Beirut – Marking yet another violation of Lebanese sovereignty, Zionist ‘Israel’ is actively erecting a wall on stolen Lebanese land disavowing previous UN brokered agreements.
Obviously, the Zionist occupation army is saying that the construction work is being done on “sovereign ‘Israeli’ territory” which according to international law is false because ‘Israel’ is occupying both Lebanese and Palestinian land. However, allow me to demonstrate how Zionist ‘Israel’ is not only lying about the matter but also actively stealing more Lebanese land on the southern border with occupied Palestine.
The illegal concrete wall that the Zionist entity is building passes through territory that belongs to Lebanon which is located on the Lebanese side of the U.N. designated Blue Line, which demarcated ‘Israel’s’ defeat and withdrawal from southern Lebanon in 2000.
In the year 2000, the first United Nations draft of the Blue Line appeared, varying in 13 points with the Final Delimitation Agreement of 1923, which was also approved by the 1949 ‘Israeli’-Lebanese Armistice Agreement with an area of 485,039 square meters along the Blue Line, extending for 114 km from the occupied Shab’a farms to the town of Naqoura.
At that time, Lebanon voiced its rejection of this line through the Lebanese committee headed by General Amin Hoteit who presented his remarks about the Blue Line to the United Nations. As a result, the UN decided to withdraw its line in 10 points, and to maintain 3 points in Rmeish, Adaisa and Metulla villages.
Lebanon held on to its right in those points. This showed a new reality that the international line should be amended in those 10 regions, while keeping the Lebanese reservations to the remaining 3 areas, provided that the situation on the ground remains the same, meaning that ‘Israel’ is not allowed to alter or change anything at these 3 points.
In this context, it is noted that the Blue Line does not in any way represent an international border, but merely aims to verify the ‘Israeli’ entity’s withdrawal from Lebanon in 2000.
A brief look at a map of the frontier between Lebanon and occupied Palestine and you will see a knot of dotted lines that cut inexplicably through villages and farmland. These lines were supposed to be temporary, but they stand as a monument to decades of unresolved conflicts between Lebanon and the ‘Israeli’ entity.
For some time now, the ‘Israeli’ occupation forces have been building a concrete wall in these 3 “reservation points”, specifically in front of the town of Adaisa. By adding cement units to the wall, ‘Israel’ is violating what was previously agreed upon at those points.
Furthermore, in the Mountain of al-Bayadah, which is located within the Naqoura area and is considered among the disputed 13 points, the ‘Israeli’ occupation forces are moving the security point from a mountain inside Lebanese territory to areas of “geographical impediment” for security usages by the ‘Israeli’ enemy.
This move is a systematic and illegal “rock drilling” operation for the mountain by the ‘Israeli’ occupation forces who also destroyed approximately 500 square meters of agricultural land planted with olives in al-Bayadah area.
In conclusion, the ‘Israeli’ enemy is not only trying to breach what has been agreed upon for the 3 “reservation points”, but also actively going back to the situation before Lebanon submitted a complaint to the UN to retract its decision about the 10 points which Lebanon clearly rejected.
Zionist ‘Israel’ violates Lebanese airspace on “a daily basis” and still occupies internationally recognized Lebanese land. Now they are erecting an illegal concrete wall on our land while the international community watches like a deaf mute observer. However, according to the Lebanese constitution and article 51 of the UN charter, which recognizes a right of self-defense, Lebanon preserves the right to defend its land from being stolen again by the armed and aggressive ‘Israeli’ occupation forces. Lebanon is a member of the United Nation and we as a nation have the inherent right of collective or individual self-defense if and when an armed attack occurs against us and what ‘Israel’ is doing at our border as we speak is nothing short than an armed attack.
Lebanon preserves the right to defend itself as per the government’s ministerial policy statement that adopts the tripartite equation: “The Army, the people and the resistance” as a means of facing any possible ‘Israeli’ attack on Lebanon. The illegal cement want will not stop Lebanon from defending its land from ‘Israeli’ theft.
Kafrkela Village, south Lebanon’s border with occupied Palestine. Credits: Ali Chouaib.
No matter how high Zionist ‘Israel’ erects that cement wall near the settlement of Metulla in the north of occupied Palestine, it will never block the site from the stolen Arab land. Just take a trip to the Lebanese village of Kafrkela and you can easily see the peaks of Al-Sheikh Mountain that appears to be connected to the sky. Just beneath Al-Sheikh Mountain, you see the western slopes of the occupied Syrian Golan Heights, which constitute a natural extension to south Lebanon, and north Palestine, joining with green fields, pine forests and scattered spines on either side of the artificial and temporary border.
There is no need to keep repeating how useless this concrete wall is in the face of geography, and that its builders are simply strangling their existence with walls of isolation while deceivingly selling it as means of protection to the northern illegal colonial settlers. Meanwhile, the leaders of the Zionist entity and its occupation forces have no doubt that when the Lebanese resistance decides to enter the Upper Galilee, it shall do so without any hindering within 15 to 20 minutes in broad daylight above the ground and not beneath it
Hezbollah Secretary General His Eminence Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah delivered on Sunday a speech in which he tackled various Lebanese and regional topics.
Addressing tens of thousands in Hermel at the “Glory and Victory” festival commemorating the 2nd Liberation’s anniversary, Sayyed Nasrallah welcomed and saluted the huge crowd.
From the “Tadamon Stadium” in the northeastern city of Hermel, Sayyed Nasrallah confirmed that “the 2nd Liberation Day is a day for our people, army and resistance.”
“This is another celebration of liberation and victory made by the golden equation of ‘the army, people and resistance’,” he stated, noting that “The celebrations are being held in Hermel because it was directly impacted and threatened by the extremists, at some points experiencing rocket attacks.”
Meanwhile, His Eminence wondered:
“What if Daesh [Arabic Acronym for the terrorist “ISIS/”ISIL”] and similar groups won in Syria and Iraq ? What was the fate of all the countries in the region? What would be the destiny of this whole area, of the Gulf region itself? What would have been the destiny of the Lebanese people and the multitude of Lebanese communities if [Daesh had won?]. What would have been the fate of the Lebanese people had Daesh and Al-Nusra managed to reach Hermel, Zahle and all Lebanese regions?”
He went on to say: “What has happened in our region since more than seven years is very dangerous and huge.”
“Some who had bet on Daesh and al-Nusra are classified as disbelievers by these groups that allow the shedding of their blood,” Sayyed Nasrallah cautioned.
According to the Resistance Leader,
“The people of the Bekaa region along with the resistance were quick to take the decision in confronting the Takfiri groups. They took a quick decision to confront terrorism inside Lebanese and Syrian territories because the government was confused back then and unable to take a decision.”
Praising the sacrifices of the Resistance men, Sayyed Nasrallah considered that “the human element of youth and their presence is the basis of all battles.”
“If we want today to take the decision to participate in any operation in Syria, we will find that our youth need only a signal,” he elaborated.
In a direct comparison, His Eminence confirmed that “the real crisis in the “Israeli” army lies in the human element and its inability to attract young people.”
“Since 2006, the “Israeli” hasn’t been able to change the spirit of defeat that prevailed in their officers and soldiers,” he added, pointing out that “Last year, 44000 “Israeli” soldiers and officers visited psychiatrists.”
In this context, Sayyed Nasrallah said: “Strategic “Israeli” experts have said that their army is not ready to go to a new war.”
However, he praised the fact, “Fighting for seven years in Syria, we- in Hezbollah- have been fighting and no expression of boredom has come from our environment.
On the Syrian front, Sayyed Nasrallah warned that
“the West is preparing for a chemical play to launch an aggression against Syria while they remain silent when it comes to the crimes committed against the Yemeni children.”
He further revealed that the current data indicates that there exist new preparations for a chemical play in Idilb.
“There are no allies for the US in this world, America is dealing with everyone as tools,” he viewed warning the Kurds to be aware of any moment at which the US may sell them.”
Mentioning some aspects of the American hypocrisy, Sayyed Nasrallah reminded that when Al-Qaeda elements were surrounded in a Syrian area, US planes would rush to rescue them.”
“US intervened to prevent the Lebanese Army from taking part in the battle against Daesh in the outskirts,” he added, noting that “Those who defeated Daesh in Lebanon, Syria and Iraq are the ones who fought there, and not the Americans.”
According to His Eminence,
“From the 2nd liberation in the Bekaa and the first liberation in the South, we can say that there is no here is no place in Lebanon for an occupier nor a future for those who have expansion ambitions as long as our people cling to freedom, liberation, sovereignty and dignity.”
On the ongoing internal debate, Hezbollah Secretary General underscored that “the issue of reestablishing ties with Syria shouldn’t be a precondition to the formation of a government in Lebanon.”
He went on to say
“Some March 14 circles say that the real reason for postponing the formation of the government is that the Special Tribunal for Lebanon [STL] will issue its decision in September.”
His Eminence underscored that
“The STL means nothing to us at all, and what it issues is of no value, whether it is a conviction or an acquittal.”
To those betting on the STL, Sayyed Nasrallah sent a sounding message of three words: ‘Do not play with fire’.
Regarding the government’s formation, His Eminence highlighted that
“We are the largest party in Lebanon, but we have the lowest participation in political power.”
He also warned that Hezbollah’s “enemies are convinced that the war with #Hezbollah is useless and difficult and the solution is to topple it in its environment.”
“Part of the targeting us today is to distort the image of #Hezbollah leaders and officials in its environment,” His Eminence cautioned, noting that “They want to make #Hezbollah responsible for the country’s problems to distort its image in front of the world.”
To the resistance’s people in Bekaa, Sayyed Nasrallah said:
“Do not allow anyone to take you to ignorance and to what leads to any doubt or weakness in this arena that made miracles.”
The below post was originally Posted on March 2, 2012 in reply to Laura Stuart a British citizen who embrased Sunni Islam and Joined Sectarian “Muslim” Brotherhood. Cosequently, Laura was a strong supporter of Hamas, Laura Stuart is one Mavi Marmara Survivors.
She supported the so-called “Arab” spring and the Anglo Zionist conspiracy to change the rgime in both Libya and later in Syria, because she and her American Brotherhod believe that success will never come for the Muslims from deviant sects in Syria, Lenanon and Iran.
Laura, and others, like their brothers in Hamas believed that Palestine shall be liberated by “REAL MUSLIM HEROS” in QATAR and Turkey
ِAccording to Abdalbari Atwan, Hamas realized its grave mistake and is in the process of re-joining the Axis of Resistance, one upon a time they called “Axis of deviants”
There are some Palestinians amongst my friends who say that Assad has helped them, this is true. But success will never come for the Muslims by expecting a solution from a deviant sect like the Shia.Success for the Palestinians will only come from Allah s.w.t. and the Palestinians of all people should know that there is no solution from any other power.
I am sure she will read my new comment, and I hope she would comment here under this post
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So Laura, they taught you, “success will never come for the Muslims by expecting a solution from a deviant sect like the Shea”. Consequently, success will never come from deviant such as Iran, Syria an Hezbollah, nor from Hamas as long as it is allied with them.
If you believe this BS, Palestine don’t need neither your support nor the support of all those promoting sectarian wars and divisions among Muslim.
At the outset, I would remind you that you ended one of your posts titled by the verses.
O you who have believed, do not take the Jews and the Christians as allies. They are [in fact] allies of one another. And whoever is an ally to them among you – then indeed, he is [one] of them. Indeed, Allah guides not the wrongdoing people.
I shall start from here
O, laura, “you who have believed,” you have to read this verses within its historic context, and with all other verses dealing with Jews and Christians. If you do, you will realize that Allah is instructing you, and your Islamists, not to take your enemies, as allies.
(It happened that some Christians and some Jews were the enemies when the verses was revealed) ,
Therefore, as a Muslem, allies such as Gilad Atzmon and Stuart Littlewood, are bothers in humanity not enemies.
YES “Success for the Palestinians will only come from Allah s.w.t.” but can you tell me from where the success of Vietnam come, the answer is from Allah, unless you believe Allah is only yours, and not the lord of universe, and humans, all humans, the believers and seculars, and unless believe that Quran is addressed only to Muslims not to all Humanity (Al-nas, Al-aalameen)
Having said that, let us move forward. I hope you agree with me that “God does not change what folk until they change what is in themselves”and “If ye help Allah , He will help you and will make your foothold firm”
Let us move forward to see how we could help God so he would help us.
Would you please read the following two verses?
Go to all Quran translations you will find that the verses is translated like this:
And prepare against them whatforce you can and horses tied at the frontier, to frighten thereby the enemy of Allah and your enemy and othersbesides them, whom you do not know (but) Allah knows them; and whatever thing you will spend in Allah’s way, it will be paid back to you fully and you shall not be dealt with unjustly. (60)
‘If they seek peace, then you seek you ‘peace’ and trust in God for He is the One that heareth and knoweth all things.’ (8.61)
Translation, in general, is based on Tafseer books. The above translation of verses (61), reflects how our Muslim leaders, and their puppet “scholars” used and abused the Quran to justify treason and taking our enemies as allies. The verses was used and abused by Sadat and his puppet Shaikh Shaarawi, to justify visiting Jerusalem, and the “Shalom” Camp David treaty, and to justify the so called Arab initiative, and now is used by your Islamist in Egypt, Tunis and Libya, to Justify taking Nato and the west as their allies.
The two Verses should be read together, let me do that using my mind not Sheik Arifi likes “pre-set minds”
And prepare against them what“FORCE” you can and horses tied at the frontier, to frightenthereby the enemy of Allah and your enemy and othersbesides them, whom you do not know (but) Allah knows them; and whatever thing you will spend in Allah’s way, it will be paid back to you fully and you shall not be dealt with unjustly. (60)
Allah is asking you “who have believed,” to prepare for THEM and others besides them (Your real enemies, not the so-called “deviant sects”, look around you and you will see both THEM and OTHERS BESIDES THEM) what FORCE you can…. to“frighten“them and others beside them.
In other words, the first verses urges us to acquire power to prevent aggression (Frighten -not terrorize) the enemy and others beside him. In modern terms: Achieve Power Balance.
According to Syrian researcher Professor Mohamad Shahrour IT refers not to Peace in vesres 61, but to FORCE in Verses 60.
And if theyincline to peace, then incline to it (FORCE, not PEACE) and trust in Allah; surely He is the Hearing, the Knowing. (61)
In English “it” stands for both feminine, masculine, In Arabic Force is feminine, Peace is masculine, So if Allah is talking about peace, Allah should have used [ له not لها]
[ قال لها أي اجنح للقوة، ولو قصد الجنوح للسلم لقال له]
In other words: IF THEY INCLINE TO PEACE, THEN INCLINE TO FORCE, to keep the enemy frightened and prevent WAR.
Back to you Islamist’s claim that “success will never come for the Muslims by expecting a solution from a deviant sect like the Shia”.
As far as I see, only Syria and Iran are doing that, and because they did there enemies, the Zionized western countries, are in a mess, and are seeking the help of those “besides them” I mean Islamists, Arab league, the UN, to divide us. SO, get out of “them” and out of “those besides them”.
Implement your golden rule: By Your Friends You Are Known
I am sure if you zoom out of your “Islamist VEIL” and storm your brain while reading your Quran, by your eyes and your brain, not by the eyes of puppets such as Sheik Arifi, I am sure you would understand the stupidity of Islamist idiots, and realize that the so-called deviant sects, and their Sunni Hamas (I am not sure if they will continue), are the only Muslims, following the the Quran of both Shia and Sunna.
On the opposite side, though the enemy never inclined to Peace, Arabs and Muslims took the verse 61 out of its context and inclined to peace as strategic option (Camp David, Oslo, Wadi Araba, and now indirect talks) and forget the verses 60, and if they care to acquire power, they do it to keep the western military industry running, and to use it against their people, and the so-called “deviant sect” in Syria, may be in Iran.
Sad to say that we Muslims has abandoned Quran, and our enemy is following it. Just look how the US did it after the fall of communism, and how Israeli did it after Camp David, Oslo and also after its defeat in Lebanon and Gaza. When Arabs and Muslims “inclined to peace”, Zionists inclined to acquire more force
BTW, Laura, I am not Shea, not Sunni, by birth I am Sunni, who embraced Islam at his forties
استقبل رئيس الجمهورية العماد ميشال عون في قصر بعبدا، أمس رئيس تحرير جريدة «البناء» النائب السابق ناصر قنديل، وأجرى معه جولة أفق تناولت الأوضاع الراهنة والتطورات السياسية الأخيرة…
وخلال اللقاء قدّم النائب السابق قنديل للرئيس عون نسخة من كتابه الجديد «حزب الله… فلسفة القوة»، وسلّمه دعوة للمشاركة في حفل إطلاق الكتاب الذي سيُقام في قصر الأونسكو في بيروت يوم الإثنين 30 تموز الحالي، الساعة الخامسة بعد الظهر، وسيتحدّث خلاله رئيس المجلس التنفيذي لحزب الله السيد هاشم صفي الدين.
بين الحديث عن وساطة روسية وتدخل مباشر مع المسلحين أدى إلىنوب السوري هو إسقاط توجّه إسرائيلي بالسيطرة على الحدود واستبدالها بالجيش الحر الذي عرفت به الأزمة ببداياتها قبل ظهور جبهة النصرة وداعش والجيش الحر الذي شكّل الجزء الثاني الشبيه بـ «جيش لحد» في جنوب لبنان. وهو الجيش المنشق أصلاً عن الجيش السوري. وهو الذي كان من المفترض أن يقلب المشهد ويؤسس أرضية كتائب متعدّدة تجمع مجدداً تحت إطار جيش سورية الجديد بعد إسقاط النظام، كما كان مفترضاً. هذا الجيش الذي انشقّ جزء كبير منه عبر إغراءات مالية لأصحاب رتب رفيعة وانسحابات فردية عاد وتبعثر مع مشروعه الأساسي بعد أن كشف حلفاء الرئيس السوري عن نية الانضمام معه الى الحرب. فكان أن انضم حزب الله وإيران وروسيا وصارت آمال هذا الجيش أبعد.
