On International Qods Day, Instituted By The Iranian Regime, Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Hizbullah And Other Iran Allies Call For Jihad Against Israel, Threaten Regional War

As they do every year, Iran and its allies marked International Qods Day ("Roz-e Qods" in Persian) on the last Friday of Ramadan – which this year occurred on April 29 – with events in Iran, in several Arab countries and online. At these events, leaders of the Iran-led resistance axis – including officials of Hizbullah, Hamas, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), the Houthi movement in Yemen, and the Iran-backed militias in Iraq – called for continued jihad against "the temporary entity" Israel and for the liberation of Palestine as part of a regional war involving all components of the resistance axis, which they referred to as the "Jerusalem axis." The events included conferences, rallies and processions in Tehran, in Hizbullah's stronghold in Beirut and in Gaza. Furthermore, a Hamas delegation headed by a member of the movement's political bureau, Khalil Al-Hayya, and by Hamas official Osama Hamdan visited Iran and attended the main Qods Day rally in Tehran. The delegation also met with Iranian officials, including the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), Gen. Hossein Salami, and thanked them for Iran's support of the Palestinians.[1]

Another event, which took place on April 26, 2022, was the "Jerusalem Podium" online conference, at which political leaders of the main Iran-backed terror organizations in the region delivered speeches, including the head of Hamas' political bureau, Isma'il Haniya; PIJ secretary-general Ziad Al-Nakhaleh; the deputy secretary-general of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), Abu Ahmad Fouad; the secretary-general of the Popular Front – General Command, Tallal Naji; Hizbullah secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah; an official of the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Units (PMU),[2] Hadi Al-'Amiri, and the leader of the Houthi movement in Yemen, 'Abd Al-Malik Al-Houthi.  The conference was also attended by clerics from East Jerusalem, including former Jerusalem Mufti and current Al-Aqsa Mosque preacher Sheikh Ekrima Sabri and the Archbishop of Sebastia from the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem, 'Atallah Hanna, who called to continue defending Jerusalem from what they termed Israel's aggression against it.

Hizbullah members with model of Dome of the Rock at Qods Day rally in Beirut (Source: Alahednews.com.lb, April 29, 2022)

Resistance axis leaders participating in the "Jerusalem Podium" online conference (Source: Alresalah.ps, April 26, 2022)

In their speeches at the Qods Day events, which this year occurred amid a wave of terror attacks in Israel and violent clashes between Palestinians and the Israeli security forces in Jerusalem and in the Al-Aqsa compound, the leaders of the resistance axis praised the attacks and their perpetrators, and called on the Palestinians to continue their jihad and armed resistance against Israel. The Palestinian people, they said, has understood that its goals will only be achieved through jihad and armed struggle, and that this action must continue until Al-Aqsa, Jerusalem and all of Palestine are liberated and the right of return is realized. They repeatedly stressed that Israel is a temporary entity that will be defeated and eliminated by the Muslims. An especially belligerent speech was delivered by the head of Hamas' political bureau in Gaza, Yahya Al-Sinwar, who threatened that thousands of synagogues around the world would be desecrated if Israel continued to desecrate Al-Aqsa. He called on Palestinians to carry out lone wolf attacks and on Israeli Arabs to prepare their guns, cleavers, axes, and knives for the defense of the Al-Aqsa Mosque and Jerusalem.[3] 

Another recurring motif in the speeches was that the resistance axis is united in its commitment to the causes of Jerusalem and Palestine, and that all its components are preparing for a joint regional war against Israel. For example, the spokesman of the PIJ military wing, Abu Hamza, said that "the arena of the coming campaign will transcend the borders of Palestine" and that "all the components and arms of the resistance axis will turn the enemy entity [Israel] into one big conflagration." Hizbullah secretary-general Hassan Nasrallah likewise underscored that there is a broad regional axis committed to the defense of Jerusalem, and that Hizbullah is "on the front line of the confrontation," along with the Palestinians.  Another Hizbullah official, Nabil Qaouq, said that "the resistance axis has become an army of a million [fighters] for the liberation of Jerusalem, and it is preparing every day for the great campaign." PMU official Hadi Al-'Amiri stressed that the Iraqi resistance has undertaken the task of liberating Jerusalem, and that this is an integral part of its efforts to liberate Iraq from American control.

Several speakers emphasized that the resistance axis is confronting not only Israel but the entire "camp of aggression and arrogance," which includes the U.S. and the Arab countries that have normalized their relations with Israel and are "hostile" to the Islamic nation and to everyone who supports the Palestinian cause.

