FRIDAY SPEECH April 13,2001

The Palestinian cause is still suffering as a result of the Arab helplessness when faced with the American decision to give the war criminal Sharon the chance to stop the intifada whether by economic and military pressures or any other means. The Arab leaders who visited the US or talked to its officials were not able to weaken the American support for the Israelis. The US does not feel any need to change its Middle Eastern policy as long as its interests in the region are not threatened, and as long as the Arab officials resort to pleading and begging; a language that America does not understand. Certain Arab officials have even talked about the necessity of playing a part in stopping the Palestinian violence, since we can’t expect the Americans “to be at the beck and call of the Middle East .But he did not say that they are currently at the Israeli’s service.

Therefore, the current situation demands that the Arab and Muslim peoples should take to the streets in support of the Intifada against the brutal and devastating Israeli campaign using the American weapons that are always at the Israeli disposal.

The Americans aim to maintain Israeli military superiority that enables the enemy to hit any target it deems a threat to its expansion schemes.

The Arab and Muslim peoples should try to force their leaders to deal with the US in a way that exerts more pressure on the US within the framework of a carefully planned policy stating that the US is the most hostile power so as to make the US administration concerned about its interests along with those of the pro –American regimes would be threatened.

We also have to keep always in mind that we should differentiate between the American Administration and the American people.

Meanwhile, Sharon’s plan to destroy the Palestinian infrastructure by bombing civilians and security quarters, destroying houses and burning gardens is being carried out smoothly, since there are no Arab, Muslim or international pressures the enemy needs to take into consideration .On the contrary, those pressures are being directed towards holding security talks, “to stop the cycle of violence and terrorism”.

I believe that there is no solution other than continuing the military Palestinian Uprising with new weapons and tactics, and supporting it by a popular Arab and Muslim Intifada. For America does not view the Palestinian Intifada as a Liberation and independence movement, but one of terrorism and violence.

No to the Return to Civil War

On another level, today is the anniversary of the ill -famed Lebanese war that wrecked Lebanon’s economy, security and political life, and created an atmosphere of sectarian hostility and hatred among the Lebanese.

We do not want to go back to that stage which resulted in nothing but devastation, dislocation, immigration hunger, deprivation and bankruptcy that we are still suffering from.

But although the Lebanese are all against the war, the current atmosphere suggests the emergence of a cold war that is wrecking what is left of our political stability.

I ask the Lebanese to study the current political situation thoroughly and keep an eye on those who hide behind sectarian or partisan stands. The lesson of April (13April 1975) is that we should never again be lead by these voices that would take advantage of any incident in order to create an atmosphere of political anarchy that serves regional and international plots to renew the blind and crazy civil war.

We have to learn this lesson especially as we are living in a situation that resembles the anarchy of the past, despite all the appeals to national unity and dialogue.

The world around us is shaking, and we are still under the influence of what is going on in the region both politically and economically. Thus, we should be very careful, and opt to maintain the spirit of dialogue that enables us to determine the priorities. We should keep away from any sectarian agitation, for we live in a country whose people are very responsive to any inflammatory Sectarian discourse.

Dear brothers and sisters:

I call on you to reason and not to be carried by emotions, to plan and not to improvise, to love and not to hate , to be good citizens and not sectarian and to unite and not divide . We should not confuse friends with enemies or strategy with tactics. We should not live the past and forget about the future. The country is shaking.

Let us set it on a firm ground by unity and cooperation and let us only depend on ourselves.

The freed Detainee’s Right to Earn Their Living

Finally, we ought not forget the freed prisoners who have sacrificed a major part of their lives and freedom for our country. They seek only to earn a decent living and be treated as soldiers who have served and sacrificed for their homeland. Moreover, the government should make good of the promises it made to them.

we should not forget either the detainees who remain in the enemy’s prisons; we have to do our best to free them, for it’s our religious duty towards them.