احتلال الجنوب اللبناني قرابة عشرين عاماً يكاد يكون المثل الأوضح لجهة الاهتمام الإسرائيلي بالحدود في شتى حروبها. والإبقاء على احتلال الجنوب اللبناني باهظ الثمن وقع ضمن تجاذبات داخل الجبهة الإسرائيلية أخذت الكثير من صقورها نحو الانكفاء أو بالحد الأدنى الابتعاد عن فكرة الانسحاب قدر الممكن حتى أُجبر ايهود باراك وزير» الدفاع – الحرب» الإسرائيلي آنذاك للانسحاب تحت ضغط عمليات المقاومة المتتالية التي ضاق بها الجنود الإسرائليون ذرعاً حتى سموا جنوب لبنان «أرض الجحيم».
بالواقع، فإن هذا الجحيم قد بدأ فعلياً لحظة الانسحاب الإسرائيلي الذي كلّف توسيع نفوذ حزب الله من لبنان لسورية وصولاً الى العراق واليمن. الأمر الذي يعني الكثير والذي أكد أن مسألة الحدود هي الأقدر على تقويض الحركات المقاتلة وضبط أي نوع من أنواع المقاومات.
الحدود الشمالية مع سورية رئة «حزب الله». وهي مثال آخر على أهمية الاحتفاظ بمداخلها ومخارجها احتفاظاً بنقاط القوة خلال المعارك. وعرف ان اهتماماً بالغاً من القيادة السورية وحزب الله بنقطة المصنع اللبنانية التي كانت محطّ عناية كبرى لئلا تغلق أثناء الأزمة وكان ذلك.
من الجنوب السوري بداية القصة، ومنها النهاية. من درعا الشرارة ومنها وداع المؤامرة. هكذا يصف السوريون فرحتهم بعودة الجنوب السوري تدريجياً، لكن هذا الجنوب الذي يشكل قلقاً عند الإسرائيليين وحده سيكون محط أنظار الأيام المقبلة في ما يتعلق بوجود إيران فيه إلا أن المؤكد يبقى فرط عقد مشروع إنشاء جيش لحد ثانٍ بشكل نهائي في تلك المنطقة، تماماً كما سقط هذا المشروع بعد عشرين عاماً في جنوب لبنان.
8 أعوام تكفلت بردّ البقعة الجغرافية الواقعة عند حدود الدولة السورية مع الكيان المحتل لهضبة الجولان. ومن الجهة المقابلة تمكّن الجيش السوري من بسط سيطرته على معبر نصيب. وهو معبر تجاري حيوي لكل من الأردن وسورية ولبنان والعراق «جنوب درعا» الذي يضمّ أيضاً محافظتي القنيطرة والسويداء.
الاتفاق الأخير يقضي بتسليم الإرهابيين أسلحتهم مقابل فض النزاع والانسحاب، لكن الأهم في الجزء المتعلّق بمحافظة القنيطرة، حيث يسيطر الإرهابيون التكفيريون سيبقى الأبرز. وهو ما أكدته كاميرات الرصد وتحرّكات الأجهزة العسكرية الإسرائيلية في الساعات الماضية التي عكست قلقاً كبيراً وإرباكاً واضحاً من ردود فعل محدودة تعني الاستسلام لأمر واقع جديد من دون تطوير أو تصعيد المشهد حتى اللحظة، لأن شيئاً لن يكون مطمئناً لجهة فرض الجيش السوري سيطرته من جديد مقابل الوجود الإيراني حزب الله في تلك المنطقة.
الوجود الإيراني والقلق الإسرائيلي منه لا يزال الطرح الأوحد. وهو يخضع لتمسك سوري رسميّ على أساس أنه موجود بموافقة دمشق، خلافاً لقوى عسكرية أخرى ولدول أحضرت طواقمها العسكرية من دون تلك الموافقة.
انهيارات الجنوب السوري التدريجية تغلق صفحات ولادة جيش منشق كان من المقدَّر له الحياة بحراسة منافذ «إسرائيل» مشابهة لتلك التي عاشها جيش انطوان لحد في جنوب لبنان. وكان مقدراً أن تبقى هذه الصيغة سنوات طويلة كما بقي الجنوب اللبناني أسيراً للسلطات الأمنية الإسرائيلية، في ما يُسمّى تأمين المدى الحيوي لـ«إسرائيل» وبسط سيطرتها الأمنية على المنافذ والمعابر الاستراتيجية.
H.E. President Bashar Al-Assad gave the following interview to the Iranian Al-Alam TV:
Question 1: Mr. President, there are many issues which we will talk about, but in the light of the victories you have achieved, the main focus remains the south of Syria. What’s happening exactly, or what is the nature of what is happening in the south of Syria?
President Assad: To put it simply, after the liberation of al-Ghouta, it was suggested that we should move south. We were faced with two options, as is the case in all other areas in Syria: reconciliation or liberation by force. At this point, the Russianssuggested the possibility of giving reconciliation an opportunity, similar to what happened in other areas, in order to restore the situation that prevailed before 2011. In other words, for the Syrian Army to be deployed in that area, which is an area of confrontation with the Zionist enemy. And of course the terrorists should leave the area. This proposition suits us. Up till now, there are no concrete results for a simple reason which is Israeli and American interference; for they put pressure on the terrorists in that area in order to prevent reaching any compromise or peaceful resolution. That is how the situation stands now.
Question 2: So, it hasn’t been decided whether to move towards a military operation or towards reconciliation?
President Assad: No, contacts are still ongoing between the Russians, the Americans, and the Israelis, while nobody is communicating with the terrorists, because they are mere tools, and they implement what their masters decide ultimately. This is what happened, i.e. there was an opportunity to reach reconciliation, but the American and Israeli interference prevented that possibility.
Question 3: Of course, this is the reality there. But on the other hand, there are those who talk about many things taking place in the south. Mr. President, is there a certain deal, what is the price? Is there really a price for concluding this deal in the south? Let me talk frankly about the issue of getting the Iranians to leave the southern region in return for al-Tanf, for example. What did the Americans demand, or let’s say, what was the price the Americans asked to approve the reconciliation process in the south?
President Assad: For the Americans, there is a general principle they follow in dealing with any problem in the world. The only price they ask for is absolute hegemony, regardless of the issue and the place. Of course, we shall never provide that price; otherwise we wouldn’t have fought this war for years. We have been fighting for the independence of Syrian decision-making, for the Syrian homeland, and for the unity of Syrian territory. As for Iran in particular, let me be very clear: the Syrian-Iranian relationship is a strategic one not subject to a deal in the south or in the north. This relationship, in terms of its implications and results on the ground, is linked to the present and future of the region. Consequently, it is not subject to the price tags of the international bazaar. Neither Syria nor Iran has floated this relationship on the international political bazaar for it to be subject to haggling. The proposition was made by the Israelis with the objective of provoking and embarrassing Iran. At the same time, this comes in line with the international propaganda campaign launched against Iran regarding the nuclear file. It is not a separate issue; for everything happening now is linked to Iran in order to create an international position against it. As for us in Syria, the decision concerning our land is an exclusively Syrian decision. We are fighting the same battle, and when we have a decision concerning Iran, we will talk about it with the Iranians and not with any other party.
Question 4: Of course, we will talk more about Iran and in more detail, but since we are talking about the southern front, let’s explore it further. Practically, in the same context, there is the MOC which hasn’t stopped its operations since the beginning of the war on Syria about eight years ago. It is working and is still active, and is directly linked to the Israelis. But we have noticed recently that it has been reactivated, and there are more communications. Mr. President, does this mean that the Syrian state is practically moving towards a military decisive action in the south regardless of the consequences, whether things reach a stalemate or not? Is a decisive action in the cards for the Syrian leadership?
President Assad: No, MOC has nothing to do with this decision. MOC has been linked to the presence and the role of the terrorists since the beginning of the war on Syria. That’s why it existed: in order to lead them militarily. Consequently, the continued existence of this operations room means the continuation of the role given to these terrorists, i.e. they are equipped and prepared to carry out more terrorist acts. MOC is linked to the terrorists and not to the role of the Syrian state. Our role has nothing to do with it. Our decision has been clear from the beginning: we will liberate all Syrian lands. As to when to move south, north, east, or west, this is a purely military issue. But regardless of MOC, we have moved towards the south and we are giving the political process a chance. If that doesn’t succeed, we have no other option but to liberate it by force.
Question 5: But there is a confrontation in the south, and the issue is not limited geographically to Syria in the larger political sense. There are the Americans, the Russians, the Iranians, the Israelis, and Hezbollah. All these parties are there in the area. What does that mean? How are you going to deal with this?
President Assad: You are talking about two axes: one supporting terrorism, and represented by the US, Israel, and some flunkies in the region including some Arab and non-Arab states, and an anti-terrorist axis. The first axis supports terrorism and seeks hegemony, while the second axis seeks independence. So, there can be only one result for this confrontation, i.e. the victory of one of these axes. At least, as far as the anti-terrorist axis is concerned, it will not give up the process of cleaning Syria and the region of terrorism and will not give up on the unity of Syrian territory.
As to the other axis, will it change as a result of the reality on the ground? Let’s wait and see. But in terms of substance and convictions, it will not change, while in terms of the political practices dictated by reality and the facts on the ground, it might.
Question 6: Will the Americans leave al-Tanf?
President Assad:The Americans say they are ready, but everyone knows that the Americans are historically professional liars in politics. So why should we believe them? Also, we have to wait and see.
Question 7: Mr. President, what’s happening now in Jordan? Is it linked to what’s happening on the southern front in particular, i.e. is it linked to what is being plotted in that region, in your view?
President Assad: In fact, the only information we have is what we hear in the media. In any case, we wish Jordan stability, not chaos, because the latter will have a negative impact on us.
Question 8: Since we are talking about the south, let’s close this file. Mr. President, what would make the Israeli occupation agree to the return of the Syrian Army to the borders, i.e. a return to the situation which existed at the beginning of 2011, after seven years of repeated Zionist attempts, directly and indirectly, to undermine the Syrian state, the regime in Syria, and stability in Syria. Why would it agree now to the return of the Syrian Army to the borders and to the occupied Golan?
President Assad: Certainly, neither conviction, morality, nor international law means anything to the Israelis. Since the beginning of the war, particularly when it started to have a clear military nature on the southern front in particular, the Israelis used to shell Syrian forces continuously, and consequently provide direct support to the terrorists. Israeli artillery and aircraft are the terrorists’ artillery and aircraft. That applies to Jabhat al-Nusra of course. Nothing is going to change this Israeli approach. As far as we are concerned, Israel’s approval had no role at all. Despite Israeli support to the terrorists, we have been doing our job, and the Syrian Army is fighting its way towards the southern front, and has liberated a number of areas within the limits of its capabilities. So, with or without its approval, the decision is a Syrian one, and this is a national duty we shall carry out.
Question 9: So, a return of the Syrian Army is better than having resistance in the Golan, for instance?
President Assad: I think the two options are bad for the Israelis. Both of them are bad. Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah has repeatedly talked about Syria’s relationship with the resistance and a Syrian role in the resistance. So, how would the Israelis choose between two bad things for them?
Question 10: As you said, Mr. President, Israel has financed, supported, and more dangerously was capable of enlisting a large number of Syrians, some of whom were treated inside occupied Palestine. They talked about it. In the future, how would you deal with this large number of Israeli agents? Maybe some of them were misled and Israel might have exploited the financial and living conditions of some; and some have chosen to side with the Israelis. How would you deal with them in the future?
President Assad: This is true; we cannot put everyone in the same basket. There are different reasons for moving in this wrong direction; and these people have wronged the homeland and every Syrian citizen. Ultimately, they are the children of this homeland, and we all bear responsibility for this problem, not only those who have done wrong. When crime, for instance, becomes widespread in a certain country, the whole society bears responsibility for this crime, not only the security agencies or the criminals themselves. The first thing that should be done is to accommodate these people. Second, we need to address the root causes which led to this case of weak patriotism. The causes here are many and complicated, and the scope of this interview doesn’t allow for all of them to be mentioned.
Question 11: In the same context, while you are talking about restoring the Syrian air defense systems and confronting the Zionist occupation, statements have been made by leaders of the Israeli entity that they will strike at the depth of Syrian territory. How would you deal with that situation, particularly that balance has been achieved recently, i.e. balance between Israeli aggressions and Syrian responses?
President Assad: Basically, we haven’t stopped responding. First of all, we haven’t stopped fighting terrorists, and at the same time we haven’t stopped responding to Israeli aggression within the capabilities available to us, militarily and technically. Moreover, the more these capabilities improve; the response will be better and higher. But in fact the strongest response to Israel now is to strike the Israeli army existing in Syria which consists practically of the terrorists.
Journalist: You consider them an Israeli army?
President Assad: Of course, for they are acting clearly and starkly in Israel’s interest. The first acts they carried out were attacks against the air defense systems. What is the link between air defense systems and the terrorists acting as infantry on the ground? This was an Israeli order. It was an Israeli-American order because it is the same thing. So, they are Israel’s army inside Syria; and the first strike against Israel, politically, militarily, and in every other area, is to strike Israel’s terrorists inside Syria, whether they belong to ISIS, al-Nusra, or the other groups linked to the Israeli plan and strategy.
Journalist: If Israel escalates, are you prepared to respond more forcefully?
President Assad: This is what’s happening. It is escalating, and we are responding. Ultimately, we are fighting the war within the capabilities available to us, and we are doing our best within these capabilities. A response does not need a political decision. I stress that responding or not responding is not a political decision. It is a national decision, and it was taken from day one. But implementing this decision depends on what we can do militarily and not politically.
Question 12: In terms of capabilities, there is one issue in the media which we are always following, i.e. the S300 Russian missiles. Russia says, “We will deliver these missiles”, and then says, “We will not deliver them”, which means that the issue is not clear. What is happening exactly? Why this Russian hesitation, in your view, in delivering the S300 missiles to Syria, while some other countries have been seeking S400, i.e. they are ahead of us in this regard.
President Assad: You know that military action and military considerations are part of political considerations. Consequently, a statement, even if it is of a military nature, carries at the same time political messages. So, why did the Russians say that they want to send or not send? This is a statement that the Russians should be asked about because it might be part of their political tactics. As to the military aspect of the statement, which concerns Syria, it’s not our custom to talk about the weapon which will be delivered or not delivered. The evidence was that the weapons used in response to the last two aggressions, the tripartite aggression and after that the Israeli aggression, were not announced by Syria. We traditionally do not announce cases of a technical military nature.
Journalist: So, even the nature of the response is not linked to the issue of the S300 missiles?
President Assad: No. The same applies. Even if the S300 missiles will be provided or not provided, we will not say that they were delivered to Syria. A weapon is used when it must be used.
Journalist: Is there a possibility that you have developed certain weapons?
President Assad: This remains a possibility. In any case, the result is the same: weapons shouldn’t be talked about until they are used. Weapons announce themselves only when they are used.
Question 13: Mr. President, let’s return to the political aspect, since we are talking about the southern front. Regarding the general situation, in light of all that has been achieved on the Syrian arena today, the most prominent actor is the tripartite alliance, or what is being called the tripartite alliance. I mean Syria, Iran, and Russia. What is the nature of this alliance? Is it a temporary alliance, in the sense that it is linked to fighting terrorism or to certain developments on the Syrian arena? Recently, we have started to see – or let’s say some have focused on certain points in order to show – a certain fracture in this alliance. What is your take on that and what is the actual reality of this alliance?
President Assad: If we talk first about the Syrian-Iranian part, for 40 years, and in the different conditions that the Middle East region has gone through, this alliance remained solid. So, there is no reason to say that it is temporary or otherwise. The new element in the war on Syria is the Russianelement, and that’s why this tripartite alliance came into existence. Our relationship with Russia is now about seven decades old. Despite the fluctuations and the fall of the Soviet Union, the rule of President Yeltsin, and the deterioration of these relations to a large degree for us, it has never reached the stage of reversing this relationship with Syria. Russia continued to deal with Syria as a friendly state, and we have imported everything from Russia, including weapons, during the different stages of the sanctions imposed on Syria. It is not in the nature of the Russians to build temporary or self-serving alliances or to sell out on relations in order to get deals done. The relationship is definitely a strategic one, but the political statements allowed for these speculations.
These statements also aim at sending messages in different directions. Maybe, sometimes the language or the choice of particular terminology might not be helpful and might take the statement in a different direction at odds with the content of the statement. This happens from time to time. However, these statements shouldn’t be taken out of context: the Russian view of the relationship with Iran is a strategic one. As for Syria, the Russians do not interfere in Syrian affairs. If they have a certain opinion, they raise it with us and say that in the end, the decision is that of the Syrian leadership and the Syrian people. This is a constant principle for Russia. Therefore, the alliance is a strategic one, and if there are differences, such differences happen within the Syrian state, and you see differences within the Iranian state and within the Russian state. It is natural for us to differ on daily tactical details, for why conduct a dialogue if we agree on everything? We meet extensively in order to reach agreement.
Journalist: So, this tripartite alliance is being consolidated.
President Assad:Of course. This is dictated by reality, interest, and international changes that make it necessary for this alliance to be consolidated. As long as the other axis supports terrorism, and as long as we, together with Iran and Russia, feel the danger of terrorism, not only in Syria, but also on all these countries and on the whole world, and as long as Syria, Iran, and Russia realize the importance of abiding by international law, these facts make the existence of this alliance necessary.
Question 14: But there are those who say that Syria will get a price if the Iranians leave Syrian territories. Is there a certain political, moral, or military price in this regard?
President Assad: As I said in the beginning, as long as this relationship is not floated in the bazaar, they cannot offer a price, and the answer will be clear. That’s why they don’t dare suggest this price. This issue was raised by different countries, including Saudi Arabia for instance, at the beginning of the war, and not only at the beginning, but at different stages. The proposition was that if Syria cut its relationship with Iran, the situation in Syria will be normal. This principle is basically rejected by us.
Journalist: So, there were initiatives, so to speak, made in this regard by Saudi Arabia.
President Assad: Of course, more than once, and in a clear manner.
Journalist: Directly?
President Assad: Directly. The relationship with Iran was the basis for every proposition; and Saudi Arabia’s position on this subject is public. I’m not revealing a secret.
Question 15: An issue is raised, whether in Syria, Iran, or Lebanon, about the nature of Iranian presence in Syria. Some call them Iranian advisors. Even the Syrian Foreign Minister used the same term. At the same time, we notice that there are Iranian martyrs. Frankly, Mr. President, what is the nature of Iranian presence in Syria now?
