International Conference in Support of the Palestinian People

In the Name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

I welcome you, esteemed guests, scholars, thinkers, politicians, and Mojahedin who have come to the Islamic Republic of Iran for the fourth gathering to defend Palestine.

In the interval between this conference and the previous one, which took place from the 15th to the 17th of Rabi' al-Awwal in the year 1427 AH in Tehran, significant and decisive events have occurred that clarify the future horizon regarding Palestine and our responsibilities concerning this still central issue of the Islamic world.

Among these important events is the astonishing military and political defeat of Israel against Islamic resistance in the 33-day war in Lebanon in the year 1427 AH and the humiliating failure of the Zionist regime in its criminal 22-day war against the people and the legitimate government of Palestine in Gaza.

Now, the usurping regime, which for decades presented a terrifying and invincible face with its army and weapons, supported by the military and political backing of America, has been defeated twice by the resistance forces, who fight relying more on God and the people than on weapons and equipment. Despite military training and preparations, extensive intelligence organizations, and unwavering support from America and some Western governments, as well as the collusion of certain hypocrites in the Islamic world, it has revealed its dissolution, steep decline, and inadequacy in the face of the powerful wave of Islamic awakening.

On the other hand, the crimes committed by the Zionist criminals during the historical incident in Gaza, including the widespread massacre of civilians, the destruction of defenseless homes, the piercing of infants' chests, the bombing of schools and mosques, the use of phosphorus bombs and other prohibited weapons, the blockade of food, medicine, fuel, and other basic necessities for nearly two years, and many other crimes, have proven that the instinct for savagery and crime in the leaders of the fake Zionist state has not changed from the early decades of the Palestinian catastrophe. The same policies and the same savage and ruthless nature that led to the tragedies of Deir Yassin and Sabra and Shatila are still present in the dark minds and hearts of these tyrants of the time, who today, with the advancement of technology, have expanded the scope of their crimes significantly.

Both those who, under the illusion of the invincibility of the Zionist regime, have raised the slogan of "realism" and extended their hands for compromise and submission to the usurpers, and those who mistakenly believe that the second and third generations of Zionist politicians are absolved of the crimes of the first generation and nurture hopes for healthy coexistence alongside them, must now realize their error. Firstly, with the wave of awakening of the Muslim Ummah and the flourishing of the seed of Islamic resistance, that false grandeur has collapsed, and signs of weakness and helplessness in the usurping regime have become evident. Secondly, the nature of aggression and shamelessness in the crimes of those who run that regime is the same as it was in the early decades, and whenever they can or think they can, they will not shy away from any crime.

Now, 60 years have passed since the occupation of Palestine. During this time, all material power tools have been at the service of the usurpers; from money and weapons and technology to political and diplomatic efforts, and to the vast network of the imperialist news and information empire.

Despite this extensive and astonishing evil effort, the usurpers and their supporters have not only failed to resolve the legitimacy issue of the Zionist regime, but this issue has become more complicated over time.

The intolerance of Western and Zionist media and the governments supporting Zionism against even the questioning and investigation of the Holocaust, which was the pretext for the usurpation of Palestine, is one of the signs of this instability and ambiguity. Now, the situation of the Zionist regime is worse than ever in its dark history in the public opinion of the world, and the question of its emergence is more serious. The unprecedented and spontaneous global protests from East Asia to Latin America against that regime and the public demonstrations in 120 countries around the world, including in Europe and in England, which was the main origin of this wicked tree, and their defense of the Islamic resistance in Gaza and the Islamic resistance in Lebanon during the 33-day war, indicate that a global resistance against Zionism has emerged that has never been as serious and substantial as it is today in the past 60 years. It can be said that the Islamic resistance in Lebanon and Palestine has awakened the global conscience.

This is a great lesson, both for the enemies of the Islamic Ummah who sought to create a fake and puppet state and nation through force and oppression and to normalize such a tyrannical imposition in the Islamic world over time, and for the Islamic Ummah, especially the valiant youth and the awakened consciences among them, to know that striving to restore the usurped right will never be in vain, and God's promise is true, as He said:

"Permission is given to those who are fought against because they have been wronged, and indeed, Allah is capable of granting them victory. Those who have been expelled from their homes unjustly, except that they say, 'Our Lord is Allah.' And if Allah had not repelled some people by means of others, there would have been demolished monasteries, churches, and mosques in which the name of Allah is much mentioned. And Allah will surely support those who support Him. Indeed, Allah is Exalted in Might and Wise."

And He, the Exalted, said: "Indeed, Allah does not fail in His promise," and He, the Exalted, said: "And Allah will not fail in His promise," and He said: "The promise of Allah is not to be broken by Allah, but most of the people do not know," and He, the Exalted, said: "So do not think that Allah will fail to fulfill His promise to His messengers. Indeed, Allah is Exalted in Might, and He is capable of punishment." And which of God's promises is clearer than this divine promise that says: "Allah has promised those among you who have believed and done righteous deeds that He will surely grant them succession upon the earth as He granted it to those before them and that He will surely establish for them their religion which He has preferred for them and that He will surely substitute for them after their fear, security, [so they may worship Me and not associate anything with Me]. And whoever disbelieves after that, those are the defiantly disobedient."

