Sayyed Nasrallah’s Full Speech At Launch of Jabal Amel Forum-Part 3

Today there is a very great state.

It is a state that considers itself very great. It is a NATO member and is seeking to become part of the European Union. Some view it as a sample. I mean Turkey. Today, the Turkish government is discussing intervening militarily in Syria to defend the tomb of the great ancestor of the Ottomans. Now if you ask all the Islamic peoples about his name, they won’t give you an answer. I myself don’t know his name. I won’t hide that I read it but then I forgot it. I could not memorize it. I could not bring along the name with me too. Well, who knows him from among the Islamic world? What does he mean for Muslims? What does he symbolize in the conscience and feelings of Muslims whether Shiites or Sunnites? Still Turkey has the right to think of intervening militarily and to violate the sovereignty of a state – the Syrian State – and set plots… for fear that Daesh may reach and blow up the tomb.

Well why is that permissible to you and what we are doing is not permissible to us? We went to defend a shrine which is revered by all Muslims and a personality which is respected and sacred for all Muslims because she is the granddaughter of the Prophet of Islam Mohammad (Peace be upon him and his Household). Who is he whom you are about to make a regional war for?

You are about to wage a regional war! There was a real danger. In our case, there was not a real danger. Moreover, we did not violate the Syrian sovereignty. Indeed this is not new. President Bashar Assad talked about this issue some time ago. When asked, he answered that the resistance entered Syria pursuant to an approval from the Syrian Government. Someone might say now that we violated the Lebanese sovereignty. This is debatable. However, at least we did not violate the Syrian sovereignty. Well, today a state in the NATO which is entitled to be an EU member is planning for war and for direct regional intervention in Syria because a tomb for the great ancestor of the Ottomans – meaning the Ottoman State – is threatened by Daesh. Perhaps it is they who would ask Daesh to destroy it. Allah knows best.

Well, things developed to Al Qasir and other areas. You all know that very well. Then it was clear that the battle in Syria reached a stage as a result of the magnitude of the international and regional intervention and the mobilization that brought along tens of thousands of fighters from all around the world to Syria. Here I will frankly say what I said before but will reiterate now. The issue is not anymore the Shrine of Sayyeda Zeinab or the Lebanese residing in Syria. Since that time, the issue became the resistance, the axis of the resistance, the future of the resistance, the region’s political identity, and where would things lead us to. We have talked about this previously.

Why am I repeating it now? It is not to take more time but rather to tell you the point we reached at this very moment. Well, where are we now? From the very beginning, we backed a political solution. The Arab League wanted to topple the regime. It did not accept any political dialogue before the departure of President Assad and his regime. Well, three year later, you noticed the recommendations of the latest Arab Summit. Well, it took the Arabs three years of war, killing, fighting, demolition, destruction, ordeals, and seditions to say what they must have said from the very beginning and to move in the path they must have chosen from the very beginning.

What is required now? Go and search for a way to practice pressure on Syria and on President Bashar Assad. We want to reach a political solution. We want to make serious political dialogue. Things are not going smoothly in Genève II. When first President Assad called for dialogue saying the Syrian leadership is ready to carry radical and essential reforms, none of you was ready to discuss the idea of a political solution or a political dialogue in Syria and the region. We told you to go for a political solution but you headed towards a military solution. Now you reached what was being said from the very beginning.

Indeed, I am addressing the Arabs, the other bloc in Lebanon, and the states which are still intervening in this struggle. From the very beginning we said that what is taking place in Syria will drag the entire region to the threat of terrorism and Takfirism. You said that the story is not as such, and that the story in Syria is that of reforms, changes, democracy, and human rights. Now what is the status quo you are talking about? After three years, you are referring to Syria – the land which is controlled by armed groups – as a threat to regional states and the world. Following three years of your financing, arming, provocations, thrusting towards military solutions, crippling political solutions, and protection of armed groups, you formed a terrorist list to enlist in it most of these armed groups? What is left by now?

Apart from our stance from this list, when you say that Daesh, Nosra, and the Muslim Brotherhood (Al Ikhwan Al Muslimun) are terrorists, who is left in Syria then – frankly speaking?

Well, did the region and the world need three years to discover that what is taking place in Syria will lead to this result? Indeed some in Lebanon still did not discover that what is taking place in Syria is a threat to Lebanon. By God, the Americans who are the farthest from the region as well as the French, the Europeans, some Gulf states, and North African states consider that what is taking place on the land of Syria which is controlled by armed group a threat to them and to their security. This indeed is the case.

Even there were some calm squares where there were no calls for fighting, clashing, and holy jihad. Now things changed. Such things started in Tunisia. Unfortunately, still in Lebanon, there are some who say that what is taking place in Syria does not pose a threat to Lebanon.

I told you from the very beginning: What is taking place in Syria has transcended the calls for reform and democracy. What would be the case should the fighting Takfiri trend take control? You know that the Takfiri trend does not accept anyone with itself even from within the fighting Takfiri trend! This is the case now between Daesh and Nosra who have the same intellect, sect, school, leadership, prince, and political project. The dispute between them is administrative and organizational.