President Assad: The term adviser is sometimes used in a broad manner, i.e. these advisers have been with us, through the longstanding relationship with Iran, even before the war, because the military relationship is close. When a military formation moves to a fighting position, the adviser becomes a fighter. So, the word can be used in different senses. There are certainly Iranian advisers in Syria, and there are groups of Iranian volunteers who came to Syria, and they are led by Iranian officers. Iran has fought with and defended the Syrian people. It offered blood. That’s why when we say “advisers” this is a generic term, but this doesn’t mean that we are ashamed of any Iranian presence, even if it is official. But we use the word “advisers” because there are no regular Iranian fighting units in Syria.
Journalist: Full formations.
President Assad: Exactly. There are no battalions, or brigades, or divisions. First, we can’t hide them, and then why should we be ashamed of that? When we invited the Russians legally to come to Syria, we were not ashamed of that. And if there were an Iranian formation, we would announce it, because such relations need agreements between the two states endorsed by parliaments. Such relations cannot be concealed.
Journalist: And you invited Iranian advisers to come?
President Assad: Of course, from the beginning we invited the Iranians, and then we invited the Russians. We needed the support of these countries, and they answered the call.
Journalist: Mr. President, you said more than once that there are no Iranian bases in Syria.
Journalist: Why there are no Iranian bases, while we notice that there are a number of Russian bases?
President Assad: There’s nothing that prevents the existence of such bases as long as Iran is an ally as is Russia.
Journalist: This means that if Iran requested the existence of such bases, you would agree?
President Assad: If we ask. We will ask them to agree. I mean that we could ask for the existence of such forces to support us. Iran has never asked and does not have an interest except in fighting terrorism. But the evolution of the war made it necessary to develop the nature of this presence.
This happened as far as the Russians are concerned. In the beginning, Russian support, like Iranian support, was different from what it is today. The support for terrorism has developed internationally and globally when the Syrian Army confronted those terrorists, and with that Russian and Iranian military presence developed. At a certain stage, we found – with the Russians of course – that the existence of air bases was necessary to provide air support to the Syrian Army. And now, if we find, in cooperation, coordination, or dialogue with the Iranians, that there is a need for Iranian military bases, we will not hesitate. But now, Iranian support in its present form is good and effective.
Question 16: Why haven’t you visited Iran so far, although you visited Russia more than once?
President Assad: That’s correct. In fact, there was a scheduled visit to Iran a few months ago, and it was postponed and not cancelled. It was postponed because of an emergency in Syria related to the development of battles. There is certainly no reason which prevents such a visit, and I’ll visit Iran hopefully soon on the earliest opportunity. This is natural, but the issue is logistic, no more, no less.
Question 17: Mr. President, I move to another file. Last week, it was the Jerusalem International Day, and the Palestinian cause is going through its most difficult stages. We are talking about the “deal of the century”, and moving the American Embassy to occupied Jerusalem. What do you have to say about Palestine? Is Syria still capable of supporting the Palestine cause? Basically, wasn’t one of the most important objectives of the war on Syria to get Syria out of the axis of resistance and to prevent it from supporting resistance, whether in Lebanon or Palestine?
President Assad: The Palestine context, since 1948 up till now, has been a complicated one, because the regional context is complicated. Of course, it is complicated because the colonial West, which is particularly supportive of Israel, has always created elements which aim at one single thing. First, to drive to desperation the Arab citizen who is historically attached to the cause of Palestine and who has always considered it a pan-Arab cause that touched him even on the national level.
The other objective has been to distract the Arab peoples together with states or societies in general to marginal causes so that they do not have time to think about Israel. And they have succeeded to a great extent, most recently through the so-called Arab spring which has aimed at destroying the political, military, and psychological infrastructure of Arab societies.
Nevertheless, recent development have proven that the Arab people is still conscientiously attached to the cause of Palestine. As for Syria – since it has been part of these plots to undermine the Arab condition in general – first, for Syria to support the cause of Palestine, it should first of all destroy the Israeli army in Syria. Restoring stability in Syria, striking terrorism, and foiling the Israeli plot in Syria is certainly part of supporting the cause of Palestine. The support might be indirect with direct consequences, but these direct consequences are linked to the internal Palestinian condition. We shouldn’t forget that the Palestinians are divided between groups which resist Israel and are genuinely linked to the cause of Palestine, and other groups which are against the resistance and support surrenderist and defeatist peace, while there are other groups which use resistance as a title in order to achieve their political objectives under the slogan of religion. This is of course the Muslim Brotherhood’s approach.
Question 18: Are you prepared to offer whatever the resistance asks of you, whether in the form of political, military, or any other form of support?
President Assad: Politically, we haven’t changed. The Palestinian question for us is still as it was ten years ago and decades ago. It hasn’t changed. As to what we can offer, this has to do with two things: first, Syria’s current capabilities; and there’s no doubt that the priority is given now to cleaning Syria of terrorism. Second, it has to do with the Palestinian condition and the parties with which we can deal within the Palestinian arena.
Question 19: Since we are talking about resistance, there is the other side. In addition to some countries which stood beside Syria in fighting terrorism, there was also a role played by the resistance in Lebanon, particularly Hezbollah, which provided a great deal and contributed to fighting terrorism. What do you say, Mr. President, to resistance fighters and families of martyrs and the wounded?
President Assad: When all these groups of resistance get together to defend Syrian soil and Syrian citizens, including the Lebanese resistance and the brothers who came from Iraq some of whom reproached me for not mentioning them by name, I take this opportunity to stress that there are brothers from Iraq to whom we give the same weight of any resistance fighter who came from any other country.
There are also the families of resistance fighters who came from Iran and sacrificed their blood in Syria. We should put all these in the same basket next to the Syrian martyrs, fighters, and their families. To those I say that all the letters, the words, the sentences, and the whole of literature are much less than a single drop of blood. Therefore, words are of a much lesser value than what they have offered. What’s more important is what history will write about them.
In fact, when we talk about writing history, we need to highlight that history needs a strategy and needs tactics, but the fact remains that strategy without implementation on the ground has no value. It remains mere thought which we might include in books and essays. But the reality is that these individuals in these countries, this group of resistance fighters, not politics, write history. I would like to use the answer to this question to express to them all my love, respect, and appreciation, and my reverence to the fighters, the wounded, and martyrs, and to all their families who are courage incarnated and who sent these individuals to Syria to defend it and fight terrorism, so that these families become models of morality and principles for present and future generations.
Question 20: Have you asked Hezbollah to leave Syria? A few days ago His Eminence Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah talked about this issue and said that nobody can get us out of Syria unless the Syrian leadership asked us to do so.
President Assad: The battle is long and ongoing. When we talk about this tripartite alliance – and if we consider it a quadruple alliance when we add Hezbollah, we talk about the tripartite alliance in terms of the states included, but in the end Hezbollah is a basic element in this war – the battle is long, and the need for these military forces will continue for a long time. When there is a need, and when Hezbollah, Iran, or others believe that terrorism has been eliminated, they will tell us that they want to go home. As Sayyed Hasan said, they have families and daily interests, which is normal, but it is still early to talk about this subject.
Question 21: Up till now, there are still areas under the control of terrorism and areas under occupation. At the same time, regretfully, some Arab countries, and here I am talking particularly about Saudi Arabia, announced that it is ready to send forcers to Syria. On the other hand, a few days ago popular tribal units were formed to resist occupation. Are these really popular resistance units? Do they receive support from the Syrian government? Does this mean that the army cannot liberate those areas, and that’s why it is asking for the help of the tribes? What is the nature of this issue?
President Assad: There are different forms of this resistance which appeared a few years ago. In the beginning they were fighting ISIS before they started to fight the occupiers. They were against ISIS in the central and eastern regions, and there were cases where they appeared in other regions which were not given media coverage and about which we hear sometimes through information and indications.
Now, this situation has started to expand. So, it’s not one single case. There are a number of cases which might be individual sometimes, or in the form of small groups not affiliated to an organization. In any case, our position as a state has been from the beginning to support any act of resistance, whether against terrorists or against occupying forces, regardless of their nationality, i.e. American, French, Turkish, or Israeli. We support these resistance forces based on our national role as a government.
Question 22: What about Saudi Arabia and sending Saudi forces to Syria?
President Assad: First, when we talk about a state, we should assume that such a state can take decisions independently. That’s why we will not talk about the role of Saudi Arabia. You better ask me about the American decision on this issue.
Question 23: On the other hand, there are a number of Arab countries which we talk about and which had a role or contributed to the role or to the destruction of Syria. These countries are now trying to get to Syria through the reconstruction process. What do you say in this regard, particularly that these countries are the ones which have capital and huge financial power? How are you going to deal with that?
President Assad: Reconstruction in Syria is not a cause for concern for us. It needs two factors: first, the human factor which is more important than the financial factor. When a country like Syria possesses the human factor, the financial cost will be less when it comes to reconstruction. This is self-evident, and we possess all these factors despite the fact that many competent and qualified Syrians have immigrated because of the war.
But we still have the capability to start reconstruction. And the evidence is clear now, for the state is moving forward and reconstruction has begun. As to money, the Syrian people have financial capabilities, capital, most of which is not in Syria, but outside Syria. But there is capital waiting for reconstruction to begin, so it will begin investing. On the other hand, there are the friendly countries which have capabilities and have the desire; and we have the desire to have them participate in reconstruction, so that they benefit and we Syrians benefit from this process. In the end, we do not need those countries and we will never allow them to be part of reconstruction.
Journalist: Not even if there was a need in this regard, I mean in terms of financial resources?
President Assad: Financial resources are not everything. As I said, this is available. There are different sources in the world and in Syria for capital.
Question 24: With these tough years, we are talking about the legendary steadfastness of the Syrian Army, the Syrian people, the Armed Forces. If you wanted to talk about two cases, the most difficult case or incident that you have encountered during these years, and on the other hand the best and most beautiful case.
President Assad: It is natural, at the heart of the military battle, for the best and worst cases to be linked to the development of the military battle. If I say that the worst cases were when terrorists used to control a certain area, this is self-evident, but it is related more to specific battles, particularly when the area is strategic or the city is big with a large population. Consequently, the impact will be much greater psychologically and in terms of morale.
But there was an ongoing situation which we are still living and we must think about: when a martyr or a group of martyrs fall, and this is ongoing on a weekly basis for us, we must think that a family lost a dear one who cannot be compensated. He might be compensated by achieving victory at a certain stage, but on the family, psychological and human level, you cannot compensate a dear one lost to a certain family, or maybe a friend. This is a very painful situation which we have lived and continue to live. This will not stop until the war itself stops. But there were painful cases at the beginning of the war, when you see this huge lack of patriotism. They were perhaps a minority, but a large minority, of individuals who were prepared to sell the homeland and trade it together with their principles, if they had ones, in return for money or a certain interest, in addition to a certain percentage of extremism.
On the other hand, there were victories, particularly when victories started in the city of al-Qsair in 2013, and culminated in the city of Aleppo in 2016, that was the beginning of the major victories. That was followed by Deir Ezzor, and today we are living the joy of liberating Damascus and its countryside. This is a situation we have all lived through, and you were with us, and I am sure you feel the same joy.
Question 25: Have you felt tired at a certain moment? Have you felt hesitant at a certain moment, in light of all the decisions you have taken, have you ever, even for a moment, thought of leaving? Haven’t you said to yourself: let me save my family and resign, as some people did at a certain point in time?
President Assad: This question might be raised in a personal manner. When I am faced with a personal situation as an individual, I might feel despair after a few months. I might feel tired or bored or I might want to move to a different situation, or give up. That is possible.
Journalist: As an individual?
President Assad: Of course, as an individual, but the case you are proposing is not personal, it is national. Imagine yourself in a different condition, perhaps building something on your own. You feel tired, but when you see a large number of people helping you build it and share the same determination, you forget the tiredness.
Now we are in a national situation. We are talking about millions of Syrians. When you see a shell striking and victims falling anywhere in Syria, you feel frustrated. But when you see life being restored to the same area after one hour, your psychological condition changes. When you see that the electricity worker, the oil worker, the teacher, the employee, are moving side by side with fighters, moving without despair and without tiredness, how can you feel tired? This is a collective condition not related to me as a person. It has to do with our human condition when we are together as a society. How do we live? This defines whether you are tired or not. Would the Syrian society have arrived at this stage of despair and surrender, I would certainly have been with it. I would have surrendered because I do not have the necessary elements for steadfastness. This is self-evident.
Journalist: Thank you very much, Mr. President, for giving us this opportunity, and for your candidness in answering these questions. Thank you very much.
President al-Assad: We will liberate every part of Syria…The Americans should leave; somehow they’re going to leave …Israel is losing the dear ones of al-Nusra and ISIS and that’s why it is panicking
President Bashar al-Assad has said that with every move forward for the Syrian Army, and for the political process, and for the whole situation, forward in the positive meaning, towards more stability, our enemies and our opponents, mainly the West led by the United States and their puppets in Europe and the region, with their mercenaries in Syria, they try to make it farther, either by supporting more terrorism, bringing more terrorists to Syria, or by hindering the political process.
In an interview given to RT, President al-Assad added that after the liberation of Aleppo and later Deir Ezzor, and before that Homs, and now Damascus, actually the United States is losing its cards where the main card was al-Nusra that was called “moderate.” But when the scandal started leaking, that al-Nusra is part of Al Qaida that was supposed to be fought by the United States, they looked for another card. This card is the SDF now.
President al-Assad said: We’re going to deal with SDF by two options: the first one, we started now opening doors for negotiations, this is the first option. If not, we’re going to resort to liberating by force, to liberating those areas by force. We don’t have any other options, with the Americans or without the Americans.
The Americans should leave; somehow they’re going to leave. They came to Iraq with no legal basis, and look what happened to them. They have to learn the lesson. Iraq is no exception, and Syria is no exception. People will not accept foreigners in this region anymore, President al-Assad added.
Following is the full text of the interview:
Question 1: Mr. President, thank you very much for inviting us here, for giving us this opportunity, having spent years now traveling to and through Syria reporting from here, it is an honor to finally meet you. But, Mr. President, since time is short, first question: your latest victories in Ghouta, in Yarmouk, they have drastically changed the situation on the ground in Syria. How much near the end of this war are we now in your estimation?
President Assad: First of all, you’re most welcome in Syria. With every move forward in the battlefield, with every victory, with every liberated area, we are moving closer to the end of the conflict, and I always said without external interference it won’t take more than a year to settle the situation in Syria. But at the same time, with every move forward for the Syrian Army, and for the political process, and for the whole situation – forward in the positive meaning, towards more stability – our enemies and our opponents, mainly the West led by the United States and their puppets in Europe and in our region, with their mercenaries in Syria, they try to make it farther, either by supporting more terrorism, bringing more terrorists coming to Syria, or by hindering the political process. So, our challenge is how can we to close this gap between their plans and our plans, and I think we are succeeding in that regard, but at the same time, it’s difficult for anyone to tell you when. But it is getting closer, that’s self-evident.
Question 2: Your latest military victories, they have been – objectively speaking – spectacular; the speed at which rebel defenses that have withstood for years have collapsed. Are you planning on retaking all of Syria by force? We’re talking about Idleb, the borders with Israel, SDF-controlled territories.
President Assad: The war is the worst choice. I think every Syrian agrees upon this fact. But sometimes you only have this choice, especially when you talk about factions like Al Qaida, like ISIS, like al-Nusra, and the like-minded factions – actually most of them have the same ideology; Jaish al-Islam, Ahrar al-Cham, and so on – they’re not ready for any dialogue, they don’t have any political plan; they only have this dark ideological plan, which is to be like any Al Qaida-controlled area anywhere in this world. So, the only option to deal with those factions is force. At the same time, in other areas, we succeeded by implementing reconciliations, especially when the community in those different areas made pressure on those militants to leave those areas. So, I think the best choice is to make reconciliation. This is our plan. But when it doesn’t work, the only method to resort to is the force.
Question 3: With regards to reconciliation, how wise is it to send all of these veteran jihadists with their small arms to Idleb? By now, tens of thousands have gone to Idleb, they have consolidated, they have built defenses. Eventually, as you say, you’ll have to fight them. On the other hand, are you perhaps planning on building an area that is outside of government control?
President Assad: Actually, we always say we’re going to liberate every area, so it’s impossible for us to intentionally leave any area on the Syrian soil outside our control as government. This is natural. And as you know, Idleb was captured by the terrorists in 2015 with the Turkish support. It was mainly captured by al-Nusra and some other supportive factions. Actually, we started the reconciliations before that time, but every reconciliation that happened after that time, after 2015- it was, I think, May 2015- every faction wanted to leave the city or the village, they choose to go to Idleb. This is a very good indication that they have the same ideology, because they choose to go to al-Nusra area, they didn’t choose to go to any other area. So, we didn’t send people to Idleb; they wanted to go there, because they have the same incubator, they have the same atmosphere, way of thinking, and so on.
This is one part, the other part, which is the military aspect of your question; the plan of the terrorists and their masters was to distract the Syrian Army by scattering the different units all over the Syrian soil, which is not good for any army. Our plan was to put them in one area, two areas, three areas. Let’s say, if you have two or three or four frontiers, better than having tens, or maybe more than one hundred frontiers at the same time. So, militarily, it is better. They chose it, but it’s better for us from the military point of view.
Question 4: On the other hand, talking about similar mindsets, Idleb is predominantly… the rebels there overwhelmingly are Sunni. As a Sunni myself, I have a long distant relative who came to Syria to fight against you, to resist you, because he was told that you were targeting… you were killing Sunnis, and that is what many people in Idleb believe. Why is it that so many people in all these different countries, in America, in Russia, these Sunnis, these Muslims, they believe that you are oppressing them?
President Assad: Because the first narrative when it started, internationally – mainly in the West, of course – and within Syria and in some mainstream medias in our region and in the West, their plan was to create this rift within the society. That will make things easier for them; “when you have such a civil, kind of civil war between sects or ethnicities,” and it failed. Now, they keep using the same narrative, at least to encourage some fanatics in different places in the world to come and defend their “brothers” in this area, because that’s how they imagine; they imagine that there is conflict between sects. So, because of their narrow-minded way of thinking, maybe, or their ignorance, they came here just to support their “brothers”. Now, if I’m going to tell you this is right or wrong, your audience doesn’t’ know me, they don’t have any idea maybe about my credibility, but I’ll tell you, you know Syria very well, it’s better to go and see the reality on the ground. Now, if there’s such a narrative, let’s say, in reality, sect killing another sect, Syria should be divided now according to sectarian lines. You should come to this area under our control and see one color or a few colors of the Syrian society, you should go to the other area where you have the terrorists, you should have different colors, and the reality is not like this. Now, in Damascus, in Aleppo, in Homs, in every area under the Syrian government’s control, you’ll see every spectrum of the Syrian society, with no exceptions. So, this reality will debunk this narrative. I mean, how could they live with each other while the government is killing them according to sectarian basis? It doesn’t work.
