Mohammad Javad Larijani Interview with MSNBC - He Just Shut Up CFR...
Iran's Secretary General of the High Council for Human Rights, Mohammad Javad Larijani has said that the recent claims by the International Atomic...
Iran's Secretary General of the High Council for Human Rights, Mohammad Javad Larijani has said that the recent claims by the International Atomic Energy Agency against Tehran are “laughable.”
In his November 8 report on Iran's nuclear program, IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano claimed that Iran had engaged in activities related to developing nuclear weapons before 2003, adding that these activities “may still be ongoing.”
Based on the report, which Iran has called "unfounded and unbalanced," the IAEA Board of Governors on Friday passed a new resolution on the Islamic Republic's nuclear activities.
The resolution voices "deep and increasing concern" over Tehran's nuclear program and also calls for Iran and the IAEA to intensify dialogue to resolve the dispute over the issue.
Larijani made the remarks in a heated television debate aired on the American channel MSNBC.
US president of the Council on Foreign Relations, Dr. Richard Haass, Mike Barnicle and John Mitchun were the other guests on the television debate.
What follows is a rough transcription of the interview:
MSNBC: Let's go to the heart of the matter when it comes to Iran, the headlines of the past week, the IAEA report found evidence of nuclear weapons program in Iran and you are quoted as saying that is “quite laughable.” Why sir?
Larijani: The reason is very simple. There is no single evidence in that. These allegations which is aired again is based on a document which was put to us four years ago based on a laptop somewhere found by United States authorities.
And at that time, four years ago, it has been discussed with the agency and the conclusion was that none of these allegations could be verified.
So by a letter it has been closed- the whole issue. Then again it has been renewed and [let me] just give you an example. A good part of this so-called document which is on the laptop, for example lecture notes that somebody presented in Brussels or at some universities. Some of them are parts of some textbook as put together with pictures, formulas, so it is totally inconclusive.
MSNBC: Let's back up. Before I send this to Richard Haass- are you saying it doesn't exist? There is no nuclear program?
Larijani: Well we have a very extensive nuclear program but not to the direction of producing arms. Our nuclear project is very extensive, very advanced. We are number one in the Middle East but we are not pursuing the nuclear armament for two basic reasons.
Number one there is a Fatwa by Ayatollah Khamenei, the leader and it is against the Islamic jurisprudence to build and use mass destructing weapons. It is Haram we call it, unlawful.
And secondly, it doesn't add to our security. It is more liability than asset for us. Our military muscle is strong enough to repel or to deter any imminent threat and this is basically very important achievement.
MSNBC: Richard Haass, put this into perspective for us. What the reports were saying and what this gentleman is saying.
Haass: Well quite frankly it is impossible to take the Iranian denial seriously. They are preposterous. The International Atomic Energy Agency taking information from all the member states in the United Nations have put together a comprehensive and extraordinarily damning report.
And what there is, is a pattern, not a single incident, a pattern over years of Iranian program to move in the direction of developing nuclear weapons.
We see a procurement mechanism to gain access to all sorts of equipment, we see all sorts of undeclared efforts to produce nuclear material now up to 20 percent well on its way to what it needs to produce a weapon, most important there is now serious evidence about the Iranian testing of the implosive device that would actually be the heart of the nuclear weapon.
So the idea that the Iranians have all these underground and undeclared facilities, that they have been misleading the International Atomic Energy Agency for years, the idea they're doing this- this oil rich country in order to produce electricity? If you believe that you seriously have to believe in the tooth fairy.
MSNBC: Sir this doesn't sound like preposterous, little pieces of information that were roaming together randomly.
Larijani: Well the whole scenes of allegation is produced and initiated by the United States. It seems there is a good machinery to produce perpetual allegation against Iran, it is not only one case.
I am telling you exactly that there are no secret programs in our nuclear program and development. Iran's transparency is far ahead of United States, far ahead of UK, far ahead of France and incomparable to Israel which is a renegade state in the sense of NPT.
Barnicle: So you allow inspectors to just come into Iran.
Larijani: The inspectors are coming to Iran periodically, the cameras are there 24 hours. This is quite obvious.
Haass: But the whole concept the way this works, just when you talk about inspectors, let's just be clear, I am sure if everyone watching this will understand, the entire international nuclear inspection effort depends upon the willingness of the country in question to cooperate fully.
This is a gentlemen's agreement. They declare their facilities that are involved in the nuclear business then the inspectors come in and look at them. If they do not declare facilities the inspectors don't give a chance and the problem is this is a gentlemen's agreement in a world where not every country is a gentleman.
So Iran quite frankly has undeclared facilities and undeclared programs which the inspectors had not had access to and the reason we only know about it is that member states, not simply the United States sir, but many, many member states of the United Nations have provided independent information to the International Atomic Energy Agency, which by the way you know and I know is not controlled by the United States.
We have fundamental differences with this agency over the years including over Iraq. We had fundamental differences and we've also had differences over Iran where we the United States felt, this agency was not being nearly tough enough. So now they have come in with an extraordinarily damning report and Iranian officials can dismiss it.
MSNBC: So if this is a gentlemen's agreement, the gentlemen certainly don't agree and sir, you seem very confident and almost as if it's funny it's interesting because we interviewed Mahmoud Ahmadinejad about this about a year ago, off camera, and he too seemed very comfortable about his position which is similar to yours.
And if you are so comfortable with your position about the lack of nuclear armament and the facilities that the IAEA is talking about, why not let inspectors completely come in? Open the door let them come in and see what you have.
Larijani: Well the mechanism that the gentleman addressed is not complete because first of all there is no single secret installment or activity which is concealed from the agency.
Secondly, two years ago we asked the agency tell us all the questions you have and he managed to put to us six groups of questions. The questions were raised by themselves not dictated by us. So one by one groups of inspectors came to Iran and we cleared them up and there is official letters from them this group has been finished then we moved to another one.
Well it doesn't make sense that every morning somebody says we guess there is some secret things done there. There should be foundation for this allegation. What do you mean the door should be open? They should ask where do you want to inspect? Did they want to inspect my bedroom or other places? I mean it doesn't make sense.
Barnicle: A few moments ago when you mentioned the nuclear programs of other nations I detected a definite edge in your voice when you mentioned the state of Israel. Do you fear an attack from the state of Israel on your nuclear facilities?
Larijani: Well I am beyond the fear. What is the difference between us and Israel? Israel has a bomb, not a member of NPT; it doesn't disclose anything to agency, nothing wrong with it. You see what the double standard is in here.
We are member of NPT, they periodically come to Iran, their cameras are there, we don't have the weapon then the whole pressure is put on us. No, not at all. We don't fear any attack from anyone. We take it serious in our calculation but we don't fear. There is a difference between that.
Mitchum: Given your tone again Sir when you talk about Israel, just a second ago why shouldn't we suspect that there would be ambitions for Iran to join the club of which Israel is a part with the nuclear arms?
Larijani: We are very advanced in the nuclear technology which is a matter of pride for us and that gentleman mentioned that we have plenty of gas and oil with all good calculations, the age of this is up to 20-25 period, 25 years from now.
It means that if we don't have it, then we should beg in front of the Western countries to light our houses and we know how bad they are treating us in this area. We are right now very happy that we have the first power plant, we know how to make the fuel. We already have more than 25 percent share of sodalite and erudite they don't give us a bit of this fuel that we need, even the twenty percent that we needed for Tehran.
Haass: It's important to keep in mind we are not talking about an established democracy that treats its own people with respect, we are talking about a country also that is the largest state sponsor of terrorism in the world. So this is obvious and understandable concern about what Iran is doing.
Larijani: In terms of record I think United States of America is the largest and the greatest country supporting terrorism. The records of terrorist activity which is supported by the tax money of these people is enormous, I can go one by one.
Barnicle: Wait a minute. This is a free country. And part of our gift is we have the liberty and the freedom to say anything and to sound foolish, to sound absurd, to sound smart. That's absurd saying that America is the biggest terrorist nation in the world.
My question to you Sir is, you seem like a really nice guy, alright, why doesn't your country be a better neighbor?
Larijani: We have fantastic relations with all of our neighbors...
Barnicle: Really? [laughing]
Larijani: Definitely, but the policy of demonizing Iran, a very important policy which is pursued in the region- well it has its own benefit.
Barnicle But it's just in little things, like the American tourists cross the border, supposedly cross the border, you grab them, you scoop them, you hold them for months on end. Why?
Larijani: This is a very simple question I answered before; suppose the security of your people...
Barnicle You're here...
Larijani: No, I'm here with visa- It's quite different. [Suppose] The security of the United States' people, on a patrol with Mexico elsewhere they pick 3 Iranians and ask them why are you here? They say well we are just walking in the desert.
Well, with the whole hostility and suspicion which is between the two countries, you are in here to blow up somewhere definitely they will be put into jail for years if not in Guantanamo, they bring them somewhere else.
It took a lot of time that we convince- I was working on this case because they were like me from ... Berkeley. I talked with their families, managed to contact between them and their families when they were arrested- for their families to come to Iran to take the suspicion away.
This is very natural for security of people to suspect a cross bordering which is in the most volatile regional area of Iran- in which there is daily shooting over there.
Barnicle Ok. They're going to blow up the desert. What is the root? What do you think is the root of Iranian paranoia towards the United States and towards many of its neighbors?
What is the root of this paranoia? Is it the fear that we find out about your nuclear program?
Larijani: We don't have any paranoia about our neighbors. We are very suspicious of American paranoia with us. The question is what is wrong with Iran that this persistent hostility...
Barnicle: You have a track record of international terrorism.
Larijani: This is not true. We are ourselves the victim of international terrorism- terrorism in the area. Let me ask you, who was helping Al-Qaida and Taliban for years while we were at war with them in Afghanistan? The United States of America.
The money from the United States was pouring to Al-Qaida and Taliban- the idea was we should curb Iran by another religious front. Is it correct?
Haass: No it's not correct. The United States did support the Mujahidin; obviously in order to get rid of the Soviet... to say that the United States supported Al-Qaida is again preposterous- the fact is that Iran is supporting terrorism in Lebanon, it's supporting groups like Hezbollah, groups like Hamas; it is involved in Iraq; it is involved in Afghanistan.
Iran has basically become a regional power that is trying to destabilize many countries, trying to make them in some ways heavily influenced by Tehran and that is simply a fact of life- which again is one of the reasons the world is so concerned about Iranian nuclear program.
How do we know Iran will not become even more aggressive? How do we know that nuclear materials will not end in the hands of a group like Hezbollah? What do we see about Iran's track record that would lead us to believe that Iran in any way would be responsible with nuclear material?
This is a genuine concern and if you dismiss it as laughable Sir you are seriously underestimating not simply the American, not simply the Israeli, but I would suggest the world's concern over the direction your government is heading.
Larijani: The disastrous thing is the blind policy of the United States in supporting carte blanche renegade Israel which is the source of all tension in the region. If you call Hezbollah and Hamas terrorist groups- they are fighting to be given the permission to live. What about Israel?
Israel is involved in government sponsored terrorism. Kills anybody who thinks that it's not correct and deprives millions of people from basic tenures of life. 60 years of atrocity in that area is supported carte blanche by the US, this is even against the basic interests of that nation- they don't know it.
Mitchum:Sir do you recognize the right of Israel to exist?
Larijani: We recognize the rights of Jews, Christians and Muslims to live together in peace and tranquility- to create a racist regime in the middle of a land put the others out is like creating a small colony for the blacks and leave the rest for the whites.
Mitchum: Thank you for the answer.
Barnicle: The answer is no.
Larijani: No, the answer is not no. We respect any decision by Palestinians. We are not in a position to tell them what kind of state they [should] have. But they should be given the chance to decide.
MSNBC:This has been fascinating and a great picture window into the choices that Americans make when they're choosing their president and also a sense of what our Secretary of State and what our diplomats have to confront in dealing with when they're going out into the world and working with other countries.
It is extremely complicated and often conversations feel like they're going in circles because it's very hard to develop a common understanding or even a place where you can start engaging and I think this was an example of that. Mohammad Javad Larijani, thank you for coming on the show this morning.
20m:49s
14133
Speech to Basijis by Leader Ayatullah Khamenei - 28 November 2011 - ENGLISH
Supreme Leader’s Speech to Basijis
28/11/2011
The following is the full text of the speech delivered on November 28, 2011 by Ayatollah...
Supreme Leader’s Speech to Basijis
28/11/2011
The following is the full text of the speech delivered on November 28, 2011 by Ayatollah Khamenei the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution to a group of basijis from different parts of the country.
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, and peace and greetings upon our Master, Muhammad, and upon his immaculate household, especially the one remaining with Allah on earth.
I am grateful to Allah the Exalted who gave me the opportunity to attend this glorious and excellent meeting. I would like to ask the brothers and sisters who are standing around the square to sit down so that we can have a discussion.
Today has coincided with the first day of the month of Muharram. The identity and nature of Basij are in harmony with the identity of Muharram and Ashura. Basij is proud of being a follower of the school of Ashura. Of course Ashura is the peak of self-sacrifice. The issue of Ashura and what happened to Hussein ibn Ali (a.s.) and his loyal companions have been identified in the entire history and the entire world with self-sacrifice and selfless efforts in the way of God and for a divine cause. But the issue of Ashura is not limited to this. Yes, self-sacrifice and martyrdom are the most prominent and significant aspect of Ashura, but there are also other truths in Ashura. From the beginning of the movement in Medina, the seeds of knowledge and insight were sowed: this is one of the characteristics of the event that happened on Ashura. If a people lack insight, different things will not help them improve their conditions and solve their problems. Therefore, purity, identifying the opportunities, sowing the seeds of a growing historical movement - these are among the important characteristics of Ashura. The event did not end on the noon of Ashura. In fact a movement started in history from the noon of Ashura, a movement whose scope is still widening and expanding and it will continue expanding in the future as well. Imam Hussein (a.s.) brought whatever he had into the arena in order to promote the word of God and save mankind. These are some of the characteristics that one can identify in the event that happened on Ashura.
Basij is following the same path. It is continuing the same movement. It is pursuing the same goals. It is using the same tools and means. Basij is from among the people and it was established for the sake of the people. It was established in order to further the great movement of a mujahid nation. Basij is present in defense, science, art, construction of the country, politics, culture, helping oppressed and helpless people, production, technology, furthering different affairs of the country, sports, international arenas and all righteous actions. This is the movement of Basij: a popular movement for the people, in the hearts of the people, from among the people, from among different social classes, from among women and men - young and old - from different professions. That is to say, an organization was established which was hezbollahi in the real sense of the word.
Basij is political in nature, but it is not intoxicated by political and partisan activities. Basij is a mujahid organization, but it is not without discipline. It is not radical. Basij is deeply pious and religious, but it is not rigid and superstitious. Basij is insightful, but it is not self-centered. Basij is inclusive - and I have recommended maximum inclusion - but it will not compromise principles. Basij is brave. It is the guardian of principles. Basij is a supporter of science, but it is not intoxicated with science. Basij enjoys Islamic characteristics and it is not hypocritical. Basij is involved in improving the world, but it does not have materialistic tendencies. And this is a culture.
