'Our Enemies Did Everything Possible to Harm Resistance But Failed'

Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah renewed on Monday calls for the nation to embrace the Resistance and the culture of the Resistance, saying that the last few years constituted the most difficult and dangerous phases in which the Resistance's existence was questionable by some people in the region.

Speaking through a large TV screen during a ceremony held in memory of the head of the Islamic Action Front late Sheikh Fathi Yakan, Sayyed Nasrallah recalled that the past years witnessed the climax of conspiracy against the resistance, pointing out that the battle did not only target its weapons arsenal but reached the level of belittling the culture of resistance and its martyrs.

Sayyed Nasrallah also addressed those who are betting on a sectarian strife in Lebanon saying that "we will not let them take over our national arena."

His eminence pledged that his party will continue on the path of resistance for the sake of all those who sacrificed their lives. "We are required to work to help the resistance spread to the Muslim world."

SHEIKH FATHI YAKAN AN ISLAMIC LEADER FROM LEBANON

Sayyed Nasrallah began his speech by paying tribute to the late Sheikh Fathi Yakan, saying that the latter's favor for the Islamic movement in general and in Lebanon in particular was more than clear. "In Lebanon especially, we cannot speak about an Islamic movement or an Islamic act or an Islamic path or even an Islamic resistance without remembering Sheikh Fathi Yakan as one of the founders, leaders, symbols, intellectuals but also as one of those who educated and taught generations and generations of strugglers, believers and cultivated young people," Sayyed Nasrallah emphasized.

Sayyed Nasrallah pointed to his personal relation with Sheikh Yakan that actually started following the Israeli war against Lebanon in July 2006. "Personally, I got to know Sheikh Fathi Yakan through his books especially when we were still young and we were searching for an Islamic book that discusses challenges with a contemporary language. However, the direct contact between us took place following the July war against Lebanon. During the war, I watched the press conference during which Sheikh Yakan announced the formation of the Islamic Labor Front and I found in its political line one of the strengths that the Resistance made use of in its historic victory against the Israeli enemy. Following the war, Sheikh Yakan insisted in visiting me despite all circumstances and I even felt ashamed that Sheikh Yakan, with his age and knowledge and status, comes personally to visit me. But his eminence came and a long and intimate meeting joined us in which I figured out the Sheikh's sensitiveness, love and true passion."

According to Sayyed Nasrallah, the current phase that Lebanon, in specific, is going through is difficult, complicated and dangerous. "It needs someone with Yakan's courage, devotion and commitment," his eminence highlighted.



PAST YEARS WITNESSED CLIMAX OF RESISTANCE AGAINST RESISTANCE

Hezbollah Secretary General then pointed to one of the main characteristics of Sheikh Yakan which is defending the Resistance movements in Lebanon and the region.

His eminence said that the past years witnessed the climax of conspiracy against the resistance. "The battle did not only target its weapons arsenal but reached the level of belittling the culture of resistance and martyrdom," Sayyed Nasrallah said. "They went on to undermine the Resistance's culture and describe it as a culture of death and darkness and murder and loss and destruction opposed to a culture they called a culture of life but they included in it the culture of surrender and acceptance of humiliating compromises offered by our enemies."

Sayyed Nasrallah said that the battle against the Resistance was huge not only in Lebanon but also in the whole Arabi and Islamic region. His eminence noted that the battle took many forms starting from the assassination of Resistance top figures but also took the form of moral assassinations through accusing Resistance movements of working in favor of the outside far from the national interests.

OUR ENEMIES DID EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO HARM RESISTANCE

Yet, Sayyed Nasrallah spoke with assurance about the future of the Resistance in Lebanon and the region. "I say that our enemies have done all that can be done to harm the resistance and have failed," his eminence said.

"We got past our enemies most difficult and most dangerous phases," Sayyed Nasrallah pointed out, telling the late Sheikh Yakan to be assured that his brothers, friends and students will continue their struggle until transforming all his dreams into realities.

Hezbollah Secretary General, meanwhile, tackled news of a new attack being planned for Lebanon as the Israeli tone escalates. "They are speaking of war that will eradicate the resistance from the Lebanese territories," Sayyed Nasrallah said. His eminence called on the nation to once again embrace the resistance and the culture of resistance.

ISRAEL IS MERELY A US TOOL, FOLLOWER OF US

Sayyed Nasrallah also raised the Palestinian cause, stressing that all Lebanese, Arabs and Muslims should commit to this national, human and Islamic cause. "Palestine is nowadays facing very dangerous challenges," his eminence said, adding that the so-called compromise wasn't anymore possible "because what was earlier rejected by the Palestinians wouldn't be approved at any circumstance."

Hezbollah Secretary General described the "differences" between the United States and Israel over the settlement as a "spectacle." His eminence expressed belief that the Israeli enemy was merely a US tool in the Arab and Islamic world. "No one can lie to us and make us wait for the US efforts to achieve peace," Sayyed Nasrallah stressed, highlighting that the Israeli enemy was a follower of the US administration no matter what the latter seeks to claim.

His eminence also regretted the fact that betting on the Arab and Islamic regimes was also improbable. "The readiness of these official regimes to accept compromises is actually a high one," Sayyed Nasrallah said. "Just after US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called for Arab courageous moves, we saw some Arab officials calling for openness to Israeli media and to the so-called Israeli nation."



UNITED STATES WILL BRING VIOLENCE BACK TO IRAQ



Turning to Iraq, Sayyed Nasrallah praised the real Iraqi resistance, the one that's fighting sedition, the one that's fighting occupation forces and safeguards Islamic and national unity.

Sayyed Nasrallah recalled the Iraqi nation, Iraqi government, the whole world and especially those who considered the US withdrawal day as a national festival that the withdrawal was achieved thanks to the Resistance and its sacrifices.

His eminence also pointed out that there were still two challenges in Iraq: the Resistance's perseverance at one side and the fight of sedition plotted by the Americans at the other.

Sayyed Nasrallah found dangerous a statement delivered a few days ago by US Vice President Joe Biden, who said that "if violence returns to Iraq, then the US administration will free itself from its previous obligations." According to Hezbollah Secretary General, such statement means that "the United States will bring violence back to Iraq." His eminence stressed that the Iraqi leaders must assume a higher sense of responsibility to combat strife that takes on several faces.

WE WILL CONTINUE ON THE PATH OF RESISTANCE

Sayyed Nasrallah concluded his speech by reminding that the conflicts that took place in Lebanon during the few last years were political not sectarian.

"I tell all of those who are betting on a sectarian strife in Lebanon that we will not let them take over our national arena," Sayyed Nasrallah highlighted, renewing calls for national unity to face all dangers and threats surrounding the Lebanese scene.

"We will continue on the path of resistance for the sake of all those who sacrificed their lived. We are required to work to help the resistance spread to the Muslim world."