In their speeches, the leaders of the Palestinian and Arab Resistance reiterated their calls for the unity of the resistance against the Israeli occupation and its allies.
On Wednesday afternoon, the southern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, hosted an event as part of Quds Day celebrations.
Quds Day is an annual pro-Palestinian event held on the last Friday of the holy month of Ramadan to express support for the Palestinian people.
During the gathering, recorded speeches from the leaders of the Palestinian and Arab Resistance were broadcast.
In their speeches, the leaders reiterated their calls for the unity of the resistance against the Israeli occupation and its allies.
They also slammed the lack of support for the Palestinian people demonstrated by some Arab countries.
Below are highlights from the speeches given by participants at the event.
‘Savagery of Zionist Enemy’ – Ismail Haniyeh
Ismail Haniyeh, head of the Political Bureau of the Palestinian Resistance Movement Hamas, said that “Gaza presents today a glorious page with its unrelenting resistance,” stressing that “today the world is witnessing the crimes of the occupation in Gaza, the West Bank, and Jerusalem.”
“The savagery of the zionist enemy we see today is a result of its realization of its inability to remain as a usurping and occupying entity in the face of the steadfast Palestinian people who refuse the idea of surrender and concession of Palestine,” Haniyeh said.
“If it were not for the direct American cover and participation, the occupation would not have continued its killing and aggression,” he continued, stressing that “the heroes of Gaza and Palestine have broken the barrier of fear, and we are facing a historic opportunity to defeat the enemy.”
Full speech of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh on Quds Day. pic.twitter.com/ALU1Nih8GQ
— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) April 3, 2024
“The leadership of the resistance stands at the front of the ranks to serve as a model and example”, Haniyeh continued, adding that “all the illusions and myths that the Zionist enemy created for itself, its army, and its capabilities fell in this battle.”
Haniyeh expressed his “appreciation and pride fr the “leading role played by South Africa in filing legal lawsuits in The Hague and starting the trial of the leaders of this entity for their crimes committed in Gaza and achieving justice for these murderers”.
The occupation, according to Haniyeh, is “still evasive and stubborn in negotiations and is not responding to our just demands to stop the war”.
“We clearly affirm our adherence to our demands, which include a permanent ceasefire, a comprehensive withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, the full return of displaced persons to their homes, the entry of all necessary aid for our people in Gaza, the reconstruction of the Strip, lifting the siege, and concluding an dignified prisoner exchange deal, all on the path to achieving our Palestinian people’s rights in their land, homeland, and holy sites.”
‘On the Brink of Collapse’ – Hassan Nasrallah
Hassan Nasrallah, Secretary-General of the Lebanese Resistance Movement Hezbollah said that “What is happening today in Palestine, the region, and the world is a flood in every sense of the word, and we hope that this flood will grow and intensify.”
“We must also stand in awe, respect, and appreciation for what the resistance in Gaza has done,” he said.
Full speech of Hezbollah Secretary-General, Hassan Nasrallah, on Quds Day. pic.twitter.com/eK2cyd2fVi
— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) April 3, 2024
“The Al-Aqsa Flood has put the entity on the brink of final collapse and disappearance, and the signs of this will appear over time,” Nasrallah added.
“If we used to say in the past that the liberation of South Lebanon and then the liberation of the Gaza Strip ended the project of ‘Greater Israel,” Hezbollah leader said, “I can say that the Al-Aqsa Flood has put the zionist entity on the brink of extinction.”
Towards ‘Final Victory’ – Ebrahim Raisi
Iranian President Ibrahim Raisi said, “International Quds Day signifies the imminent final victory for the patient Palestinian people.”
“It has become clear to everyone today that this entity is weaker than a spider’s web,” Raisi stated, adding that Israel “disregards international and humanitarian law in the Gaza Strip amidst shameful international silence.”
Full speech of Iranian President, Ebrahim Raisi, on Quds Day. pic.twitter.com/n5BSTGT8BA
— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) April 3, 2024
“The world will not return to what it was before, and no one can save the face of the zionist entity that was defeated in the Al-Aqsa Flood.”
‘Unity of Resistance’ – Ziad al-Nakhaleh
Ziyad al-Nakhaleh, the Secretary-General of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad Movement, said that “the sons of Gaza stand with legendary steadfastness in the face of the forces of evil represented by the occupation entity and its supporter, the United States and its allies.”
Al-Nakhaleh did not spare harsh criticism towards Arab countries.
Full speech of Palestinian Islamic Jihad leader, Ziyad al-Nakhaleh, on Quds Day. pic.twitter.com/8g2MI0W47N
— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) April 3, 2024
“Despite the siege and hunger, we have discovered that our Arab and Muslim brothers are unable to offer even a sip of water to the thirsty,” he said.
The leader of the Islamic Jihad also stressed the importance of the “unity of the resistance and the unity of its squares in the face of the project to fragment the region for the benefit of the Zionist project.”
‘Shortfall from Muslims’ – Abdulmalik Al-Houthi
Abdulmalik Al-Houthi, the leader of the Ansarallah movement, said that Yemen “stands with all its capabilities in support of the oppressed Palestinian people, the nation’s sanctities, and foremost the Al-Aqsa Mosque.”
“The Palestinian people suffer from injustice, oppression, and the confiscation of their right and land since the British occupation,” al-Houthi said, adding that “the Americans have become actual partners with the Israeli enemy (…) in its crimes and aggression against the Palestinian people.”
Full speech of Ansarallah Leader, Abdulmalik al-Houthi, on Quds Day. pic.twitter.com/xonhiGUvB7
— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) April 3, 2024
Al-Houthi also emphasized the lack of support by Arab and Muslim countries.
“In contrast to American support for the Israeli enemy, there is a significant shortfall from Muslims in standing with the Palestinian people,” he said.
“There is collusion by some countries with efforts to liquidate the Palestinian cause under the title of normalization,” Al-Houthi added.
(The Palestine Chronicle)