A great fallacy that has gripped the minds of some involved in the Palestinian issue is that a country called Israel is a sixty-year-old reality and must be accepted. I do not understand why they do not learn from other realities that are before their eyes? Did not the countries of the Balkans, the Caucasus, and Southwest Asia regain their original identity after eighty years of identity loss and becoming parts of the former Soviet Union?

Why can Palestine, which is a part of the Islamic world, not regain its Islamic and Arab identity once again? And why can the Palestinian youth, who are among the smartest and most resilient Arab youth, not overcome this tyrannical reality?

Another great fallacy is that it is said that the only way to save the Palestinian nation is negotiation! Negotiation with whom? With the usurping and oppressive regime that believes in nothing but force? What have those who have deluded themselves with this trick gained? What they obtained from the Zionists as their self-governing authority, aside from its humiliating and degrading nature, was first at the heavy cost of acknowledging the usurping regime's ownership over almost all of Palestine, and secondly, they have trampled on that half-hearted and false government on various occasions with baseless excuses; the siege of Yasser Arafat in his management building in Ramallah and various humiliations and degradations he faced are not events to be forgotten.

Thirdly, whether during Arafat's time or especially after him, they treated the officials of the self-governing authority, such as the heads of police stations, whose duty was to pursue and arrest Palestinian Mojahedin and to impose informational and police sieges on them, and thus sowed the seeds of hatred among Palestinian groups and turned them against each other.

And fourthly, even that weak achievement was only due to the efforts of the Mojahedin and the resistance of the valiant men and women who refuse to submit. If the intifadas had not occurred, the Zionists, despite the repeated concessions of traditional Palestinian leaders before them, would never have given them even this much.

Or negotiation with America and England, who have committed the greatest sin in creating and supporting this cancerous tumor? And who, before being mediators, are parties to the dispute? The American government has never ceased its unconditional support for the Zionist regime and even for its blatant crimes, such as the recent events in Gaza.

Even the new American president, who has come to power with the slogan of change in the policies of the Bush administration, speaks of unconditional commitment to the security of Israel, which means defending state terrorism, defending oppression and tyranny, defending the massacre of hundreds of men, women, and children in Palestine in 22 days; this means the same wrong path of the Bush era and nothing less.

Negotiation with the organizations affiliated with the United Nations is also another futile approach. The United Nations has perhaps been subjected to a revealing and disgraceful test in no less a case than the Palestinian issue.

The Security Council quickly recognized the occupation of Palestine by terrorist groups and played a fundamental role in the emergence and continuation of this historical injustice, and for several decades remained silent in the face of genocides, displacements, war crimes, and various other crimes of that regime, and even when the General Assembly voted on the racist nature of Zionism, it not only did not support it but practically distanced itself 180 degrees from it. The bullying countries of the world, which enjoy permanent membership in the Security Council, use this global assembly as a tool.

The result is that not only does this council not help with security in the world, but wherever concepts such as human rights or democracy and the like become a means for their greed and further domination, it rushes to their aid and covers their unlawful actions with a veil of deception and lies.

The salvation of Palestine will not come from begging the United Nations or the dominant powers, and even less from the usurping regime; the only way to salvation is steadfastness and resistance, with the unity of the Palestinian word and the word of monotheism, which is the endless reserve of jihadist movement.

The pillars of this resistance are, on one hand, the Palestinian Mojahedin groups and the faithful and resilient people of Palestine inside and outside that country; and on the other hand, the governments and Muslim nations around the world, especially religious scholars, intellectuals, political elites, and academics. If these two solid pillars are in place, undoubtedly, the awakened consciences and hearts and minds that have not been distorted by the propaganda of the imperialist news and Zionism will rush to the aid of the rightful and oppressed and will confront the system of domination with a storm of thought, feeling, and action.

We saw an example of this truth during the recent glorious resistance of Gaza. The tears of the head of a Western international service organization in front of the media cameras, the sympathetic statements of humanitarian organization activists, the large and sincere demonstrations of people in the heart of European capitals and American cities, the courageous actions of several leaders in Latin America, all indicate that the non-Muslim world has not yet been completely conquered by the evil and corrupt forces — whom the Quran calls devils — and that the field is still open for the truth to prevail.

Indeed, the resistance and patience of the Mojahedin and the people of Palestine and comprehensive support for them from all Muslim countries will be able to break the satanic spell of the usurpation of Palestine. The immense energy of the Islamic Ummah can solve the problems of the Islamic world, including the acute and urgent problem of Palestine.

