Sayyed Nasrallah: Bush's Visit to Region Disgraceful

Al-Manar

"10/01/2008 Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah made a televised speech Wednesday on the occasion of the Hijri New year and the beginning of the Arab month of Muharram. The occasion coincided with US president George W. Bush's visit to occupied Palestine. "Today is a black day in the history of our Arab region and the history of our Arab and Islamic nation…It is a disgraceful and shameful day for all Arabs and Muslims when the Pharaoh (Bush) of this age sets foot on our occupied holy land," Sayyed Nasrallah added. He added that "Bush arrived here as if he is the defender of freedom and democracy. Who started the killings 60 years ago? The Palestinians didn't do it, and the Jews who lived in Arab states lived peacefully. The ones doing the killing were Zionist gangs.

His eminence also slammed US media outlets and US allies for presenting Israel as a symbol of democracy in the region. "Bush views Israel as a Jewish state, that is, racist...its existence is premised on race. Israel aspires for a racially pure existence." The Hezbollah chief stressed hope is in the hands of the free Arabs. He warned Muslims and Arabs as well about "Bush the faker, who fails to protect the Arabs from the real murderer and instead argues that he wishes to defend them from a fictitious enemy. He is attempting to convince our Arab and Muslim people of a bogus danger. It's a deception."

Sayyed Nasrallah attributed the reason for all wars to the "Zionist occupation of Palestine." Pointing to the Israeli war against Lebanon in 2006, his eminence slammed the international community that gives Israel the "right to embark on war for two soldiers who were taken captive...yet the Palestinians are not allowed to fire a rocket on Sderot or Ashkelon. This is the justice of the strong and of the imperialists."

In a statement, Hezbollah condemned Bush's visit and urged Arab governments to be aware of the "dangers" of U.S. policy on the future of Arab and Islamic worlds. "The U.S. sponsorship of the negotiations between the Palestinians and Zionists represents a direct cover for liquidating the Palestinian cause and displacing the remaining Palestinians under the so-called Jewish state," said the statement."