadre – May Allah restore him back safe along with both his friends. We renew the salutation for all the resistance fighters and the honorable in all the Resistance factions. We renew the salutation to the generals, soldiers and leadership of the Lebanese Army who stood firmly in this war. I thank all the political forces and parties and all those who stood by and supported the Resistance. I thank every member of our steadfast, patient people who offered sacrifices, were displaced or homed the displaced. I thank everyone who partook and made this epic and this miracle. I tell them: What you did will remain immortal in Lebanon and in the nation in history and until Doom's Day.
