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Home , Quds Day, Second Intifada

I S I M NEWSLETTER 9 / 0 2 Regional Issues 35

Middle East JOSEPH ALAGHA Hizbullah,

'We share the same destiny with the Palestinian I n- t i f a d a till the liberation of .' With these words Sayyid Hasan Nasrallah, the Hizbullah's Secre- tary General, opened the Solidarity Convention for a n d the Intifada the Support of the Intifada in Beirut on 22 May 2001. Rooted in the successful resistance against the Israeli occupation of southern , the Hizbullah con- sus emerged expressing that Hizbullah is tinues to be very vocal in its support of the Palestin- not a terrorist organization. ian cause. No alterations have been made in the Hizbullah's doctrines as a result of Septem- Twenty-one years ago, Imam Khumayni was ber 11, although some manoeuvres and the first to inaugurate the last Friday of the camouflage tactics were modified. On 28 month of as '' or September 2001, the first anniversary of the '', calling for the support of Intifada, Nasrallah threatened – behind bul- in any possible way and the es- let-proof glass (see photo) – that '[w]e are tablishment of a Muslim army to liberate ready for direct military intervention in the Jerusalem. He referred to as the 'rapist Intifada when the benefit of the Palestinian entity' (al-kiyan al-ghasib), the 'Zionist enti- resistance really dictates recourse to this ty' (al-kiyan al-sahyuni) that is a cancerous option.' With these words, Nasrallah quali- N a s r a l l a h gland in the region and should be uprooted fied his threat and rendered his statement d e l i v e r i n g at all costs. In Lebanon, on 22 December ambiguous. On 2 October 2001 Nasrallah re- a speech in 2000, the commemoration of 'Quds Day' iterated that nothing has changed since support of the had a new flavour because it was the first to September 11: 'Our culture is that of jihad, I n t i f a d a , be held after the Israeli withdrawal, and be- resistance, and martyrdom.' He added that 2 8S e p t e m b e r cause it coincided with the second Palestin- the Hizbullah still opts for the 'military, jihad 2 0 0 1 . ian Intifada that was characterized by sui- option' to liberate Lebanon from Israeli oc- cide missions causing heavy casualties on cupation and to support the Palestinian In- the Israeli side. Also, it was the first time that negotiations. Nasrallah called on the partic- between the Hizbullah's political ideology t i f a d a with all its might.7 On 22 October the Lebanese state sent an official represen- ipants to adopt Khumayni's injunction of (al-fikr al-siyasi) and political programme 2001, while commemorating the 'Day of the tative – along with a minister and a repre- celebrating the last Friday of the month of (al-barnamaj al-siyasi). The Hizbullah hon- Wounded of the Islamic Resistance' Nasral- sentative of the general of the Lebanese Ramadan as 'Quds Day'. Indeed, both his oured, and still honours, its ideological pro- lah affirmed that '[t]hose who killed Za'ifi [Is- army – to attend 'Quds Day', thus sheltering calls were adopted in the final resolutions.2 gramme (commitment to the liberation of raeli Minister of Tourism] are the most noble the Hizbullah with the Lebanese govern- After a lapse of ten years, Tehran hosted , and no recognition of Israel) and members of this u m m a. Nothing will change ment's legitimacy.1 the Conference (April 2001). its political programme, namely that 'so- at all for us after 11 September 2001; the re- M o s t Palestinian opposition groups attend- cioeconomic, intellectual, and cultural work sistance continues as long as S h i bca is occu- Conferences in support ed this International Conference of Support is concomitant with resistance and should pied, our prisoners of war are detained in Is- o f t h e I n t i f a d a for the Intifada and the Islamic Revolution go hand in hand with it.' As Nasrallah puts it: raeli prisons, and the Palestinian people are From 28 to 30 January 2001, the 'First i n Palestine, along with representatives 'It is our "legitimate and religious responsi- slaughtered. The Great Satan [the US] that Quds Conference' was held in Beirut to sup- from 37 Arab and Islamic countries. Like the bility" [al-mas'uliyya a l - s h a rci y y a wa al-taklif issues terrorist lists is a terrorist state that port the Palestinian Intifada. It led to the es- 'First Quds Conference' resolutions, the final a l - s h a rci a l - I l a h i]4 to buttress the Palestinian has no right to classify people as terrorists tablishment of the 'Quds Foundation' with resolutions of the second conference con- Intifada in any way we find fit.'5 In actual or not.'8 temporary headquarters in Beirut, the 'capi- tained a clause affirming that the Lebanese practice, the Hizbullah's support for the In- tal of liberation and victory'. The final reso- victory over the Israeli army in southern tifada is limited to political, moral and psy- lutions included the following: severing any Lebanon had opened new horizons with re- chological measures. Nasrallah exhorted the engagements with the Middle East Peace spect to the Palestinian cause. It also legit- Palestinians to keep the initiative in their Settlement; calling for jihad and resistance imized the continuation of the Lebanese re- own hands and to depend on no one except as well as political, economic, diplomatic, sistance until the liberation of the S h i bca themselves. Nasrallah said unequivocally and media support for the Intifada; boy- Farms and the release of all the detainees in that the Hizbullah does not have a branch in cotting American goods; using oil as a stick Israeli prisons. In the wake of the Confer- Palestine or in any