Part six: Fighting and resistance
The arrogant powers do not know that there is a force that is far more effective than their weapons – that is, the power of people. Any nation that believes in a particular set of intellectual principles and adheres to them in a determined fashion cannot be brought down by any material force. These arrogant powers tend to underestimate the power of people and the power of Allah the Exalted which is behind the determination and acts of nations. "All do We aid." [The Holy Quran 17: 20] Allah the Exalted will help any group of human beings who work hard to further the goals they believe in. If a group of people believe in God, then it will be far more difficult to challenge them.
The battle of the heroic people of Palestine
The battle started by the people of Palestine is not a battle between one army and another, so it is not possible to estimate their power by, for instance, counting the number of their tanks. Rather, it is battle fought by hearts and souls that are not afraid of death. Each selfless Palestinian youth who stands up to the occupying Zionists threatens them like an army. It is not possible to confront such people with tanks, missiles, warplanes, and military helicopters. A single man, who does not fear death and is prepared to lay down his life for the sake of God and his obligations, can be the greatest threat to unfair materialists.
Palestinians’ enthusiasm for martyrdom is not based on emotions. Rather it is based on faith in Islam, Judgment Day, and life after death. The arrogant powers will always face this threat wherever there is genuine Islam. The arrogant powers have to fight Islam in order to dominate Palestine. Fighting Islam is the same as fighting the world of Islam, and this battle will get them nowhere.
The fact of the situation is that they have displaced a nation from its homeland, and this displaced nation is entitled to reclaim its homeland. This battle is a struggle for their rights. America calls this struggle “terrorism”, but it does not think that the Zionist brutality against Palestinians is terrorism!
Today the Palestinian nation is an oppressed but highly courageous nation, and it is fair to call Palestinians heroes. Palestinian people are resisting single-handedly and fighting with their bare hands. And they have made the materialistic powers of the world – which have all the means of suppression and massacre – helpless.
How to fight the Zionist regime
The usurping Zionist regime must be dealt with mainly through:
A) Imprisoning it inside the borders of the occupied Palestinian lands, exerting political and economic pressure on it, and isolating it
B) Ensuring the Palestinian nation’s resistance inside their country and providing them with what they need until they achieve final victory.
The role model of Palestinian militants
Palestine was occupied more than 50 years ago. Palestine had a young generation fifty years ago. Who is the role model of these Palestinian youth who have stepped into the arena? Who did they learn from? Their role models are the young faithful Lebanese youth. In the demonstrations that they stage in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank – which is an area populated by Palestinians – Palestinian youth hold up photos of the Lebanese leader of Hezbollah, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah. They raised the flag of Lebanon over the dome of Masjid al-Aqsa. Of course the Zionists did not let the flag remain there. The Lebanese youth became the role models of the Palestinian youth. Most of the people who watch Hezbollah's al-Manar are inside the occupied Palestinian lands. They do not just watch the programs broadcast on al-Manar – they are thirsty for the programs.
Jihad is the duty of the Islamic Ummah
All Islamic jurisprudents unanimously agree that when the enemy gains control over a Muslim land and threatens the existence of Islam in a country, it is the duty of all Muslims to fight the enemy in a concerted jihad, force it out, and punish it. If the Islamic Ummah is awakened to the reality, it will realize that this is the greatest tragedy that has happened to Muslims in the recent past. The Islamic ruling regarding this issue is unambiguous. Not even one single Muslim is doubtful about the Islamic ruling regarding the issue of Palestine. The issue has been mentioned in all fiqh books – which talk about the issue of jihad. No Islamic jurisprudent has ever expressed doubts about the necessity of jihad when infidels occupy or besiege Muslim lands. All Islamic denominations are unanimous in this regard. Jihad is not normally obligatory for all Muslims, but not in this particular case. Defensive jihad, which is the most important instance of jihad, is obligatory for all Muslims.
The first Intifada was stopped because of the Zionists' and their supporters' inducements, the influence of the proponents of diplomatic negotiations, and the pressure exerted by America and the west. They encouraged Palestinians to believe that they would achieve privileges through peaceful means. But the passage of time showed in ten years that all the efforts made by the supporters of the Zionists in the world were aimed at saving the Israeli regime from the pressure of Muslim resistance, and that what their promises to the Palestinian negotiators were just a mirage.
The al-Aqsa Intifada marked a new beginning for great developments in the resistance of the Palestinian people. Palestinian resistance has gone through many highs and lows, plots, and challenges. Different weapons have been used against it. The resisting Palestinian people have suffered from the deafening sound of the enemy's warplanes and artilleries, and they have realized today that continual jihad and resistance is the only way to liberate Palestine from the clutches of the Zionist criminals and their supporters. Global public opinion is also in favor of this attitude.
The Zionists had based their power equations on humiliating the Palestinian nation, but the Palestinians stood up to these equations, the disgraceful agreements with the Zionist regime, the domineering American regime, and the defeated negotiators. They chose to tread the path of dignity and glory. As a result, the Zionists faced internal crisis and Palestinian resistance.
Al-Quds is the core of the al-Aqsa Intifada. That is to say, the Zionists' disrespect of Masjid al-Aqsa triggered the explosion of the Palestinian people's rage. The people of Palestine stepped into the arena in order to fulfill their duty of defending one of the most sacred places for Muslims. Through their selfless efforts, they kindled the holy fire of resistance against the occupying Zionists.
The peace process – and the Oslo Accords in particular – caused discord among Palestinians. But this auspicious Intifada could restore national unity to Palestine. People from all walks of life have taken part in this battle, and the Islamic and nationalistic movements are working together harmoniously.
