Hezbollah chief: Trump's decision on Quds insults Muslims, violates intl. law

The secretary general of the Lebanese Hezbollah resistance movement says US President Donald Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem al-Quds as Israel’s capital is an insult to all Muslims and a violation of international law.

Speaking in a televised address to the Lebanese nation from the capital city Beirut on Thursday, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said following Trump’s decision, Israel would stop at nothing to push Palestinians from their homes and confiscate their properties, farms and gardens.

He noted that following the US president's remarks, Israel will certainly try to expand its dominion over the greater Quds and expropriate more land in the occupied West Bank.

Another ambiguity that exists following Trump’s decision, Nasrallah added, was the fate of the sacred places of Muslims and Christians as Zionists will seize this opportunity to pose a major challenge to Muslims’ sanctities, especially al-Aqsa Mosque.

By recognizing Jerusalem al-Quds as Israel's capital, the Hezbollah leader said, the core of the Palestinian issue, which is the city of al-Quds, has been erased from all possible talks, because the issue of al-Quds would fall out of the domain of any negotiations.

He added that when the US dares to encroach upon the most sacred city for Muslims, there is no doubt that other places, which are less revered such as the rest of the West Bank, the southern part of Lebanon and the Golan Heights would be open to similar actions if Muslims remained silent in the face of Trump’s decision.

He emphasized that silence of Muslims will make them vulnerable and pave the way for encroachment of enemies on other places of importance to them.

He went on to note that the Zionist regime of Israel had no respect for international resolutions and paid no attention to all international condemnations, because it only cared about the US stance.

Nasrallah noted that Trump’s decision was a grave insult to millions of Muslims and Christians who felt offended by transfer of Jerusalem al-Quds to control of Israel in spite of sentiments of Muslims and Christians and is against all international resolutions.

He added that Zionist media and analysts believed that since Islamic countries are plagued with their own problems, they had no time to react to Trump’s decision and this is why they ignored the entire international community and took such an insulting step.

Nasrallah said Americans and Zionists believe that even a reaction to Trump’s decision will be limited to a few days of protests, which will finally ebb and the situation would return to normal.

First of all, he said, Muslims must continue their protests against this outrageous step and emphasize the importance of the issue of Palestine for all Muslims, so that nobody would ever dare to do such things.

Hezbollah leader stated that protests should continue even if they were conducted by a few people, because they were needed to make the voice of Muslims be heard by the leaders at the White House.

He continued by saying that every man and woman, old and young, must take part in these protests, especially through social networks, while scholars must hold meetings on this issue and raise their voice in condemnation of Trump’s decision.

Sit-ins must be also held, he added, referring to sit-ins conducted by Palestinians in various places, and said such moves will make Trump regret what he has done.

He advised Arab states by saying that the least they could do was to summon their ambassadors from the United States, underlining that they were not expected to cut relations with the United States, but by recalling their envoys, they should protest to US administration’s measure.

Nasrallah also stated that Arab countries must mount pressure on Israel so that the Tel Aviv regime would not dare to implement this decision in practice and encroach upon the property and homes of Palestinians in occupied land.

Hezbollah leader said all kinds of overt and covert contacts with Israel aimed at normalization of ties with Tel Aviv must be cut by all Arab states and all diplomatic ties with Israel must be severed followed by expelling the Zionist regime’s ambassadors from all Arab capitals.

“Any step taken to normalize ties with Israel would be the greatest treachery against Palestine at the present juncture,” he said.

Nasrallah emphasized that Arab nations and Palestinians must also clearly announce that they have lost their trust in negotiations with Israel and they will not continue talks with Israel.

Another measure to be taken, he added, was for Muslims to issue statements in their conferences, including those of Arab nations, emphasizing that al-Quds is the permanent capital of Palestine and its status as such will never change.

Rekindling the Palestinian intifada, which has been proposed by certain parties, was another measure that Hezbollah leader described as the most important and greatest response to Americans and Zionists.

Nasrallah also declared his support for anti-Israeli resistance, adding that resistance was the best way to counter Israel and its backers.

In conclusion, the Hezbollah leader called on all people – men, women and children – to take part in a huge rally against Trump’s decision, which will be held in Dahieh neighborhood on the southern suburbs of Beirut next Monday.  

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