The speech delivered by Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah in the Spring Festival celebrating the Day of Victory in Nabatiyeh

I take refuge in Allah from the stoned devil. In the Name of Allah, The Compassionate, The Most Merciful. Praise be to Allah, The Lord of the world. Peace be on our Master and Prophet – The Seal of Prophets – Abi Al Qassem Mohamad Bin Abdullah and on his chaste and kind Household, chosen companions and all the prophets and messengers. Eminent scholars, brothers and sisters, dear ones, peace be upon you and Allah’s blessing and mercy. Allah says in the Holy Qoran: (And We wished to be Gracious to those who were being depressed in the land and to make them leaders and make them heirs). It’s with great pride and pleasure that we gather from all the villages of the south to mark the Day of Resistance and Liberation in the village of the Master of Martyrs – Abi Abdullah Al Hussein (pbuh), the city of the adorers of the Master of Martyrs (pbuh), and the city of the first popular uprising in Ashura against the Zionist invaders in the name of Imam Hussein. Greetings to all of you who came from all villages and towns of the South to celebrate the Day of Victory. You are the pioneer makers of this victory. On Resistance Day, I say that you are the people of this Resistance and its leaders, masters, martyrs, prisoners, wounded, fighters and steadfast and faithful embracers. On the Day of Liberation, I say that you achieved this liberation with your blood and your sons’ arms and firm and great sacrifices. This liberation was a gift from Allah Al Mighty bestowed on you as a reward for your faithfulness and sincerity. Thus you were qualified for His victory and promise. You behaved modestly, asked for Allah’s forgiveness, praised Allah and offered your victory to all of Lebanon and the whole nation. Peace be upon you, O people who rejected oppression, refused humiliation, protected nations and preserved trusts. Peace be upon you, the people who own proud spirits, zealous souls and chaste and kind bosoms. You never favored the obedience of the ignoble to the death of the generous when the ignoble Zionist who usurped Palestine’s historic right backed by the ignoble of the world put you before two choices: war or humiliation and surrender and you shouted with your voices, blood, awareness and great determination the cry of your Imam in historic Karbala: Humiliation, how remote!

Peace be upon you, O people who own proud spirits, zealous souls and chaste and kind bosoms. You never favored the obedience of the ignoble to the death of the generous when the ignoble Zionists backed by the ignoble of the world put you before two choices: war or humiliation, fighting or surrendering, uprising or succumbing. You shouted with your voices, blood, awareness, the determination of the young and the old, woman and man, the enfant and the old man the cry of your Imam in historic Karbala: “Humiliation, how remote!” Thus was the resistance, the martyr leaders, the great self-martyrs, the prisoners, the wounded and the patience on displacement, destruction, poverty, hunger, deprivation, conspiracies and connivance. Thus was the continuing jihad and the promised divine victory on May 25, 2000.

Brothers and sisters, we are marking a great occasion, the Day of Resistance and Victory. We are also heading towards a very great event: the parliamentary elections on June 7. I have much to say but since we are commemorating this occasion today in Nabatiyeh, Monday night Inshallah in Dahyieh (Beirut southern suburbs) and next Friday in the city of Baalbeck, there’ll indeed be three speeches. Thus I subdivided the topics into these three speeches. So what I won’t tackle today would be put off until Monday or next Friday. Today’s speech doesn’t cover all the various topics. Thus today I will make a general speech which will yet be about the south in general. Dahyieh’s speech will be general but it will also be a speech to the people of Dahyieh and the capital Beirut and Mount Lebanon. In the seal of ceremonies in the city of sun and the city of Sayyed Abbass Musawi, I will make a general speech which will be also about Bekaa, Baalbeck and Hermel. Today our speech is in Nabatiyeh. I have several topics. I will try to be as brief as possible.

The first topic is the topic of resistance and the state. To give you an idea, we have the topic of the resistance and the state, the spying networks, a quick word on mines, the topic of development and water and finally the topic of parliamentary elections, electoral districts, tickets and constituencies starting from Jizzine to Nabatiyeh, Tyr, Zahrani, Bint Jbeil and Hasbaya, while Sidon will be left to its people (and we indeed are among its people).