Question 5: Fair enough, but with regards to negotiations and reconciliation, there have been efforts to start talks to achieve a result in Geneva, in Astana. There has been limited success, but it hasn’t been all that great. Now, let’s be honest, you’re winning, you’re winning on the ground, your forces are advancing, the rebels are in retreat. Why would you negotiate with them now, that they’re losing?
President Assad: Since the very beginning, we said whenever we can save Syrian blood, we have to go forward and deal with any initiative, any kind of initiative, even if they have bad will. Some initiatives have bad will, but in spite of that, we dealt with them. And the reality now, if you go around Syria, the reality, the results that’s been embodied by the reconciliations is proof of what I’m saying. Without this policy, without this intention of saving blood, negotiating, talking to people, we couldn’t have reached these reconciliations.
This is one thing. The other thing, not everyone who fought the government have the same basis; some of them have ideological background, some of them for financial background, some of them they made a mistake in the very beginning, they were forced to go in that direction, and they couldn’t withdraw, so you have to open the doors, and you have to distinguish between different kinds of people. And the most important than this, is the majority of the people who were against the government – apparently – in the different liberated areas, actually, in their hearts they are with the government, because they could tell the difference between having government and having chaos.
Question 6: Well, with regards to talks and, you know, retaking areas by force, let’s take for example SDF-controlled territories in Deir Ezzor. There have been clashes there between troops who are loyal to you and the SDF itself, the United States’ partners, and the United States brought to bear force, to stop troops loyal to you from taking territories. This has happened with al-Tanf as well. How are you going to deal with the United States’ presence, military presence, in Syria?
President Assad: After the liberation of Aleppo and later Deir Ezzor, and before that Homs, and now Damascus, actually the United States is losing its cards. The main card was al-Nusra that was called “moderate.” But when the scandal started leaking, that they are not moderate, they are Al Qaida that was supposed to be fought by the United States, they looked for another card. This card is the SDF now, because when as it seems, as you just mentioned, we are moving forward in the different areas to defeat the terrorists, the only problem left in Syria is the SDF. We’re going to deal with it by two options: the first one, we started now opening doors for negotiations, because the majority of them are Syrians, and supposedly they like their country, they don’t like to be puppets to any foreigners, that’s what we suppose, so we have the same basis. We all don’t trust the Americans for decades, not because of the war, because they always say a thing and do the opposite, they tell daily lies. So, we have one option is to live with each other as Syrians, like forever.
This is the first option. If not, we’re going to resort to liberating by force, to liberating those areas by force. We don’t have any other options, with the Americans or without the Americans. We don’t have any other option. So, this is our land, it’s our right, and it’s our duty to liberate it, and the Americans should leave, somehow they’re going to leave. They came to Iraq with no legal basis, and look what happened to them. They have to learn the lesson. Iraq is no exception, and Syria is no exception. People will not accept foreigners in this region anymore.
Question 7: But with regards to retaking territories, it seems inexplicably whenever you eliminate one threat, say, be in Ghouta, another threat seems to materialize, and this has happened repeatedly. Now, we have the Israeli energy minister who is threatening that his country could, quote, “liquidate you and your government.” Are you afraid, and how do you take that threat?
President Assad: Since we were born – I’m talking about my generation and most of the generations now in Syria – we lived under the threat of the Israeli aggression. This is something in our unconscious feeling, so to say that you’re afraid while living with the same threat for decades, this is nonsense. The Israelis have been assassinating, killing, occupying for decades now, for around seven decades, in this region, but usually they do all this without threatening. Now, why do they threat in this way? This is panic, this is a kind of hysterical feeling, because they are losing the “dear ones,” the dear ones al-Nusra and ISIS, that’s why Israel is panicking recently, and we understand their feeling.
Question 8: Well, Israel is now seemingly striking across Syria, airstrikes, at will. They’re boasting publicly on camera again and again that your defenses, they’re powerless to stop them, that they can do in Syria whatever they want. Is that true, is there anything you can do to stop Israel carrying out its airstrikes in Syria?
President Assad: Actually, the first target of the mercenaries in Syria was the air defense, before attacking any other military base, it was the air defense, and you would be surprised at that time; why do they attack the air defense? The air defense will not deal with the “peaceful demonstrators” as they say or the “moderate forces,” and it cannot deal with extremists anyway. It’s another thing, it’s built to defend the country. This is the other proof that Israel was in direct link with those terrorists in Syria. So, they attacked those bases, and they destroyed a big part of our air defenses. Now, in spite of that, our position, let’s say, our air defense is much stronger than before, thanks to the Russian support, and the recent attacks by the Israelis and by the Americans and British and French proved that we are in a better situation.
Now, my answer to your question, the only option is to improve our air defense, this is the only thing we can do, and we are doing that.
Question 9: Israel says that its strikes are, so far, that they aren’t targeted against you, the President or the government, that they’re targeted at Iran, and they’re to keep Iran – which is your ally – weak in Syria. It’s strange, but Iran being here, they are your allies, it’s no secret, they have helped, but them being here now puts you at threat. Would you ever consider asking Iran to leave?
President Assad: The most important fact regarding this issue, is that we don’t have Iranian troops. We never had, and you cannot hide it, and we’re not ashamed to say that we have, like we invited the Russians, we could have invited the Iranians. We have Iranian officers who work with the Syrian Army as help, but they don’t have troops. And the starkest fact about their lies about this issue, the Iranian issue, that the recent attack a few weeks ago, they said that they attacked Iranian bases and camps, as they said, allegedly, and actually we had tens of Syrian martyrs and wounded soldiers, not a single Iranian. So, how could they say that we have it? So, it’s a lie. We always say that we have Iranian officers, but they work with our army, we don’t have troops.
Question 10: Changing subject now, with regards to chemical attacks. There are now regular alleged chemical attacks happening in Syria. Your government and your allies have said that you had nothing to do with this. Your allies have backed your claims, denying any responsibility, saying they have no knowledge of you carrying out these attacks. The question is: in whose interest is it to gas opposition to you?
President Assad: That is the most part of the answer: in whose interest? That is the question. Is it in our interest? Why, and why no? Because the timing of this alleged strike was after the victory of the Syrian troops in Ghouta, let alone the fact that we don’t have chemical weapons anyway, and let the other fact is that we are not going to use it against our people, because the battle in Syria was about winning the hearts of the civilians, this is the main battle, and we won it. So, how can you use chemical weapons against civilians that you want them to be supportive to you?
This is first. Second, if you want to use it, let’s suppose that you have it and you want to use it, do you use it after you finished the battle, or before, or during? It’s not logical. Second, if you go to that area, it was a very cramped area by armies, by factions, and by civilians. Whenever you use such armaments or weapons in that area, you’re going to harm everyone, something that didn’t happen. And if you go to that area and you ask the civilians, there was no chemical attack by anyone. Even the Western journalists who went there after the Ghouta was liberated, they said “we asked the people and they said we didn’t see any chemical attack.” So, it was a narrative, it was just a pretext in order to attack Syria.
Question 11: Well, it may have been a pretext, but we don’t have proof that, you know, even we have rumors on Twitter, a few videos of… confusing videos showing allegedly the aftermath of an attack, is enough to justify for the United States, its allies, launching cruise missiles at Syria. What if, conveniently, there is another attack, alleged attack? Could there be a lot more missiles aimed at Syria?
President Assad: Of course, it could, because when the Unites States trampled over the international law, on daily basis sometimes in different areas for different reasons, any country in the world could have such an attack. What’s the legal base of this attack, what’s the legal base of their aircrafts, with their alliance, the so-called “anti-terrorist alliance” that supports the terrorists actually, what’s the legal base of that alliance? Nothing. What’s the legal base of the attack in Yemen, in Afghanistan, on the borders with Pakistan, etc.? There is no legal base. So, as long as you don’t have an international law that could be obeyed by the United States and its puppets in the West, there is no guarantee that it won’t happen. That happened a few weeks ago, and it happened last year, in April 2017, and that could happen anytime, exactly, I agree with you.
Question 12: But the response Trump promised was going to be extreme and severe, according to his words early on. The response that we saw, the strike that we saw after the latest alleged chemical attack was, it seems to be much more symbolic, much smaller in scope, and there was unexpectedly again a delay when Trump promised the attack and when it came. Why was there a delay? Did it have something perhaps to do with Russia?
President Assad: It has two aspects, as we saw it. The first one is they told a story, they told a lie, and the public opinion around the world and in the West didn’t buy their story, but they couldn’t withdraw. So, they had to do something, even on a smaller scale. The second issue is related to the Russian position, that time, as you know, that the Russians announced publically that they are going to destroy the bases that are going to be used to launch missiles, and our information – we don’t have evidence, we only have information, and those information are credible information – that they were thinking about a comprehensive attack all over Syria, and that’s why the threat pushed the West to make it on a much smaller scale.
Question 13: Well, with regards to the United States’ relation towards you, President Trump has called you, quote, “Animal Assad.” Do you have a nickname for the US president?
President Assad: This is not my language, so, I cannot use similar language. This is his language. It represents him, and I think there is a very known principle, that what you say is what you are. So, he wanted to represent what he is, and that’s normal. Anyway, it didn’t move anything, and this kind of language shouldn’t move anything for anyone. The only thing that moves you is what people that you trust, people who are level-headed, people who are thoughtful, people who are moral, ethical, that’s what should move anything inside you, whether positive or negative. Somebody like Trump will move nothing for me.
Question 14: With regards to the United States’ presidency, there is an interesting thing, you know, I came up with, thought up of a while ago; there are now in Syria forces from five nuclear powers, five nuclear powers directly engaged in military operations in Syria, be it boots on the grounds or airstrikes. Some of those countries are on different sides. How Syrian is this civil war still?
President Assad: The word “civil war” has been used widely since the beginning of the conflict in Syria, even by our friends, and by our allies by mistake, without understanding the content of this meaning. Syrian “civil war” means there are sectarian lines based on either ethnicities or sects or religions or maybe political opinion or political currents, let’s say, something we don’t have in Syria. In reality, in the area controlled by the government, which is now the majority of Syria, you have all these diversities. So, the word “civil war” is not correct. What we have actually from the very beginning are mercenaries, Syrians, and foreigners being paid by the West in order to topple the government. This is the reality, the mere reality, the very stark reality. Everything else is just masks to cover the real intentions. Talking about political differences, moderates, peaceful demonstration; we don’t have civil war in Syria. If we had civil war for seven years, we should have been divided by now. You cannot have one country, united country, united society, it’s not geographically because now of the Unites States’ puppets and the Turkish puppets. If there were a civil war, then you should have a divided society. Go by yourself, deal with different spectrums of the Syrian society, and you can answer that question in the same way I’m answering it.
Question 15: But with regards to potential escalation. Okay, there are proxy forces from all these five nuclear powers, as well as the other forces engaged in Syria, but you, as the President, again, you must have information. How close have we come during this civil war… during this war to an escalation between these nuclear powers?
President Assad: In reality, we were close to have direct conflict between the Russian forces and the American forces, and fortunately, it has been avoided, not by the wisdom of the American leadership, but by the wisdom of the Russian leadership, because it is not in the interest of anyone, anyone in this world, and first of all the Syrians, to have this conflict. We need the Russian support, but we need at the same time to avoid the American foolishness in order to be able to stabilize our country.
Question 16: And just briefly, one last question. The closer we get to the end, is the danger of an escalation, in your estimation, is it decreasing or is it, on the other hand, increasing?
President Assad: As I said at the very beginning, the more we get closer to the end, the more they want to make it farther. What does it mean? The more stability you have, the more escalation we will have. The more reconciliation you have in one area, the more killing and destruction and trying to capture more areas by the terrorists we’ll have. That’s why within the reconciliation, when we started reconciliations in many areas, the other factions in the same area tried to destroy it, because they have the orders from the outside not to go toward any reconciliation, of course, you have the orders with the pocket of money. So, what you say is correct, but the more escalation we have, the more determined we’ll be to solve the problem, because you don’t have any other choice; either you have a country or you don’t have a country.
Journalist: Mr. President, thank you very much for your insights, and thank you very much for welcoming us here and giving us so much of your time. We wish you all the best, the Syrian people all the best, and a swift conclusion to this awful conflict. Thank you very much, Mr. President.
President Assad: Thank you, thank you for coming to Syria again.
It would not be a “Resistance and Liberation” holiday without hearing from him. He holds the title of the pro-resistance president and the “man” – described as such by the master of victory.
His national and historic positions, which never abandoned the resistance, testify to that. The path of President Emile Lahoud, the nationalist, is full of honorable stances that carried Lebanon from the age of dependency to liberation. He defended the resistance before he knew them. It is enough that he is one of those who sought to liberate the land. The historic victory of 2000 was the pride of his reign and the result of his courageous positions that supported the path of Jihad at a time when the entire world stood against him. He was offered a lot in exchange for abandoning this path. He chose to work with conscience and in accordance with his convictions, which are not bought and sold.
In an interview with al-Ahed, President Lahoud recalls many stages, from his time as commander of the Lebanese army to the time he took over the presidency. His does not conceal his “joy” with the liberation of the land during his reign. He describes this event with pride. He tells how he learned about Hezbollah and its leader for the first time and how very proud he was of meeting him [the leader]. He often expresses his happiness that he is living in the time of the resistance fighters, who have returned Lebanon’s stolen dignity.
Below is the script of the interview:
Eighteen years after liberation, what does President Emile Lahoud remember from that era?
It is the most beautiful day of my life. Before that date, there was no hope that we would be able to regain our dignity. Our land has been occupied for 22 years. All the officials who inherited the government were accustomed to this issue until it became obvious. Truthfully, I never heard of Hezbollah. When I took over as army commander, I was living in Rayak. The atmosphere was charged against Hezbollah. When I wanted to visit my family in the north, they used to send me telegrams asking me to be careful and watch out for Hezbollah members who intended to kill me. However, the teaching inside the house, which does not know a path of sectarianism, made me not interested in the matter, even though the picture in my mind drawn about Hezbollah is that it was a Takfiri group. When did I learn of Hezbollah? It was in 1991, when I took over the army command. A decision was issued by the Lebanese state to position the army in the South. I went to Tyre. One of the officers told me: “For 22 years, I was deployed here. I was a company commander and we received instructions that ‘if a militant is caught, we must hand him over to the intelligence services, who in turn will imprison him.’ You are a new army commander, what are your instructions for me in such a case?”
I asked him, what is their nationality, are they Palestinians? He said no, they are Lebanese who want to return to their villages, which are occupied by the “Israelis”, and they carry out operations against them. Sometimes we catch them before they arrive as they are on their way to the valleys. What do you want us to do in such a situation? I told him: “Lebanese who want to return to their villages that are occupied by the Zionists are resistance fighters. You have to support them.” He told me, “appreciated” and he rejoiced. It was the first time an officer thought in this way. ” To me, as Emile Lahoud, any nationalist army commander should not ask permission from anyone to issue such an order. Should I stand in the face of those who seek to liberate the land! On the contrary, I should be an absolute support for them.
Then I returned to Beirut and the President of the Republic, Elias Hrawi, told me:
“Emile are you crazy? You are supporting people who are causing trouble at the border. Tomorrow an “Israeli” soldier will be killed and [“Israel”] will attack all of Lebanon.” Do you want to ‘destroy’ Lebanon?
I told him:
“Have you ever heard of an army commander whose land is being occupied and he gives an order to his officers that whoever liberates the land should be imprisoned? We must support them. He told me: I give you an order to confront them. I told him: I will not obey.
In 1993, the resistance became stronger than before. The Zionists were annoyed and exerted pressure on the Americans, who in turn pressured the Lebanese state and the Security Council. The latter took a decision to get rid of Hezbollah. The Lebanese state at the time issued a decision. I remember an incident that took place at the time. Members of the army spoke to me. They told me that a Zionist tank bombed a Lebanese area and killed a woman. What do you want us to do? It was the first experience with “Israel”. I asked them: is there a Lebanese tank in range? They said yes. I said, what are you waiting for? Respond. At this point, the President of the Republic summoned me and told me: “Emile, what is happening? How could you do that and give an order to respond? I told him this is what I must do. He asked me more than once to eliminate Hezbollah with the support of the UNIFIL forces. I told him: You are not understanding me, I will not do it. He told me: ‘Tomorrow is the meeting of the Supreme Council of Defense and you have to attend.’ I said, ‘I will not attend.’ He replied, ‘then we will take the decision without you. Someone else will be the army commander.’ I told him: let him come. I am doing my duty and what my conscience tells me. The next day I came late to the meeting. I found them meeting with the UNIFIL commander. They designed a map for the elimination of Hezbollah. I told them: what are you doing? Fold this map. The commander of the UNIFIL forces replied: ‘they have taken the decision in the Security Council.’ I told him: let them take whatever they want. I will not comply. Let them bring another army commander to carry out what they want. What right does the Lebanese state have to order a national army to strike its people because the “Israelis” are annoyed?
All this and you had no interaction with Hezbollah. When was your first direct contact with them?
After all these years, there was no contact between us. But there was absolute support on my part.
The first contact in which I got to know Hezbollah was in 1997 when I got a call saying that Hadi, the son of the Secretary General of the party, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, was martyred. I told them, this is the first time that an Arab leader presents his son as a martyr. I want to get to know him. Indeed, the measures were taken. I found him relaxed although the news of his son’s martyrdom was announced an hour before my visit. We spoke for about ten minutes as I consoled him. I felt that we would win and triumph with this leader. Days passed, and we did not meet. In 2000, at the time of the liberation, Sayyed Nasrallah asked me to meet him. So we met and he presented me with an “Israeli” rifle. After that, I never saw him until I left the presidency. At the time, we sat for about three hours and talked about everything. He told me, ‘I do not know you.’ I told him, ‘We met in good conscience.’
What does to Emile Lahoud that the land was liberated during his reign as you have always described this event with pride?