Such things happen in any party or organization. Who is in charge: so and so or such and such? The entire battle is to decide who the leader is: Abu Mohammad Golani or Abu Bakr Baghdadi. But who is paying the price? Thousands of victims, massive demolition, and tough battles are taking place because of an administrative organizational dispute. How are these to coexist with all the Lebanese, with the rest of the Lebanese, with the rest of the Syrians, and with the rest of the neighboring states and peoples? Your brethrens, dear ones, and allies – that is not to say your masters – have discovered this status quo, why are you still much retarded?

Stubbornness is good was it not at the expense of Lebanon, the fate of Lebanon, and the future of Lebanon? For 18 months by now some political blocs and sides call on Hizbullah to withdraw from Syria. Today I do not want to defend. I want to make a call: You are to change your stance. Reconsider you stance. Revise your stance. Make a new reading for what is taking place.

I will not tell you: Come and fight along us in Syria. No, that is not demanded. In fact, there are some people, some Lebanese groups from various and different sects who had suggested joining us in fighting where we are fighting. However, we told them that there is no need for that. Do not assume this political and social burden. We have assumed this burden, and we are moving forward in it.
Still some people insist daily that the problem in Lebanon is that Hizbullah went to Syria.

Here I am telling you that the problem in Lebanon is being late to go to Syria, that you are still in your places, and that you haven’t gone to Syria yet. Moreover, some of you have gone to the wrong place. Here I am not telling you to go to Syria and fight with us. I am telling you to review and reconsider this issue. Day after day the soundness, integrity, and validity of the options we have taken are being verified. I also would like to tell you something I might be saying so frankly for the first time.

I tell all the Lebanese, and the political currents, The March 14 Bloc, and The March 8 Bloc, and even those in the middle, on the left and on the right: Should the Takfiri terrorism gain victory in Syria, all of us will be annulled. There will remain no party and no resistance. We will all be canceled. Don’t you see what is taking place in Aleppo, Idlib, Raqqah, Deir Zur, Fallugeh, and Anbar? Don’t ask the secular; rather ask the Islamists and the Islamic parties in these regions about what is being afflicted on them. However, should the Takfiri Terrorism be defeated in Syria, we will all are remain. If this axis gained victory in Syria, all the Lebanese would be safeguarded.

This axis is not seeking revenge. It is seeking integrity, harmony, and strength. It is not seeking revenge. Here we have major national choices. Let’s make our choices.

Now we have said what we wanted to say. Our brethrens too did so. There are few journalistic and TV interviews. Our brethrens are also giving many speeches in several occasions. We hope we will not get engaged for long in this contest. Based on all the above, today Lebanon is before a chance. This government was formed apart from the circumstances and situations in which it was formed as we have talked previously. However, this is a chance. We call for activating governmental action. We will be positive and cooperative. We will partake in activating governmental action and addressing the causes that concern the people and the security situation which is a priority in all regions especially in the North and in Bekaa.

There must be cooperation to address the security crisis. Indeed, a security approach is not enough. Security problems in many regions especially Tripoli and Northern Bekaa much be approached from a political, social, developmental, and economic perspectives as well.

Let’s try to prepare seriously for the presidential elections apart from accusations of seeking vacuum and backing vacuum.

All the political sides in Lebanon have the right to care for having its candidate become the president in the presidential elections. They also have the right to practice the legal democratic game to do so. Well, this also needs effort and hardworking.

Now Lebanon has this chance. Lebanon can really set itself aside from what is taking place in Syria. The other bloc is not able to do anything anymore in Syria. Let them not bother themselves. There is no hope that the time of sending blankets, milk cans, and fighter would come again. You can see the change in the internal situation in Syria, as well as the change in the regional and international situations. Then, in the light of these changes, alterations, and developments, let us – both of us – keep Syria aside.

We pray for Allah Al Mighty for a good ending in Syria. We pray for Allah Al Mighty for the prevention of bloodshed in Syria and for pushing Syria towards a political solution. Let’s then lessen or stop the harsh and tough speeches of instigation and shouting. Let’s put our hands together. We never wanted to cancel anyone. Even under PM Najeeb Mikati, there was a group which wanted to abstain from partaking in the government. We did not wish that. Rather we wanted it to attend and partake.

No one can cancel anyone in Lebanon. No one can eliminate anyone in Lebanon.
At least, I am sure our bloc does not have any targets or intentions of elimination or cancelation. We acknowledge the presence of the other and we want its participation.

Well, we might differ over issues that have to do with the fate of the country. This is normal. This chance is now open before the Lebanese. Let them calm down and take a deep breath. Let them make a somehow decent poem or literary work. Let them concentrate on the crises of the country in an attempt to address them. Don’t wait for the situations in the region. Don’t wait for the changes in the region. Let’s address our problems without waiting for tomorrow.

As for the presidential elections, I want to stress on this point: We are among the people who insist on the presidential elections taking place on time. Should there be early elections, we will back that too. As far as this issue is concerned, we do not seek vacuum at all. We back the call for early elections. This call might not appeal to some sides. However, after all, elections won’t be early anymore as we have entered the legal duration. I mean by early that elections take place as soon as possible so that a new stage would be established in Lebanon. In light of this new stage, we will go and carry on our dialogue over the defense strategy; we will carry on seeking, exerting effort, and cooperating jointly to elevate the country from its current state. May Allah bless you. Peace be upon you and Allah’s mercy and blessings.

Source: Al-Ahed News