The first topic is that of the resistance and the state. Since 1948 when that usurper entity was erected, the Lebanese South (and Lebanon in general but the South in particular and more specially the southern villages at the borders which have been known for decades as the occupied Border Line) has always subject to threats, plundering of land and water and the displacement of its people, residents and population… It was always subject to aggressions starting back in 1948. This is known by our fathers and grandfathers (May Allah make them live long). They are still alive and they talk about these stages which are also recorded by history books, official documents and the media. Since the very beginning, the south was subject to threat, plundering, aggression and danger. Since the very beginning, the choice of the people of the south was the state. If we went back to the stances of our scholars in Jabal Amel, politicians, poets, elites and people living in that stage used to express that choice. It was clear that the choice was the state. I will quote only one document which is yet of great value. It’s very eloquent because it is that of Imam Sayyed Abdul Hussein Sharafeddine. The document is from a history book which goes to 1948, following the massacre of Houla which was perpetrated by the Israelis (It is a horrible massacre – as the text says – in the border village of Houla. It is a massacre similar to the massacres of Deir Yassine and Kafar Qassem). After the massacre, Imam Sayyed Abdul Hussein Sharafeddine sent a letter to the Lebanese President then (Sheik Bshara Khoury). Among what he said in that letter, he touched on Lebanon, the independence and hopes. He said: “Lebanon thought that time had given it what it wanted; however and especially with regards to south, it was disappointed by rootless claims and hopes. That’s because the status of ministries (for negligence, deprivation, tardiness and overlooking the south were there since the Lebanese State was first established) and trivial policies dispossess the wise man of his logic and the patient of his tolerance. It adorned the preposterous and concealed aberration. We only need to regard the calamity of Jabal Amel with its violated borders, shed blood, plundered villages (by the Jewish Zionists), children oppressed with fear and killing besides the ruining of plantations and crops.” This is a documented letter. I will carry on reading it to some leading politicians who want to take us to the “state”. On the dialogue table, they said that Lebanon from 1948 to 1970 was not subject to any Israeli aggression. Israelis did not stage aggressions against Lebanon except when Palestinian factions started Palestinian commando operations from Lebanon. One of the deputies who were in the session (who might be present here and is smiling now; isn’t it so hajj Ali) went out of the room, took a volume for Assafir Newspaper which documents that stage, made copies of that part and distributed them on the dialogue table. He never repents. He never steps back. He came to repeat the very story. Soon the drills will take place. What’s the problem in that? For fifty years Israel has been making maneuvers, waging wars against Lebanon and killing the people of Lebanon, destroying our villages in southern Lebanon. That doesn’t matter. Imam Sharafeddine carries on saying: “This country is paying the tax of blood to the strangers who were thrown and cast away by the land and the sky. This deep-rooted mountain is inflicted with humiliation and poverty.” (Here I like to interrupt Sayyed Abdul Hussein Sharafeddine. O our great Imam and master: Rest assured. Jabal Amel has emerged from your cloak and that of Imam Moussa Assader shouting: Disgrace, how remote!) Who has inflicted this mountain with humiliation and poverty? Imam Sharafeddine also says: “This mountain is performing its obligations and paying its taxes but is not given its rights as if it is the losing partner (I tell you that it is still the losing partner.) Who pays with sheep and is denied sheep. Haven’t you heard –O President of Lebanon – the poet of the Mount while describing this calamity: My sorrow on you O Houla. I wish I would die of regret over you.” The Imam continues the other verses then says: “Your Excellency, the President, if there is no ability to protect, is there no ability to provide with care?” (If we are not able to defend, fight and safeguard our country, won’t we be able to wipe tears, heal wounds and feed the hungry?) “If rights are not fulfilled, why ungratefulness is still taking place?” Finally he says: “If you saluted Jabal Amel, say Peace be on you and on Lebanon!”

This was from 1949 on the occasion of Houla Massacre where scores of Lebanese martyrs from Houla village were killed.