It means my dignity. I take pride in this event very much. I am glad that the dignity of the Lebanese had been restored during my days. Is it possible that the “Israelis” occupy our land for 22 years and no one is shaken. Only a handful of resistance fighters met and liberated the land and defended us. Without them, “Israel” would have been among us.
How did the liberation of the land contribute to your military experience?
We can achieve the impossible. Many asked me what I was doing. No one can resist “Israel”. I told them, you will see. The resistance is the immunity of Lebanon. I am surprised how some people speak after the conclusion of the elections on the need to disarm the resistance, after all that it has done! They certainly get money from their masters who incite them to do so.
How do you perceive the golden equation, which you supported early on?
Without the golden equation, Lebanon would no longer exist, especially after the events that took place in Syria and Iraq, which made Lebanon strong and able to stand up to “Israel”. Unfortunately, we did not learn that we must preserve it through national action and not through sectarianism.
Today, the Palestinians are doing all they can to liberate their land. What is your advice for them given the experiences with the liberation of Lebanese lands?
There is no talk with “Israel” except in the language of force. I do not want to criticize, but when I hear some Palestinian officials talking about the need for a settlement, this does not return the land. The solution is only by force, just as we did in Lebanon. Here, I recall an incident. At one of the closed summits of the Arab heads of state in Khartoum, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said ‘how can I possibly pay for the salaries for the ‘Strip’ when the Zionists are not allowing the funds to arrive. I ask you Arabs to mediate with the concerned parties to put pressure on “Israel” so that the money can reach us. I told him, ‘Abu Mazen, behave like we did in Lebanon. It is shameful to beg for our salaries. We have to attack them by force. If you acted like Lebanon, you will not be here right now.’
You have always said that the the crisis in Syria will conclude with a victory. How do you describe the situation seven years after the crisis started?
Syria triumphed. The losers including the Zionists and the Arabs are coveting a winning card. That is why they are pressing in the last quarter. But they will not triumph. The crisis will soon be over and with it the conspiring mentality in Lebanon will end.
A final word
How lucky we are that we have lived in the time of the resistance and the men who sacrificed themselves for the homeland.
The Global Campaign to Return to Palestine held its fourth annual convention in the Lebanese capital city of Beirut, entitled the Fourth Global Convention for Solidarity with Palestine: Entire al-Quds the Capital of Entire Palestine.
The gathering, which took place between March 11 and March 14, 2018, hosted a group of prominent activists from all over the world, most of whom were honored for their activism for the sake of the Palestinian cause.
Speakers voiced great support for Palestine and the Palestinian people, especially amid US President Donald Trump’s decision to move the US embassy from Tel Aviv to the “Israeli”-occupied holy city of al-Quds.
In this regard, Rabbi Yisroel Dovid Weiss, an activist and spokesman for a minority branch of Neturei Karta, an anti-Zionist group stated that:
“Since the beginning of Zionism, Torah Jews living in the holy land have been viciously beaten, arrested and murdered for simply voicing their opposition to the Zionist “Israel”. They are likewise arrested and beaten for refusing to serve in the “Israeli” army.”
He further stressed that:
“Our hearts cry with all the victims, the Jews and Palestinians, all of us are suffering together under this satanic Zionist “Israel”.”
“Let the world know, this is not a conflict between religions, Zionist “Israel” is not a Jewish state! It is only Zionist and should never be referred to as a Jewish state,” Weiss added.
“The occupation of Palestine is simply an unacceptable occupation. We plead with the world bodies to rethink the justice in establishing a state against the will of its inhabitants, the original Muslims, the original Christians and the original Jewish community. We plead with the world leaders and those bodies to free Palestine and end its unjust occupation.”
He further expressed sympathy saying
“Our hearts are with al-Quds, our hearts are with Palestine.”
On the sidelines of the convention, al-Ahed news website team interviewed prominent participating foreign figures among them the parents of martyred hero Rachel Corrie, the American activist who was massacred by an “Israeli” occupation forces armored bulldozer in a combat zone in Rafah, Palestine.
Mrs. Cindy and Mr. Craig Corrie stressed that:
“For all of us that care so much about these issues, care about the Palestinian people, and care about people everywhere, it is important to connect. It is so exciting to connect with people all around the world, who are finding ways to respond to the needs that are here. It is very heartening to come together and see and hear directly from the people who are most affected by this, to hear what most on their minds at this moment, that helps us go home and share with people there where we need to focus.”
They further considered that the Lebanese people are committed to helping the people of Palestine.
“We all need to go back to our different places and of course those of us from the United States have an incredible another work to do on this issue and so many others. And having met people in solidarity with the people of Palestine, I think it is much easier to do it, and Inshallah (God’s willing) we will make a change.”
“There are steps that would come out of here (the conference). They may take time to see what those accomplish, and we may not realize when we are doing those steps what we are accomplishing. One thing we’ve learned with the 15 years since we’ve been working on this issue is that you don’t know where the ripples will go. We certainly realize what our daughter Rachel has done and we hear that reflected back to us, and 15 years later from all over the world there’s pretty amazing this young woman could have some impact like that. So, we try, we do what we can, and Inshallah we will help.”
Commenting on Trump’s decision regarding al-Quds, the Corries considered that only a little has been said about the decision.
“We will hear more about that. We of course feel such great responsibility for that and discouragement about it, we object it strongly.”
One thing we want the Palestinian people to know is that there are many organizations that support them. One of the heartening things to us here is to see people from all over the world. We just want them to know that support is there. There is much work to be done, they added.
“If there is any sort of good side to this is that it is clear and manifests to the world that the US is not any sort of broker for any deal between “Israel” and Palestine. Palestinians have known that for the entire time,” Mrs. and Mr. Corrie stressed.
They further considered that the liberation of Palestine is inevitable. It has taken too long, and it may take a considerable time. It is clear that we have to work to our justice, and that will be to the benefit of all of us.
Meanwhile, in another interview, Gilad Atzmon, a British musician and an author, originally from the “Israeli” entity after renouncing his citizenship,he stressed that although he is not a Trump supporter,
“I think that this is the best thing America has done for very many year, because it brought to light that America is not a negotiator, it is rather a side on the conflict. I’m not talking as a Trump supporter, but I think that everything Trump is doing somehow leads to very positive developments, it brings light to this conflict. We people have to take positions, and this is positive.”
Elsewhere, he said that
Palestine will be liberated, there is no question about that. Though there are few questions that remain open. “I don’t have any doubt that “Israel” can’t any longer sustain its existence. Some “Israelis” have been brave enough to stand up and to admit that “Israel” has never been founded.”
For his part, Jimbo Simmons, an Indian American member of the Choctaw Nation and of the Governing Council of the American Indian Movement expressed that the Indian people’s solidarity goes way back to the 1970s as the American Indian Movement when we received a solidarity message from the Palestinian people during our struggles.
“For me, I still long to learn more how we as native people and indigenous peoples in North America could support the Palestinians in their struggle more effectively. That’s why I’m here to learn more in this respect,” he said.
“I like for the Palestinians to know that Trump doesn’t represent Indian people and Indian nations, he only represents his own self-interest. So, what he’s doing will not end support and will never end support of America,” Simmons noted.
Sometime, all of us will be liberated in the future, but we have to struggle. Some of us won’t see the enemy’s up, but at the end it is a generation struggle, so it continues and continues’ and my children, as well as the Palestinians’ children will live to see that accomplishment in their lifetime, Simmons said when asked about any hope of Palestine being liberated.
For her part, Ms. Emily Hurndall, mother of Tom Hurndall, a British volunteer for the International Solidarity Movement, and an activist against the “Israeli” occupation of Palestine who was shot in the head in the Gaza Strip by a Zionist soldier, said:
“I’ve come to understand that so many people over the world are operating, agencies, campaigners and people from different sort of disciplines. Everybody is working separately and everybody is using their skills and knowledge to support the Palestinians in their human rights, but if we can find a way to disseminate, unite and work together even better in a concentrated way, because it takes so much effort and time to overcome Zionist lies and “Israelis'” lies… so much time is wasted. If we can find a way to cut through all that, and just work more effectively to use our time better….”
To the Palestinians, Mrs. Hurndall expressed anger on their behalf “because it could not be more designed to provoke, it cuts to the quick of everything that means to be Palestinian; that their identity is wrapped up with al-Quds, it is just the center of their identity, and therefore it is deep-rooted and it says everything about Trump.”
Trump has total ignorance and lack of awareness, and lack of empathy to everything that means to be Palestinian, she said.
“Given the steps the Palestinians have made, I know it is incredibly slow, but given the steps of these last years, and given social media, there is no going back now. This is not an issue that people want to let go. There is no question of people letting it go. And the messages are spreading internationally, we are getting much better spreading the message. And therefore, there is no way it is going to succeed without horrendous battle or real struggle. Freeing Palestine is going to happen, but the more people know about it we can’t let it go,” the lady concluded.
Amid hopes to see the occupied lands liberated from the Zionist settlers, there is no doubt that a very hard work needs to be done on different levels until this ultimate goal is achieved when the sun of freedom rises over every grain of the entire Palestinian soil.
صودف أن عيد الاستقلال في لبنان يتزامن هذه السنة مع أكبر عملية ابتزاز يتعرّض لها، ومع أصعب اختبار دستوري وميثاقي لاستكمال ممارسة مهام المؤسسات العامة، فأحد لم يكن يتوقع بعد كل أيام السنة من الودّ والانسجام السياسي الحاصل جراء الصفقة الرئاسية الحكومية أن يكون حضور الحريري لملئ كرسيّه في جادة شفيق الوزان خلال عرض الاستقلال السنوي هو حدث ينتظره اللبنانيون والمراقبون الدوليون، لم يكن متوقعاً أن يصبح الواجب الوطني مفصلاً من عمر الدولة اللبنانية ولحظة يتنفس فيها الصعداء لبرهة ثم تنحبس الأنفاس حتى يقرّر الحريري اطلاع اللبنانيين على فحوى الابتزاز الذي اتفق عليه المعنيون عبر إرغامه على ما «لا طاقة له به».
إنه أول استقلال مع «ميشال عون» كما يناديه اللبنانيون. هذا الرجل الذي لا يعنيه لقب الرئاسة لأنه مناضل قديم… في أيام الاستقلال يظهر المناضل ميشال عون بشكل واضح او ربما أوضح. في ايام الاستقلال يقول عون للبنانيين والعالم لن أقبل بهذه المهزلة، وقفوا عند مسؤولياتكم، ومستعدّ للتضحية بالرئاسة. يعرف جيداً هذا المناضل أن تحدي المجتمع الدولي، وخصوصاً الدول العربية بقيادة المملكة العربية السعودية يعني «مقتلاً» في هذه الظروف التي تمر بها الرياض. وهي ظروف لا تقبل فيها المملكة المساومة وسط خيارات عمودية بين إقصاء أمراء كبار ورجال أعمال وقطع للعلاقات مع دول جارة مثل قطر، ونسف كل ما يتعارض مع سياستها بضوء أخضر أميركي. يعرف عون جيداً من دون أن يحتاج أحد ليذكره بما جرى سابقاً مع الرئيس اميل لحود عندما تمّ عزله بدعم أميركي مباشر وأول مَن عزلوه هم جزء من اللبنانيين الذين قرروا خوض غمار التجربة الى آخر الطريق فقاطعته الدول الكبرى والصغرى وصار قصر بعبدا خالياً من أي زائر يشير إلى أن الرئيس لا يزال موجوداً يمارس مهامه بشكل طبيعي ما خلا بعض الحلفاء.
القلق لا يزال حاضراً، وعون كما اللبنانيين يترقبون المزيد من الخيارات باتجاه التعاطي مع لبنان، وربما الرئاسة، هو الذي يدرك ان استهداف الحريري هو استهداف للصفقة التي أتت به الى قصر بعبدا. يعرف أن التضحية بهذه الصفقة وارد. وهو بذلك يضع نفسه أمام خيارات صعبة ويعلن استعداده لخوضها، لا يبالي الرئيس اللبناني بمقاطعة الرؤساء العرب والأجانب له. هذا ربما بديهي فقد فهم خصومه قبل حلفائه ذهنيته والخلفية التي ينطلق منها في مواقفه، لكن الأهم هو شيء آخر وفي مكان آخر. الأهم ان الرئاسة اللبنانية لأول مرة من خلال عون استطاعت قلب مزاج المجتمع الدولي والتأثير عليه بتحدّيه وتصلّب موافقه. وهنا لا تتم مناقشة صوابية مواقف عون من عدمها بل تتم الإضاءة على تعاطي الدول الكبرى مع الرئيس اللبناني خلال الأزمة فقد كانت هناك إمكانية غير مسبوقة من حشد اهتمام غربي كثيف، بالرغم من اعتبار خصوم عون انه حليف حزب الله وإيران بمفهوم «التبعية» ما يدحض هذا الكلام جملة وتفصيلاً. فقد بدا ان الأميركيين والفرنسيين وهم أكثر من يمكن ان يقدّموا مؤشراً بديهياً عن الموقف من عون لحظة فشل خطة الاستقالة المفترض أن تخض البلاد والمؤسسات، فقد بدا الرئيس ترامب والرئيس ماكرون بعد أن ضبط عون إيقاع الازمة مجبرين على السير وراء الموقف الرئاسي اللبناني الذي أحرجهم وصار أمام الفرنسيين مسؤولية كبيرة في تلقي الدعوة اللبنانية في التدخل والبحث باسترجاع رئيس حكومة لبنان من منطلق التلويح بتدويلها أولاً وباعتبارها قضية حريات وخرق للدستور اللبناني ثانياً.
تسلّح عون بالشارع الذي التفّ وراءه يقول جزء كبير من اللبنانيين إنها المرة الاولى التي شعر فيها بالاستقلال الحقيقي، لأن رئيسنا استقلالي. ها هو «يخالف» خطط الغرب ولا يقاطعونه ويصادق الإيرانيين ولا يفرضون عليه عدم التعاطي مع المملكة، بل هو زارها فوراً لدى انتخابه رئيساً، بل هو غير مستعدّ لتلبية شروط أحد. ها هو يحالف الشيعي «حزب الله» ويحمي كرامة السنة «تيار المستقبل» وكرسي الرئاسة الثالثة.
الأكبر من الاختبار في زمن الاستقلال هو الشارع اللبناني الذي التفّ حول الرؤساء عون وبري والحريري والتفّ وراء الوحدة الوطنية. وقد اكتشف الكل أن اللبنانيين هم يد واحدة في لحظة صادقة تتعلق بمهابة وكرامة البلاد، وأن اللبنانيين ميالون او تواقون للتمسك بالثوابت الوطنية، إذا لم يتم العبث بأمنهم واستقرارهم وتهديدهم او فرض عليهم رؤساء كرسوا الرئاسة اللبنانية لخدمة مشاريع أو اصطفاف معين بدون التوقف عند مقام الرئاسة.
في زمن الاستقلال صار للرئاسة اللبنانية «قيمة». فبدون مجاملات او جدالات يعرف كل لبناني أنها كانت كرسياً فارغاً حتى ولو تمّ ملؤه فصلاحيات رئيس الوزراء طغت لفترة من الفترات، وتسلّحت بالجو السياسي الإقليمي الملائم. وهناك رؤساء أساؤوا استخدام صلاحيات رئاسة الجمهورية، لكن الأهم أنهم لم يدركوا او يلتفتوا إلى الحفاظ على مهابة هذه الكرسي وحدها أمام المجتمع الدولي.
أما عن خطاب الاستقلال:
فالاستقلال مع ميشال عون هو توضيح كل شيء وليس ترفاً أو عيداً ولا عرضاً عسكرياً.
It’s much more than your ordinary hiking trip. It’s when the land speaks to heaven.
With every step I take, the land underneath my feet whispers stories of brave men who trudged up Mount Safi, better known to Southerners as the Revolutionaries’ Mountain.
Mount Safi with its rough terrain and cruel weather is never forgotten, but it is during this time of year that visitors particularly southerners pay tribute to the mighty mountain.
Seventeen years had passed and Mount Safi stands proud safekeeping secrets of the brave Revolutionaries’ stories of heroism and endurance. Stories waiting to be told… waiting to be passed on from one generation of Revolutionaries to another.
With only a backpack on my back, I set out on a walk that changed my perception of the littlest of things. At 10:15 a.m. [Beirut time] the hiking group I accompanied met with Abu Hadi, a Hezbollah field officer, who took us on an excursion.
The Hezbollah-sponsored daytrip was held on the occasion of the Resistance and Liberation Day. On May 25, 2000, Lebanon’s southern villages witnessed the withdrawal of the occupying “Israeli” entity – a date which marks the victory of a brave handful over the apartheid entity’s so-called “invincible army” in South Lebanon.
Our two-hour walk which started from Ain Boswar, a village in Nabatieh Governorate in South Lebanon, ended in Mleeta, the Hezbollah Resistance Museum or the Tourist Landmark of the Resistance, as it is officially known.
A mile or two up the mountain with nothing much to carry cannot compare with the same miles walked with 40 to 50 kg [88 – 110 lbs.] of military equipment that the Revolutionary men carried under enemy bombing and fire.
Abu Hadi, a veteran in his mid-forties, wore his military uniform that camouflaged with the surrounding. With his southern Arabic accent, Abu Hadi tells us about the profound relation of Mount Safi to its neighboring villages that endured moments of heroism and pain at the same time; as the area had been shelled during the “Israeli” aggression in 1993 and 1996.
The veteran officer went on to talk about the mutual relationship between the Revolutionaries’ Mountain and the Revolutionaries themselves, who had gotten used to dwelling in the area prior to the 2000 liberation.
He told us how the men would carry their military supplies and weaponry in addition to food and gas tanks from nearby villages up to their camp site at Mount Safi, pointing to an old man-made well where they would get water given the lack of pipelines.
In his will, Martyr Abdulmalik Karaki tells Martyr Moustafa Karaki: “Whoever wanted to be assigned to Safi Mount particularly in the pre-liberation stage [2000], would have to sacrifice greatly and be physically fit.”
The presence of the Islamic Resistance on Mount Safi dates back to 1986 – 1987 due to its strategic location as it overlooks the Western Beqaa area, Said, Tyre and the towns nearby, Abu Hadi added.
Back then, Great Martyr Leader Sayyed Abbas al-Mousawi managed the Resistance’s military operations from Mount Safi.