The basiji culture includes the knowledge, methods and behaviors which can give rise to great things that guarantee the permanent Islamic movement of a nation on a straight path. This is a school of thought and it is not just an abstract concept: it has a manifestation in the real world. The movement of Basij changed the destiny of Iran and it even went beyond changing the destiny of Iran. From the first day, basijis continued their activities in different revolutionary arenas before and after the Revolution and their movement became permanent. It became a model. It went down in history in the name of the Iranian nation. Today the youth of New York and California are repeating the slogans of the people of Egypt and Tunisia. They are inspired by these nations and they do not deny this. And the youth of Egypt and Tunisia were inspired by Hezbollah, Hamas and Islamic Jihad and they did not hide this. Basijis who were deployed by our magnanimous Imam (r.a.) started this inspiration in the modern world. Everybody learnt how to defeat the icons of materialistic power from our Imam\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s basijis and from our disabled war veterans, soldiers and selfless people. They learnt how to break idols in the name of God. They leant how to stand firm and how to resist.
Today the existence, movement and goals of Basij make us familiar with these truths. By relying on this culture, these teachings and this spirit, the Islamic Revolution and the revolutionary Iranian nation managed to accomplish many things which were considered impossible and this movement will continue. The hostility of the enemies cannot affect this. Of course the enemy will continue its hostility. We must not have any doubts in this regard. In fact an enemy should not be expected to behave otherwise. However, when we consider the great movement of the Iranian nation from the beginning of the Revolution to the present day, we see that there is a clear path. The Iranian nation is moving forward. It is moving towards the peak. It continues overcoming different challenges in different arenas and the enemies are forced to back down in this confrontation. With this movement, the Iranian nation will definitely achieve victory.
Today Islamic movements and uprisings are being witnessed throughout Islamic and Arab regions. This is exactly what has been expected since thirty years ago by those who were familiar with the nature of the Revolution. And in anticipation of such a thing, the enemies of the Revolution were trembling with fear for thirty years. They lived in fear of the events that have already happened today. Those who were hatching plots against the Islamic Revolution predicted such events and they happened. These events will continue and they will not stop.
Today Muslim people have risen up in the Arab region. They have become aware. They have awakened. The enemies cannot suppress them. They cannot change their path. The movement has already started and it has affected the conditions of the world. The movements that you see today in the western world - in America and in Europe - are indicative of great changes that the world will witness in the future.
We are not surprised by the response of the enemies. We are not surprised by the threats they make, the sanctions they impose and what the arrogant countries have been doing against the Islamic Republic during this time. They know that the Islamic Republic was the source of this movement. They know that it is the resistance of the Iranian nation that has managed to promote the idea in the region that it is possible to stand up against the power of the arrogant powers. The arrogant powers have always resolved their problems through intimidation. They intimidate nations and their leaders. When this technique is revealed and when nations realize that the power of the arrogant countries is superficial and not genuine, the arrogant powers will lose this weapon. And this is what has happened today. Therefore, they are angry and they pressure the Islamic Republic.
Of course they wrongly accuse the Islamic Republic of having started these movements. This is a baseless accusation. There is no need for such actions. The Islamic Republic has been inspirational because of its permanence, resistance and sincerity on this path - and the Iranian nation proved that it is sincere on this path. This inspiration is still there. Nations have awakened and they have found their path. And the enemies are continuing their hostility. Of course these hostilities create certain challenges. The Iranian nation is used to confronting such challenges. By Allah\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s favor, we will overcome all the challenges that the enemies create and we will achieve victory. Allah the Exalted has pre-ordained the establishment of brilliant Islamic truths in the world and He has also pre-ordained victory for the Iranian nation and ultimately for the Islamic Ummah.
I hope Allah the Exalted will bless all our people, our basijis and all our youth and government officials with the opportunity to continue this path. Everybody should know that they are responsible in these areas. All our government officials and people should know this. The people are present in the arena. The people are completely prepared in different areas and our government officials should appreciate our people and their preparedness. Our government officials should carry out their responsibilities in the three branches of government in the best possible way so that our nation can move forward in a coherent way.
Undoubtedly these Islamic movements around the world of Islam are permanent and progressive movements. Nations are awakening one after the other. The puppets of the arrogant powers will leave the scene one after the other and by Allah\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s favor, the power and glory of Islam will increase on a daily basis.
Dear God, help us be worthy of these great blessings. Make us be thankful for these great blessings. Dear God, enlighten our hearts with the light of Your love and knowledge and with the love and knowledge of your saints. Make us benefit from the prayers of the Imam of the Age (may our souls be sacrificed for his sake).
Greetings be upon you and Allah\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s mercy and blessings
11m:17s
25735
Noroz Message of Iran Supreme leader Sayyed Ali Khamenei - Farwardin...
[English] Noroz Messege of Iran Supreme leader Sayyed Ali Khamenei - Farwardin 1391
Leader Reiterates Significance of Iran\\\\\\\'s Economic...
[English] Noroz Messege of Iran Supreme leader Sayyed Ali Khamenei - Farwardin 1391
Leader Reiterates Significance of Iran\\\\\\\'s Economic Progress in New Year
TEHRAN (FNA)- Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei named the new Iranian year as the \\\\\\\"Year of National Production, Supporting Iranian Labor and Capital\\\\\\\", and once again underlined the importance of efforts to bolster the country\\\\\\\'s economic progress.
In a televised address on the occasion of the advent of the Iranian New Year on Tuesday, Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei extends his congratulatory message in the early hours of the Persian calendar year of 1391.
Ayatollah Khamenei said \\\\\\\"Economic Jihad\\\\\\\", which was the slogan of the previous year, is never-ending, adding that one important aspect of economic issues is \\\\\\\"domestic production.\\\\\\\"
The Leader said if domestic production prospers, most of the enemies\\\\\\\' efforts will undoubtedly fail.
Ayatollah Khamenei said the prosperity of national production is the key to resolving the problems of inflation and unemployment and will strengthen domestic economy.
The Leader further lauded the country\\\\\\\'s great accomplishments during the previous year, saying that the past year was eventful for the world, the region and Iran.
\\\\\\\"What one witnesses is that these events generally were to Iran\\\\\\\'s benefit and conductive to the [country\\\\\\\'s] objectives. Those in Western countries who pursue malevolent objectives against Iran and Iranians are having various problems.\\\\\\\"
\\\\\\\"Those countries in the region that the Islamic Republic has always supported have achieved great goals, [some] dictators were overthrown and constitutions based on Islam were passed in some countries,\\\\\\\" the Leader stated.
\\\\\\\"The number one enemy of the Islamic Ummah (community) and the Iranian nation, namely the Zionist regime has been surrounded,\\\\\\\" the Leader added.
Ayatollah Khamenei said Iran\\\\\\\'s enemies started their hostile measures against the country from the beginning of the previous year, and the Iranian nation, officials, people could counter these sanctions by adopting prudent measures.
12m:59s
31721
[21 April 2012] Sudans in Conflict - News Analysis - Presstv - English
[21 April 2012] Sudans in Conflict - News Analysis - Presstv - English
Tensions between Sudan and South Sudan reach unprecedented levels after...
[21 April 2012] Sudans in Conflict - News Analysis - Presstv - English
Tensions between Sudan and South Sudan reach unprecedented levels after South Sudan captured Heglig, an oil-rich border region in Sudan. Juba claims Heglig is part of its territory. President Omar al-Bashir says it's time he liberate South Sudan from its rulers. Is the region on the verge of an all-out war?
25m:32s
6186
Al Saud tries to scare Sunni population - English
Tens of thousands of Saudi Arabian protesters have held a demonstration against the Al Saud regime in the Qatif region of oil-rich Eastern...
Tens of thousands of Saudi Arabian protesters have held a demonstration against the Al Saud regime in the Qatif region of oil-rich Eastern Province.
The protester chanted slogans against the Al Saud regime, calling for its downfall. The mass rally comes a few days after Saudi forces killed at least three protesters in the region.
The oil-rich eastern province has been the scene of protests after the forceful detention of a prominent Shia cleric. Sheikh Nemr al-Nemr was wounded in an attack on his car and then arrested by Saudi forces. The Eastern Province has been the epicenter of anti-regime protests since last year. The protesters demand the release of political prisoners and social justice.
4m:23s
5194
[11 July 2012] Al Saud tries to scare Sunni population - English
[11 July 2012] Al Saud tries to scare Sunni population - English
Tens of thousands of Saudi Arabian protesters have held a demonstration against...
[11 July 2012] Al Saud tries to scare Sunni population - English
Tens of thousands of Saudi Arabian protesters have held a demonstration against the Al Saud regime in the Qatif region of oil-rich Eastern Province.
The protester chanted slogans against the Al Saud regime, calling for its downfall. The mass rally comes a few days after Saudi forces killed at least three protesters in the region.
The oil-rich eastern province has been the scene of protests after the forceful detention of a prominent Shia cleric. Sheikh Nemr al-Nemr was wounded in an attack on his car and then arrested by Saudi forces. The Eastern Province has been the epicenter of anti-regime protests since last year. The protesters demand the release of political prisoners and social justice.
Press TV has conducted an interview with Ali Al Ahmed, director of the Institute for [Persian] Gulf Affairs (IGA) in Washington, to further discuss the issue.
4m:23s
8373
A statement by Libral MP Jim karygiannis - Toronto Protest for Rohingya...
A statement of libral MP Jim karygiannis was read out by his associate at Queens Park 25AUG2012 Toronto Protest for the Genocide committed against...
A statement of libral MP Jim karygiannis was read out by his associate at Queens Park 25AUG2012 Toronto Protest for the Genocide committed against the Rohingya's Muslims in Burma (Myanmar) by Rakhine Buddhist Extremist Elements and the racist security forces. protest was organized by The Rohingya Association of Canada.
The Rohingya Association of Canada requests the Canadian Government to:
1. Take urgent action at the UN Security Council to address the humanitarian crisis in Burma in order to pressure the Burmese regime to stop all atrocities against the Rohingyas.
2. Call on the United Nations to:
• Deploy an international panel of observers to monitor the volatile region.
• Investigate human rights abuses and the murder of innocent Muslims in Burma.
3. Direct Canada's Department of External Affairs to urge the Bangladeshi government to:
• Open Bangladesh borders to the Rohingyas fleeing sectarian violence and abuses by the Burmese security forces in Arakan State in western Myanmar.
• Immediately lift restrictions on international organizations providing aid to more than 200,000 Rohingyas in Bangladesh.
The Rohingya Association of Canada demands the following from the Burmese Government:
1. Independent international commission of inquiry must be allowed to probe current Arakan crisis and bring the perpetrators to justice.
2. Allow international relief organizations to provide open access to the region and distribute urgently needed humanitarian aid to the victims.
3. Provide security for the Rohingya who are at the mercy of Rakhine extremist elements and the racist security forces.
4. Allow fair and balanced coverage of the situation by the mainstream media.
5. Repeal the unjust 1982 Citizenship Law that aimed to cleanse Rohingya from Arakan and Burma, and restore their full rights as Burmese citizens as it was before 1962
6. Government & International Organization should help rebuild the houses, businesses and places of worship of the Rohingyas.
7. Rohingyas should be allowed back to the land they owned in order to prevent illegal settlers from occupying and taking it away.
for more info contact EMAIL:
[email protected]
4m:30s
6327
Speech by Mufti Abdul Qayyum- Toronto Protest for Rohingya Muslims -...
A statement of libral MP Jim karygiannis was read out by his associate at Queens Park 25AUG2012 Toronto Protest for the Genocide committed against...
A statement of libral MP Jim karygiannis was read out by his associate at Queens Park 25AUG2012 Toronto Protest for the Genocide committed against the Rohingya's Muslims in Burma (Myanmar) by Rakhine Buddhist Extremist Elements and the racist security forces. protest was organized by The Rohingya Association of Canada.
The Rohingya Association of Canada requests the Canadian Government to:
1. Take urgent action at the UN Security Council to address the humanitarian crisis in Burma in order to pressure the Burmese regime to stop all atrocities against the Rohingyas.
2. Call on the United Nations to:
• Deploy an international panel of observers to monitor the volatile region.
• Investigate human rights abuses and the murder of innocent Muslims in Burma.
3. Direct Canada's Department of External Affairs to urge the Bangladeshi government to:
• Open Bangladesh borders to the Rohingyas fleeing sectarian violence and abuses by the Burmese security forces in Arakan State in western Myanmar.
• Immediately lift restrictions on international organizations providing aid to more than 200,000 Rohingyas in Bangladesh.
The Rohingya Association of Canada demands the following from the Burmese Government:
1. Independent international commission of inquiry must be allowed to probe current Arakan crisis and bring the perpetrators to justice.
2. Allow international relief organizations to provide open access to the region and distribute urgently needed humanitarian aid to the victims.
3. Provide security for the Rohingya who are at the mercy of Rakhine extremist elements and the racist security forces.
4. Allow fair and balanced coverage of the situation by the mainstream media.
5. Repeal the unjust 1982 Citizenship Law that aimed to cleanse Rohingya from Arakan and Burma, and restore their full rights as Burmese citizens as it was before 1962
6. Government & International Organization should help rebuild the houses, businesses and places of worship of the Rohingyas.
7. Rohingyas should be allowed back to the land they owned in order to prevent illegal settlers from occupying and taking it away.
for more info contact EMAIL:
[email protected]
7m:2s
6820
Speech by Sister Amina Mughal- Toronto Protest for Rohingya Muslims -...
A statement of libral MP Jim karygiannis was read out by his associate at Queens Park 25AUG2012 Toronto Protest for the Genocide committed against...
A statement of libral MP Jim karygiannis was read out by his associate at Queens Park 25AUG2012 Toronto Protest for the Genocide committed against the Rohingya's Muslims in Burma (Myanmar) by Rakhine Buddhist Extremist Elements and the racist security forces. protest was organized by The Rohingya Association of Canada.
The Rohingya Association of Canada requests the Canadian Government to:
1. Take urgent action at the UN Security Council to address the humanitarian crisis in Burma in order to pressure the Burmese regime to stop all atrocities against the Rohingyas.
2. Call on the United Nations to:
• Deploy an international panel of observers to monitor the volatile region.
• Investigate human rights abuses and the murder of innocent Muslims in Burma.
3. Direct Canada's Department of External Affairs to urge the Bangladeshi government to:
• Open Bangladesh borders to the Rohingyas fleeing sectarian violence and abuses by the Burmese security forces in Arakan State in western Myanmar.
• Immediately lift restrictions on international organizations providing aid to more than 200,000 Rohingyas in Bangladesh.
The Rohingya Association of Canada demands the following from the Burmese Government:
1. Independent international commission of inquiry must be allowed to probe current Arakan crisis and bring the perpetrators to justice.
2. Allow international relief organizations to provide open access to the region and distribute urgently needed humanitarian aid to the victims.
3. Provide security for the Rohingya who are at the mercy of Rakhine extremist elements and the racist security forces.
4. Allow fair and balanced coverage of the situation by the mainstream media.
5. Repeal the unjust 1982 Citizenship Law that aimed to cleanse Rohingya from Arakan and Burma, and restore their full rights as Burmese citizens as it was before 1962
6. Government & International Organization should help rebuild the houses, businesses and places of worship of the Rohingyas.
7. Rohingyas should be allowed back to the land they owned in order to prevent illegal settlers from occupying and taking it away.
for more info contact EMAIL:
[email protected]
5m:15s
6649
A Poem (Cry for Burmese Muslims) by Fatima Zainab - Toronto...
A statement of libral MP Jim karygiannis was read out by his associate at Queens Park 25AUG2012 Toronto Protest for the Genocide committed against...
