Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah delivered a televised speech Tuesday addressing huge crowds gathering in Baalbek’s Ras Al-Ein to commemorate Arbaeen of Imam Hussein (AS) and his companions.
Sayyed Nasrallah said he will address three main issues in his speech.
“The first will be about the occasion, the second concerning the developments in the region in brief, the last will be about latest Lebanese developments, especially that we are living significant and sensitive days in the fate of our country.”
The event marks the culmination of a 40-day mourning period after the anniversary of the martyrdom of Imam Hussein, Prophet Muhammad's grandson.
After his religious discourse about the circumstance that prevailed in the aftermath of Ashura, including the long and hard journey of Imam Hussein’s sister Sayyida Zeinab and his household from Karbala to Damascus, his eminence tackled the situation in the region.
Sayyed Nasrallah hailed the people of Tunisia for their brave and blessed uprising, yet he urged them to stay aware and coherent so that no one would thwart their efforts. “We’ve heard yesterday that (US Assistant Secretaryof State Jeffrey) Feltman has headed to Tunisia, this is bad omen. The Tunisian people should be aware because when Feltman wants to talk procedures and elections with the interim Tunisian Government, this definitely means an American conspiracy in the making. Wherever this juggler Feltman appears, desolation and strife appear with him.”
The Hezbollah chief lashed out at the international community for mobilizing their efforts for the sake of Israeli occupation soldier Gilad Shalit, who was captured by the Palestinian resistance in 2006, while forgetting about thousands of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.
“The world talks about Shalit, this killer and aggressor, and forgets thousands of Palestinians in Israeli jails. We remember the houses that were destroyed and we remember Jerusalem and the Aqsa Mosque and the millions of refugees who the whole world is conspiring against, to keep them away from their land, their rights and sanctities. Since the beginning we’ve believed in Palestine and the sufferings of its people. On this path, we offered our most precious martyrs and we will continue to sacrifice with this people, we’ll be martyred together, and together we will make victory, God willing.”
Sayyed Nasrallah’s speech came as former PM Saad Hariri’s supporters were taking to the streets to protest the nomination of Najib Mikati to form the new government. Hariri’s supporters turned violent as they unprecedentedly attacked local and Arab reporters, Lebanese Army Forces with Molotov bombs and stones, and offices of Mikati and MP Mohamad Safadi,
“We are passing in a difficult and sensitive stage and this requires responsible handling of the situation. We have acted in line with the constitution (to democratically topple Hariri’s government and name another candidate for the post). It is our legal right to face the Special Tribunal for Lebanon’s (STL) indictment that targets the resistance. What we did was normal and we practiced our constitutional right. The opposition ministers resigned and toppled the government, and then we took part in constitutional parliamentary consultations which led to the clear democratic result; President (Michel) Sleiman has designated Mikati to form the new Lebanese government,” Sayyed Nasrallah said.
He added: “The battle over the consultations was very strong. I would like to tell you that many foreign powers interfered. Imagine that US Vice President Joseph Biden had called a parliamentary bloc leader to ask him to vote for Saad Hariri.
“We understand the feelings and anger of [Hariri’s supporters]. But let’s just suppose that things were reversed and the other candidate was assigned and some of our people had taken to the streets to protest; I assure you that we would have heard condemnations from Washington and other Western capitals. We would have witnessed a global campaign to describe opposition supporters as terrorists, dictators, and rejectionists. But because demonstrators were from the other side, the whole world was mum. Those who preach respect for Lebanon's legitimacy, constitutional institutions have remained silent.
Why do you respect the will of that majority and don’t respect that of another group? And if demonstrations and blocking roads are a legitimate right, why condemn the opposition when they take to the streets? They have been giving us lectures during the past five years on civilization, democracy and the majority-minority formula, but today these lectures have ended forever.”
His eminence added that “however today, there is a new political opportunity.” “Threats against Mikati will be useless and saying that he is Hezbollah’s candidate is wrong, because in 2009 he was running on Hariri’s list and he was a centrist man. These slogans are only to pressure Mikati and we understand that this is aimed to incite sectarian strife. The opposition had another choice but we saw in Mikati’s nomination an opportunity to ease the challenge and a chance for the country; so we supported him. The next Prime minister will not be Hezbollah’s, nor will the next cabinet be. This is being propagated only to mobilize foreign powers against Lebanon, especially the US, Israel and those involved in the Israeli-American project in the region.”
Sayyed Nasrallah stressed Hezbollah was a resistance movement that has always sought martyrdom in the fight with the Israeli enemy.
“We are not power seekers. before 2005, we did not take part in any cabinet. We never asked for a ministerial portfolio, administration, or government. Everything we ask for is for you to understand that we are a resistance movement; we did our best to defend the country, preserve Lebanese and Arab dignity, and liberate lands and sanctities. We want two things from you: Leave us alone, don’t plot against us or backstab us. We open our chest for Israel bullets; this how we want to be martyred. We don’t want to take your bullets in our backs. We don’t need protection from you. Care and serve the people, especially in poor areas like Akkar, the Bekaa and the North. What did they do for Akkar, Tripoli and the North in the past five years?”
“You went to Washington, made commitments, and plotted against the Resistance and its arms. Even the national dialogue table’s aim was to disarm the resistance, but you failed. You asked for the July War on the resistance and you failed. Today, there is the Special Tribunal for Lebanon and it’s being employed to get rid of the Resistance, but you will also fail,” Sayyed Nasrallah said.
“Although we’ve had economic problems with you, we were keen to live together and resolve outstanding issues. If we don’t give Mikati a chance to succeed, where do you think you’d be taking the country to? his eminence asked.
Sayyed Nasrallah stressed that only the army, people and resistance can protect Lebanon from Israel’s aggression, not the shape of the government or its PM. “Give Mikati’s government a chance, even for a year. Rejection to participate in the next cabinet would show that the March 14 alliance wants to monopolize governance of the country.