From the beginning, the project of the south and the people of the south has been the state. After Imam Sharafeddine, Imam Moussa Assader assumed this heavy responsibility. Since the onset of the sixties until his abduction and absenting away from the jihad arena, his speech was unified and clear. He always used to address the state and the heads of the state. This south is a part of the nation. Send your army to protect it. Come and defend it. You are responsible for it, its land, water and people. No answer was heard. There were two cases. (We won’t count connivance. Let’s put it aside). If we thought ill we’d say that was negligence and carelessness (As if the south is not a part of Lebanon as the other distinct parts which have their own share in this negligence and carelessness.) If we thought well we say that was weakness and feebleness. Amid negligence and weakness, the south was bleeding and paying high prices. Finally, Imam Assader was obliged to call the southerners to pursue and hold arms. We all remember those days and the Kalashnikov with the two wooden grips. The young men remember that. In that period, Imam Assader established Amal Movement and called on the young men to exercise and join the fighting fronts in Taibeh and other villages to defend the south and its people. But he never abandoned calling on the Lebanese state to assume its responsibility in defending the South and its people. Then was the invasion of 1982. The state remained absent. I don’t want to open the bloody and hard files of that stage. It was you the children of Imam Assader in Amal Movement and Hezbollah besides your brethrens and colleagues in the Islamic and national Lebanese forces and the Palestinian factions who faced the occupation, pulled the enemy out and defeated them. All that took place while the state was on another planet. To be fair, during the last years before the liberation especially under President Emile Lahoud, a clear alteration took place towards protecting the resistance and supporting it officially and morally. That was clear during the successive governments of Premier Salim Hoss, martyr Premier Rafic Hariri and Premier Omar Karami. Today we can’t but stress and hail the steadfast position of His Eminence President Michael Suleiman whether when he became president or through his former post as the Army Commander. Except for this stage, for a long period of time the state was on another planet if I didn’t say more.

Do you know dear people what is your crime and guilt? Your crime is that you refused occupation while you were asked to accept it. It’s that you stood and resisted while you were asked to succumb and stay inactive. It’s that you fought with bare chests and armless fists but for oil, stones, iron and a few weapons but with deep faith at a time the world abandoned you. Your great guilt is that you resisted; your greater guilt is that you gained victory and defeated Israel. You restored your land and liberated your captives. This achievement embarrassed – with the full meaning of the word – all those who remained inactive and silent, lingered back, felt afraid and weak, succumbed and called for giving up rights. Thus all of these insisted on punishing you. When you together confronted July War which they erupted to grind you, you remained steadfast along with all the noble in the country and the nation. You gained victory. This was the greatest guilt which no repentance might redeem. There are sins if man asked repentance for, he will be accepted. There are on the other hand sins which no repentance might redeem. The sin you committed and for which there is no repentance is your victory in July and your staying in your land and rapid return to it on August 14. I won’t ever forget this word said by our greater brethren Speaker Nabih Berri. After July War was over, I met him. He told me then: O Sayyed! We must be cautious. They won’t allow us to rejoice with this victory. They will let us pay costly for it. So when we fight, we must pay costly; if we were defeated, we must pay costly; if we gained victory, we must pay costly. Today, brothers and sister, on the Day of Resistance and Liberation, we – the sons and grandsons renew the call of our fathers and grandfathers. Yes we want the state. But what state? Is it the state of taxes and fees? No! Is it the state of real estate companies? No! Is it the state in which Lebanon as a whole turns to distinct neglected parts? No! We want a strong, able, just, brave and responsible state. We want a state with an army, security forces and political authority which defend and protect the south and safeguard the dignity of the south. We frankly and faithfully say we don’t present the resistance as an alternative to the state. As for a state that calls itself a state and forgets the south and its people and doesn’t take it into consideration, doesn’t put plans for it, doesn’t defend it, it’s not a state at all to blame the resistance for presenting itself as an alternative for such a state. Here I’m telling you and all the Lebanese, that we in the alliance of the Lebanese National Opposition want the establishment of a strong able serious state that defends its land, water, sovereignty, honor and dignity. With the will of the National Lebanese Opposition, with you and by your will and voting on June 7, we will build the strong state Inshallah. This state must gain the confidence of the people and their belief in its practice, seriousness, strong presence, prompt follow up and confrontation of all what threatens the people and not be content with slogans. If we make a thousand speeches to say that the state possesses the decision of peace and war while it is absent, if we make a thousand slogans about spreading the state’s authority over Lebanon, while it is not present on the ground to shoulder its responsibilities, the problem will never be lost. The problem is solved when there is a state which convinces its people that it is strong and capable. It must commit itself to defend, safeguard and secure this people and their dignity. This is as far as the first topic is concerned.