A statement of libral MP Jim karygiannis was read out by his associate at Queens Park 25AUG2012 Toronto Protest for the Genocide committed against the Rohingya's Muslims in Burma (Myanmar) by Rakhine Buddhist Extremist Elements and the racist security forces. protest was organized by The Rohingya Association of Canada.
The Rohingya Association of Canada requests the Canadian Government to:
1. Take urgent action at the UN Security Council to address the humanitarian crisis in Burma in order to pressure the Burmese regime to stop all atrocities against the Rohingyas.
2. Call on the United Nations to:
• Deploy an international panel of observers to monitor the volatile region.
• Investigate human rights abuses and the murder of innocent Muslims in Burma.
3. Direct Canada's Department of External Affairs to urge the Bangladeshi government to:
• Open Bangladesh borders to the Rohingyas fleeing sectarian violence and abuses by the Burmese security forces in Arakan State in western Myanmar.
• Immediately lift restrictions on international organizations providing aid to more than 200,000 Rohingyas in Bangladesh.
The Rohingya Association of Canada demands the following from the Burmese Government:
1. Independent international commission of inquiry must be allowed to probe current Arakan crisis and bring the perpetrators to justice.
2. Allow international relief organizations to provide open access to the region and distribute urgently needed humanitarian aid to the victims.
3. Provide security for the Rohingya who are at the mercy of Rakhine extremist elements and the racist security forces.
4. Allow fair and balanced coverage of the situation by the mainstream media.
5. Repeal the unjust 1982 Citizenship Law that aimed to cleanse Rohingya from Arakan and Burma, and restore their full rights as Burmese citizens as it was before 1962
6. Government & International Organization should help rebuild the houses, businesses and places of worship of the Rohingyas.
7. Rohingyas should be allowed back to the land they owned in order to prevent illegal settlers from occupying and taking it away.
for more info contact EMAIL:
[email protected]
3m:13s
7864
[AL-QUDS 2012][AQC] Portland, OR USA : Glimpses of Al-Quds Day Protest -...
All the efforts were made by local organizing committees of the respective cities.
Nationally coordinated and organized by Al-Quds Committee....
All the efforts were made by local organizing committees of the respective cities.
Nationally coordinated and organized by Al-Quds Committee.
For more details, please visit : freealquds.org
Resolutions - International Day of Al-Quds:
The following Resolutions are intended to be read out at your event.
This peaceful representative gathering of freedom and justice-loving individuals from various faiths passes the following twelve resolutions:
1. We demand an immediate end to the 60 year occupation of Palestinian land by the criminal barbaric and terrorist Zionist regime and we support the return of millions of Palestinians who have been forced to live in refugee camps.
2. We support the Palestinians right of self-determination and to be governed by whoever they choose in a free and fair election.
3. We announce our boycott of corporations that support the Apartheid Zionist Regime and its heinous crimes, through their investments.
4. We demand an immediate release of over 10,000 political prisoners, the innocent being held in Zionist jails, especially women and children.
5. We respect Judaism but denounce Zionism as a racist, hateful and oppressive philosophy based on expulsion, oppression and occupation of the native population of Palestine.
6. We demand an immediate end to the siege of Gaza where innocent civilians, men, women and children, are living in poverty and suffering from malnutrition and disease, due to lack of employment, food, medicines and electricity.
7. We denounce the mainstream media for its biased coverage of the conflict, and for depicting the oppressive, criminal Zionist Regime as the victim; and the true owners of the land as "oppressors".
8. We completely reject: the effort to equate Zionism with Judaism. We also reject: the effort to equate condemnation of the Zionist state with anti-Semitism. We will not be intimidated by this bogus spin. This effort has been opposed and rejected by the truly religious Torah-abiding Jews.
9. We completely reject the Zionist justification of settlement and occupation, in the name of racial superiority, and we support the right of all victims of the Zionist Regime, including the injured, the prisoners and the refugees, to bring the Zionists war criminals to justice in a just court of Law.
10. We demand an immediate end to the biased and prejudiced attitude of the US administration in supporting the Apartheid regime under the influence of the Zionist lobbies in politics and media. We demand that our tax dollars and resources be focused on resolving the issues in our countries rather than funding the occupation and the war crimes of the Zionist Apartheid regime.
11. We demand an immediate and peaceful dismantling of the Zionist Regime, and call for a referendum with participation from the Christians, Jews and Muslims within the present day illegal borders of the Zionist Regime, as well as participation from Palestinians within the occupied territories and refugee camps scattered across the entire region, in order that they can decide their own fate. Without this dismantling of the cancerous Apartheid system of the Zionist Regime, there can be no peace in the region.
12. We demand that the Great Al-Aqsa Mosque be freed from the clutches of the Zionist Regime, and furthermore, we completely reject any and all Zionist claims made on Al-Quds Jerusalem.
Despite the influence of Zionist lobbies around the world, especially in US, today the Zionist Regime is recognized as a criminal, barbaric, racist and apartheid state by the masses around the world. The number of people standing up for the oppressed people of Palestine continues to grow and all of us promise to continue to raise awareness and stand in solidarity with the innocent Palestinians.
Long Live Palestine!!!
2m:23s
13160
[AL-QUDS 2012][AQC] Seattle, WA USA : Glimpses of Al-Quds Day Protest -...
All the efforts were made by local organizing committees of the respective cities.
Nationally coordinated and organized by Al-Quds Committee....
All the efforts were made by local organizing committees of the respective cities.
Nationally coordinated and organized by Al-Quds Committee.
For more details, please visit : freealquds.org
Resolutions - International Day of Al-Quds:
The following Resolutions are intended to be read out at your event.
This peaceful representative gathering of freedom and justice-loving individuals from various faiths passes the following twelve resolutions:
1. We demand an immediate end to the 60 year occupation of Palestinian land by the criminal barbaric and terrorist Zionist regime and we support the return of millions of Palestinians who have been forced to live in refugee camps.
2. We support the Palestinians right of self-determination and to be governed by whoever they choose in a free and fair election.
3. We announce our boycott of corporations that support the Apartheid Zionist Regime and its heinous crimes, through their investments.
4. We demand an immediate release of over 10,000 political prisoners, the innocent being held in Zionist jails, especially women and children.
5. We respect Judaism but denounce Zionism as a racist, hateful and oppressive philosophy based on expulsion, oppression and occupation of the native population of Palestine.
6. We demand an immediate end to the siege of Gaza where innocent civilians, men, women and children, are living in poverty and suffering from malnutrition and disease, due to lack of employment, food, medicines and electricity.
7. We denounce the mainstream media for its biased coverage of the conflict, and for depicting the oppressive, criminal Zionist Regime as the victim; and the true owners of the land as "oppressors".
8. We completely reject: the effort to equate Zionism with Judaism. We also reject: the effort to equate condemnation of the Zionist state with anti-Semitism. We will not be intimidated by this bogus spin. This effort has been opposed and rejected by the truly religious Torah-abiding Jews.
9. We completely reject the Zionist justification of settlement and occupation, in the name of racial superiority, and we support the right of all victims of the Zionist Regime, including the injured, the prisoners and the refugees, to bring the Zionists war criminals to justice in a just court of Law.
10. We demand an immediate end to the biased and prejudiced attitude of the US administration in supporting the Apartheid regime under the influence of the Zionist lobbies in politics and media. We demand that our tax dollars and resources be focused on resolving the issues in our countries rather than funding the occupation and the war crimes of the Zionist Apartheid regime.
11. We demand an immediate and peaceful dismantling of the Zionist Regime, and call for a referendum with participation from the Christians, Jews and Muslims within the present day illegal borders of the Zionist Regime, as well as participation from Palestinians within the occupied territories and refugee camps scattered across the entire region, in order that they can decide their own fate. Without this dismantling of the cancerous Apartheid system of the Zionist Regime, there can be no peace in the region.
12. We demand that the Great Al-Aqsa Mosque be freed from the clutches of the Zionist Regime, and furthermore, we completely reject any and all Zionist claims made on Al-Quds Jerusalem.
Despite the influence of Zionist lobbies around the world, especially in US, today the Zionist Regime is recognized as a criminal, barbaric, racist and apartheid state by the masses around the world. The number of people standing up for the oppressed people of Palestine continues to grow and all of us promise to continue to raise awareness and stand in solidarity with the innocent Palestinians.
Long Live Palestine!!!
3m:33s
12042
[AL-QUDS 2012][AQC] Detroit, MI USA : Glimpses of Al-Quds Day Protest -...
All the efforts were made by local organizing committees of the respective cities.
Nationally coordinated and organized by Al-Quds Committee....
All the efforts were made by local organizing committees of the respective cities.
Nationally coordinated and organized by Al-Quds Committee.
For more details, please visit : freealquds.org
Resolutions - International Day of Al-Quds:
The following Resolutions are intended to be read out at your event.
This peaceful representative gathering of freedom and justice-loving individuals from various faiths passes the following twelve resolutions:
1. We demand an immediate end to the 60 year occupation of Palestinian land by the criminal barbaric and terrorist Zionist regime and we support the return of millions of Palestinians who have been forced to live in refugee camps.
2. We support the Palestinians right of self-determination and to be governed by whoever they choose in a free and fair election.
3. We announce our boycott of corporations that support the Apartheid Zionist Regime and its heinous crimes, through their investments.
4. We demand an immediate release of over 10,000 political prisoners, the innocent being held in Zionist jails, especially women and children.
5. We respect Judaism but denounce Zionism as a racist, hateful and oppressive philosophy based on expulsion, oppression and occupation of the native population of Palestine.
6. We demand an immediate end to the siege of Gaza where innocent civilians, men, women and children, are living in poverty and suffering from malnutrition and disease, due to lack of employment, food, medicines and electricity.
7. We denounce the mainstream media for its biased coverage of the conflict, and for depicting the oppressive, criminal Zionist Regime as the victim; and the true owners of the land as "oppressors".
8. We completely reject: the effort to equate Zionism with Judaism. We also reject: the effort to equate condemnation of the Zionist state with anti-Semitism. We will not be intimidated by this bogus spin. This effort has been opposed and rejected by the truly religious Torah-abiding Jews.
9. We completely reject the Zionist justification of settlement and occupation, in the name of racial superiority, and we support the right of all victims of the Zionist Regime, including the injured, the prisoners and the refugees, to bring the Zionists war criminals to justice in a just court of Law.
10. We demand an immediate end to the biased and prejudiced attitude of the US administration in supporting the Apartheid regime under the influence of the Zionist lobbies in politics and media. We demand that our tax dollars and resources be focused on resolving the issues in our countries rather than funding the occupation and the war crimes of the Zionist Apartheid regime.
11. We demand an immediate and peaceful dismantling of the Zionist Regime, and call for a referendum with participation from the Christians, Jews and Muslims within the present day illegal borders of the Zionist Regime, as well as participation from Palestinians within the occupied territories and refugee camps scattered across the entire region, in order that they can decide their own fate. Without this dismantling of the cancerous Apartheid system of the Zionist Regime, there can be no peace in the region.
12. We demand that the Great Al-Aqsa Mosque be freed from the clutches of the Zionist Regime, and furthermore, we completely reject any and all Zionist claims made on Al-Quds Jerusalem.
Despite the influence of Zionist lobbies around the world, especially in US, today the Zionist Regime is recognized as a criminal, barbaric, racist and apartheid state by the masses around the world. The number of people standing up for the oppressed people of Palestine continues to grow and all of us promise to continue to raise awareness and stand in solidarity with the innocent Palestinians.
Long Live Palestine!!!
5m:54s
13207
[AL-QUDS 2012][AQC] NewYork, NY USA : Glimpses of Al-Quds Day Protest -...
All the efforts were made by local organizing committees of the respective cities.
Nationally coordinated and organized by Al-Quds Committee....
All the efforts were made by local organizing committees of the respective cities.
Nationally coordinated and organized by Al-Quds Committee.
For more details, please visit : freealquds.org
Resolutions - International Day of Al-Quds:
The following Resolutions are intended to be read out at your event.
This peaceful representative gathering of freedom and justice-loving individuals from various faiths passes the following twelve resolutions:
1. We demand an immediate end to the 60 year occupation of Palestinian land by the criminal barbaric and terrorist Zionist regime and we support the return of millions of Palestinians who have been forced to live in refugee camps.
2. We support the Palestinians right of self-determination and to be governed by whoever they choose in a free and fair election.
3. We announce our boycott of corporations that support the Apartheid Zionist Regime and its heinous crimes, through their investments.
4. We demand an immediate release of over 10,000 political prisoners, the innocent being held in Zionist jails, especially women and children.
5. We respect Judaism but denounce Zionism as a racist, hateful and oppressive philosophy based on expulsion, oppression and occupation of the native population of Palestine.
6. We demand an immediate end to the siege of Gaza where innocent civilians, men, women and children, are living in poverty and suffering from malnutrition and disease, due to lack of employment, food, medicines and electricity.
7. We denounce the mainstream media for its biased coverage of the conflict, and for depicting the oppressive, criminal Zionist Regime as the victim; and the true owners of the land as "oppressors".
8. We completely reject: the effort to equate Zionism with Judaism. We also reject: the effort to equate condemnation of the Zionist state with anti-Semitism. We will not be intimidated by this bogus spin. This effort has been opposed and rejected by the truly religious Torah-abiding Jews.
9. We completely reject the Zionist justification of settlement and occupation, in the name of racial superiority, and we support the right of all victims of the Zionist Regime, including the injured, the prisoners and the refugees, to bring the Zionists war criminals to justice in a just court of Law.
10. We demand an immediate end to the biased and prejudiced attitude of the US administration in supporting the Apartheid regime under the influence of the Zionist lobbies in politics and media. We demand that our tax dollars and resources be focused on resolving the issues in our countries rather than funding the occupation and the war crimes of the Zionist Apartheid regime.
11. We demand an immediate and peaceful dismantling of the Zionist Regime, and call for a referendum with participation from the Christians, Jews and Muslims within the present day illegal borders of the Zionist Regime, as well as participation from Palestinians within the occupied territories and refugee camps scattered across the entire region, in order that they can decide their own fate. Without this dismantling of the cancerous Apartheid system of the Zionist Regime, there can be no peace in the region.
12. We demand that the Great Al-Aqsa Mosque be freed from the clutches of the Zionist Regime, and furthermore, we completely reject any and all Zionist claims made on Al-Quds Jerusalem.
Despite the influence of Zionist lobbies around the world, especially in US, today the Zionist Regime is recognized as a criminal, barbaric, racist and apartheid state by the masses around the world. The number of people standing up for the oppressed people of Palestine continues to grow and all of us promise to continue to raise awareness and stand in solidarity with the innocent Palestinians.
Long Live Palestine!!!
2m:19s
12541
[AL-QUDS 2012][AQC] Chicago, IL USA : Glimpses of Al-Quds Day Protest -...
All the efforts were made by local organizing committees of the respective cities.
Nationally coordinated and organized by Al-Quds Committee....
All the efforts were made by local organizing committees of the respective cities.
Nationally coordinated and organized by Al-Quds Committee.
For more details, please visit : freealquds.org
Resolutions - International Day of Al-Quds:
The following Resolutions are intended to be read out at your event.
This peaceful representative gathering of freedom and justice-loving individuals from various faiths passes the following twelve resolutions:
1. We demand an immediate end to the 60 year occupation of Palestinian land by the criminal barbaric and terrorist Zionist regime and we support the return of millions of Palestinians who have been forced to live in refugee camps.
2. We support the Palestinians right of self-determination and to be governed by whoever they choose in a free and fair election.
