"I say to all the honorable people, to the mujahedeen, to the heroes, I have always promised you with victory and now I promise you with another one"
"I say to all the honorable people, to the mujahedeen, to the heroes, I have always promised you with victory and now I promise you with another one," with these words Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah ended his Saturday's speech on the 13th anniversary of Resistance and Liberation Day, referring to the battle in Syria against Takfiris whose masters are the US and 'Israel'.
Speaking from Martyr Imad Moughniyeh City in Mashgara, West of Bekaa in a videolink of a speech delivered live on a huge screen, His eminence said: "the Liberation Day is one of Allah's days where His mercy and support revealed itself for our resisting people, and where His rage came out on the occupier," and added that it should be forever remembered and "must be transmitted from one generation to another because it represents a deep national experience and is a passage towards an honorable future." We should not forget the sad days of Nakba or Naksa of Palestine and compare them with that of victories. "The 1948's Nakba, similar to the 1967's setback, were a catastrophe to all Arabs, not to a particular nation only. All the Arabs are bearing the consequences."
His eminence talked about two huge dangers the resistance is facing: Israel and its greediness, and the turnovers in neighboring Syria where Takfiri groups are fighting on ground.
"The Zionist entity is continuing with its scheme in Palestine without even being criticized by the international community," His eminence said. "Since July 2006, Israel has been preparing for war after realizing their weaknesses and is threatening Lebanon on a daily basis and has been mobilizing its forces on the border for months. Israel has a special ministry, the Ministry of Home Front Defense, which is responsible for anything that targets its entity." Tomorrow, they will begin a new maneuver, which they are calling Solid Front I, on the interior front, and they say they are ready for war, He added.
On the other side,Sayyed Nasrallah wondered, what did the state in Lebanon do to face these threats and bear its responsibilities? What did the state do since 2005 regarding arming and training the military institution? "We used to hear excuses like the Syrian presence in Lebanon, but in fact the Americans are the ones vetoing arming any Arab army if the weapons were against Israel. It's forbidden to buy arms to Syria or Lebanon because they'll fight Israel, however, huge numbers of weapons are being sold to several Arab countries because they gave guarantees not to shoot any bullet at the Zionist entity."
"Israel is arming its citizens in border villages, whereas some consider weapons found with our border villages' families as illegal!"
Hezbollah SG criticized the state as being too weak to deter any Israeli threat. "Our state can't protect a funeral in Sidon, it can't stop clashes in Tripoli and hadn't yet adopted an electoral law. Do you imagine that such a state can make a decision to confront and deter the enemy?" But He said that if directions, political cover and armaments were granted to the army, it could fight Israel similarly to the resistance, and the resistance for its part would support it and stay behind it.
"The resistance, who defeated Israel in July 2006, has been training and Israel fears it, however, many in Lebanon are wondering how to get rid of it."
Concerning the internal Lebanese turmoil, Sayyed Nasrallah said: "we are in front of two options that are either an elections based on the 1960's law or extending the parliament's term, or a 'miracle' would lead to reaching consensus over a new law." But, he added, we are against vacuum. "We rushed to submit our candidacies before the March 14 alliance did because we reject vacuum, even if the elections were held based on the 1960's law."
"We renew our call to keep Lebanon aside from any clash or conflict, we are fighting in Syria and your are doing so as well, so let us keep our fighting there," the SG said, adding that what happened in Sidon and what's happening in Tripoli are shameful and should stop immediately. "Those who want to support the government or the opposition let them all go to Syria and leave Tripoli neutral."
Commenting on the Syrian crisis, Sayyed Nasrallah said that "since the beginning of Syria's war we have said Assad's regime has its positives and negatives. Reform is required and the only way to reach this is through political dialogue." "I have talked to Assad, he vowed to make reforms and was ready to talk to the opposition but it refused."
"Recent events have proved that there is an axis lead by the U.S. while the rest are working under its orders. Everyone knows this axis is supported by Israel while al-Qaida and other Takfiri organizations from around the world were paid to take part in it. The so-called "Friends of Syria" conference days ago didn't realize the huge interference by militants from various countries and just was aware of some of Hezbollah members who entered Syria only months ago," He pointed out.
Sayyed Nasrallah assured that part of the Syrian opposition abroad has a vision and is ready for dialogue whereas others work under the Pentagon's orders, adding that the Takfiris are the most prevailing group on the Syrian scene.
Pointing to the danger posed by Takfiri groups, who consider as infidels all Muslims not sharing their extremist ideology, His eminence said: "What is happening on the Syrian border is dangerous to Lebanon and to coexistence in the country and will become a danger to Sunnis. All of the Lebanese people are threatened, especially the Sunnis, if those Takfiri groups controlled the border villages with Lebanon. This Takfiri mind has killed much more Sunnis than members of other Muslim sects." Sayyed Nasrallah warned that if Syria fell in the hands of America, Israel and the Takfiris, the future of Lebanon, Syria, Palestine and the whole region would be dark. "Israel will enter Lebanon if Syria fell in their hands."
He also said the Syrian opposition had from the very beginning of the unrest in Syria threatened to target Hezbollah. "Since the outset of the unrest ... some in the opposition addressed us saying: the regime will fall and we are coming to target you in Lebanon." So, Sayyed Nasrallah said, the resistance could not remain silent and allow Syria to fall into their hands.
As a result, the S.G. announced that Hezbollah had entered a new phase a few weeks ago: the phase of fortifying the resistance and protecting its backbone.
"We will not rely on anyone. Like all the battles before this one: We will be its people, its men, and we will be the ones who bring its victory. We will assume this responsibility and endure all the sacrifices and consequences that come with taking such a stance,” He vowed.
"We have lost thousands of martyrs and we consider that through our stand we are defending Lebanon, Palestine and Syria," His eminence said. "You can be with whoever side you want in Syria, but Hezbollah can't be neither with the American side nor with the side of murderers who disembowel, behead and desecrate tombs," referring to vandalizing of Hujr Ibn Adi grave in Adra by terrorists, and the latest acts of aggression against Syrian soldiers.
Concerning claims that Hezbollah fighters are being forced to fight in Syria, Sayyed Nasrallah rebuffed these claims saying that Hezbollah even would prevent some people from fighting like the only son of a family even if his parents wanted him to participate in the war. "We don't force anybody to go to fight in any battle, they all go willingly and aspire to take part in the resistance." "We don't need to declare Jihad, but with two words you will find tens of thousands of fighters whom are ready to take all fronts."
Commenting on latest attempts by the EU to put Hezbollah on the list of 'terror organizations', Sayyed Nasrallah ridiculed this step as "old news" and just "ink on paper." "We will continue to assume our responsibility as a resistance despite media campaigns and pressures. We have been on the terrorist list since a long time. This makes no change. Since 30 years, we have been living not only in the battlefield, but also facing a political and psychological warfare but it could not affect our will and determination. Therefore, I say to our people who trust the resistance and bet on it: your resistance will stay with you to defend you, and you’ll always be proud and victorious, God willing."
Video with subtitles of most important stances in His eminence's speech is now available.