The second topic is the spying networks and collaborators’ cells. First I must praise the efforts of the Lebanese Army and the Internal Security Forces and the various security apparatuses. We stress that this is basically the demanded effort and the basic charge of the various security bodies. This is the right track which we must all carry on. There were true efforts exerted in the recent weeks in the spying network issue. See when there is seriousness in shouldering responsibility; you gain the respect and confidence of the people. This is what we want. We don’t want any moral achievement. Put aside the work of the resistance. We are interested in dismantling these networks and arresting these collaborators so that the Zionists’ eyes be blinded and thus protect the people and the country. Let whoever deserves be awarded with tokens, medals and badges of honor for making this achievement.

In the topic of spying networks, there are some quick points which I must mention:

First: there must be significant popular cooperation with security apparatuses, on part of families, people and political powers. Everyone who has a piece of information or remark must show up at security apparatuses.

Second: Spies and agents must be uncovered regardless of their religion, sect, family or town. They must never be protected. No excuses and pretexts must be given to any of them. Collaboration with the enemy and treason are an unjustifiable sin and a crime.

Third: On your behalf and on behalf of the families of martyrs and wounded, on behalf of those whose houses were demolished and those who paid taxes to rebuild the infrastructure, I call that collaborators, who provided the enemy with information that had caused all of this, be sentenced to capital punishment. Let go with this joke of sentencing them to one month, two months, one year, two years or ten years to prison. This doesn’t protect the country and the national security. Anyone who adopts a lenient policy is an accomplice in spilling the blood of the Lebanese people. I have to be frank and firm on this matter: Do not play with the security or the judiciary on the basis of religious or sectarian balance even as far as collaborators are concerned. Here I am telling you: Start with executing Shiite collaborators.

Fourth, I address the rest of the spies and collaborators who are still operating on Lebanese soil. You are exposed now and no soon you will fall in the hands of justice. This is why I suggest that you turn yourselves in quickly. Perhaps this would commute your punishment. You must know that you are of no value to your Israeli masters. You are not worth a handful of soil to them. So do what is right and return back to your country, people and state before it is too late.

Fifth: We in Hezbollah have always been in close cooperation with the security apparatuses, but I declare that the resistance will unreservedly spare no effort to cooperate with all official security apparatuses in the framework of this comprehensive national, official and public effort to achieve this noble goal of purging Lebanon from these networks.

Sixth: We must cooperate to ease the political tension. Political and sectarian divisions in any country must not lead to justify even treason and collaboration. I must point here also that in large cities, things are lost by time. But in villages, the dead never dies even if after a 100 years. I want to address our people in the various regions, especially in villages: We must act with a sense of legal, moral and fraternal responsibility. The Holy Qoran says: (Nor can a bearer of burdens bear another’s burden.) What is the guilt of the father, mother, wife, son or family of any collaborator or spy in any of our villages or families? They have no guilt. Isn’t it enough that this spy harmed his family and parents? We must feel sorry for them, comfort, console and soothe them in their great calamity which is the gravest of all calamities. You as well as I know that especially in southern Lebanon what the feelings of the family, father, mother, wife, son or daughter of those whose son, husband or father is a collaborator are. In the issue of collaborators, I hope we would act with total mercy. Allah Almighty wants His characteristics to be manifested in His creatures. His mercy is great and His punishment is harsh. So I call you to be very merciful with the families of the collaborators and very tough with the collaborators and spies.

There is one final point in the spying networks topic which I like to mention now. I will leave a section on the spying networks topic to some other time. The spies and spying networks are not always united into one net. Israelis might contact one spy or at most a small group of collaborators. So if this spy was arrested, the rest won’t be exposed or if this small group was arrested, the other groups won’t be exposed. Well, these spies and collaborators and groups don’t work only at gathering information. There is something more dangerous. Some of them are executive spies. Well, in the house of one of the spies, they seized 20 kilograms of TNT? Why is there 20 kilograms of TNT at an agent’s home? This question must be answered. We must pause before it. Well if a spy gathers information, he might need to protect himself. He might keep at home a Kalashnikov or a hand grenade or an RPJ but indeed not 20 kilograms of TNT. So there are executive agents. Some agents, such as Mahmoud Rafea, had confessed of delivering bags and cases with explosives. Some agents carried on field reconnaissance missions and not simple information gathering. They carried out field reconnaissance missions as preparatory steps for killing. Others had facilitated the entrance and exit of Israelis after accomplishing their missions. This executive aspect must be taken into consideration, so that the door be open and those who have prejudgments, take stances beforehand or issue pre-set judiciary decisions and sentences be convinced that this Israeli action must be closely studied. That’s because this might lead to the exposure of many of those who partook in the assassinations and explosions which took place in Lebanon especially in 2005 onwards. Still more, some of these collaborators had significant roles in stirring ordeals on the sectarian and regional levels. Still some of these agents admitted they were charged of stirring sedition between Hezbollah and Amal Movement even in the last few years. It has been made clear that in some villages despite the positive excellent atmosphere between Hezbollah and Amal Movement which I will tackle in a while and despite the excellent political, emotional, social, familial and fraternal atmosphere which the southern villages enjoy, some skirmishes used to take place at times which were exploited to develop into worse events. Later it would be made clear that they were Israeli-made via these networks and spies. Thus we must be very cautious.