3. We announce our boycott of corporations that support the Apartheid Zionist Regime and its heinous crimes, through their investments.
4. We demand an immediate release of over 10,000 political prisoners, the innocent being held in Zionist jails, especially women and children.
5. We respect Judaism but denounce Zionism as a racist, hateful and oppressive philosophy based on expulsion, oppression and occupation of the native population of Palestine.
6. We demand an immediate end to the siege of Gaza where innocent civilians, men, women and children, are living in poverty and suffering from malnutrition and disease, due to lack of employment, food, medicines and electricity.
7. We denounce the mainstream media for its biased coverage of the conflict, and for depicting the oppressive, criminal Zionist Regime as the victim; and the true owners of the land as "oppressors".
8. We completely reject: the effort to equate Zionism with Judaism. We also reject: the effort to equate condemnation of the Zionist state with anti-Semitism. We will not be intimidated by this bogus spin. This effort has been opposed and rejected by the truly religious Torah-abiding Jews.
9. We completely reject the Zionist justification of settlement and occupation, in the name of racial superiority, and we support the right of all victims of the Zionist Regime, including the injured, the prisoners and the refugees, to bring the Zionists war criminals to justice in a just court of Law.
10. We demand an immediate end to the biased and prejudiced attitude of the US administration in supporting the Apartheid regime under the influence of the Zionist lobbies in politics and media. We demand that our tax dollars and resources be focused on resolving the issues in our countries rather than funding the occupation and the war crimes of the Zionist Apartheid regime.
11. We demand an immediate and peaceful dismantling of the Zionist Regime, and call for a referendum with participation from the Christians, Jews and Muslims within the present day illegal borders of the Zionist Regime, as well as participation from Palestinians within the occupied territories and refugee camps scattered across the entire region, in order that they can decide their own fate. Without this dismantling of the cancerous Apartheid system of the Zionist Regime, there can be no peace in the region.
12. We demand that the Great Al-Aqsa Mosque be freed from the clutches of the Zionist Regime, and furthermore, we completely reject any and all Zionist claims made on Al-Quds Jerusalem.
Despite the influence of Zionist lobbies around the world, especially in US, today the Zionist Regime is recognized as a criminal, barbaric, racist and apartheid state by the masses around the world. The number of people standing up for the oppressed people of Palestine continues to grow and all of us promise to continue to raise awareness and stand in solidarity with the innocent Palestinians.
Long Live Palestine!!!
4m:42s
12606
[AL-QUDS 2012][AQC] Tampa, FL USA : Glimpses of Al-Quds Day Protest - 17...
All the efforts were made by local organizing committees of the respective cities.
Nationally coordinated and organized by Al-Quds Committee....
All the efforts were made by local organizing committees of the respective cities.
Nationally coordinated and organized by Al-Quds Committee.
For more details, please visit : freealquds.org
Resolutions - International Day of Al-Quds:
The following Resolutions are intended to be read out at your event.
This peaceful representative gathering of freedom and justice-loving individuals from various faiths passes the following twelve resolutions:
1. We demand an immediate end to the 60 year occupation of Palestinian land by the criminal barbaric and terrorist Zionist regime and we support the return of millions of Palestinians who have been forced to live in refugee camps.
2. We support the Palestinians right of self-determination and to be governed by whoever they choose in a free and fair election.
3. We announce our boycott of corporations that support the Apartheid Zionist Regime and its heinous crimes, through their investments.
4. We demand an immediate release of over 10,000 political prisoners, the innocent being held in Zionist jails, especially women and children.
5. We respect Judaism but denounce Zionism as a racist, hateful and oppressive philosophy based on expulsion, oppression and occupation of the native population of Palestine.
6. We demand an immediate end to the siege of Gaza where innocent civilians, men, women and children, are living in poverty and suffering from malnutrition and disease, due to lack of employment, food, medicines and electricity.
7. We denounce the mainstream media for its biased coverage of the conflict, and for depicting the oppressive, criminal Zionist Regime as the victim; and the true owners of the land as "oppressors".
8. We completely reject: the effort to equate Zionism with Judaism. We also reject: the effort to equate condemnation of the Zionist state with anti-Semitism. We will not be intimidated by this bogus spin. This effort has been opposed and rejected by the truly religious Torah-abiding Jews.
9. We completely reject the Zionist justification of settlement and occupation, in the name of racial superiority, and we support the right of all victims of the Zionist Regime, including the injured, the prisoners and the refugees, to bring the Zionists war criminals to justice in a just court of Law.
10. We demand an immediate end to the biased and prejudiced attitude of the US administration in supporting the Apartheid regime under the influence of the Zionist lobbies in politics and media. We demand that our tax dollars and resources be focused on resolving the issues in our countries rather than funding the occupation and the war crimes of the Zionist Apartheid regime.
11. We demand an immediate and peaceful dismantling of the Zionist Regime, and call for a referendum with participation from the Christians, Jews and Muslims within the present day illegal borders of the Zionist Regime, as well as participation from Palestinians within the occupied territories and refugee camps scattered across the entire region, in order that they can decide their own fate. Without this dismantling of the cancerous Apartheid system of the Zionist Regime, there can be no peace in the region.
12. We demand that the Great Al-Aqsa Mosque be freed from the clutches of the Zionist Regime, and furthermore, we completely reject any and all Zionist claims made on Al-Quds Jerusalem.
Despite the influence of Zionist lobbies around the world, especially in US, today the Zionist Regime is recognized as a criminal, barbaric, racist and apartheid state by the masses around the world. The number of people standing up for the oppressed people of Palestine continues to grow and all of us promise to continue to raise awareness and stand in solidarity with the innocent Palestinians.
Long Live Palestine!!!
3m:2s
11965
[AL-QUDS 2012][AQC] Los Angeles, CA USA : Glimpses of Al-Quds Day...
All the efforts were made by local organizing committees of the respective cities.
Nationally coordinated and organized by Al-Quds Committee....
All the efforts were made by local organizing committees of the respective cities.
Nationally coordinated and organized by Al-Quds Committee.
For more details, please visit : freealquds.org
Resolutions - International Day of Al-Quds:
The following Resolutions are intended to be read out at your event.
This peaceful representative gathering of freedom and justice-loving individuals from various faiths passes the following twelve resolutions:
1. We demand an immediate end to the 60 year occupation of Palestinian land by the criminal barbaric and terrorist Zionist regime and we support the return of millions of Palestinians who have been forced to live in refugee camps.
2. We support the Palestinians right of self-determination and to be governed by whoever they choose in a free and fair election.
3. We announce our boycott of corporations that support the Apartheid Zionist Regime and its heinous crimes, through their investments.
4. We demand an immediate release of over 10,000 political prisoners, the innocent being held in Zionist jails, especially women and children.
5. We respect Judaism but denounce Zionism as a racist, hateful and oppressive philosophy based on expulsion, oppression and occupation of the native population of Palestine.
6. We demand an immediate end to the siege of Gaza where innocent civilians, men, women and children, are living in poverty and suffering from malnutrition and disease, due to lack of employment, food, medicines and electricity.
7. We denounce the mainstream media for its biased coverage of the conflict, and for depicting the oppressive, criminal Zionist Regime as the victim; and the true owners of the land as "oppressors".
8. We completely reject: the effort to equate Zionism with Judaism. We also reject: the effort to equate condemnation of the Zionist state with anti-Semitism. We will not be intimidated by this bogus spin. This effort has been opposed and rejected by the truly religious Torah-abiding Jews.
9. We completely reject the Zionist justification of settlement and occupation, in the name of racial superiority, and we support the right of all victims of the Zionist Regime, including the injured, the prisoners and the refugees, to bring the Zionists war criminals to justice in a just court of Law.
10. We demand an immediate end to the biased and prejudiced attitude of the US administration in supporting the Apartheid regime under the influence of the Zionist lobbies in politics and media. We demand that our tax dollars and resources be focused on resolving the issues in our countries rather than funding the occupation and the war crimes of the Zionist Apartheid regime.
11. We demand an immediate and peaceful dismantling of the Zionist Regime, and call for a referendum with participation from the Christians, Jews and Muslims within the present day illegal borders of the Zionist Regime, as well as participation from Palestinians within the occupied territories and refugee camps scattered across the entire region, in order that they can decide their own fate. Without this dismantling of the cancerous Apartheid system of the Zionist Regime, there can be no peace in the region.
12. We demand that the Great Al-Aqsa Mosque be freed from the clutches of the Zionist Regime, and furthermore, we completely reject any and all Zionist claims made on Al-Quds Jerusalem.
Despite the influence of Zionist lobbies around the world, especially in US, today the Zionist Regime is recognized as a criminal, barbaric, racist and apartheid state by the masses around the world. The number of people standing up for the oppressed people of Palestine continues to grow and all of us promise to continue to raise awareness and stand in solidarity with the innocent Palestinians.
Long Live Palestine!!!
2m:36s
11188
[AL-QUDS 2012][AQC] Atlanta, GA USA : Glimpses of Al-Quds Day Protest -...
All the efforts were made by local organizing committees of the respective cities.
Nationally coordinated and organized by Al-Quds Committee....
All the efforts were made by local organizing committees of the respective cities.
Nationally coordinated and organized by Al-Quds Committee.
For more details, please visit : freealquds.org
Resolutions - International Day of Al-Quds:
The following Resolutions are intended to be read out at your event.
This peaceful representative gathering of freedom and justice-loving individuals from various faiths passes the following twelve resolutions:
1. We demand an immediate end to the 60 year occupation of Palestinian land by the criminal barbaric and terrorist Zionist regime and we support the return of millions of Palestinians who have been forced to live in refugee camps.
2. We support the Palestinians right of self-determination and to be governed by whoever they choose in a free and fair election.
3. We announce our boycott of corporations that support the Apartheid Zionist Regime and its heinous crimes, through their investments.
4. We demand an immediate release of over 10,000 political prisoners, the innocent being held in Zionist jails, especially women and children.
5. We respect Judaism but denounce Zionism as a racist, hateful and oppressive philosophy based on expulsion, oppression and occupation of the native population of Palestine.
6. We demand an immediate end to the siege of Gaza where innocent civilians, men, women and children, are living in poverty and suffering from malnutrition and disease, due to lack of employment, food, medicines and electricity.
7. We denounce the mainstream media for its biased coverage of the conflict, and for depicting the oppressive, criminal Zionist Regime as the victim; and the true owners of the land as "oppressors".
8. We completely reject: the effort to equate Zionism with Judaism. We also reject: the effort to equate condemnation of the Zionist state with anti-Semitism. We will not be intimidated by this bogus spin. This effort has been opposed and rejected by the truly religious Torah-abiding Jews.
9. We completely reject the Zionist justification of settlement and occupation, in the name of racial superiority, and we support the right of all victims of the Zionist Regime, including the injured, the prisoners and the refugees, to bring the Zionists war criminals to justice in a just court of Law.
10. We demand an immediate end to the biased and prejudiced attitude of the US administration in supporting the Apartheid regime under the influence of the Zionist lobbies in politics and media. We demand that our tax dollars and resources be focused on resolving the issues in our countries rather than funding the occupation and the war crimes of the Zionist Apartheid regime.
11. We demand an immediate and peaceful dismantling of the Zionist Regime, and call for a referendum with participation from the Christians, Jews and Muslims within the present day illegal borders of the Zionist Regime, as well as participation from Palestinians within the occupied territories and refugee camps scattered across the entire region, in order that they can decide their own fate. Without this dismantling of the cancerous Apartheid system of the Zionist Regime, there can be no peace in the region.
12. We demand that the Great Al-Aqsa Mosque be freed from the clutches of the Zionist Regime, and furthermore, we completely reject any and all Zionist claims made on Al-Quds Jerusalem.
Despite the influence of Zionist lobbies around the world, especially in US, today the Zionist Regime is recognized as a criminal, barbaric, racist and apartheid state by the masses around the world. The number of people standing up for the oppressed people of Palestine continues to grow and all of us promise to continue to raise awareness and stand in solidarity with the innocent Palestinians.
Long Live Palestine!!!
4m:36s
11250
[AL-QUDS 2012][AQC] St. Louis, MO USA : Glimpses of Al-Quds Day Protest...
All the efforts were made by local organizing committees of the respective cities.
Nationally coordinated and organized by Al-Quds Committee....
All the efforts were made by local organizing committees of the respective cities.
Nationally coordinated and organized by Al-Quds Committee.
For more details, please visit : freealquds.org
Resolutions - International Day of Al-Quds:
The following Resolutions are intended to be read out at your event.
This peaceful representative gathering of freedom and justice-loving individuals from various faiths passes the following twelve resolutions:
1. We demand an immediate end to the 60 year occupation of Palestinian land by the criminal barbaric and terrorist Zionist regime and we support the return of millions of Palestinians who have been forced to live in refugee camps.
2. We support the Palestinians right of self-determination and to be governed by whoever they choose in a free and fair election.
3. We announce our boycott of corporations that support the Apartheid Zionist Regime and its heinous crimes, through their investments.
4. We demand an immediate release of over 10,000 political prisoners, the innocent being held in Zionist jails, especially women and children.
5. We respect Judaism but denounce Zionism as a racist, hateful and oppressive philosophy based on expulsion, oppression and occupation of the native population of Palestine.
6. We demand an immediate end to the siege of Gaza where innocent civilians, men, women and children, are living in poverty and suffering from malnutrition and disease, due to lack of employment, food, medicines and electricity.
7. We denounce the mainstream media for its biased coverage of the conflict, and for depicting the oppressive, criminal Zionist Regime as the victim; and the true owners of the land as "oppressors".
8. We completely reject: the effort to equate Zionism with Judaism. We also reject: the effort to equate condemnation of the Zionist state with anti-Semitism. We will not be intimidated by this bogus spin. This effort has been opposed and rejected by the truly religious Torah-abiding Jews.
9. We completely reject the Zionist justification of settlement and occupation, in the name of racial superiority, and we support the right of all victims of the Zionist Regime, including the injured, the prisoners and the refugees, to bring the Zionists war criminals to justice in a just court of Law.
10. We demand an immediate end to the biased and prejudiced attitude of the US administration in supporting the Apartheid regime under the influence of the Zionist lobbies in politics and media. We demand that our tax dollars and resources be focused on resolving the issues in our countries rather than funding the occupation and the war crimes of the Zionist Apartheid regime.
11. We demand an immediate and peaceful dismantling of the Zionist Regime, and call for a referendum with participation from the Christians, Jews and Muslims within the present day illegal borders of the Zionist Regime, as well as participation from Palestinians within the occupied territories and refugee camps scattered across the entire region, in order that they can decide their own fate. Without this dismantling of the cancerous Apartheid system of the Zionist Regime, there can be no peace in the region.
12. We demand that the Great Al-Aqsa Mosque be freed from the clutches of the Zionist Regime, and furthermore, we completely reject any and all Zionist claims made on Al-Quds Jerusalem.
Despite the influence of Zionist lobbies around the world, especially in US, today the Zionist Regime is recognized as a criminal, barbaric, racist and apartheid state by the masses around the world. The number of people standing up for the oppressed people of Palestine continues to grow and all of us promise to continue to raise awareness and stand in solidarity with the innocent Palestinians.
Long Live Palestine!!!
4m:44s
10830
[AL-QUDS 2012][AQC] Houston, TX USA : Glimpses of Al-Quds Day Protest -...
All the efforts were made by local organizing committees of the respective cities.