Abu Hadi noted the strategic importance of Safi stressing that had the “Israelis” occupied it, the entire South would have fallen.
It was a beautiful day for a hike. Luckily, it wasn’t too hot.
At times, mist would cover the entire mountain transforming the field into a heavenly place; a view that sends you into a state of serenity and peace.
All the way up Mount Safi, the sole thought on my mind was how tiring the hike is. I wondered how the Resistance men bore the hike through the years.
Women and young ladies from different walks of life took part in this life-enlightening walk. Like me, they were all pushed by the curiosity to experience what it is like to be a Revolutionary, as many of them are mothers, sisters, wives and daughters of these honorable men.
A light breeze blew as we sat listening to Abu Hadi narrating stories of valor. Under a big branched tree sat Hajje Zeinab, mother of martyr Abbas al-Mousawi who fought in Syria.
For Hajje Zeinab, the mother of seven young men, the walk is a continuation of her son’s path. She had already sacrificed a son and is relentless to sacrifice the rest for the sake of Prophet Mohammad [PBUH] and his Household.
Given her life experience and wisdom, Hajje Zeinab advised us to learn from the events of Karbala and withstand the way Sayyida Zeinab did when she was deprived of her loved ones by Yazid.
I would never forget her comparison of Imam Hussein [AS] and his loyal Sahaba who fought Yazid and his tyrant army; she said “Hezbollah men are the successors of Imam Hussein [AS] and they are fighting the same army of Yazid – the ‘Israeli’s and their Western and Arab allies are the Yazids of this age.”
At 12:30 p.m., we reached Mleeta weary, thirsty and hungry. The women and young ladies were all desperate for a cozy place to relax in.
As I sat in the restaurant, sipping a cup of hot chocolate, I look at mighty Mount Safi. I smile. I take a deep breath of fresh air. I think of those brave men who suffered and persevered so that we are safe and free. I think of those courageous Revolutionaries fighting today to defend our honor.
To Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah… To all the honorable men of Hezbollah… To the sons of Imam Hussein [AS]… To whom we owe our lives… This is dedicate to you.
The “Israeli” apartheid regime’s troops completely withdraw from South Lebanon by May 25th, 2000. Sixteen years on the liberation and the Lebanese still cherish this day stronger than ever.
This year, it is not only the Lebanese who celebrated the 16th anniversary of the Resistance and Liberation Day, an Italian delegation that visited Lebanon to show solidarity with Hizbullah had a lot to say to national, regional and international public.
The Italian delegation consisted of 11 activists and public figures from Italy and Spain among which were Alberto Palladino, an Italian journalist and executive board member of Solidarite Identites, a humanitarian organization to support the Syrian people, as well as Italian politician Giovanni Feola, leader of the Italian CasaPound movement.
Other members of the organization were: Poalo Sebastianelli, Rodrigo Gomez, Manfredi Pinelli, Rudy de Astis, Carlo Pezzolesi, Dario Zimbardi, Davide Granconato and Damiano Crudele.
It was not a coincidence that the delegation’s visit to Lebanon coincided with the Resistance and Liberation Day. According to the delegation’s deputy speaker, Alberto Palladino their visit to Lebanon was “much intended. We want to participate in this victory and this march”.
Palladino indicated that the Resistance’s May victory is very important and that it is a “symbolic victory because in this time no one can invade another sovereign nation; all the people in the Mediterranean zone, every free people have the right to defend their homes from invasion…”
He went on saying that “The victory of Hizbullah against “Israel” is the symbol of a new freedom in the Mediterranean zone. On another level, it is a very great victory because a powerful and very well-equipped army was defeated by the pure resistances of Hizbullah revolutionaries.”
According to Palladino, it is via their organization’s work in Syria that they met Hizbullah and founded a relations ship with the group.
He indicated that the Italian delegation intends to “create or rebuild the relation between Europe – specially the countries that are in contact with the Mediterranean Sea – and the close east; that is, the Middle Eastern countries on the Mediterranean Sea” pointing out that through “analyzing our similitudes, we find that we are very close in culture and history as well as political views”.
Palladion explains that the main example of likeness between the European and Middle Eastern countries in the Mediterranean zone is the fight against terrorism saying that “terrorists have engulfed Syria as it did in Paris and Brussels; so we have to be close as much as possible to solve it.”
When asked about the concerns over the wave of terrorism that has extended from the Middle East to Europe and the delegation’s expectations from their visit, Palladino said, “We aim to launch a signal through this activity to have the Europeans understand that there is an alternative to the official relation between Europe and Arab countries.”
“Take Saudi Arabia for example, our government and politicians have diplomatic ties with it; Saudi Arabia is killing the Yemeni people and no one in the West spoke out” Palladino said.
He added that “everyone in Europe considers Hizbullah as a terrorist organization, but no one speaks of the situation in Yemen where our military planes are sold to Saudi Arabia and are used to kill the Yemenis.”
On the level of Hizbullah’s fight against terrorism in Syria, Palladion said that the group “gives the best example it can give to the world” shedding light on the fact that now Hizbullah and its martyrs are the best answer against terrorism.
“It is not a terrorist organization! Hizbullah is fighting outside its territory and spending weapons, money and lives to defend the freedom and security of Syria and the Syrian people,” he added.
Palladino went on to say that “No one can hide the sacrifices of Hizbullah in Syria in the same manner that no one can hide the crimes of Saudi Arabia and its allies in Yemen as well as their public attack against Iran!”
He indicated that “now, people in Italy are getting their information directly from the source – your website for example – via the internet, and they no longer depend on the official media for news” explaining that Europeans are becoming more aware of the truth and their view Hizbullah.
“If there was no Hizbullah, there would be no hope, no Mouqawamah, no victories, no freedom; there would only be ‘Israel’ and its hegemony. Hizbullah saved us all. And on this 16th annual Resistance and Liberation Day, as a means of moving forward in the next phase of our battle for total liberation, it is best we remember and cherish this undeniable reality.”
What if there was no Hizbullah? Resistance and Liberation Day isn’t merely a time of celebration in commemoration of the history-echoing victories achieved by Hizbullah. It is also a time for deep reflection, as Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah noted in his breathtakingly wonderful speech today. Indeed it is a time when we should be reflecting on where we are in our struggle, the severity and the status of the regional and international equations, and how to progress forward towards our ultimate goal of rendering ‘Israel’ obsolete. And I can’t think of a more profound point of pondering than the following question above: What if there was no Hizbullah? We don’t have to start as far back as 1982 when the Lebanese Islamic Resistance first emerged out of its humble beginnings of namelessness, nor do we need to refer to the ‘93 and ‘96 ‘Israeli’ aggressions, nor the liberation itself on May 25th, 2000, as the majority, not the vast majority or even most persons, unfortunately, but the majority of Lebanese agree that Hizbullah’s triumph over the cancerous Zionist entity and the end of the monstrous occupation were good things. So let us start with the 2006 July War and allow me to ask again: What if there was no Hizbullah?
If the Mouqawamah disbanded after the liberation of Lebanon, there most certainly wouldn’t have been a 2006 July War because the Zionists would have launched their devious, murderous aggression much sooner. With no Hizbullah to defend the Jnoub, ‘Israel’ would have ripped through villages, towns and entire cities with a genocidal Jewish savagery not seen since the Nakba.
‘Israeli’ occupation forces would have reestablished their illegal buffer zone, only this time, they would need no SLA or like-similar auxiliary to do their dirty work because there would be no resistance to contend with, thus leaving the enemy nothing but free reign to expand their control all the way into Beirut, the full spectrum of the Lebanese coast, the Bekaa and beyond.
Yes, it’s true that there were Lebanese communists, socialists and other leftists who fought the usurping Jewish entity when it invaded Lebanon in 1978, and though their sacrifices and bravery should be saluted, the truth is that their effectiveness was minimal at best and despite their best efforts, ‘Israel’ expanded and felt emboldened enough to further its expansionism in 1982. So if there was no Hizbullah, simply put, Lebanon would be lost.
With no Hizbullah, which the ‘Israelis’ view as their number one enemy, their most dangerous enemy, their most effective enemy, etc. and they have reiterated this over and over, Lebanon would be subjected to a Palestine-style occupation. Colonization, ethnic cleansing, settlements, destruction of olive trees and other crops, theft of resources, contamination of water, a barbaric gulag-like prison regime that makes Nahal Oz and Ofer look like five-star resorts, more settlements, the proliferation of completely insane Jewish supremacist squatters throughout Lebanon’s greenest, most beautiful lands, and of course, routine, Halakhic-Talmudic, ritualistic massacres of civilians, especially children, as Lebanon is fractured into a hodgepodge of Swiss-cheese-statelets.
As ‘Israel’ doubles in size, it sees zero threat coming from the Syrian Arab Republic and decides to launch its Takfiri destabilization project. With no Hizbullah, there is nobody to guard and/or liberate the Syrian-Lebanese border, i.e. the ultra-strategic, ultra-rugged Qalamoun Mountains and the Arsal barrens, from the Takfiri scourge. With no Hizbullah, the Wahhabi terrorists move into the Homs countryside with ease, overrunning the Syrian Arab Army in the pivotal battle for super-imperative Al-Qusayr. Homs itself falls. Then Damascus. Then Hama, Quneitra and Daraa. The Syrian Arab Army is bloodied, exhausted, pushed to collapse and before we can even blink, the Syrian Arab Republic is no more and a Saudi-style, Zionist-normalizing Takfiri emirate now rules over Bilad al-Sham.
Massacres of Lebanese Sunnis, Shi’a, Christians, Druze and anyone who doesn’t submit to Takfirism begin with reckless abandon on the border as well as deep into Lebanon’s northern regions as there is no Lebanese Islamic Resistance to stop the carnage. Why should we go to such extremes? Because long before Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Russian Aerospace Forces intervened in Syria, it was Hizbullah, with its tactical finesse, brilliant hybrid guerilla-conventional warfare and sacrifices, which intervened at a most critical time, staved off the Takfiris and prevented Syria from falling into US-‘Israeli’-Saudi hands. With no Hizbullah however, Syria would be lost, and the pluralism that has long prevailed among the peoples of Bilad al-Sham is shattered into countless, unsalvageable fragments.
With Lebanon and Syria removed from the regional picture in a mere matter of years, Palestine is alone and abandoned, as Resistance Axis bases of operations and coordination in the Levant are destroyed and occupied by ‘Israel’ and its Takfiri tools. With no Hizbullah, the Second Intifada ends early as there is no external support provided by the Lebanese Islamic Resistance; there are no moujahideen to smuggle guns and missiles into the West Bank and Gaza Strip; there are no moujahideen to train the Palestinian Resistance in the art of tunnel-digging and rocket-building; there are no moujahideen to teach the Palestinian Resistance the effective, ghost-like resistance strategies that were integral to pushing the ‘Israeli’ terrorists out of Lebanon. With no Hizbullah, ‘Israel’ doesn’t need Operation Pillar of Cloud and Operation Mighty Cliff, as it decapitates the Falasteeni Mouqawamah during Operation Cast Lead. There is never a siege on Gaza because it never gets liberated to begin with and another stage of the Nakba begins as the Jewish supremacist regime begins the final purge of all “Goyim” from the River to the Sea. If there is no Hizbullah, Palestine is lost.
With Lebanon, Syria and Palestine gobbled up, the Zionists, high as a kite on their “chosenite” arrogance, launch an invasion of the Islamic Republic of Iran with full-blown US-NATO-GCC support. And while one can never count out the Iranian people, without support from their Hizbullah, Syrian and Palestinian allies, it’s hard to imagine Iran making it out of such an encounter fully intact. In the simplest terms one could muster: With no Hizbullah, with no Divine Victory in 2006, the Resistance Axis is eviscerated, the neocons’ New Middle East comes to fruition, ‘Greater Israel’ is resurrected from the graveyards of South Lebanon, and the entire region goes up in flames, ushering in a Dajjalic era of unthinkably evil Anglo-Jewish hegemony. And this isn’t too far off nor some kind of farfetched doomsday scenario. Everybody has heard former NATO Commander Wesley Clark’s infamous “7 countries in 5 years” interview as well as his comments on why ISIS was unleashed; everyone has read the “Clean Break” document; everyone has studied “A Strategy For ‘Israel’ In The 1980s” aka the Oded Yinon plan. This was the scheme. Eliminate Hizbullah, take over the Arab-Islamic world.
And yet there are too many lummoxes to fathom who still vomit the nonsensical Zionist-Wahhabi hasbara about Hizbullah being “just as dangerous” as ‘Israel’ because “Hizbullah is trying to implement an Iranian project”, whatever that’s supposed to mean. It’s essentially too asinine to even attempt to process. This is the irony though, isn’t it? If there was no Hizbullah, these bigoted, utterly atrocious dimwits would be lost too; either under Zionist jackboots or on a chopping block set to be beheaded by Takfiri lunatics. One way or another, even the likes of these clownish sectarians owe Hizbullah a debt, whether they want to admit it or not. As does our region. As does the world. Every one of us does, truly. For if there was no Hizbullah, there would be no hope, no Mouqawamah, no victories, no freedom; there would only be ‘Israel’ and its hegemony. Hizbullah saved us all. And on this 16th annual Resistance and Liberation Day, as a means of moving forward in the next phase of our battle for total liberation, it is best we remember and cherish this undeniable reality.
In a statement to the al-Ahed News Website, the spokesperson for the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, Brigadier General Ramadan Sharif, congratulated the Lebanese people on the anniversary of the Resistance and Liberation day.
Brigadier General Ramadan Sharif added, “When we look at the history of the Arab-Israeli conflict and the occupation by the Zionist entity of Arab lands, we see that there are two visions on this matter; the first is the resistance strategy focused on expelling the occupying enemy and relying on the people of the occupied nations. There is another vision that relies on international human rights institutions and foreign powers which claimed to support the Arab resistance. [General Sharif] notes “experience has shown that defeating the Zionist regime and the liberation of the occupied territories came with the entry of the Lebanese people into the arena of resisting the Zionists. And the resistance in Lebanon has forced the Zionists enemy to flee from the south.”
Brigadier Sharif stressed that,
“the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon has become a symbol of steadfastness, courage and will. It was able to expel the Zionist enemy from southern Lebanon, as well as defeat the Zionists during the July 2006 war.”
We congratulate the Lebanese people and the Arab and Islamic nation for its resistance and for making the nation proud and defeating the Zionists. He added,
“the hearts of the Muslim and Arab peoples are always with the resistance in Lebanon and Palestine.”
The spokesperson for the Revolutionary Guards also said, “this model is a beacon of light, turning the resistance into a role model for those whose lands are being occupied by the Zionists,” adding that the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon was a good role model for Hamas and the Islamic Jihad in Palestine, which defeated the Zionist enemy in the wars of recent years in the Gaza Strip.
Brigadier General Ramadan Sharif congratulated the Islamic nation, the Lebanese people, Hizbullah, the families of the martyrs, and Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah on this occasion and expressed hope that the resistance will soon liberate Palestine and Al-Quds and the Islamic nation will get rid of this insidious entity “Israel”.
In an interview with the official website of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution of Iran, conducted in Beirut by Marwa Osman*, Sayyed Hachem Safieddine Chairman of the Executive Council of Hezbollah in Lebanon commemorates the 25th of May the Resistance and Liberation day by saying that the Zionist entity is unable until now to repair it losses at the moral, military and combating levels after their defeat in the 2006 war. He says the liberation of South Lebanon in the year 2000 is a true nightmare that hit the Israeli military, political and security leaderships and this nightmare still entrenched within their conscience, their culture, and their military and security institutions.
“Our perception of the interests of both the Israelis and the Americans indicates that now is not the time for a new war,” Sayyed Safieddine told Khamenei.ir.
Sayyed Safieddine emphasized that “Ayatollah Sayed Ali Kkamenei reassured us that victory will be on our side and his words had a great impact on us all and on the souls of the mujahedeen (resistance fighters).” His eminence also declared that Ayatollah Khamenei always envisions the future with optimism and constantly promises that our region will retain self-determination and revert to its people and that the day will come when there would no longer be an “Israel” and when the US hegemony on this region will end.
The following is a transcript of the recorded interview with Sayyed Hachem Safieddine Chairman of the Executive Council of Hezbollah in Lebanon exclusively for Khamenei.ir
Section One: Hezbollah v/s the Israel Entity
1.Commemorating the Resistance and Liberation day of May 25, 2000, how do you assess the position of the Islamic Resistance Hezbollah after 16 years of ending the Israeli occupation of South Lebanon knowing that their withdrawal is still incomplete?
In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful. After 16 years of the liberation of South Lebanon and some occupied Lebanese lands, facts have proven that the Israeli entity has faced a big defeat and was unable until now to repair it losses at the moral, military and combating levels. The proof of this is what happened in the year 2006. The Israeli entity is still overwhelmed by the victory of the year 2000, which was followed by the victory of June 2006. The Zionist entity still feels till this day that it is incapable of encroaching on Lebanon as it did in the past. And at the moment in which the Zionists find the circumstances possible to defeat the resistance in Lebanon, it will not hesitate to target the resistance. Despite carrying all the reasons according to our enemy’s logic, and I am not justifying for them, to launch a war against the resistance, the Israeli entity is not doing so. Therefore the Israeli enemy is suppressed and still lives through the harsh moments of defeat. Until today in their political analysis, military, security, and strategic studies and even when they talk about the major challenges facing the Zionist entity, they place the resistance at the top of their list of challenges. This proves that they are still living through this nightmare. Therefore, the liberation of South Lebanon in the year 2000 is a true nightmare that hit the Israeli military, political and security leaderships and this nightmare still entrenched within their conscience, in their culture, and in their military and security institutions. In return, the resistance is becoming stronger and more visible. It declares its intentions and always does what it declares. We experienced several ordeals during the past years when the enemy would try to test our readiness and the resistance proved to be prepared and present. The resistance will always be there for its people and its supporters and it reassures all the Lebanese public that the Resistance maintains tangible professionalism that protects the country and has proven this fact by providing experiences and models renowned all over the world. Hence, on the one hand the Israeli entity is still living the impasse, and on the other hand, the resistance has enhanced its strength, enriched its expertise and became heavily armed. We have enough pride in the power recognized by our enemy.
