Nasrallah Slams Saudi as Source of 'Takfiri Ideology', Says Yemen Dispute Must Not Affect Lebanon
Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah launched a vehement attack against Saudi Arabia on Friday, accusing it of being the source of the “takfiri ideology” in the world, as he called for avoiding a dispute in Lebanon over the Yemeni crisis.
“Intimidation or threats will not prevent us from continuing to declare our condemnation of the aggression against Yemen,” said Nasrallah via video link, addressing a Hizbullah rally titled Solidarity with Aggrieved Yemen.
“The war's real objective is restoring the Saudi-American hegemony over Yemen, as I have already announced,” he reiterated.
“The officials in Saudi Arabia said the war's objective is to defend Yemen's Arab identity, but have the Arab people authorized them to wage a war on Yemen? This is a war against an Arab people,” Nasrallah lamented.
Tensions between Riyadh and Hizbullah increased in the wake of Saudi Arabia's Arab-backed military operation against Yemen's Shiite Huthi rebels. The air campaign, launched in late March, is aimed at defeating the rebels and restoring power to President Abderabbo Mansour Hadi.
“Yemenis do not need to prove their Arab or Islamic identity and those invading Yemen today must seek to verify their Arab identity,” said Nasrallah.
Noting that there is an "attempt to give the war a sectarian overtone," Hizbullah's chief pointed out that “no one accepts to label the events in Yemen as a Shiite-Sunni war other than those who are controlled by money.”
Commenting on remarks that the operation aims to protect the Muslim holy sites in Saudi Arabia, Nasrallah added: “Who is threatening the Two Holy Mosques? Ansarullah (Huthis)? The Yemenis? I can confirm to you that there is a threat against the Two Holy Mosques, but it is coming from Daesh, which after declaring a caliphate in Mosul announced that it will demolish the Holy Kaaba.”
“The Prophet's Mosque is facing a threat, but the threat is coming from inside Saudi Arabia and the Wahhabi ideology and culture,” said Nasrallah, in an apparent jab at the conservative kingdom's political and religious authorities.
Criticizing the late King Abdul Aziz al-Saud, the founder of the kingdom, Nasrallah added: “After the founding king seized control of Hijaz, his Wahhabi followers -- inspired by their culture -- demolished all historic artifacts that have to do with the Prophet in April 1926.”
Noting that the war's objective is not to “defend the Yemeni people,” Nasrallah lashed out at Riyadh for waging “an air and sea blockade against 42 million Yemenis, who are being left without food, water or medical aid.”
“They are saying that they are defending the Yemeni state. They are doing this through bombing the state's administrations, airports, ports and military bases. Is this how you defend the state?” added Nasrallah.
“Does anyone believe that this war's objective is to return Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi to the presidency?” he asked
“After 28 days of aerial and naval bombardment, fierce airstrikes and all forms of intelligence and logistical support that were offered by the Americans, there has been failure to return Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi to Yemen, as he is still in Riyadh,” Nasrallah underlined.
He noted that “because of this aggression,” Hadi has lost “any chance to return to the presidency.”
“Any political settlement cannot return him to the presidency,” he emphasized.
“There are popular protests despite the aerial bombardment and until the moment the Yemenis have not showed any sign of defeat,” Nasrallah said.
As for the international reaction to the Saudi-led effort, Nasrallah pointed out that “most voices in the world have demanded an end to the war and called for a political solution.”
“Those leading this war must show modesty and seek an exit,” he said.
“A ground offensive is futile and their defeat is obvious. The Yemenis should only depend on their resilience, which will defeat the aggression. They must also prepare for a political solution but the war must stop first,” he added.
And despite the sharp-toned speech, Nasrallah added that “all what we want for Saudi Arabia is security, prosperity stability.”
Commenting on the Pakistani parliament's recent rejection of any involvement by Islamabad in the Saudi-led operation, Nasrallah thanked Pakistan for its “refusal to join the war.”
“I call on Pakistan and the Egyptian leadership not to be partners in the war, the same as they along with India prevented the demolition of the Prophet's grave in 1920,” he added.
He also noted that Iran, his party's key regional supporter, “believes in dialogue with the Islamic states and with Saudi Arabia.”
“But the latter is being stubborn because it has failed in all countries -- in Iraq, Syria and Lebanon -- and it is seeking a success before going to the table of negotiations,” added Nasrallah.
“It's about time Muslims and Arabs told Saudi Arabia enough is enough,” he said.
“Where did the ideology of the groups that are destroying societies and countries come from? ... From whose culture and fatwas? Who is spreading this ideology across the world? Who is building schools all over the world to teach Muslim youths this destructive, takfiri ideology? Very clearly it is Saudi Arabia,” said Nasrallah.
He also accused Riyadh of using revenues from the Muslim Hajj pilgrimage to allegedly finance extremist groups.
“For the sake of the every Muslim country, the Islamic world must tell Saudi Arabia enough is enough,” he added.
Turning to the situation in Lebanon in light of the Yemeni crisis, Nasrallah called for sparing the country a major dispute over the issue.
“Here in Lebanon we want to live together and we don't want to import the Yemeni conflict into Lebanon,” said Nasrallah.
Addressing the rival March 14 camp, Nasrallah added: “We disagreed over Yemen, Syria and before them Lebanon, but be patient and do not make wrong calculations.”
“Avoid calculations similar to your bet that the Syrian regime would fall within two months,” he added.
“The approach of criticism is welcome, but not the approach of insults. Each of us can maintain any stance and opinion while respecting certain limits and moral restrictions,” Nasrallah noted.
Y.R.
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