Nationally coordinated and organized by Al-Quds Committee....
All the efforts were made by local organizing committees of the respective cities.
Nationally coordinated and organized by Al-Quds Committee.
For more details, please visit : freealquds.org
Resolutions - International Day of Al-Quds:
The following Resolutions are intended to be read out at your event.
This peaceful representative gathering of freedom and justice-loving individuals from various faiths passes the following twelve resolutions:
1. We demand an immediate end to the 60 year occupation of Palestinian land by the criminal barbaric and terrorist Zionist regime and we support the return of millions of Palestinians who have been forced to live in refugee camps.
2. We support the Palestinians right of self-determination and to be governed by whoever they choose in a free and fair election.
3. We announce our boycott of corporations that support the Apartheid Zionist Regime and its heinous crimes, through their investments.
4. We demand an immediate release of over 10,000 political prisoners, the innocent being held in Zionist jails, especially women and children.
5. We respect Judaism but denounce Zionism as a racist, hateful and oppressive philosophy based on expulsion, oppression and occupation of the native population of Palestine.
6. We demand an immediate end to the siege of Gaza where innocent civilians, men, women and children, are living in poverty and suffering from malnutrition and disease, due to lack of employment, food, medicines and electricity.
7. We denounce the mainstream media for its biased coverage of the conflict, and for depicting the oppressive, criminal Zionist Regime as the victim; and the true owners of the land as "oppressors".
8. We completely reject: the effort to equate Zionism with Judaism. We also reject: the effort to equate condemnation of the Zionist state with anti-Semitism. We will not be intimidated by this bogus spin. This effort has been opposed and rejected by the truly religious Torah-abiding Jews.
9. We completely reject the Zionist justification of settlement and occupation, in the name of racial superiority, and we support the right of all victims of the Zionist Regime, including the injured, the prisoners and the refugees, to bring the Zionists war criminals to justice in a just court of Law.
10. We demand an immediate end to the biased and prejudiced attitude of the US administration in supporting the Apartheid regime under the influence of the Zionist lobbies in politics and media. We demand that our tax dollars and resources be focused on resolving the issues in our countries rather than funding the occupation and the war crimes of the Zionist Apartheid regime.
11. We demand an immediate and peaceful dismantling of the Zionist Regime, and call for a referendum with participation from the Christians, Jews and Muslims within the present day illegal borders of the Zionist Regime, as well as participation from Palestinians within the occupied territories and refugee camps scattered across the entire region, in order that they can decide their own fate. Without this dismantling of the cancerous Apartheid system of the Zionist Regime, there can be no peace in the region.
12. We demand that the Great Al-Aqsa Mosque be freed from the clutches of the Zionist Regime, and furthermore, we completely reject any and all Zionist claims made on Al-Quds Jerusalem.
Despite the influence of Zionist lobbies around the world, especially in US, today the Zionist Regime is recognized as a criminal, barbaric, racist and apartheid state by the masses around the world. The number of people standing up for the oppressed people of Palestine continues to grow and all of us promise to continue to raise awareness and stand in solidarity with the innocent Palestinians.
Long Live Palestine!!!
12m:8s
11659
[AL-QUDS 2012][AQC] Phoenix, AZ USA : Glimpses of Al-Quds Day Protest -...
All the efforts were made by local organizing committees of the respective cities.
Nationally coordinated and organized by Al-Quds Committee....
All the efforts were made by local organizing committees of the respective cities.
Nationally coordinated and organized by Al-Quds Committee.
For more details, please visit : freealquds.org
Resolutions - International Day of Al-Quds:
The following Resolutions are intended to be read out at your event.
This peaceful representative gathering of freedom and justice-loving individuals from various faiths passes the following twelve resolutions:
1. We demand an immediate end to the 60 year occupation of Palestinian land by the criminal barbaric and terrorist Zionist regime and we support the return of millions of Palestinians who have been forced to live in refugee camps.
2. We support the Palestinians right of self-determination and to be governed by whoever they choose in a free and fair election.
3. We announce our boycott of corporations that support the Apartheid Zionist Regime and its heinous crimes, through their investments.
4. We demand an immediate release of over 10,000 political prisoners, the innocent being held in Zionist jails, especially women and children.
5. We respect Judaism but denounce Zionism as a racist, hateful and oppressive philosophy based on expulsion, oppression and occupation of the native population of Palestine.
6. We demand an immediate end to the siege of Gaza where innocent civilians, men, women and children, are living in poverty and suffering from malnutrition and disease, due to lack of employment, food, medicines and electricity.
7. We denounce the mainstream media for its biased coverage of the conflict, and for depicting the oppressive, criminal Zionist Regime as the victim; and the true owners of the land as "oppressors".
8. We completely reject: the effort to equate Zionism with Judaism. We also reject: the effort to equate condemnation of the Zionist state with anti-Semitism. We will not be intimidated by this bogus spin. This effort has been opposed and rejected by the truly religious Torah-abiding Jews.
9. We completely reject the Zionist justification of settlement and occupation, in the name of racial superiority, and we support the right of all victims of the Zionist Regime, including the injured, the prisoners and the refugees, to bring the Zionists war criminals to justice in a just court of Law.
10. We demand an immediate end to the biased and prejudiced attitude of the US administration in supporting the Apartheid regime under the influence of the Zionist lobbies in politics and media. We demand that our tax dollars and resources be focused on resolving the issues in our countries rather than funding the occupation and the war crimes of the Zionist Apartheid regime.
11. We demand an immediate and peaceful dismantling of the Zionist Regime, and call for a referendum with participation from the Christians, Jews and Muslims within the present day illegal borders of the Zionist Regime, as well as participation from Palestinians within the occupied territories and refugee camps scattered across the entire region, in order that they can decide their own fate. Without this dismantling of the cancerous Apartheid system of the Zionist Regime, there can be no peace in the region.
12. We demand that the Great Al-Aqsa Mosque be freed from the clutches of the Zionist Regime, and furthermore, we completely reject any and all Zionist claims made on Al-Quds Jerusalem.
Despite the influence of Zionist lobbies around the world, especially in US, today the Zionist Regime is recognized as a criminal, barbaric, racist and apartheid state by the masses around the world. The number of people standing up for the oppressed people of Palestine continues to grow and all of us promise to continue to raise awareness and stand in solidarity with the innocent Palestinians.
Long Live Palestine!!!
4m:5s
10912
[30 Dec 2012]19+ Shia Martyred pilgrims in SUICIDE bus BOMBING in...
Asuicide bomber driving a vehicle packed with explosives rammed into a bus carrying Shia Muslim pilgrims in south-west Pakistan on Sunday, killing...
Asuicide bomber driving a vehicle packed with explosives rammed into a bus carrying Shia Muslim pilgrims in south-west Pakistan on Sunday, killing 19+ people, a government official and witnesses said.
Earlier on Sunday, 21 tribal policemen believed to have been kidnapped by the Taliban were found shot dead in Pakistan\\\\\\\'s troubled north-west tribal region, government officials said.
Pakistan has experienced a spike in killings over the past year by radical Sunni Muslims targeting Shias who they consider heretics. The violence has been especially pronounced in Baluchistan province, where the latest attack occurred.
In addition to the 19 people killed in the bombing in Baluchistan\\\\\\\'s Mastung district, 25 others were wounded, many of them critically, said Tufail Ahmed, a local political official. The blast completely destroyed the bus that was hit and damaged a second bus carrying Shias that was close by.
A witness who was travelling in the second bus told Pakistan\\\\\\\'s Geo TV the first bus contained over 40 pilgrims heading to neighbouring Iran, a popular religious tourism destination for Shias.
A second witness said the bomber rushed by in a truck, swerved in front of the first bus and braked suddenly. The bus slammed into the truck and then a big explosion occurred.
Shias make up around 15% of Pakistan\\\\\\\'s 190 million people. They are scattered around the country but the province of Baluchistan has the largest community, mainly made up of ethnic Hazaras, easily identified by their facial features which resemble those of Central Asians.
The 21 tribal policemen who were shot dead were found by officials early on Sunday, in the Jabai area of Frontier Region Peshawar after being notified by one policeman who escaped, said Naveed Akbar Khan, a top political official in the area. Another policeman was found seriously wounded, said Khan.
The 23 policemen went missing before dawn on Thursday, when militants armed with rocket-propelled grenades and automatic weapons attacked two posts in FRP. Two policemen were also killed in the attacks.
Militants lined the policemen up on a cricket pitch late on Saturday night and gunned them down, said another local official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to talk to the media.
Also on Sunday, two Pakistani soldiers were killed by a roadside bomb in the North Waziristan tribal area, the main sanctuary for Taliban and al-Qaida militants in the country, security officials said.
1m:5s
10693
[28 May 13] Afghans say US presence blamed for insecurity - English
In May 2012, Obama and Karzai signed a security pact that authorized the presence of US troops for a period of 10 years after 2014, which was the...
In May 2012, Obama and Karzai signed a security pact that authorized the presence of US troops for a period of 10 years after 2014, which was the original date agreed earlier for the departure of all foreign combat troops from Afghanistan.
Washington is also after signing a security deal with Kabul that will give foreign forces in Afghanistan immunity from prosecution among other terms. Meanwhile, on May 9 this year, Afghan President Hamid Karzai said Washington had demanded to keep several military bases across Afghanistan.
The pretext of the US and its allies for their presence in Afghanistan is to establish security in the region. But now after more than a decade of US invasion, Afghans still say the foreign presence has led to more insecurity in the region.
2m:24s
6137
[English Translation] Interview Bashar Al-Asad - President Syria on...
DAMASCUS, (SANA)-President Bashar al-Assad gave an interview to al-Manar TV broadcasted on Thursday,
Following is the full text of the...
DAMASCUS, (SANA)-President Bashar al-Assad gave an interview to al-Manar TV broadcasted on Thursday,
Following is the full text of the interview:
Al-Manar: In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful. Assalamu Alaikum. Bloodshed in Syria continues unabated. This is the only constant over which there is little disagreement between those loyal to the Syrian state and those opposed to it. However, there is no common ground over the other constants and details two years into the current crisis. At the time, a great deal was said about the imminent fall of the regime. Deadlines were set and missed; and all those bets were lost. Today, we are here in the heart of Damascus, enjoying the hospitality of a president who has become a source of consternation to many of his opponents who are still unable to understand the equations that have played havoc with their calculations and prevented his ouster from the Syrian political scene. This unpleasant and unexpected outcome for his opponents upset their schemes and plots because they didn’t take into account one self-evident question: what happens if the regime doesn’t fall? What if President Assad doesn’t leave the Syrian scene? Of course, there are no clear answers; and the result is more destruction, killing and bloodshed. Today there is talk of a critical juncture for Syria. The Syrian Army has moved from defense to attack, achieving one success after another. On a parallel level, stagnant diplomatic waters have been shaken by discussions over a Geneva 2 conference becoming a recurrent theme in the statements of all parties. There are many questions which need answers: political settlement, resorting to the military option to decide the outcome, the Israeli enemy’s direct interference with the course of events in the current crisis, the new equations on the Golan Heights, the relationship with opponents and friends. What is the Syrian leadership’s plan for a way out of a complex and dangerous crisis whose ramifications have started to spill over into neighboring countries? It is our great pleasure tonight to put these questions to H. E. President Bashar al-Assad. Assalamu Alaikum, Mr. President.
President Assad: Assalamu Alaikum. You are most welcome in Damascus.
Al-Manar: Mr. President, we are in the heart of the People’s Palace, two and a half years into the Syrian crisis. At the time, the bet was that the president and his regime would be overthrown within weeks. How have you managed to foil the plots of your opponents and enemies? What is the secret behind this steadfastness?
President Assad: There are a number of factors are involved. One is the Syrian factor, which thwarted their intentions; the other factor is related to those who masterminded these scenarios and ended up defeating themselves because they do not know Syria or understand in detail the situation. They started with the calls of revolution, but a real revolution requires tangible elements; you cannot create a revolution simply by paying money. When this approach failed, they shifted to using sectarian slogans in order to create a division within our society. Even though they were able to infiltrate certain pockets in Syrian society, pockets of ignorance and lack of awareness that exist in any society, they were not able to create this sectarian division. Had they succeeded, Syria would have been divided up from the beginning. They also fell into their own trap by trying to promote the notion that this was a struggle to maintain power rather than a struggle for national sovereignty. No one would fight and martyr themselves in order to secure power for anyone else.
Al-Manar: In the battle for the homeland, it seems that the Syrian leadership, and after two and a half years, is making progress on the battlefield. And here if I might ask you, why have you chosen to move from defense to attack? And don’t you think that you have been late in taking the decision to go on the offensive, and consequently incurred heavy losses, if we take of Al-Qseir as an example.
President Assad: It is not a question of defense or attack. Every battle has its own tactics. From the beginning, we did not deal with each situation from a military perspective alone. We also factored in the social and political aspects as well - many Syrians were misled in the beginning and there were many friendly countries that didn’t understand the domestic dynamics. Your actions will differ according to how much consensus there is over a particular issue. There is no doubt that as events have unfolded Syrians have been able to better understand the situation and what is really at stake. This has helped the Armed Forces to better carry out their duties and achieve results. So, what is happening now is not a shift in tactic from defense to attack, but rather a shift in the balance of power in favor of the Armed Forces.
Al-Manar: How has this balance been tipped, Mr. President? Syria is being criticized for asking for the assistance of foreign fighters, and to be fully candid, it is said that Hezbollah fighters are extending assistance. In a previous interview, you said that there are 23 million Syrians; we do not need help from anyone else. What is Hezbollah doing in Syria?
President Assad: The main reason for tipping the balance is the change in people’s opinion in areas that used to incubate armed groups, not necessarily due to lack of patriotism on their part, but because they were deceived. They were led to believe that there was a revolution against the failings of the state. This has changed; many individuals have left these terrorist groups and have returned to their normal lives. As to what is being said about Hezbollah and the participation of foreign fighters alongside the Syrian Army, this is a hugely important issue and has several factors. Each of these factors should be clearly understood. Hezbollah, the battle at Al-Qseir and the recent Israeli airstrike – these three factors cannot be looked at in isolation of the other, they are all a part of the same issue. Let’s be frank. In recent weeks, and particularly after Mr. Hasan Nasrallah’s speech, Arab and foreign media have said that Hezbollah fighters are fighting in Syria and defending the Syrian state, or to use their words “the regime.” Logically speaking, if Hezbollah or the resistance wanted to defend Syria by sending fighters, how many could they send - a few hundred, a thousand or two? We are talking about a battle in which hundreds of thousands of Syrian troops are involved against tens of thousands of terrorists, if not more because of the constant flow of fighters from neighboring and foreign countries that support those terrorists. So clearly, the number of fighters Hezbollah might contribute in order to defend the Syrian state in its battle, would be a drop in the ocean compared to the number of Syrian soldiers fighting the terrorists. When also taking into account the vast expanse of Syria, these numbers will neither protect a state nor ‘regime.’ This is from one perspective. From another, if they say they are defending the state, why now? Battles started after Ramadan in 2011 and escalated into 2012, the summer of 2012 to be precise. They started the battle to “liberate Damascus” and set a zero hour for the first time, the second time and a third time; the four generals were assassinated, a number of individuals fled Syria, and many people believed that was the time the state would collapse. It didn’t. Nevertheless, during all of these times, Hezbollah never intervened, so why would it intervene now? More importantly, why haven’t we seen Hezbollah fighting in Damascus and Aleppo? The more significant battles are in Damascus and in Aleppo, not in Al-Qseir. Al-Qseir is a small town in Homs, why haven’t we seen Hezbollah in the city of Homs? Clearly, all these assumptions are inaccurate. They say Al-Qseir is a strategic border town, but all the borders are strategic for the terrorists in order to smuggle in their fighters and weapons. So, all these propositions have nothing to do with Hezbollah. If we take into account the moans and groans of the Arab media, the statements made by Arab and foreign officials – even Ban Ki-moon expressed concern over Hezbollah in Al-Qseir – all of this is for the objective of suppressing and stifling the resistance. It has nothing to do with defending the Syrian state. The Syrian army has made significant achievements in Damascus, Aleppo, rural Damascus and many other areas; however, we haven’t heard the same moaning as we have heard in Al-Qseir.