2.Secretary General Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah in a speech in March 2016 eliminated the possibility of any Israeli war against Lebanon in the short term, noting that the Zionist entity does not carry out any military move without the American approval, yet in Mid April 2016, US signaled that it might increase military aid to Israel in a ‘largest single pledge in history’ from $3.1 billion to a probable $5 billion boost in military aid. Isn’t that a green light from Washington and an approval for a huge war to be waged against Lebanon in the near future?
On the contrary, the fact that the US is willing to increase military aid to the Zionist entity proves that the Americans only want to soothe the Israelis so as not to ruin the region, since if the US agenda does not include war, then the US might become more generous with the financial aid and the armaments only to further mollify their Israeli ally keep them away from any adventure; that is in some cases and not always. That is first. Second, it is true, the Israeli entity cannot launch any war against Lebanon without the consent, the support and the signature of the US, with the exception of the 2006 war which was the opposite case where the Israeli entity wanted to go through the war while the US administration went along with their Israeli partners. During the 2006 war, the Israeli entity didn’t ask for permission to attack Lebanon. That specific war had its own conditions at the level of the American-Israeli relationship and its results were disastrous for the Zionist entity. Therefore the existence of financial support is to boost the superiority of the Zionist entity psychologically. As if the US is telling the Israelis that it is true you have lost facing the Resistance in Lebanon but we shall increase our support for you to prove to you this supremacy and be it at the psychological level and at the level of at least convinces your people of this supremacy. Third, we knew exactly what is happening in the region and not only in the case of Lebanon versus the Zionist entity, but also in all what is going on in the region that the Israeli entity is a strategic ally and a key ally. It is always in the higher interest of all US administrations to extend the Zionist entity with more experiences, armaments and financial support and this is not an exception. The increase in the amount of money being given to Israel by the US might be the result of sensing of the immense nature of the risks facing the Zionist entity after all the recent variables hitting the region one of which is the development and growth of the strength of the Islamic Resistance. And finally, if the US wanted war or if the Israelis wanted to engage in war with US approval, they would have their own accounts associated with their interests in the region. We believe we are now at a moment where the decision of waging war on Lebanon is not yet made. Our perception of the interests of both the Israelis and the Americans indicates that now is not the time for a new war. At the same time, when our enemies feel that they can achieve their goals, they would hurry to do so without hesitation. But in our conviction and our logic, the deterrent force of the resistance is the first preventive measure against any war at this stage.
3.Hezbollah has managed in the past through his achievements and capabilities to convince the Zionist entity that any war it launches against Lebanon will be very costly for the Israelis, however after Hezbollah’s engagement in the war against terrorism inside Syria, the Israeli entity has been claiming that Hezbollah has become weaker at the southern border and their evidence relies in their success to target and assassinate several Hezbollah commanders in the recent years. How hard would it be for Hezbollah which is fully engaged in the war against terrorism in Syria to defend the Lebanese territories in the event of an Israeli aggression? Knowing that this time the civilians have literally no place to hide since Syria is no longer an option.
We have said since the beginning that the Syrian issue did not distract us from our Israeli enemy, thank God, the resistance possesses enough of human potential, armament programs, plans and readiness to confront any Israeli threat at any time. Throughout the period of our presence in Syria we always take into account the Israeli danger. At any time now and every day we are positioned in Syria we fight in defense of the resistance and in defense of our country and we consider that the Israeli hand is behind the chaos happening in Syria. At the political level, in our point of view the outcome of the battle in Syria proved that we are handling the same enemy and the same instigators of war who have specific goals which they want to achieve through waging war on Syria. At the level of combat, the resistance always reassures its people and its audience that the battle front with our enemy Israel has never impaired and that our engagement in Syria will not affect our readiness against the Israeli entity. We are fully ready at any moment.
4. How do you describe the accounts of the leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, assuring the divine victory in 2000 as well as the victory of Hezbollah against Israel during the war that continued for 33 days in 2006? Can you tell us his thoughts in this regard and if possible some of which that has not been published or announced yet?
Of course for us this is a matter which have become supported by strong clarifications and evidence. In the battle of 2006 during the war of 33 days, a message was sent by his eminence Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei to the commander-in-Chief Secretary General of Hezbollah, His Eminence Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, in which he spoke clearly about the nature of this battle and about the side that started this battle and about who exactly was planning to carry out this war and also talked about the preparations prior to July which we saw as a strange matter, since we did not have any concrete evidence or any analysis or any intelligence information that indicated that a war is about to hit us. While His Eminence spoke about how this war was prepared by the Israelis and the Americans beforehand and that what happened in July was not the reason this war started. His words were echoed after the war when Ehud Olmert (Israeli PM at that time) declared clearly that the preparations for the 2006 war actually began in the month of March of that year. The leader told us in this letter that this war will be a hard one, very similar to the Battle of the Trench during the days of Prophet Muhammad the messenger of God (God bless him and grant him salvation) but he also reassured us that victory will be on our side and his words had a great impact on us all and on the souls of the mujahedeen. According to our experience with His Eminence the leader, his promises are a result of his insight and from the Holy Quran and the traditions of history and primarily from his faith in God Almighty (swt) which granted us full confidence that victory will be with us and indeed that is exactly what happened. Hence the leader’s words which reassured us, spoke at the same time about the nature of the battle where this letter was at the beginning of the war, as if he knew that ahead of us lies a long and tough battle which will bear huge losses but eventually while resemble the Battle of the Trench, but eventually the leader told us that victory will be with us and this is what happened. And after the victory at the end of the war, his eminence also sent another letter to Sayyed Nasrallah, in which he spoke clearly about the aptitude that Hezbollah has obtained from this victory emphasizing that because of this aptitude our enemies will work with all the power they possess to besiege it and to strike it but will eventually fail in their attempts and the strength of Hezbollah will only increase, this time not only in the face of the Israeli entity in the region but all along the Arab and Islamic world and this is also what happened.
5. In one of the speeches of Hezbollah Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah spoke of some aspects of his meeting with Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei and in specific about six accounts of the leader’s views with various dates about the defeat of America and Israel. How do you explain the vision of the leader Ayatollah Khamenei to defeat Israel during the past twenty five years and how did these aspirations become a reality?
His Eminence the leader Sayyed Ali Khamenei possesses a clear vision with a fixed foresight, he understands matters and offers appropriate and convenient treatments. The leader knows the nature of the enemy that influences our region which is the US which is why his eminence always focuses on the US hands in all what is going on in the region starting in Palestine to all other events stirring up our region and this is all backed by evidence and well documented. The leader also knows what the capabilities of our enemies are. He knows this through his understanding, know-how, expertise, knowledge and experience. Ayatollah Khamenei always envisions the future with optimism and constantly promises that this region will retain self-determination and revert to its people and that the day will come when there would no longer be an “Israel” and when the US hegemony on this region will end. This clear vision may need years to be accessible at the level of implementation and application and may need more sacrifices, but the leader has no doubt at all that the future will be much better for the peoples of the region. This vision reveals first a deep understanding of the history and analysis and secondly the strong belief of the promise of God the Great and Almighty and understanding of the Holy Quran and the traditions of the history, and thirdly reveals the deep experience in the nature of the events and its course of action in the future. The leader does not speak about dreams and aspirations; he talks about facts known through vivid expertise. And finally, we in the resistance have never entered an experience where His Eminence indicated to be successful and not come out of it successful which is always achieved by the praise of God the Great and Almighty.
Section Two: Hezbollah v/s PGCC
1. The PGCC-Saudi led decision to blacklist Hezbollah as a terrorist organization obviously represents an Arab and International cover for any Israeli war against Lebanon and Hezbollah in specific, doesn’t this fact deeply impact the deterrence formula that Hezbollah has managed to carve over the years of fighting? And how do you anticipate the stance of the Lebanese government be in the event of a confrontation with Israel? knowing that there is a division within the Lebanese government concerning the decision of the PGCC against Hezbollah.
Predicting the position of the Lebanese government in case of a war is waged against Lebanon is a premature call, so let’s wait till the time comes. Meanwhile, we don’t believe that the PGCC-Saudi led decision to blacklist Hezbollah as a terrorist organization will have an impact on the position of Hezbollah especially towards confronting the Israeli enemy and the reason for this is very clear, throughout all the past decades in which we have resisted the Israeli entity those states you mentioned had the very same position towards Hezbollah as they do today. The difference is that their position back then was disclosed and now it is openly declared. Even in the 2006 July war, for 33 days we were clear about it when we said it and we now reaffirm that the Saudi and several Gulf states was strongly and directly involved in the paying of the cost of the war. The cost of the July war 2006 was fully covered by the Gulf money. Even when the US and British administrations were sending weapons, equipment and ammunition to the Israelis it was all being paid for by the Saudis. And before that, back in the 1990s and in the 1980s we saw many scenarios where the CIA was being aided by Arab, Gulf and Saudi intelligence and even then they were targeting the resistance, but their circumstances at that stage did not allow them to declare so. I tell you more than that, for us at the level of understanding the role of these states since the Palestinian Nakba on, when of course some Arab and Gulf States did not exist in those days, the roles of these states was to stand in the face of popular resistances so that Israel maintains the upper hand and remain the strongest entity in the region. These states are merely tools stirred by the United States of America. So what they are doing today with such declarations is simply within as agenda escalating day after day in their announcement and disclosure. They were always in the obstructive, disruptive and besieging position against the resistance, however the resistance became much stronger and we are today at a much better stage than we were before ten or twenty years ago. Those states obviously have millions to spend along with draconian media empires with heavy propaganda aimed against the resistance day and night. However, have anyone who lives in Lebanon or beyond all across the world, anyone from the close friends of the resistance to its foes that resistance has been affected by this propaganda? Did the resistance take any step back? Is there one resistance fighter who has abandoned his arms for fear of Saudi Arabia? Is there a dignified family that chose not send their sons to the resistance to fight off the Israelis and the Takfiri terrorists because of the pressure exerted by the Gulf media? These states need to know because they do not know and I think they will never know, they have to know that our peoples and our families and our resistance fighters have enough awareness that secures them from such false propaganda. We are at a point where our society is now certain that every time they see these states in a certain position they immediately know that they are on the wrong side and that righteousness is in exactly the opposite direction. Therefore this pressure of course is backed by huge sums of money funneled into the media but by the will of God Almighty will only be a smoke screen without any impact on the resistance.
2. Hezbollah declared that they have information about the Saudi scheme to crush the resistance but Sayyed Nasrallah stated he will not talk about the matter because of local considerations. Are these local considerations even relevant when Saudi Arabia has reportedly spent millions of dollars in a bid to destroy the resistance, this same resistance that is protecting all of the Lebanese territories?
Local considerations must take into account in each move we make as a resistance because we are always keen to our country and our homeland and eager to our environment and our society. And we know very well that the aptitude of the US and Saudi influence on Lebanese communities is of great capacity. In other words we take into account the possibility that some Lebanese communities might be affected by this influence against resistance and against Hezbollah and might not bear many facts, leaving things for time so that the Lebanese do not become engaged in specificities that do not impose a priority. Let the Lebanese remain focused toward the real enemy that is working nonstop in sedition and wreaking havoc either in our country or in our region. As the Lebanese proverb says, “leave things be until the right time”, the best wisdom requires us to take these considerations in our country. These aspects simply confirms our views for the stability in our country especially when we fight our Israeli enemy and our Takfiri enemy and when we protect our country from the disinformation campaigns waged by the Takfiri terrorists including media and political campaigns, we always take into account our country’s stability and the safety of our internal societies, this is a priority that must be to taken into account in all what we do and we are doing it without any affect against our duties and responsibilities.
3. Saudi Arabia has the financial, media and religious power in which it uses to threat whoever opposes it and in this case is working successfully against the resistance regionally and internationally while banning several media outlets from reporting the other side of the story; with the massive winnings of the Gulf-funded mainstream media what is the strategy at hand that the resistance and its allies in the region can reside to in order to oppose the PGCC propaganda? Can they even compete with it given the current media blackout?
Competing with them is not at all an option. Unfortunately, as long as the main driver of media is money, then it is natural for us not to be in a position to compete with the financial capabilities of Saudi Arabia in this regard. We face this massive media campaign and propaganda as you refer to it through staying steadfast, showing our right, demonstrating our capacity to state our position loud and clear and fully expressing our position and this is evident throughout history. Eventually, if we don’t possess the financial capability that our enemies own, it does not mean that we should abandon the media arena on the contrary we should do what we can according to our abilities and capabilities. It is important for us not to withdraw from the media arena, what is important is for us to stay standing and not fall. It is important for us not to allow the enemy or the conspirator to feel that we have fallen into the trap that he wanted to push us into. The world today has changed. No one can claim that the media belongs to a specific group or can propagate one specific point of view. Yes, there is on the one hand a side that has huge media potentials and on the other hand another side with limited media potentials. However, this limited side can face this other more capable side through patience and firmness towards righteousness and praise God we have many good experiences in that case. Imagine, for example, talking about experience, for example in the July war of 2006, the Israeli entity recognized that the resistance was not only victorious in the field militarily, but it also managed to possess a high level of media propagation and a high level of speech that exceeded that of the Israeli potential which is historically known in our region as the psychological war. So there are certain levels in media propagation which we can reach through focusing on the art of speech and the ability to express our position through statement and through righteousness that becomes secured as time passes along with a few sacrifices, we can eventually manage to do it. We believe that the success of which the Saudis speak of through their money and media is a success in the possession of the tool and not a success in making an impact and fully influencing the public. Impact and influence usually affects the weak and the doubtful, however the resistance depends on a wide audience of followers that are full of awareness, knowledge, experience and stability which allows them to be immune enough to face a ruinous influence. Banning the media of the resistance does not affect the course of the war. It undoubtedly deprives the resistance from a vital weapon that was used during the confrontation in a specific place. We, of course, try to work on compensating this tool with a proper substitute. But to say that banning the resistance media impacts the course of the war or weakens the fighters is inaccurate. Even in Yemen, we know that the Yemenis are immunized enough even if they do not have great media outlets but they are fighting and fallingmartyrs, their homes are being destroyed and their sanctities are being destroyed yet they keep expressing themselves and speaking out. If the Yemenis were to fall to the Saudi aggression they would have fallen in the first month of the war. They are definitely stronger than that.
Section three: Hezbollah in Syria
1. The famous saying by Sayyed Nasrallah “We will be where we should be“ has halted all expectations of a Hezbollah withdrawal from Syria anytime soon, what would you say to those who are accusing Hezbollah of playing the same role inside Syria that the Syrian army once had inside Lebanon before their withdrawal in 2005? What guarantees can Hezbollah provide to the Syrian people that its stay in Syria will not be indefinitely?
This approach is inaccurate. To say that Hezbollah’s presence in Syria is similar to the former Syrian presence in Lebanon is inaccurate. There are significant differences and vast differentials. We are fighting in Syria to defend our country, defend our people as well as defend the Syrians themselves and there are lots of facts which prove that. While we have the capacity to support the Syrian army and here it is useful to use clear expressions while stating the facts, those who defend Syria are the Syrians themselves from the Syrian Arab Army, the national defense and various forces from popular formations and we are there to help them. When we are present at certain sites giving assistance, for example in Homs, when the liberation is done Homs goes back to the Syrian civilians and other regions in Damascus also go back to the Syrian civilians. We help the Syrians restore security and stability and expel this virus of Takfiri terrorists that threatens Syria and all the region. It is not our goal to be like the Syrian Army and everyone knows that the resistance has enough causes to defend against the aggressions of the Israeli enemy and our presence in Syria is to fight terrorism and in defense of a fundamental cause. We do this because we firmly believe that any negligence or leniency in the issue of Syria or in the face of terrorism will result in eliminating the resistance, will harm Lebanon and will dismiss all the achievements and the victories obtained throughout the past decades. This is exactly what the US wishes to achieve and what they have been openly declaring as their primary objective. They publicly announce that the objective behind Isis (Daesh) is to fight back Hezbollah and the resistance. We have no specific goals to achieve, neither in Syria nor outside Syria. We know how to protect our country and our people and how to face this Takfiri terrorism which to target and attack us and to target all our region.
2. The US and Russia have been actively engaged in head-to-head talks to find a political solution in Syria, and as History has shown, politics are maneuvered by those who hole the power in the battlefield. Now Hezbollah has time and again stated the axis of resistance aims at reaching a political settlement that preserves the Syrians’ rights to determine the destiny of the ruling system, but there must be a more personal goal for Hezbollah in the event of a political solution. What might this goal be and will Russia approve of it being within the list of conditions for a Syrian Political solution?
We reaffirm today as we did since the first day that the solution in Syria is a political, meaning to leave the Syrians alone to choose their own system of ruling, to choose how they should manage their political, economic and social matters and this is a drafted right for the Syrian people. We don’t have any special program linked to the priorities and choices of the Syrian people. Even if we are in the battle field it does not mean that we must invest in the results of the negotiation table. We believe since the very beginning that what is happening in Syria is an aggression against the Syrian people, the Syrian decisions and the Syrian choices. And just as this aggression targets Syria, it is also intended to target Lebanon, Iraq and Yemen and all the region. Therefore, no one should consider that we want a price in return for our military presence in Syria. What we want is for Syria to return to its old days and for the aggression against Syria to end, because defeating this aggression will terminate the possibility of it spreading into Lebanon or targeting the remaining region. The Russian side are have clarity in their words about political solutions, they seek with all their strength a good political solution for Syria and they are constantly talking about that.
3. It is well known that the Russian intervention in the war waged on Syria has helped in achieving massive gains on the ground by the SAA and by Hezbollah as well. How do you describe the Russian-Hezbollah relationship and how does Israel see this coordination?
Coordination on the ground is mainly done with the Syrians. The Russian forces coordinate with the Syrian forces directly. Our job is to support the Syrians in this battle and they Syrians choose and determine the priorities and ways and means to do so. On the other hand, it is very natural that the Israeli entity doesn’t like any action taken by Hezbollah and the resistance to defend any cause. Every day the Israeli entity speaks about what is to be of them after Syria, about the danger of Hezbollah after Syria and the resistance’s capabilities and military expertise and the goals to be achieved, this is normal, the Israeli entity is the enemy and is still haunted by the fear of Hezbollah’s expertise and capabilities and this is how it should remain, we do not see any problem in that situation whatsoever.