other country: 'There is policy; refusing to naturalize the Palestinian ence, while receiving Nasrallah, Imam no Palestinian Hizbullah.' He added that all refugees in any country; the right of return Khamin'i argued that the Aqsa I n t i f a d a i s of the Hizbullah's rank and file are honoured and self-determination to the Palestinians; the result of the Hizbullah's struggles and to be soldiers fighting under the banner of stopping all normalization procedures with devotion, and that the current Intifada in , of the Islamic Jihad, or any Palestin- Israel; affirming that Jerusalem is the capital Palestine is awakening the sense of dignity ian jihad organization.6 Thus, liberating of Palestine; lobbying in order to revive the and strength among Palestinian Palestine is not an aim; rather, it is a doctri- UN Resolution 3379 that stipulates that through the achievements of the Lebanese nal-ideological commitment. Since Israel's is a form of racism; filing litigations Islamic resistance that materialized in liber- withdrawal from Lebanon is incomplete be- and preparing the required files concerning ating Lebanon from the 'small Satan' (Israel) cause of its refusal to relinquish the S h i bca Israeli war criminals; extolling the decision after 22 years of occupation. He hailed the Farms, the Hizbullah's resistance continues of the Palestinians not to take part in the up- Hizbullah's efforts in Lebanon, which ex- because it is not a militia, but rather the N o t e s coming Israeli elections; total support for horted the Palestinian people to rise up. Lebanese resistance par excellence; this is 1 . Al-Manar and Al-Nour, 22 December 2000; Lebanon in the continuation of the Resis- Khatami affirmed that the '' is one of the main sources of the Hizbullah's D a i l yS t a r and A l - S a f i r, 23 December 2000. tance until the S h i bca Farms – a 220 square the biggest threat posed to the Islamic and political legitimacy. It is important to note 2 . A l -cA h d, no. 887 (2 February 2001); A l - S a f i r, kilometre Lebanese territory still under Is- Arab world. Referring to the Hizbullah's vic- that all of the Hizbullah's operations in the 3 1 January and 1 February 2001; A l - A f k a r, no. 965 raeli occupation – are regained; and the re- tory over the Israeli army in Lebanon, Khata- Lebanese S h i bca Farms were a show of soli- ( 1 2 February 2001). lease of all detainees from Israeli prisons. mi held that '[s]hould the Zionist entity b e darity dedicated to the Palestinian people. 3 . Al-Manar and Al-Nour, 24–25 April 2001; Daily Star The primary speakers were Nasrallah and Ali defeated once, surely it will be defeated a n- By the end of 2001 seven of the S h i bca o p e r- and A l - S a f i r, 24–25 April 2001. Akbar Muhtashami, an Iranian reformist and other time.' He added that Muslims should ations were carried out by the 'Battalion of 4 . On 17 May 1995, Imam Khamin'i appointed an ally of Khatami. Muhtashami, the secre- defend the rights of the Palestinians and the Aqsa Martyrs' of the Islamic Resistance – Nasrallah and Shaykh Muhammad Yazbik, tary general of the International Committee mobilize their capabilities for the return of the Hizbullah's military wing, and the kid- Hizbullah's Shura Council member, as his 'religious for the Support of the Intifada, urged every- the Palestinian refugees and their rights of napping of the three Israeli soldiers was car- deputies' (wakilayn sharci y y a n ). one to supply the Palestinian people with self-determination. Nasrallah stated: 'In the ried out by the 'Battalion of the Martyr 5 . Al-Manar, 3 April 2001; Al-Manar, 7 June 2001. arms, so that they can defend their legiti- name of Hizbullah and the Resistance, we Muhammad al-Durra' (one of the most well- 6 . Nasrallah's speech at the 'Solidarity Convention for mate rights. He also reiterated the Islamic shall not stay idle; we shall assume our known Palestinian child martyrs). the Support of the Palestinian People' on 22 May Republic's solution to the Palestinian crisis, moral, religious, and legitimate responsibili- 2000; reiterated on Al-Manar, 7 June 2001. namely, a general referendum that includes t i e s, and prove to the Zionists that the Pales- After September 11 7 . Al-Manar; Al-Nour; and A l - I n t i q a d no. 921 the 'indigenous Palestinian people' com- tinians are not alone. We tell the Zionists: In the aftermath of September 11, US pol- ( 5 October 2001) 6–7. posed of adherents to the three Abrahamic "Be prepared to face us in places you expect icy concerning the Hizbullah remained un- 8 . Al-Manar ; Al-Nour; and A l - I n t i q a d no. 924 religions – who are spread worldwide and or do not expect to find us."'3 changed. In April 2001, it had been classi- ( 2 6 October 2001) 5. inside the Occupied Territories – in order to fied by the US State Department as a 'terror- determine their future and the type of gov- The status quo ist organization'. After September 11, three Joseph Alagha is a Ph.D. candidate at the ISIM. ernment to which they aspire. On his part, The Hizbullah's ideological stance on the additional lists were issued, which either in- H i s research focuses on the effects of the Nasrallah affirmed that the Intifada, resis- continuation of the resistance and the liber- cluded Hizbullah members or asked the liberalization process in Iran on the Hizbullah's tance, and jihad should go hand in hand in ation of Palestine after the Israeli withdraw- Lebanese government to freeze the Hizbul- gradual integration in the Lebanese public sphere. order to achieve victory, rather than futile al from Lebanon is based on the distinction lah's assets. In response, a national consen- E-mail: [email protected]