Al-Manar: But, Mr. President, the nature of the battle that you and Hezbollah are waging in Al-Qseir seems, to your critics, to take the shape of a safe corridor connecting the coastal region with Damascus. Consequently, if Syria were to be divided, or if geographical changes were to be enforced, this would pave the way for an Alawite state. So, what is the nature of this battle, and how is it connected with the conflict with Israel.
President Assad: First, the Syrian and Lebanese coastal areas are not connected through Al-Qseir. Geographically this is not possible. Second, nobody would fight a battle in order to move towards separation. If you opt for separation, you move towards that objective without waging battles all over the country in order to be pushed into a particular corner. The nature of the battle does not indicate that we are heading for division, but rather the opposite, we are ensuring we remain a united country. Our forefathers rejected the idea of division when the French proposed this during their occupation of Syria because at the time they were very aware of its consequences. Is it possible or even fathomable that generations later, we their children, are less aware or mindful? Once again, the battle in Al-Qseir and all the bemoaning is related to Israel. The timing of the battle in Al-Qseir was synchronized with the Israeli airstrike. Their objective is to stifle the resistance. This is the same old campaign taking on a different form. Now what’s important is not al-Qseir as a town, but the borders; they want to stifle the resistance from land and from the sea. Here the question begs itself - some have said that the resistance should face the enemy and consequently remain in the south. This was said on May 7, 2008, when some of Israel’s agents in Lebanon tried to tamper with the communications system of the resistance; they claimed that the resistance turned its weapons inwards. They said the same thing about the Syrian Army; that the Syrian Army should fight on the borders with Israel. We have said very clearly that our Army will fight the enemy wherever it is. When the enemy is in the north, we move north; the same applies if the enemy comes from the east or the west. This is also the case for Hezbollah. So the question is why is Hezbollah deployed on the borders inside Lebanon or inside Syria? The answer is that our battle is a battle against the Israeli enemy and its proxies inside Syria or inside Lebanon.
Al-Manar: Mr. President, if I might ask about Israel’s involvement in the Syrian crisis through the recent airstrike against Damascus. Israel immediately attached certain messages to this airstrike by saying it doesn’t want escalation or doesn’t intend to interfere in the Syrian crisis. The question is: what does Israel want and what type of interference?
President Assad: This is exactly my point. Everything that is happening at the moment is aimed, first and foremost, at stifling the resistance. Israel’s support of the terrorists was for two purposes. The first is to stifle the resistance; the second is to strike the Syrian air defense systems. It is not interested in anything else.
Al-Manar: Mr. President, since Israel’s objectives are clear, the Syrian state was criticized for its muted response. Everyone was expecting a Syrian response, and the Syrian government stated that it reserves the right to respond at the appropriate time and place. Why didn’t the response come immediately? And is it enough for a senior source to say that missiles have been directed at the Israeli enemy and that any attack will be retaliated immediately without resorting to Army command?
President Assad: We have informed all the Arab and foreign parties - mostly foreign - that contacted us, that we will respond the next time. Of course, there has been more than one response. There have been several Israeli attempted violations to which there was immediate retaliation. But these short-term responses have no real value; they are only of a political nature. If we want to respond to Israel, the response will be of strategic significance.
Al-Manar: How? By opening the Golan front, for instance?
President Assad: This depends on public opinion, whether there is a consensus in support of the resistance or not. That’s the question. Al-Manar: How is the situation in Syria now?
President Assad: In fact, there is clear popular pressure to open the Golan front to resistance. This enthusiasm is also on the Arab level; we have received many Arab delegations wanting to know how young people might be enrolled to come and fight Israel. Of course, resistance is not easy. It is not merely a question of opening the front geographically. It is a political, ideological, and social issue, with the net result being military action.
Al-Manar: Mr. President, if we take into account the incident on the Golan Heights and Syria’s retaliation on the Israeli military vehicle that crossed the combat line, does this mean that the rules of engagement have changed? And if the rules of the game have changed, what is the new equation, so to speak?
President Assad: Real change in the rules of engagement happens when there is a popular condition pushing for resistance. Any other change is short-term, unless we are heading towards war. Any response of any kind might only appear to be a change to the rules of engagement, but I don’t think it really is. The real change is when the people move towards resistance; this is the really dramatic change.
Al-Manar: Don’t you think that this is a little late? After 40 years of quiet and a state of truce on the Golan Heights, now there is talk of a movement on that front, about new equations and about new rules of the game?
President Assad: They always talk about Syria opening the front or closing the front. A state does not create resistance. Resistance can only be called so, when it is popular and spontaneous, it cannot be created. The state can either support or oppose the resistance, - or create obstacles, as is the case with some Arab countries. I believe that a state that opposes the will of its people for resistance is reckless. The issue is not that Syria has decided, after 40 years, to move in this direction. The public’s state of mind is that our National Army is carrying out its duties to protect and liberate our land. Had there not been an army, as was the situation in Lebanon when the army and the state were divided during the civil war, there would have been resistance a long time ago. Today, in the current circumstances, there are a number of factors pushing in that direction. First, there are repeated Israeli aggressions that constitute a major factor in creating this desire and required incentive. Second, the army’s engagement in battles in more than one place throughout Syria has created a sentiment on the part of many civilians that it is their duty to move in this direction in order to support the Armed Forces on the Golan.
Al-Manar: Mr. President, Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel would not hesitate to attack Syria if it detected that weapons are being conveyed to Hezbollah in Lebanon. If Israel carried out its threats, I want a direct answer from you: what would Syria do?
President Assad: As I have said, we have informed the relevant states that we will respond in kind. Of course, it is difficult to specify the military means that would be used, that is for our military command to decide. We plan for different scenarios, depending on the circumstances and the timing of the strike that would determine which method or weapons.
Al-Manar: Mr. President, after the airstrike that targeted Damascus, there was talk about the S300 missiles and that this missile system will tip the balance. Based on this argument, Netanyahu visited Moscow. My direct question is this: are these missiles on their way to Damascus? Is Syria now in possession of these missiles?
President Assad: It is not our policy to talk publically about military issues in terms of what we possess or what we receive. As far as Russia is concerned, the contracts have nothing to do with the crisis. We have negotiated with them on different kinds of weapons for years, and Russia is committed to honoring these contracts. What I want to say is that neither Netanyahu’s visit nor the crisis and the conditions surrounding it have influenced arms imports. All of our agreements with Russia will be implemented, some have been implemented during the past period and, together with the Russians, we will continue to implement these contracts in the future.
Al-Manar: Mr. President, we have talked about the steadfastness of the Syrian leadership and the Syrian state. We have discussed the progress being achieved on the battlefield, and strengthening the alliance between Syria and the resistance. These are all within the same front. From another perspective, there is diplomatic activity stirring waters that have been stagnant for two and a half years. Before we talk about this and about the Geneva conference and the red lines that Syria has drawn, there was a simple proposition or a simple solution suggested by the former head of the coalition, Muaz al-Khatib. He said that the president, together with 500 other dignitaries would be allowed to leave the country within 20 days, and the crisis would be over. Why don’t you meet this request and put an end to the crisis?
President Assad: I have always talked about the basic principle: that the Syrian people alone have the right to decide whether the president should remain or leave. So, anybody speaking on this subject should state which part of the Syrian people they represent and who granted them the authority to speak on their behalf. As for this initiative, I haven’t actually read it, but I was very happy that they allowed me 20 days and 500 people! I don’t know who proposed the initiative; I don’t care much about names.
Al-Manar: He actually said that you would be given 20 days, 500 people, and no guarantees. You’ll be allowed to leave but with no guarantee whatsoever on whether legal action would be taken against you or not. Mr. President, this brings us to the negotiations, I am referring to Geneva 2. The Syrian government and leadership have announced initial agreement to take part in this conference. If this conference is held, there will be a table with the Syrian flag on one side and the flag of the opposition groups on the other. How can you convince the Syrian people after two and a half years of crisis that you will sit face to face at the same negotiating table with these groups?
President Assad: First of all, regarding the flag, it is meaningless without the people it represents. When we put a flag on a table or anywhere else, we talk about the people represented by that flag. This question can be put to those who raise flags they call Syrian but are different from the official Syrian flag. So, this flag has no value when it does not represent the people. Secondly, we will attend this conference as the official delegation and legitimate representatives of the Syrian people. But, whom do they represent? When the conference is over, we return to Syria, we return home to our people. But when the conference is over, whom do they return to - five-star hotels? Or to the foreign ministries of the states that they represent – which doesn’t include Syria of course - in order to submit their reports? Or do they return to the intelligence services of those countries? So, when we attend this conference, we should know very clearly the positions of some of those sitting at the table - and I say some because the conference format is not clear yet and as such we do not have details as to how the patriotic Syrian opposition will be considered or the other opposition parties in Syria. As for the opposition groups abroad and their flag, we know that we are attending the conference not to negotiate with them, but rather with the states that back them; it will appear as though we are negotiating with the slaves, but essentially we are negotiating with their masters. This is the truth, we shouldn’t deceive ourselves.
Al-Manar: Are you, in the Syrian leadership, convinced that these negotiations will be held next month?
President Assad: We expect them to happen, unless they are obstructed by other states. As far as we are concerned in Syria, we have announced a couple of days ago that we agree in principle to attend.
Al-Manar: When you say in principle, it seems that you are considering other options.
President Assad: In principle, we are in favour of the conference as a notion, but there are no details yet. For example, will there be conditions placed before the conference? If so, these conditions may be unacceptable and we would not attend. So the idea of the conference, of a meeting, in principle is a good one. We will have to wait and see.
Al-Manar: Let’s talk, Mr. President, about the conditions put by the Syrian leadership. What are Syria’s conditions?
President Assad: Simply put, our only condition is that anything agreed upon in any meeting inside or outside the country, including the conference, is subject to the approval of the Syrian people through a popular referendum. This is the only condition. Anything else doesn’t have any value. That is why we are comfortable with going to the conference. We have no complexes. Either side can propose anything, but nothing can be implemented without the approval of the Syrian people. And as long as we are the legitimate representatives of the people, we have nothing to fear.
Al-Manar: Let’s be clear, Mr. President. There is a lot of ambiguity in Geneva 1 and Geneva 2 about the transitional period and the role of President Bashar al-Assad in that transitional period. Are you prepared to hand over all your authorities to this transitional government? And how do you understand this ambiguous term?
President Assad: This is what I made clear in the initiative I proposed in January this year. They say they want a transitional government in which the president has no role. In Syria we have a presidential system, where the President is head of the republic and the Prime Minister heads the government. They want a government with broad authorities. The Syrian constitution gives the government full authorities. The president is the commander-in-chief of the Army and Armed Forces and the head of the Supreme Judicial Council. All the other institutions report directly to the government. Changing the authorities of the president is subject to changing the constitution; the president cannot just relinquish his authorities, he doesn\\\'t have the constitutional right. Changing the constitution requires a popular referendum. When they want to propose such issues, they might be discussed in the conference, and when we agree on something - if we agree, we return home and put it to a popular referendum and then move on. But for them to ask for the amendment of the constitution in advance, this cannot be done neither by the president nor by the government.
Al-Manar: Frankly, Mr. President, all the international positions taken against you and all your political opponents said that they don’t want a role for al-Assad in Syria’s future. This is what the Saudi foreign minister Saud al-Faisal said and this is what the Turks and the Qataris said, and also the Syrian opposition. Will President Assad be nominated for the forthcoming presidential elections in 2014?
President Assad: What I know is that Saud al-Faisal is a specialist in American affairs, I don’t know if he knows anything about Syrian affairs. If he wants to learn, that’s fine! As to the desires of others, I repeat what I have said earlier: the only desires relevant are those of the Syrian people. With regards to the nomination, some parties have said that it is preferable that the president shouldn’t be nominated for the 2014 elections. This issue will be determined closer to the time; it is still too early to discuss this. When the time comes, and I feel, through my meetings and interactions with the Syrian people, that there is a need and public desire for me to nominate myself, I will not hesitate. However, if I feel that the Syrian people do not want me to lead them, then naturally I will not put myself forward. They are wasting their time on such talk.
Al-Manar: Mr. President, you mentioned the Saudi foreign minister Saud al-Faisal. This makes me ask about Syria’s relationship with Saudi Arabia, with Qatar, with Turkey, particularly if we take into account that their recent position in the Arab ministerial committee was relatively moderate. They did not directly and publically call for the ouster of President Assad. Do you feel any change or any support on the part of these countries for a political solution to the Syrian crisis? And is Syria prepared to deal once more with the Arab League, taking into account that the Syrian government asked for an apology from the Arab League?
President Assad: Concerning the Arab states, we see brief changes in their rhetoric but not in their actions. The countries that support the terrorists have not changed; they are still supporting terrorism to the same extent. Turkey also has not made any positive steps. As for Qatar, their role is also the same, the role of the funder - the bank funding the terrorists and supporting them through Turkey. So, overall, no change. As for the Arab League, in Syria we have never pinned our hopes on the Arab League. Even in the past decades, we were barely able to dismantle the mines set for us in the different meetings, whether in the summits or in meetings of the foreign ministers. So in light of this and its recent actions, can we really expect it to play a role? We are open to everybody, we never close our doors. But we should also be realistic and face the truth that they are unable to offer anything, particularly since a significant number of the Arab states are not independent. They receive their orders from the outside. Some of them are sympathetic to us in their hearts, but they cannot act on their feelings because they are not in possession of their decisions. So, no, we do not pin any hopes on the Arab League.
Al-Manar: Mr. President, this leads us to ask: if the Arab environment is as such, and taking into account the developments on the ground and the steadfastness, the Geneva conference and the negotiations, the basic question is: what if the political negotiations fail? What are the consequences of the failure of political negotiations?
President Assad: This is quite possible, because there are states that are obstructing the meeting in principle, and they are going only to avoid embarrassment. They are opposed to any dialogue whether inside or outside Syria. Even the Russians, in several statements, have dampened expectations from this conference. But we should also be accurate in defining this dialogue, particularly in relation to what is happening on the ground. Most of the factions engaged in talking about what is happening in Syria have no influence on the ground; they don’t even have direct relationships with the terrorists. In some instances these terrorists are directly linked with the states that are backing them, in other cases, they are mere gangs paid to carry out terrorist activities. So, the failure of the conference will not significantly change the reality inside Syria, because these states will not stop supporting the terrorists - conference or no conference, and the gangs will not stop their subversive activities. So it has no impact on them.