Section Four: Hezbollah in Lebanon
1. In a wide offensive last year, Hezbollah drove most of the terrorists out of the border Qalamoun region, but many still remain in an area east of Arsal and nearby Ras Baalbek were thousands of Daesh and Nusra Front militants are believed to be holed on Lebanon’s northeastern border with Syria. And recently, end of April 2016, Hezbollah reported that resistance fighters destroyed a bunker belonging to Nusra Front militants on Arsal’s outskirt in the area of Dahr al-Huwa. Relatively speaking, is it more costly for Hezbollah to keep withholding from taking the fight against takfiris into the town of Arsal to avoid sectarian tension in Lebanon or rather to enter Arsal and liberate it from terrorists that can and already have infiltrated into other Lebanese regions creating dormant cells and targeting civilians?
Hezbollah has never spoken about any intentions to enter the town of Arsal.This is up to the Lebanese army and the Lebanese security force and also up to the nature of the battle. We cannot talk now about what could happen in the future. As we defend the entire eastern Bekaa Valley, we also defend the people of Arsal from being targeted by these terrorists whether militarily, security wise or even by simple psychological pressure. Anyhow, the municipal elections that took place in recent days in the Bekaa region and in Arsal specifically proved that the resistance and the Lebanese army were able to protect all the Lebanese people by securing for them the needed freedom and stability which allowed them to participate in the elections and Arsal obviously benefited from these achievements and from these sacrifices. Therefore we have always been very clear, our aim is to avert the Takfiri danger away from Lebanon. As long as this line of terrorism is away from Lebanon, we feel comfortable that Lebanon is stable and that the Lebanese reside in security and stability. The nature of the battle, how will it be, how it will extend, in what direction, which hill, in which region, this will all be determined by the nature of the battle field data and we are till this day facing off with these takfiris so as to prevent them from stretching forward and expanding their areas of control.
2. Concerning the Presidential deadlock in Lebanon and the bickering over the electoral law, Hezbollah has time and again stressed that Lebanon can only be built upon the concept of partnership; Ironically it is the same logic that Hezbollah’s political foes use against the resistance by saying that how can there exist a partnership between Hezbollah and other Lebanese political blocs when the decision of war and peace is solely incubated within the hands of Hezbollah?
We have been over this since a long time. Such statements are issued by some Lebanese politicians for domestic consumption. When they feel that is best fits their interest to be with us in the same government formation, they simply be with us, and when their interest lies alongside our position in any political process you see them by our side, thus their stance are tentative and not static. They use such statements to achieve an echo abroad and not inside our country because these statements serve their positions and generate them money and political support. They aim to reach certain embassies with such statements through reports written by official embassy employees and eventually pin a price to their political stance by that embassy or other foreign entity outside the country. Such debates are over and they know perfectly well that any talk about the disarmament of the resistance is now beyond discussion, because it has been proven that these weapons are here to protect the country and no one in Lebanon has the option to allow the stability in the country to be put in any jeopardy and we will not allow anyone in Lebanon to reinstate the Israeli threat or the Takfiri threat against our country. The issue of the disarmament of the resistance is much bigger than any local political talk inside Lebanon.
3. Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah has in the past indirectly accused Leader of the Lebanese forces Samir Geagea of collaboration with Israel during the 1975-1990 Lebanese Civil War. And Geagea for years has attacked Hezbollah over its ties to the Islamic Republic of Iran and military involvement inside Syria. Despite the obvious enmity Hezbollah declared that it is not embarrassed by its ally Michel Aoun receiving the endorsement for presidency of fierce rival Samir Geagea, doesn’t Hezbollah have concerns as to what might Geagea’s demands be in return for this endorsement?
Not at all. We have full trust in the decisions of our Lebanese allies and we know what they want and where they aspire to reach, this is first. Second, we have full confidence in our ability to understand what is happening in the Lebanese arena. We are not worried at all from any alliances in the internal arena regardless of the matter that we may support a political stance in some places and may not support it in other places. This issue does not affect our positions and our vision and our alliances because our alliances and specifically with the Free Patriotic Movement, are based on clear foundations and principles of and well-built frameworks. This alliance have proved its ability and its effectiveness in the Lebanese arena serving the interest of all the Lebanese.
4. Do you think there is a possibility to elect a president or the Lebanese Republic anytime soon?
The key for the Presidential elections in Lebanon is in the hands of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Saudis control the timing of the elections, end of discussion.
5. Hezbollah’s political foes March 14 have declared that there is no “Saudi veto” against Aoun but rather that Iran has a problem with it, where last month in April, Geagea commented on Iran’s stance saying: “The Iranian ambassador told Western diplomats to ask the Vatican to convince Aoun to withdraw his nomination so that the presidential election can be held.” How do you perceive such an allegation and why is Hezbollah still perseverant on boycotting the parliament sessions to elect a president?
We have declared from the start our position from the Presidential elections and it is our constitutional and legal right to demonstrate our stance from it and to defend that stance with all available means legally and constitutionally, that is first. Second, we said that there we support our own candidate in this race who is the major general Michel Aoun and anyone who wants to address this subject should meet with General Michel Aoun and communicate with him on the matter. Third, at the elections level and participation in the parliament, we have always stressed that the moment in which we feel that the atmosphere is ready and well prepared for a presidential elections, we will be the first to go to the parliament and elect a president for the republic; however the question remains: who is prevented the eligible candidate from becoming the President of the Lebanese Republic? The answer is Saudi Arabia.
*Marwa Osman is a Media studies university lecturer at the Lebanese International University and a political commentator from Lebanon. She is also a member of The Blue Peace initiative’s media network. She hosted a political show on ‘Al Etejah English’ TV channel, and she is often seen on ‘Russia Today’ as a panelist.
“Beware of those who want to present “Israel” as a friend and an ally. I say to our people in Palestine to beware of these traitors and collaborators who want to create a thousand different enemies and conflicts other than “Israel”. Beware of those who want to abandon you and have in fact abandoned you time and time again. If they had anything to give you to help you, they would’ve done so years ago. Beware and do not count on those who have let you down for 70 years. You won’t receive any support or good things from them,”
Hizbullah Secretary General His Eminence Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah delivered a speech on the 16th anniversary of the “Liberation and Resistance Day”.
Addressing a huge crowd of people in Nabi Sheit, Sayyed Nasrallah congratulated the Lebanese people on this great occasion, on the historical divine victory resembled by the 2000 Resistance and Liberation Day.”
“Today on the Resistance and Liberation Day we liked to come back to the town of former Secretary General, Martyr Sayyed Abbas al-Mousawi… We liked to mark this ceremony in the Bekaa land. Despite its geographical location, the Bekaa was always the frontline in our war against “Israel”… The Bekaa was and always will be loyal to the resistance,” His Eminence said.
On the occasion, Sayyed Nasrallah explained that “We insist on commemorating this occasion every year because it provides evidence that we are live people and a nation that adheres to its present, history, culture, achievements as well as to the sacrifices of the martyrs. We commemorate this blessed day because it is not only a day of the utmost importance and uniqueness not only for Lebanon but for all free people of this world.”
“We are proud of these achievements and we are to raise our children and grandchildren and all the coming generations on this culture” he added,
Calling on the Lebanese every year to approach this occasion as a national day par excellence and to deal with this victory as being the victory of them all, he thanked Lebanese Prime Minister Tamam Salam for making this day as a national holiday.
“On this day in Bint Jbeil in 2000, we offered this victory to the Lebanese and Palestinian people as well as to all free people in the world,” His Eminence stated, pointing out that “we insist on marking this holiday due to its cultural value more than its political or military value.”
In parallel, he called on the Lebanese who are still overlooking this day and disregarding its importance to put their partisanship and the political rivalries aside and to reevaluates their stance on this great occasion. “We want as an unfading national day in the history of this dear country.”
The Resistance Leader went on to say: “It is imperative that we recall the reasons which led to the defeat of “Israel”. You beloved and blessed people, with your resistance and your sacrifices, you broke the myth of the invincible Zionist army.”
Sayyed Nasrallah further addressed the people of the Resistance by saying: “You transformed the “Israeli” army into the defeated army which fled in the middle of the night like cowards.”
“There exists some sides in the region that want to forget how “Israel” emerged and occupied Palestine through the most abominable crimes. They want us to forget the all Zionists’ massacres, terrorism and wars of aggression,” he warned.
In response, His Eminence confirmed: “On this blessed day, we remind everyone that we will never forget Palestine and we will never forget the crimes of “Israel”, the tumor.”
Recalling that “Israel” is the real enemy, he warned that “Israel” wants our riches, sanctities, lands and resources. It is the biggest danger.”
“Some want to present “Israel” as a friend but we know better,” he cautioned, assuring that: “We know that only comprehensive Resistance, in all its dimensions, military, intelligence, economic, political, security, religious, security, official and
popular can deter this enemy.”
According to the Resistance Leader, “it is this Resistance which gives our people strength, especially in an era of Arab betrayal, Arab abandonment and Arab invention of artificial enemies.”
To the people of the region, Sayyed Nasrallah sent a sounding message: “Forget these traitorous Arabs. Resistance is the only guarantee of our security and our liberation after God.”
As His Eminence reminded of the occupied land and captive bodies with the apartheid “Israeli” entity, he vowed: “On this blessed day, I reiterate my promise that the remaining Lebanese lands of Ghajar, Shebaa Farms and Kfar Shouba Hills and our prisoners will be liberated and the bodies of our martyrs despicably held by the enemy will be recovered.”
In addition, he stated “we must uncover the fate of the Iranian diplomats who were handed to “Israel”.”
Concerning the Palestinian cause, the Resistance Leader underscored that “when we declared May 25th Resistance and Liberation Day from Bint Jbeil in 2000, there was nobody happier than the Palestinian people. The door of hope was opened to Palestine as our Palestinian brethren saw that the enemy which practices humiliation can be humiliated and beaten. We saw the Aqsa Intifada and the liberation of Gaza after our great victory.”
On the 16th anniversary for the Liberation, Sayyed Nasrallah urged the Palestinian people to beware of those taking advantage of the confusion in the region.
“Beware of those who want to present “Israel” as a friend and an ally. I say to our people in Palestine to beware of these traitors and collaborators who want to create a thousand different enemies and conflicts other than “Israel”. Beware of those who want to abandon you and have in fact abandoned you time and time again. If they had anything to give you to help you, they would’ve done so years ago. Beware and do not count on those who have let you down for 70 years. You won’t receive any support or good things from them,” he emphasized.
Moreover, he viewed that the only salvation lies in unity and perseverance of the Palestinian people parallel to their blessed resistance.
“I vow to you that unlike these traitors and cowards who pretend the Palestinian cause is now irrelevant that we in Hizbullah shall not be shaken. We, in Hizbullah, will never abandon you.”
Similarly, he assured that those who have supported Palestine since day one, namely the Axis of Resistance, will continue to support it.
“Iran, Syria and Hizbullah will never leave you alone in this fight. The Resistance Axis will not be defeated! We will be victorious and the Palestinian flag shall be raised so all know that the conflict with “Israel” is the only thing that remains until it is ultimately eliminated. We will return to Palestine. This day is coming soon,” Sayyed Nasrallah reiterated.
Moving to the Lebanese arena, he stressed that the army-people-resistance equation will remain a source of strength for the country in this era of Arab inaction and global support for “Israel”.
“Our strength in Lebanon is being targeted and the entire axis of resistance in this nation is being targeted. Some do not want the army to get stronger and they are even taking advantage of individual incidents to practice sectarian incitement in order to tear our people apart. Everyone must be concerned with preserving the elements of strength,” he added.
According to His Eminence, “the municipal elections held here in Lebanon, including in the villages on the border with occupied Palestine proved that people were able to vote because of this Resistance.”
“If it wasn’t for struggle and our martyrs, there wouldn’t be voting in these blessed villages. There would be occupation, terror and oppression. There would be destroyed homes, “Israeli” prisons and massacres,” Hizbullah Secretary General underlined.
Meanwhile, he insisted that “this Resistance took our people out from darkness and gave them the normality of a regular life.”
As Sayyed Nasrallah called for Parliamentary elections based on Proportionality, he clarified that “some parties refuse to hold parliamentary elections under the pretext of the security situation.”
To them, His Eminence said: “Now, this pretext is over and the municipal vote proves this. We call for an electoral law that guarantees right representation. We oppose the 1960 electoral law and support electoral law based on proportionality. The municipal elections are complex and more difficult to conduct than any other elections. This excuse that parliamentary elections can’t happen due to security reasons is over.”
On this level, he announced: “If elections take place based on proportional representation, Hizbullah and the Amal Movement’s parliamentary blocs will shrink, however despite this we are calling for such a system.”
“Those who refuse a proportional-based law are those who want to monopolize authority,” he continued.
He also warned that “there is a psychological war and pressure on Hizbullah to abandon its moral and political duties.”
“Hizbullah will not abandon its obligations. He wants to have the presidential elections must sit for discussion and dialogue,” he added, calling all sides to deal with the situation in the region with high responsibility and awareness.
Back to the region, Sayyed Nasrallah stressed: “With everything happening in the region , so much chaos and destabilization, from Yemen to Egypt, Syria to Iraq and now the genocidal warmonger Avigdor Lieberman getting selected as “Israeli” War Minister, with the escalated expected tension we must be vigilant.”
Despite all that is taking place, the Resistance Leader vowed on this blessed day that our final victory is near.
“Our final victory will be the day that there is no Zionist project and no Takfiri scheme in our region. This day is coming… The beginnings of our final victory were set in motion on May 25th, 2000 and the full realization of this triumph will come soon. On this 16th annual Resistance and Liberation Day, we renew our vow to the Sayyed of our martyrs, Sayyed Abbas Moussawi that we shall preserve this Resistance and continue to achieve victory after victory. Daesh ending is near.”
I cannot help but notice the striking commonalities between two politically active groups who perceive themselves as uniquely “oppressed”, perpetually “persecuted”, “hated” and “marginalized” :
A small part of their perception of the self has become their entire identity
They display symptoms of victim-hood syndrome and excessive sense of persecution
They exhibit intense craving for, and demanding of world-love, by hook or by crook
They use slander and ad hominem attacks as means to win the debate, against those who stand by in bewilderment, and against those who don’t celebrate with them their self-obsession and self-adoration
They criminalize those who ask questions, show signs of concern or express different opinions, share some doubts or dissent
In recent years, the entire Western political paradigm has been encapsulated in two main campaigns: the first being the right of LGBT to proselytise their lifestyle (specially amongst children) and to publicly celebrate their sexual orientations, and the second being “israel’s right” to defend itself.
The spectrum of political debate has shriveled to two pivotal topics, spinning in the orbits of “same-sex love” on the Left and “israel adoration” on the Right.
The candidate/ party who are most able to exhibit more love and support to both are the most likely to climb up the political ladder resuming leadership.
The more dedication a candidate/ party shows to both LGBT and the Jewish State the more chances of scoring high on the scale of “civility”
Too much time, energy and money has been invested in expressing “pride” of sexual orientation, and in publicly celebration sexual behaviour, all with the blessing and support of the political “elite”, world leaders and dubious institutions.
What a devious way to divert attention from scrutinizing the REAL issues of PERSECUTION, OPPRESSION and INJUSTICE !
The global and annual LGBT exhibitionist celebrations -under the banner of fighting for human rights against “persecution”, is coupled with persistent attempts to insert this “fight” in every other liberation and/or human right movement.
Juxtaposing the six colours ( hijacked rainbow bright colours which are for CHILDREN, which lures and attracts the little ones) over every other flag, became the litmus test for measuring the “progressiveness”, “civility” and “worthiness” of support of any particular organization, country and movement.
Does this not cause people to THINK, that maybe something is not quite right here?
Why on earth should “progressiveness” be defined by how much one takes pride in the sexual behaviour of a small group of people?
Why on earth should mankind be classified and divided according to their sexual preferences?
Why on earth should anyone be called “hater” and “intolerant” if one says they do not like their children, nor themselves to be exposed to live-porn?
Why on earth should anyone be labeled as “homophobic” If they kindly request from their brothers in humanity to keep bedroom acts where it belongs, in the bedroom, and spare our children the obscenity of premature exposure to unwanted sexuality or nudity?
How can such a request be considered “persecution” and “oppression”?
Logic of the absurd
If you are a Palestinian fighting for the freedom of your people and the liberation of your homeland, you have to give up your alienable rights to the land, and flatly aplogise for not liking very much the idea of sharing your home with your rapists, otherwise you would be called “racist antisemite” who wants to “ethnically cleanse” Jews, “persecute” them and deprive them from their “human rights”.
If you are a Palestinian who cherishes his history and traditional values, you have to give up your ethics and culture, start competing with “israel’s Pride Parade”.
You need to understand that your support for the “gay pride” public celebration of the particular sexuality of a very small segment of the population, is the first and conditional step toward the liberation of your homeland.
In order to succeed in defeating your oppressors, you have to make their sexuality your number one priority; compete with “israel”, organise PPP “Palestinian Pride Parades” which are bigger, more radical and louder than that of “israel”, otherwise you would be seen as a “backward Arab” and you would be called “intolerant homophobe”.
For whose agenda?
We began to feel the pressure demanding to insert sexual orientation as an”integral” part for our movement, which is extremely insensitive and divisive move at this stage of our struggle.
We began to feel the heat of abuse because we express concern for our children and ask for some sensitivity towards our culture
Having the view that sexuality is a private matter does NOT mean one is hateful or homophobic.
Muslim societies are concerned for the welfare of the whole society, and not just the pleasure of a few.
Exhibitionism and public display of sexual activity is deemed harmful for society, specially the most vulnerable and most worthy of protection, namely the children.
Children are not designed or ready to cope with sexual activity as much as babies are not ready to digest heavy meals.
It is not rocket science to know that such early exposure is harmful to children.
When I expressed my concern for children, I was attacked, ridiculed, accused of being “racist”, “Homophobic”, insulted and threatened of being blocked by one prominent activist for Palestine.
Finally,
It is obscene that a self-profiled “supporter” of Palestinians, would completely ignore, reject and campaign to change fundamental aspects of Palestinian culture, ethics, model of society etc.
The Palestinian model of society has been successful in peacefulness, harmony, tolerance and family cohesiveness, since centuries and more, contrary to the imposed “Western” model, which arguably has failed in these respects.
What sort of support are we seeing, when in essence it asks us to abandon our cultural identity?
President Assad:
UPROOTED PALESTINIANS: SALAM ALQUDS ALAYKUM 