The driving force behind the Palestinian uprising (the al-Aqsa Intifada)
The Palestinian uprising was not caused by the Islamic Republic or the people of Lebanon. It was sparked off by the people of Palestine. The Palestinian uprising was caused by the sorrows and sufferings bottled up by the Palestinian youth who have enthusiastically entered the arena today. The Iranian people admire them and feel an affinity with them. Palestine is part of the body of Islam, and the Iranian people feel that the Palestinian youth are their brothers. But it is the Palestinians who are continuing the Intifada.
Palestine is the pivot of Islamic Awakening
After the Islamic Revolution in Iran and Imam Khomeini’s (r.a.) movement, the wave of Islamic Awakening spread vigorously to other parts of the region and the world in two decades. Today the issue of Palestine is the pivot of this movement. The al-Aqsa Intifada managed to go beyond the borders of Palestine and engage all Muslim and Arab nations. Massive demonstrations of Muslim nations throughout the world of Islam showed that the people of Palestine could count on their support and that Palestinians can play an important role in creating unity among Muslims.
The day Islamic resistance was formed in Lebanon on Imam Khomeini’s advice and through the efforts made by valorous Lebanese men, Israel had already occupied Beirut – that is, the capital city of Lebanon – and had control over this country’s political fate. At that time, when Islamic resistance shouted the slogan “march, march towards al-Quds”, some misinformed group of people called them naïve and sarcastically asked, “Is it possible to move towards al-Quds while you [Lebanese people] are unable to go to your own capital city.” It took 18 years for Islamic resistance to gain that historic victory. Eighteen years is not a long time in the history of a nation.
Resistance: A prerequisite for liberation
The al-Aqsa Intifada was an uprising staged by the people, which showed that Palestinians are disappointed in all solutions that involve compromise. The al-Aqsa Intifada showed that Palestinians have realized that victory can only be gained through resistance. As a successful paradigm for the Islamic Ummah, resistance could for the first time liberate the occupied lands without making any concessions to Israel and prevented the realization of the Zionist regime's wishes of raising its flag in the capital city of Lebanon. According to the Camp David Accords, Israel agreed to retreat on condition that Egypt did not send its army to the Sinai Peninsula in the north. But in the south, it is Israel that is begging Lebanon to send its army to the borders of Palestine and Lebanon due to its fear of the power of Islamic resistance. That is to say, Islamic resistance could fully restore Lebanon's national authority over the southern parts of Lebanon as well as other parts of the Lebanese occupied lands.
Part seven: The fate of Palestine
Survival of Palestine and annihilation of Israel
Today the leaders of the usurping Zionist regime and their American supporters – who are foolishly giving them unconditional support – are trying to erase the name of Palestine from history and from the minds of the world's people. Since the year 1947 and 1948, when Palestine was fully occupied and the Zionist regime came to power, they have not managed to achieve this goal and they will not be able to do so for decades. They will not be able to annihilate the name of Palestine. It is the Zionists who will disappear from the face of the earth and from history. But Palestine and the Palestinian nation will stay. They mistakenly think that Palestine and the Palestinian nation will be annihilated. The Palestinian nation will survive. Palestine will survive as well. By Allah's favor, Palestine's flag will be raised by the faithful Palestinian and Lebanese youth.
Zionism and the fake usurping Zionist regime in Palestine are doomed to annihilation. The people of Palestine must ask Allah the Exalted for assistance and rely on Him. Palestinian and Lebanese youth as well as all youth of the world of Islam and all intellectuals must pursue this path.
The oppressive and usurping Zionists must know that the faithful young generation of Palestine and Lebanon are invincible. The faithful and determined resistance of the Palestinian nation cannot be stopped through political negotiations, security and military pressure, or propaganda mercenaries. Similarly, the honorable Iranian nation cannot be defeated through the old, unsuccessful methods that the Zionists have frequently used in the past two decades.
The present conditions in Palestine are indicative of the definite future that Allah the Exalted has promised for sincere and determined mujahids. And this divine promise is inviolable. The oppressive and brutal Zionist regime as well as American politicians and global Zionism wrongly think that they will manage to defeat the Palestinian nation through their brutal actions. They think they will manage to force the Palestinian nation to surrender. This is a fatal mistake. And those who make this mistake will be severely punished in the future.
Palestine belongs to the Palestinian nation. Sooner or later, the usurpers will inevitably surrender to this reality. Today the faithful and resisting Palestinian youth are entrusted with a great historic responsibility, and they should rely on divine assistance and God's inviolable promises. Through their hope, faith, and selfless efforts, they should ensure a bight future for their nation. Through the continuation of resistance by the faithful Palestinian people and the support of the world of Islam, Palestine will, by Allah's favor, be liberated. And al-Quds and Masjid al-Aqsa and the other parts of the occupied Islamic lands will be restored to the world of Islam.
The victory of blood over the sword
The people of the world of Islam should also know that America and the arrogant powers cannot get engaged in the issues of Muslim countries as a benevolent and sympathetic mediator. Their role is that of an enemy, a supporter of oppressors and aggressors. The duty of Muslims does not end here. This duty will remain on the shoulders of all Muslims. The faithful people of Palestine must be armed. They should be assisted and emotionally supported so that they can pursue their courageous jihad. Today the Palestinian nation has proven through its resistance, valor, and tireless efforts that blood can stand up to the sword. And by Allah's favor, the Palestinian nation will prove that blood can defeat the sword.