The third point is mine fields. Many mines have been defused thanks to firms and supporting states as well as the efforts, supervisions and coordination of the Lebanese army. The Islamic resistance took part and shared with its capabilities and men to defuse vast areas. Martyrs fell while undertaking this mission. A funding problem exists now. It’s the responsibility of the government to fund and seek funding sources. But anyway, on the Day of Resistance and Liberation in Nabatiyeh, I make a pledge to our parents in the south that in case of any deficiency – as is the case now – the Islamic Resistance – with its fighters and capacities – will assume the responsibility and work forcefully across the area of the south in cooperation with the Lebanese Army to bring the file of cluster bombs to an end as soon as possible Inshallah. Anyway, this is part of the daily criminal war still led by Israel on our land.

The fourth topic is development and water resources. After liberating the occupied Border Line, I came to Bint Jbeil and made a speech. (And every speech brings about problems). But on that day, the problem was with the Israelis who came with the intention of implanting their flag in Bint Jbeil and failed to do so. We stood in Bint Jbeil and said frankly: We are not the state. We are not an alternative to the state. We don’t shoulder the responsibilities of the state. This region has been neglected for decades. Before the occupation, the state was absent as the words of Sayyed Abdul Hussein Sharafeddine show. During the occupation, the state was absent. Now the occupation is over. O state, come and spread your sovereignty on all Lebanese territories. Where has the state been during the past years regarding developing the border area so that people remain there? People started fleeing because there are no job opportunities. The border area after the liberation is suffering from hollowness because the state is not shouldering its responsibilities. Unfortunately, the state in our country is still as it is. It recognizes Bint Jbeil, Hasbaya, Shabaa, Jizzine and the other villages which were under occupation as far as taxes are concerned. The state was absent. Well yes, the South Council was active and present but even the South Council has been besieged in the past years through budget cuts and mistrust… Even before July War (We want to furnish you with excuses), you used to say that the army wasn’t deployed in that region. So you doubted whether that region is subject to the state and consequently you are not able to make any developments there. Now three years have passed. The Lebanese army is deployed in the whole region. On the borders, besides the Lebanese Army, there are 15 thousand UNIFIL. What have you done in these three years? Which state we are calling on to come back and shoulder its responsibilities? Here I say also: The government established by the National Opposition through which it will build a strong state will be a fair state. It will implement just development. It will cover the border area with its project and responsibilities. Also as far as water is concerned, our rivers are lost in the sea. No soon will the Americans tell us that there is a water crisis in the region. The waters of Litani River and other rivers are lost in the sea. Why don’t you give them to Israel? It will be shameful of you if you don’t? You won’t have any human feelings!!!! Our waters are lost in the sea. We must all work on the Litani Project which speaker Nabih Berri spoke about few days ago while announcing the tickets. I tell you that I join my voice to his: All the deputies of the south along with all the deputies of the Opposition will join efforts in the coming stage to achieve this project which is the dream of our ancestors.

I have one last short sentence on this topic which is also a quotation for Imam Sayyed Abdul Hussein Sharafeddine. On December 9, 1941, (i.e. when we were under the French mandate) he sent a letter to one of the senior leaders in which he reminds him of several demands including the following: “Quench the thirst of the land as well as the people of Jabal Amel from the waters of Litani which is lost in the sea while people are thirsty and their lands are perishing of drought. People as well as livestock might together be drinking from the stagnant water.” Well this is still the case, isn’t it? We must put this issue before our eyes.