Al-Manar: Mr. President, the events in Syria are spilling over to neighboring countries. We see what’s happening in Iraq, the explosions in Al-Rihaniye in Turkey and also in Lebanon. In Ersal, Tripoli, Hezbollah taking part in the fighting in Al-Qseir. How does Syria approach the situation in Lebanon, and do you think the Lebanese policy of dissociation is still applied or accepted?
President Assad: Let me pose some questions based on the reality in Syria and in Lebanon about the policy of dissociation in order not to be accused of making a value judgment on whether this policy is right or wrong. Let’s start with some simple questions: Has Lebanon been able to prevent Lebanese interference in Syria? Has it been able to prevent the smuggling of terrorists or weapons into Syria or providing a safe haven for them in Lebanon? It hasn’t; in fact, everyone knows that Lebanon has contributed negatively to the Syrian crisis. Most recently, has Lebanon been able to protect itself against the consequences of the Syrian crisis, most markedly in Tripoli and the missiles that have been falling over different areas of Beirut or its surroundings? It hasn’t. So what kind of dissociation are we talking about? For Lebanon to dissociate itself from the crisis is one thing, and for the government to dissociate itself is another. When the government dissociates itself from a certain issue that affects the interests of the Lebanese people, it is in fact dissociating itself from the Lebanese citizens. I’m not criticizing the Lebanese government - I’m talking about general principles. I don’t want it to be said that I’m criticizing this government. If the Syrian government were to dissociate itself from issues that are of concern to the Syrian people, it would also fail. So in response to your question with regards to Lebanon’s policy of dissociation, we don’t believe this is realistically possible. When my neighbor’s house is on fire, I cannot say that it’s none of my business because sooner or later the fire will spread to my house.
Al-Manar: Mr. President, what would you say to the supporters of the axis of resistance? We are celebrating the anniversary of the victory of the resistance and the liberation of south Lebanon, in an atmosphere of promises of victory, which Mr. Hasan Nasrallah has talked about. You are saying with great confidence that you will emerge triumphant from this crisis. What would you say to all this audience? Are we about to reach the end of this dark tunnel?
President Assad: I believe that the greatest victory achieved by the Arab resistance movements in the past years and decades is primarily an intellectual victory. This resistance wouldn’t have been able to succeed militarily if they hadn’t been able to succeed and stand fast against a campaign aimed at distorting concepts and principles in this region. Before the civil war in Lebanon, some people used to say that Lebanon’s strength lies in its weakness; this is similar to saying that a man’s intelligence lies in his stupidity, or that honor is maintained through corruption. This is an illogical contradiction. The victories of the resistance at different junctures proved that this concept is not true, and it showed that Lebanon’s weakness lies in its weakness and Lebanon’s strength lies in its strength. Lebanon’s strength is in its resistance and these resistance fighters you referred to. Today, more than ever before, we are in need of these ideas, of this mindset, of this steadfastness and of these actions carried out by the resistance fighters. The events in the Arab world during the past years have distorted concepts to the extent that some Arabs have forgotten that the real enemy is still Israel and have instead created internal, sectarian, regional or national enemies. Today we pin our hopes on these resistance fighters to remind the Arab people, through their achievements, that our enemy is still the same. As for my confidence in victory, if we weren’t so confident we wouldn’t have been able to stand fast or to continue this battle after two years of a global attack. This is not a tripartite attack like the one in 1956; it is in fact a global war waged against Syria and the resistance. We have absolute confidence in our victory, and I assure them that Syria will always remain, even more so than before, supportive of the resistance and resistance fighters everywhere in the Arab world.
Al-Manar: In conclusion, it has been my great honor to conduct this interview with Your Excellency, President Bashar al-Assad of the Syrian Arab Republic. Thank you very much. President Assad: You are welcome. I would like to congratulate Al-Manar channel, the channel of resistance, on the anniversary of the liberation and to congratulate the Lebanese people and every resistance fighter in Lebanon.
Al-Manar: Thank you.
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[Arabic] لقاء خاص مع الرئيس بشار الأسد - Bashar...
DAMASCUS, (SANA)-President Bashar al-Assad gave an interview to al-Manar TV broadcasted on Thursday,
Following is the full text of the...
DAMASCUS, (SANA)-President Bashar al-Assad gave an interview to al-Manar TV broadcasted on Thursday,
Following is the full text of the interview:
Al-Manar: In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful. Assalamu Alaikum. Bloodshed in Syria continues unabated. This is the only constant over which there is little disagreement between those loyal to the Syrian state and those opposed to it. However, there is no common ground over the other constants and details two years into the current crisis. At the time, a great deal was said about the imminent fall of the regime. Deadlines were set and missed; and all those bets were lost. Today, we are here in the heart of Damascus, enjoying the hospitality of a president who has become a source of consternation to many of his opponents who are still unable to understand the equations that have played havoc with their calculations and prevented his ouster from the Syrian political scene. This unpleasant and unexpected outcome for his opponents upset their schemes and plots because they didn’t take into account one self-evident question: what happens if the regime doesn’t fall? What if President Assad doesn’t leave the Syrian scene? Of course, there are no clear answers; and the result is more destruction, killing and bloodshed. Today there is talk of a critical juncture for Syria. The Syrian Army has moved from defense to attack, achieving one success after another. On a parallel level, stagnant diplomatic waters have been shaken by discussions over a Geneva 2 conference becoming a recurrent theme in the statements of all parties. There are many questions which need answers: political settlement, resorting to the military option to decide the outcome, the Israeli enemy’s direct interference with the course of events in the current crisis, the new equations on the Golan Heights, the relationship with opponents and friends. What is the Syrian leadership’s plan for a way out of a complex and dangerous crisis whose ramifications have started to spill over into neighboring countries? It is our great pleasure tonight to put these questions to H. E. President Bashar al-Assad. Assalamu Alaikum, Mr. President.
President Assad: Assalamu Alaikum. You are most welcome in Damascus.
Al-Manar: Mr. President, we are in the heart of the People’s Palace, two and a half years into the Syrian crisis. At the time, the bet was that the president and his regime would be overthrown within weeks. How have you managed to foil the plots of your opponents and enemies? What is the secret behind this steadfastness?
President Assad: There are a number of factors are involved. One is the Syrian factor, which thwarted their intentions; the other factor is related to those who masterminded these scenarios and ended up defeating themselves because they do not know Syria or understand in detail the situation. They started with the calls of revolution, but a real revolution requires tangible elements; you cannot create a revolution simply by paying money. When this approach failed, they shifted to using sectarian slogans in order to create a division within our society. Even though they were able to infiltrate certain pockets in Syrian society, pockets of ignorance and lack of awareness that exist in any society, they were not able to create this sectarian division. Had they succeeded, Syria would have been divided up from the beginning. They also fell into their own trap by trying to promote the notion that this was a struggle to maintain power rather than a struggle for national sovereignty. No one would fight and martyr themselves in order to secure power for anyone else.
Al-Manar: In the battle for the homeland, it seems that the Syrian leadership, and after two and a half years, is making progress on the battlefield. And here if I might ask you, why have you chosen to move from defense to attack? And don’t you think that you have been late in taking the decision to go on the offensive, and consequently incurred heavy losses, if we take of Al-Qseir as an example.
President Assad: It is not a question of defense or attack. Every battle has its own tactics. From the beginning, we did not deal with each situation from a military perspective alone. We also factored in the social and political aspects as well - many Syrians were misled in the beginning and there were many friendly countries that didn’t understand the domestic dynamics. Your actions will differ according to how much consensus there is over a particular issue. There is no doubt that as events have unfolded Syrians have been able to better understand the situation and what is really at stake. This has helped the Armed Forces to better carry out their duties and achieve results. So, what is happening now is not a shift in tactic from defense to attack, but rather a shift in the balance of power in favor of the Armed Forces.
Al-Manar: How has this balance been tipped, Mr. President? Syria is being criticized for asking for the assistance of foreign fighters, and to be fully candid, it is said that Hezbollah fighters are extending assistance. In a previous interview, you said that there are 23 million Syrians; we do not need help from anyone else. What is Hezbollah doing in Syria?
President Assad: The main reason for tipping the balance is the change in people’s opinion in areas that used to incubate armed groups, not necessarily due to lack of patriotism on their part, but because they were deceived. They were led to believe that there was a revolution against the failings of the state. This has changed; many individuals have left these terrorist groups and have returned to their normal lives. As to what is being said about Hezbollah and the participation of foreign fighters alongside the Syrian Army, this is a hugely important issue and has several factors. Each of these factors should be clearly understood. Hezbollah, the battle at Al-Qseir and the recent Israeli airstrike – these three factors cannot be looked at in isolation of the other, they are all a part of the same issue. Let’s be frank. In recent weeks, and particularly after Mr. Hasan Nasrallah’s speech, Arab and foreign media have said that Hezbollah fighters are fighting in Syria and defending the Syrian state, or to use their words “the regime.” Logically speaking, if Hezbollah or the resistance wanted to defend Syria by sending fighters, how many could they send - a few hundred, a thousand or two? We are talking about a battle in which hundreds of thousands of Syrian troops are involved against tens of thousands of terrorists, if not more because of the constant flow of fighters from neighboring and foreign countries that support those terrorists. So clearly, the number of fighters Hezbollah might contribute in order to defend the Syrian state in its battle, would be a drop in the ocean compared to the number of Syrian soldiers fighting the terrorists. When also taking into account the vast expanse of Syria, these numbers will neither protect a state nor ‘regime.’ This is from one perspective. From another, if they say they are defending the state, why now? Battles started after Ramadan in 2011 and escalated into 2012, the summer of 2012 to be precise. They started the battle to “liberate Damascus” and set a zero hour for the first time, the second time and a third time; the four generals were assassinated, a number of individuals fled Syria, and many people believed that was the time the state would collapse. It didn’t. Nevertheless, during all of these times, Hezbollah never intervened, so why would it intervene now? More importantly, why haven’t we seen Hezbollah fighting in Damascus and Aleppo? The more significant battles are in Damascus and in Aleppo, not in Al-Qseir. Al-Qseir is a small town in Homs, why haven’t we seen Hezbollah in the city of Homs? Clearly, all these assumptions are inaccurate. They say Al-Qseir is a strategic border town, but all the borders are strategic for the terrorists in order to smuggle in their fighters and weapons. So, all these propositions have nothing to do with Hezbollah. If we take into account the moans and groans of the Arab media, the statements made by Arab and foreign officials – even Ban Ki-moon expressed concern over Hezbollah in Al-Qseir – all of this is for the objective of suppressing and stifling the resistance. It has nothing to do with defending the Syrian state. The Syrian army has made significant achievements in Damascus, Aleppo, rural Damascus and many other areas; however, we haven’t heard the same moaning as we have heard in Al-Qseir.
Al-Manar: But, Mr. President, the nature of the battle that you and Hezbollah are waging in Al-Qseir seems, to your critics, to take the shape of a safe corridor connecting the coastal region with Damascus. Consequently, if Syria were to be divided, or if geographical changes were to be enforced, this would pave the way for an Alawite state. So, what is the nature of this battle, and how is it connected with the conflict with Israel.
President Assad: First, the Syrian and Lebanese coastal areas are not connected through Al-Qseir. Geographically this is not possible. Second, nobody would fight a battle in order to move towards separation. If you opt for separation, you move towards that objective without waging battles all over the country in order to be pushed into a particular corner. The nature of the battle does not indicate that we are heading for division, but rather the opposite, we are ensuring we remain a united country. Our forefathers rejected the idea of division when the French proposed this during their occupation of Syria because at the time they were very aware of its consequences. Is it possible or even fathomable that generations later, we their children, are less aware or mindful? Once again, the battle in Al-Qseir and all the bemoaning is related to Israel. The timing of the battle in Al-Qseir was synchronized with the Israeli airstrike. Their objective is to stifle the resistance. This is the same old campaign taking on a different form. Now what’s important is not al-Qseir as a town, but the borders; they want to stifle the resistance from land and from the sea. Here the question begs itself - some have said that the resistance should face the enemy and consequently remain in the south. This was said on May 7, 2008, when some of Israel’s agents in Lebanon tried to tamper with the communications system of the resistance; they claimed that the resistance turned its weapons inwards. They said the same thing about the Syrian Army; that the Syrian Army should fight on the borders with Israel. We have said very clearly that our Army will fight the enemy wherever it is. When the enemy is in the north, we move north; the same applies if the enemy comes from the east or the west. This is also the case for Hezbollah. So the question is why is Hezbollah deployed on the borders inside Lebanon or inside Syria? The answer is that our battle is a battle against the Israeli enemy and its proxies inside Syria or inside Lebanon.
Al-Manar: Mr. President, if I might ask about Israel’s involvement in the Syrian crisis through the recent airstrike against Damascus. Israel immediately attached certain messages to this airstrike by saying it doesn’t want escalation or doesn’t intend to interfere in the Syrian crisis. The question is: what does Israel want and what type of interference?
President Assad: This is exactly my point. Everything that is happening at the moment is aimed, first and foremost, at stifling the resistance. Israel’s support of the terrorists was for two purposes. The first is to stifle the resistance; the second is to strike the Syrian air defense systems. It is not interested in anything else.
Al-Manar: Mr. President, since Israel’s objectives are clear, the Syrian state was criticized for its muted response. Everyone was expecting a Syrian response, and the Syrian government stated that it reserves the right to respond at the appropriate time and place. Why didn’t the response come immediately? And is it enough for a senior source to say that missiles have been directed at the Israeli enemy and that any attack will be retaliated immediately without resorting to Army command?
President Assad: We have informed all the Arab and foreign parties - mostly foreign - that contacted us, that we will respond the next time. Of course, there has been more than one response. There have been several Israeli attempted violations to which there was immediate retaliation. But these short-term responses have no real value; they are only of a political nature. If we want to respond to Israel, the response will be of strategic significance.
Al-Manar: How? By opening the Golan front, for instance?
President Assad: This depends on public opinion, whether there is a consensus in support of the resistance or not. That’s the question. Al-Manar: How is the situation in Syria now?
President Assad: In fact, there is clear popular pressure to open the Golan front to resistance. This enthusiasm is also on the Arab level; we have received many Arab delegations wanting to know how young people might be enrolled to come and fight Israel. Of course, resistance is not easy. It is not merely a question of opening the front geographically. It is a political, ideological, and social issue, with the net result being military action.
Al-Manar: Mr. President, if we take into account the incident on the Golan Heights and Syria’s retaliation on the Israeli military vehicle that crossed the combat line, does this mean that the rules of engagement have changed? And if the rules of the game have changed, what is the new equation, so to speak?
President Assad: Real change in the rules of engagement happens when there is a popular condition pushing for resistance. Any other change is short-term, unless we are heading towards war. Any response of any kind might only appear to be a change to the rules of engagement, but I don’t think it really is. The real change is when the people move towards resistance; this is the really dramatic change.
Al-Manar: Don’t you think that this is a little late? After 40 years of quiet and a state of truce on the Golan Heights, now there is talk of a movement on that front, about new equations and about new rules of the game?
President Assad: They always talk about Syria opening the front or closing the front. A state does not create resistance. Resistance can only be called so, when it is popular and spontaneous, it cannot be created. The state can either support or oppose the resistance, - or create obstacles, as is the case with some Arab countries. I believe that a state that opposes the will of its people for resistance is reckless. The issue is not that Syria has decided, after 40 years, to move in this direction. The public’s state of mind is that our National Army is carrying out its duties to protect and liberate our land. Had there not been an army, as was the situation in Lebanon when the army and the state were divided during the civil war, there would have been resistance a long time ago. Today, in the current circumstances, there are a number of factors pushing in that direction. First, there are repeated Israeli aggressions that constitute a major factor in creating this desire and required incentive. Second, the army’s engagement in battles in more than one place throughout Syria has created a sentiment on the part of many civilians that it is their duty to move in this direction in order to support the Armed Forces on the Golan.