Now, my address is to you, Muslim brothers and sisters around the world, and also to all awakened consciences from every country and nation. Strive to break the spell of immunity of the Zionist criminals. Bring the political and military leaders of the usurping regime, who played a role in the Gaza catastrophe, to justice and impose the punishment that justice and reason dictate. This is the first step that must be taken. The political and military leaders of the usurping regime must be tried. If the criminals are punished, the path to crime for those who have the motivation and madness for it will be obstructed. Allowing the perpetrators of great crimes to go unpunished is itself a factor and incentive for further crimes. If the Islamic Ummah had seriously demanded the punishment of the Zionist criminals after the 33-day war in Lebanon and those horrific atrocities, if this rightful demand had been made after the bloodshed of wedding caravans in Afghanistan and after the crimes of Blackwater in Iraq and after the scandals of American soldiers in Abu Ghraib and elsewhere, today we would not be witnessing the Karbala of Gaza.

We, the governments and Muslim nations, did not fulfill the duty that reason and justice dictated in those matters, and the result is what we are witnessing today.

It is deeply regrettable that some governments and global politicians are profoundly alienated from moral issues and human conscience. For them, the massacre of more than 1,350 people and the wounding of about 5,500 unarmed people, many of whom are children, in 22 days in Gaza does not evoke any sensitivity; the murderers and criminals are not only not punished but are also rewarded. The security of the ruthless regime is considered a sacred matter that must be defended at all costs, while the oppressed party, whether a government that has come to power with the decisive vote of the people or the people who brought that government to power, is accused and condemned. This is the verdict of a political court that has no relation to ethics, conscience, and virtue, and its water does not mix with that of a drop. When these governments observe the deep hatred of public opinion towards them, without seeing the obvious cause of it, they resort to even more politics, and this vicious cycle continues.

Dear brothers and sisters in the entire Islamic world! Let us learn from experiences.

Our great Ummah today, thanks to the Islamic awakening, possesses immense power. The key to solving the numerous problems of Islamic countries lies in the effort and unity of this magnificent collection, and the issue of Palestine is the most urgent issue of the Islamic world.

Sometimes it is heard that some say: Palestine is an Arab issue. What does this statement mean? If it means that Arabs have a closer kinship and are more willing to offer service and strive, this is a commendable thing, and we congratulate it. But if the meaning of this statement is that the leaders of some Arab countries pay the least attention to the call of the Muslims for the people of Palestine and cooperate with the usurping and oppressive enemy in a significant issue like the Gaza catastrophe and shout at others who are disturbed by the call of duty, "Why are you helping Gaza?" then no Muslim and no valiant Arab with a conscience will accept this statement, and the speaker of it will not be exempt from reproach and condemnation. This is the same logic of the one who beat his father and shouted at anyone who intervened; then his son beat that old father as well, and this became a proverb in Arabic: "Indeed, my son has made me bleed; I recognize it from the one who has a crooked nose."

Comprehensive assistance to the people of Palestine and full support for them is a collective duty for all Muslims. Governments that criticize the Islamic Republic of Iran and some other Muslim countries for helping Palestine should themselves bear this assistance and support so that the Islamic obligation is lifted from others, and if they do not have the effort, ability, and courage for it, it is better for them to appreciate the responsible and courageous actions of others instead of criticizing and obstructing.

Esteemed attendees, you who have participated in this gathering are knowledgeable and thoughtful regarding the Palestinian issue. Our historical duty today is not to repeat the weak words and theories of the past, but to present a solution that liberates Palestine from the oppression of the Zionist regime. Our proposal is a solution that is entirely in line with democracy and can be a common logic for all global thoughts. That proposal is that all rightful owners in the land of Palestine, whether Muslim, Christian, or Jewish, choose their system in a referendum, and all Palestinians who have endured years of hardship and displacement should also participate in this referendum.

The Western world must understand that rejecting this solution is a sign of not adhering to the democracy they constantly preach, and this will be another revealing test against them.

Their previous test was also in Palestine, where they refused to accept the results of the elections in the West Bank and Gaza that brought Hamas to power. Those who accept democracy only to the extent that its results are favorable to them are warmongers and adventurers, and if they speak of peace, it is nothing but lies and deception.

Now, the issue of rebuilding Gaza is one of the most urgent issues of Palestine. The Hamas government, which is the elected majority of the Palestinians and whose resistance has brilliantly thwarted the Zionist regime, is the brightest point in the recent hundred-year history of Palestine and should be the center of all activities related to reconstruction. It is appropriate for our Egyptian brothers to open the way for assistance and allow Muslim countries and nations to fulfill their duty in this important matter.

In conclusion, I honor the memory of the martyrs of the 22-day war who, with their blood, transformed Gaza into the dignity of Islam and Arabs, and I ask for forgiveness and mercy for them. I also send greetings to all the martyrs of Palestine, Lebanon, Iraq, Afghanistan, and all martyrs of Islam, and to the pure soul of Imam Khomeini (may his soul be sanctified).

I ask the Almighty God for the dignity of Islam and Muslims and for the increasing closeness of Muslim nations to one another and the ever-growing awakening of the Islamic world.

Peace be upon you and God's mercy and blessings.