Fifth is the great and important event (the parliamentary elections) due on June 7. Some may say that in Southern Lebanon there might not be an election battle as the drive and the incentive for voters to go to polling stations are missing. But I tell you that all Lebanese regions are concerned in elections on June 7. Yet the south, the people of the south and the southern districts – for reasons I will handle briefly – are the most important and must be the first to show up intensively at polling stations on June 7.

We will start with the constituency of Jizzine. We tried our best to have a single ticket for the Opposition in Jizzine. Still two tickets were formed by the dear allies. We respect and take their circumstances into consideration. Well this was the friendly formula we reached at last. I stress on both allies who are dear on the heart of everyone in Hezbollah (All do take into consideration our sensitive position in Jizzine) that God willing we will cooperate with both dear allies in a way that satisfies both. Here I stress that the competition between two tickets for the Opposition in Jizzine must not be a reason for our supporters to back off. We must have a strong presence in this constituency to secure another three candidates to parliament.

ASs for other constituencies, the backbone of the alliances there is the Amal-Hezbollah alliance along with the other brethrens from the other national parties and political dignitaries. Before as well as after the elections, I like to stress on the deep-rooted alliance between Hezbollah and Amal Movement. For long years, we as well as the brethrens in Amal Movement, used to speak about a strategic alliance. Well some show up to say that is a compulsory alliance. They used to call it “compulsory marriage”. But years, experiences, events and hard challenges (you as well as I know that in the past five years, political and security hurricanes and military quakes hit and shook Lebanon) proved that this strategic alliance is but historic, strong and as deep-rooted as the mountain of Jabal Amal. No one can bargain on any weakness or feebleness in this alliance. I stress that this alliance was pivotal for July Victory when we integrated politically, militarily, socially, popularly and in the battlefield in every village, city, neighborhood, home and family. We were embraced by the other allies and the noble in this nation. Still the milieu (the villages, towns, cities, families and markets) which were mainly targeted and subject to Israeli attacks was that of Hezbollah and Amal Movement. Wounds, martyrs’ blood and our belonging to one great Imam, one cause and one fate united us. I like to say that not only in July War this alliance was pivotal. It was also pivotal in the Lebanese National Opposition Alliance which set Lebanon out of the most difficult and crucial stages in its history. This alliance is pivotal also in the Opposition which God willing will lead this Opposition to winning the elections on June 7 so as to push Lebanon towards a new savior state. This alliance is a national interest in the first place and a southern interest in the second. The first to benefit from us on the security, strength, dignity and cooperation level is the south and its people. I also assert that there are politicians and many poisoned pens in Lebanon which bargained and still bargain and have wrought in the past years to cause sedition between the leaderships and members of Hezbollah and Amal Movement. This same incitation is still practiced to cause sedition between Hezbollah and Amal, between Hezbollah and the National Free Party, between Hezbollah and the other allying forces in the National Opposition whether they belonged to Sunni, Druze or Christian milieus through saying again and again that the National Opposition is Hezbollah and its appendices, through the fake presentation of Amal Movement, the National Free Party or any other national or Islamic party in any of the Opposition districts as annexed to Hezbollah. Offense, provocation and incitation are aimed at by this conduct. Indeed it has other aims such as inciting and warning foreign forces and countries that if the Opposition wins it’s Sayyed Hassan who will rule (and not Speaker Berri or General Aoun or any other leaders in the Opposition. I won’t be able to mention all but I like and respect them all.) What do they aim at from such rhetoric? Is it a slip of a tongue or a breathtaking speech? No this rhetoric is addressed to the Americans and the West: O help us! If the Opposition wins, these will rule. They know that in the previous national unity government we were ascetic. Here I am telling you, in the upcoming government, we will be under the disposal and at the service of our allies. Still all what they say is instigating and provocative. No, that will not deceive the leaders, members or masses of Hezbollah and Amal Movement.

Hezbollah and Amal Movement are but two big, dear, careful, rational cooperative brothers and as Sheik Ragheb Harb says: Driven away is anyone who might disunite them.

We resort in confronting any provocation or devilish insinuation to the mutual trust and deep and strong relations which were built between us and which have overcome politics and political interests and become rooted in emotions, kindness and care. This relation is above all of these trivialities. (And this is what they don’t know).