Al-Manar: Mr. President, Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel would not hesitate to attack Syria if it detected that weapons are being conveyed to Hezbollah in Lebanon. If Israel carried out its threats, I want a direct answer from you: what would Syria do?
President Assad: As I have said, we have informed the relevant states that we will respond in kind. Of course, it is difficult to specify the military means that would be used, that is for our military command to decide. We plan for different scenarios, depending on the circumstances and the timing of the strike that would determine which method or weapons.
Al-Manar: Mr. President, after the airstrike that targeted Damascus, there was talk about the S300 missiles and that this missile system will tip the balance. Based on this argument, Netanyahu visited Moscow. My direct question is this: are these missiles on their way to Damascus? Is Syria now in possession of these missiles?
President Assad: It is not our policy to talk publically about military issues in terms of what we possess or what we receive. As far as Russia is concerned, the contracts have nothing to do with the crisis. We have negotiated with them on different kinds of weapons for years, and Russia is committed to honoring these contracts. What I want to say is that neither Netanyahu’s visit nor the crisis and the conditions surrounding it have influenced arms imports. All of our agreements with Russia will be implemented, some have been implemented during the past period and, together with the Russians, we will continue to implement these contracts in the future.
Al-Manar: Mr. President, we have talked about the steadfastness of the Syrian leadership and the Syrian state. We have discussed the progress being achieved on the battlefield, and strengthening the alliance between Syria and the resistance. These are all within the same front. From another perspective, there is diplomatic activity stirring waters that have been stagnant for two and a half years. Before we talk about this and about the Geneva conference and the red lines that Syria has drawn, there was a simple proposition or a simple solution suggested by the former head of the coalition, Muaz al-Khatib. He said that the president, together with 500 other dignitaries would be allowed to leave the country within 20 days, and the crisis would be over. Why don’t you meet this request and put an end to the crisis?
President Assad: I have always talked about the basic principle: that the Syrian people alone have the right to decide whether the president should remain or leave. So, anybody speaking on this subject should state which part of the Syrian people they represent and who granted them the authority to speak on their behalf. As for this initiative, I haven’t actually read it, but I was very happy that they allowed me 20 days and 500 people! I don’t know who proposed the initiative; I don’t care much about names.
Al-Manar: He actually said that you would be given 20 days, 500 people, and no guarantees. You’ll be allowed to leave but with no guarantee whatsoever on whether legal action would be taken against you or not. Mr. President, this brings us to the negotiations, I am referring to Geneva 2. The Syrian government and leadership have announced initial agreement to take part in this conference. If this conference is held, there will be a table with the Syrian flag on one side and the flag of the opposition groups on the other. How can you convince the Syrian people after two and a half years of crisis that you will sit face to face at the same negotiating table with these groups?
President Assad: First of all, regarding the flag, it is meaningless without the people it represents. When we put a flag on a table or anywhere else, we talk about the people represented by that flag. This question can be put to those who raise flags they call Syrian but are different from the official Syrian flag. So, this flag has no value when it does not represent the people. Secondly, we will attend this conference as the official delegation and legitimate representatives of the Syrian people. But, whom do they represent? When the conference is over, we return to Syria, we return home to our people. But when the conference is over, whom do they return to - five-star hotels? Or to the foreign ministries of the states that they represent – which doesn’t include Syria of course - in order to submit their reports? Or do they return to the intelligence services of those countries? So, when we attend this conference, we should know very clearly the positions of some of those sitting at the table - and I say some because the conference format is not clear yet and as such we do not have details as to how the patriotic Syrian opposition will be considered or the other opposition parties in Syria. As for the opposition groups abroad and their flag, we know that we are attending the conference not to negotiate with them, but rather with the states that back them; it will appear as though we are negotiating with the slaves, but essentially we are negotiating with their masters. This is the truth, we shouldn’t deceive ourselves.
Al-Manar: Are you, in the Syrian leadership, convinced that these negotiations will be held next month?
President Assad: We expect them to happen, unless they are obstructed by other states. As far as we are concerned in Syria, we have announced a couple of days ago that we agree in principle to attend.
Al-Manar: When you say in principle, it seems that you are considering other options.
President Assad: In principle, we are in favour of the conference as a notion, but there are no details yet. For example, will there be conditions placed before the conference? If so, these conditions may be unacceptable and we would not attend. So the idea of the conference, of a meeting, in principle is a good one. We will have to wait and see.
Al-Manar: Let’s talk, Mr. President, about the conditions put by the Syrian leadership. What are Syria’s conditions?
President Assad: Simply put, our only condition is that anything agreed upon in any meeting inside or outside the country, including the conference, is subject to the approval of the Syrian people through a popular referendum. This is the only condition. Anything else doesn’t have any value. That is why we are comfortable with going to the conference. We have no complexes. Either side can propose anything, but nothing can be implemented without the approval of the Syrian people. And as long as we are the legitimate representatives of the people, we have nothing to fear.
Al-Manar: Let’s be clear, Mr. President. There is a lot of ambiguity in Geneva 1 and Geneva 2 about the transitional period and the role of President Bashar al-Assad in that transitional period. Are you prepared to hand over all your authorities to this transitional government? And how do you understand this ambiguous term?
President Assad: This is what I made clear in the initiative I proposed in January this year. They say they want a transitional government in which the president has no role. In Syria we have a presidential system, where the President is head of the republic and the Prime Minister heads the government. They want a government with broad authorities. The Syrian constitution gives the government full authorities. The president is the commander-in-chief of the Army and Armed Forces and the head of the Supreme Judicial Council. All the other institutions report directly to the government. Changing the authorities of the president is subject to changing the constitution; the president cannot just relinquish his authorities, he doesn\'t have the constitutional right. Changing the constitution requires a popular referendum. When they want to propose such issues, they might be discussed in the conference, and when we agree on something - if we agree, we return home and put it to a popular referendum and then move on. But for them to ask for the amendment of the constitution in advance, this cannot be done neither by the president nor by the government.
Al-Manar: Frankly, Mr. President, all the international positions taken against you and all your political opponents said that they don’t want a role for al-Assad in Syria’s future. This is what the Saudi foreign minister Saud al-Faisal said and this is what the Turks and the Qataris said, and also the Syrian opposition. Will President Assad be nominated for the forthcoming presidential elections in 2014?
President Assad: What I know is that Saud al-Faisal is a specialist in American affairs, I don’t know if he knows anything about Syrian affairs. If he wants to learn, that’s fine! As to the desires of others, I repeat what I have said earlier: the only desires relevant are those of the Syrian people. With regards to the nomination, some parties have said that it is preferable that the president shouldn’t be nominated for the 2014 elections. This issue will be determined closer to the time; it is still too early to discuss this. When the time comes, and I feel, through my meetings and interactions with the Syrian people, that there is a need and public desire for me to nominate myself, I will not hesitate. However, if I feel that the Syrian people do not want me to lead them, then naturally I will not put myself forward. They are wasting their time on such talk.
Al-Manar: Mr. President, you mentioned the Saudi foreign minister Saud al-Faisal. This makes me ask about Syria’s relationship with Saudi Arabia, with Qatar, with Turkey, particularly if we take into account that their recent position in the Arab ministerial committee was relatively moderate. They did not directly and publically call for the ouster of President Assad. Do you feel any change or any support on the part of these countries for a political solution to the Syrian crisis? And is Syria prepared to deal once more with the Arab League, taking into account that the Syrian government asked for an apology from the Arab League?
President Assad: Concerning the Arab states, we see brief changes in their rhetoric but not in their actions. The countries that support the terrorists have not changed; they are still supporting terrorism to the same extent. Turkey also has not made any positive steps. As for Qatar, their role is also the same, the role of the funder - the bank funding the terrorists and supporting them through Turkey. So, overall, no change. As for the Arab League, in Syria we have never pinned our hopes on the Arab League. Even in the past decades, we were barely able to dismantle the mines set for us in the different meetings, whether in the summits or in meetings of the foreign ministers. So in light of this and its recent actions, can we really expect it to play a role? We are open to everybody, we never close our doors. But we should also be realistic and face the truth that they are unable to offer anything, particularly since a significant number of the Arab states are not independent. They receive their orders from the outside. Some of them are sympathetic to us in their hearts, but they cannot act on their feelings because they are not in possession of their decisions. So, no, we do not pin any hopes on the Arab League.
Al-Manar: Mr. President, this leads us to ask: if the Arab environment is as such, and taking into account the developments on the ground and the steadfastness, the Geneva conference and the negotiations, the basic question is: what if the political negotiations fail? What are the consequences of the failure of political negotiations?
President Assad: This is quite possible, because there are states that are obstructing the meeting in principle, and they are going only to avoid embarrassment. They are opposed to any dialogue whether inside or outside Syria. Even the Russians, in several statements, have dampened expectations from this conference. But we should also be accurate in defining this dialogue, particularly in relation to what is happening on the ground. Most of the factions engaged in talking about what is happening in Syria have no influence on the ground; they don’t even have direct relationships with the terrorists. In some instances these terrorists are directly linked with the states that are backing them, in other cases, they are mere gangs paid to carry out terrorist activities. So, the failure of the conference will not significantly change the reality inside Syria, because these states will not stop supporting the terrorists - conference or no conference, and the gangs will not stop their subversive activities. So it has no impact on them.
Al-Manar: Mr. President, the events in Syria are spilling over to neighboring countries. We see what’s happening in Iraq, the explosions in Al-Rihaniye in Turkey and also in Lebanon. In Ersal, Tripoli, Hezbollah taking part in the fighting in Al-Qseir. How does Syria approach the situation in Lebanon, and do you think the Lebanese policy of dissociation is still applied or accepted?
President Assad: Let me pose some questions based on the reality in Syria and in Lebanon about the policy of dissociation in order not to be accused of making a value judgment on whether this policy is right or wrong. Let’s start with some simple questions: Has Lebanon been able to prevent Lebanese interference in Syria? Has it been able to prevent the smuggling of terrorists or weapons into Syria or providing a safe haven for them in Lebanon? It hasn’t; in fact, everyone knows that Lebanon has contributed negatively to the Syrian crisis. Most recently, has Lebanon been able to protect itself against the consequences of the Syrian crisis, most markedly in Tripoli and the missiles that have been falling over different areas of Beirut or its surroundings? It hasn’t. So what kind of dissociation are we talking about? For Lebanon to dissociate itself from the crisis is one thing, and for the government to dissociate itself is another. When the government dissociates itself from a certain issue that affects the interests of the Lebanese people, it is in fact dissociating itself from the Lebanese citizens. I’m not criticizing the Lebanese government - I’m talking about general principles. I don’t want it to be said that I’m criticizing this government. If the Syrian government were to dissociate itself from issues that are of concern to the Syrian people, it would also fail. So in response to your question with regards to Lebanon’s policy of dissociation, we don’t believe this is realistically possible. When my neighbor’s house is on fire, I cannot say that it’s none of my business because sooner or later the fire will spread to my house.
Al-Manar: Mr. President, what would you say to the supporters of the axis of resistance? We are celebrating the anniversary of the victory of the resistance and the liberation of south Lebanon, in an atmosphere of promises of victory, which Mr. Hasan Nasrallah has talked about. You are saying with great confidence that you will emerge triumphant from this crisis. What would you say to all this audience? Are we about to reach the end of this dark tunnel?
President Assad: I believe that the greatest victory achieved by the Arab resistance movements in the past years and decades is primarily an intellectual victory. This resistance wouldn’t have been able to succeed militarily if they hadn’t been able to succeed and stand fast against a campaign aimed at distorting concepts and principles in this region. Before the civil war in Lebanon, some people used to say that Lebanon’s strength lies in its weakness; this is similar to saying that a man’s intelligence lies in his stupidity, or that honor is maintained through corruption. This is an illogical contradiction. The victories of the resistance at different junctures proved that this concept is not true, and it showed that Lebanon’s weakness lies in its weakness and Lebanon’s strength lies in its strength. Lebanon’s strength is in its resistance and these resistance fighters you referred to. Today, more than ever before, we are in need of these ideas, of this mindset, of this steadfastness and of these actions carried out by the resistance fighters. The events in the Arab world during the past years have distorted concepts to the extent that some Arabs have forgotten that the real enemy is still Israel and have instead created internal, sectarian, regional or national enemies. Today we pin our hopes on these resistance fighters to remind the Arab people, through their achievements, that our enemy is still the same. As for my confidence in victory, if we weren’t so confident we wouldn’t have been able to stand fast or to continue this battle after two years of a global attack. This is not a tripartite attack like the one in 1956; it is in fact a global war waged against Syria and the resistance. We have absolute confidence in our victory, and I assure them that Syria will always remain, even more so than before, supportive of the resistance and resistance fighters everywhere in the Arab world.
Al-Manar: In conclusion, it has been my great honor to conduct this interview with Your Excellency, President Bashar al-Assad of the Syrian Arab Republic. Thank you very much. President Assad: You are welcome. I would like to congratulate Al-Manar channel, the channel of resistance, on the anniversary of the liberation and to congratulate the Lebanese people and every resistance fighter in Lebanon.
Al-Manar: Thank you.
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[17 June 13] Iraqi Patriotic Union of Kurdistan lodges complain on voter...
The upcoming elections in Iraq\'s Kurdistan Region have encouraged some MPs to take legal action over what they call inflated voter numbers. The...
The upcoming elections in Iraq\'s Kurdistan Region have encouraged some MPs to take legal action over what they call inflated voter numbers. The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan is one of the region\'s two ruling parties.
The Patriotic Union claims that voter numbers in certain areas have increased by over ninety thousand in just a few months. Party members are worried that this could give way to forgery in September\'s elections.
3m:19s
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[05 July 13] British MP scorns Morsi for handling Syrian crisis - English
Prominent British lawmaker George Galloway has paid a visit to Australia to deliver lectures on the situation in the Middle East. During his...
Prominent British lawmaker George Galloway has paid a visit to Australia to deliver lectures on the situation in the Middle East. During his hour-long lecture on the tensions engulfing the Middle East especially in Egypt the outspoken British MP criticised Mohammad Morsi the ousted Egyptian president for his handling of the Syrian crisis
The respected British MP also condemned the actions of western governments specially the US for arming the militants and Al-Qaeda forces in Syria. In this respect, NSW greens senator Lee Rhiannon had this to say to Press TV.
Mr. Galloway\'s 2 lectures during his short stay in Australia has shed light on the current tensions in the middle east and raised many questions on the actions of western governments towards this region. Finally raising hope that stability would return to the region.
Hamid Farajollahi, Press TV, Sydney
2m:43s
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[17 July 13] Anger prevails as Indian court sentences 2 Kashmiris to...
A move that has sent shock waves across Indian-controlled Kashmir and has further enraged the people of the restive region, an Indian court has...
A move that has sent shock waves across Indian-controlled Kashmir and has further enraged the people of the restive region, an Indian court has sentenced two Kashmiri youth, languishing in a jail in eastern Indian city of Kolkata for the last 10 years, to life imprisonment in a 2003 arms smuggling case. The decision has sparked angry protests in the region.
Press TV\'s Syed Ali Safvi reports from Kashmir.
3m:6s
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