Accordingly, in the other constituencies, they tried much to write about portions and other points. In fact, (I don’t know if there is any equal to this case) when we sat with our brethrens in Amal Movement to discuss the tickets and the portions shared between us, that didn’t take 15 minutes. (I’m saying 15 not to say 5 minutes and be accused of exaggeration). You might wonder what we did in the rest of the time of the session. Anyway, meeting with Speaker Nabih is exciting!

We have no problem with portions, numbers or any other issue at all. We are convinced and content of the set tickets. We had no other demands or expectations as some were anticipating so that troubles would be aroused.

Some people tried in their websites and speeches to say that Hezbollah went back to talking about religious obligations. In fact, the awareness, maturity and responsibility and suffering you went through during these four years made you jurisprudents and legal experts. You don’t need anyone to tell you what to do anymore.

Today I am telling you what the position of Hezbollah in utmost clarity is. Our goal from the elections is that the Opposition wins the majority of seats in parliament not to suffice the desire to rule but to save Lebanon from ill schemes and ill intentions. (This I will say again in Dahyieh and Baalbeck.) Our share (as Hezbollah) in this alliance or in the majority is not important. The issue is political. Some might at times say that we are morally embarrassed from so and so who is running in our constituency. The issue is moral too. It has to do with the loyalty to Lebanon, to the people of Lebanon, to the Resistance, to the generations to come and to the future. Thus we are before an election battle in which we practice politics and morals when we commit ourselves accurately to the Opposition tickets. Here I am stressing that every candidate in these constituencies: Zahrani, Nabatiyeh, Tyr, Bint Jbeil, Hasbaya-Marjoun is a Hezbollah candidate. This is how we deal with this issue.

There is one final point. Why are the south and the people of the South the people most concerned in showing up in voting stations on the day of elections? Some might say that there are competing tickets. Other competitors have no chance to win due to the clear popular force of the Opposition in the South. I will tell you why you have to show up.

Some seek to present elections as a referendum on the resistance and its arms. The people most concerned with the resistance and its arms are the citizens of the South. Why? That’s because the South is at the border with Occupied Palestine, at the front area which is always subject to aggressions and in the arena of threat, plundering and danger. The other Lebanese areas shoulder with the South the consequences of confronting dangers, aggressions and threats. Then who is concerned with any aggression and confronting any aggression? Who is threatened? Who is subject to Zionist greed? Who is sought to be secluded and displaced from his land, to demolish his house and plunder his waters? It is the citizen of the South in the first place. Thus the people of the South are the first concerned to express their position on the resistance, its arms and persistence.

Yes the resistance does protect you. You embrace and protect it too. The resistance defends you and you defend it too. That’s because you are the resistance and the resistance is you. Thus on June 7 (when international media will observe the elections in Lebanon. Some also dispatched committees to observe the elections in Lebanon) we must come from all southern villages, towns, farms, neighborhoods and cities. Let it be a ceremonial scene for victory, martyrs and resistant fighters.

On June 7, we will all show up at voting stations. We will come to the South from all over Lebanon to tell the whole world: We are the sons of the South whose houses were demolished in July. We will not abandon the Resistance. We are the people of the South whose children and women you killed in horrible massacres in the South in July War. Still we will not give up the Resistance.

June 7 must be a day in which you must dissuade every conspirator, conniver, insane person wherever he is in the world from conspiring against the resistance

On June 7, you must stress to our people and dear ones that this resistance which is in your hearts, minds and arms and your adherence to in your land is for all the people of the South and for all the Lebanese people. It’s the resistance which bestowed pride and victory on Lebanon. It has safeguarded Lebanon and restored the glory of its cedar trees worldwide.

On June 7, you will prove again that you are the sons of Moussa Assader. You are the hope of the weak and afflicted and the continuous cry in face of tyrants.

Finally, dear people! On June 7, you will prove again as I said on September 22, that you are the most honorable, dignified and chaste people.

May Allah bless you and support your steps. May Allah reward you the reward of the patient faithful fighters. Inshallah we will meet in the near future. When we always trust in Allah and look in your faces and rely on you, your consciences, hearts and arms we view with hope the final phrase that we believe in: The time of victory has come and the time of defeats has gone.

Peace be upon you and Allah’s mercy and blessing.