In addition, Hamas and PIJ officials praised Iran and thanked it for supporting the armed Palestinian resistance. They noted especially the support of the late Qassem Soleimani, commander of the IRGC Qods Force, who was killed by the U.S. in January 2020, and who, they said, helped arm the Palestinian resistance in Gaza and elsewhere. In a pre-recorded address that was broadcast at an April 28  Qods Day rally in Gaza, IRGC Commander Hossein Salami praised the shooting attack that had been perpetrated in Tel Aviv on April 7, in which three Israelis were killed, and called on the Palestinians to continue the jihad.

The following are translated excerpts from speeches by officials of the Iran-led resistance axis on the occasion of International Qods Day.

IRGC Commander Hossein Salami: The Palestinian People Understands That Its Goals Will Be Achieved Only By Means Of Jihad; The Perpetrator Of The Tel Aviv Shooting Is A "Courageous Martyr"

Hossein Salami, commander of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), said in a pre-recorded speech that was broadcast at an April 28, 2022 Qods Day rally in Gaza: "…I congratulate the righteous martyrs who illuminate Palestine, who have transformed Palestine into a shining land, especially [Hamas founders] Sheikh Ahmad Yasin and 'Abd Al-'Aziz Al-Rantisi [and PIJ founders], Fathi Al-Shaqaqi and the jihad fighter Ramadan 'Abdallah Shalah, among thousands of others. Qods Day is a gift from Imam Khomeini, who placed Jerusalem and Palestine at the top of the Islamic world's list of priorities. International Qods Day caused the Islamic nation to rally around the Palestinian cause. Imam Khamenei [sic; the Qods Force was established by Khomeini] raised the banner of support for Jerusalem and established the [IRGC's] Qods Force, which became the main defender of this cause…

"The latest developments in the Palestinian arena clearly reflect the fear of the Israeli entity and the might of the resistance. Thanks to the jihad fighters of the resistance, the [Islamic] nation is [now] a steadfast nation whose might causes the equations and the power-balances in the region to shift… The Palestinian people has realized that its goals will be achieved only through jihad."

Salami congratulated the jihad fighters who "managed to cross the fortified checkpoints of the Zionist entity" and "shatter its security array," stressing that "the martyr Raed Hazem [who perpetrated the recent shooting in Tel Aviv] managed to courageously cross all the fortified security barriers on his own and threaten the Zionists' security…" He added: "No force that heeds the [Israeli] regime's cries for help will be able to save it when its very foundations are fragile… The way to liberate [Palestine] is through jihad, which requires unity and an understanding that we are all in the same boat. Victory is at hand, and [will be achieved] though unity. The defeat of the regime that occupies Jerusalem is a foregone conclusion and the conditions are ripe for its downfall. The aggression of the Zionist regime will not go unanswered. The fact that its entire security system was felled by one young [Palestinian] shows that the collapse of this regime is imminent."

Salami stressed that support for the Palestinian cause and the intifada will continue, saying that "the heart of the Islamic nation is turned toward Palestine and we implore you to continue the jihad."[4]

Hamas Leader In Gaza: We Are Ready For A Religious War; Prepare The Guns And Axes

In an exceptionally militant speech on April 30, one day after International Qods Day, Yahya Sinwar, the head of Hamas's political bureau in the Gaza Strip, threatened a religious war to defend Al-Aqsa from its "defilement" by Israel, during which thousands of synagogues would be desecrated around the world in response. He urged the Palestinians to carry out lone wolf attacks and Israeli Arabs to prepare their guns, cleavers, axes, and knives for the defense of the Al-Aqsa Mosque and Jerusalem.[5] 

For a video of some of his statements, click below:

Hamas Political Bureau Head: The Conflict With The Enemy Will Be Decided In Comprehensive Confrontation, Not In Futile Negotiations

The head of the Hamas political bureau, Ismail Haniya, said at the April 26, 2022 "Jerusalem Podium" online conference: "… The wave of heroic operations carried out by the Palestinian jihad fighters in our [West] Bank and in the heart of the Zionist entity at the beginning of Ramadan and just before it, highlighted [several] important points. The first is that the option of resistance is the choice of [all] the [Palestinian] people and not [just] of a [certain] faction or elite, [whether] these are group operations or operations by individuals. This is a spirit which prevails among our Palestinian people. It is a strategic choice [so as to achieve the goals of] liberation, return, and praying in the blessed Al-Aqsa compound, far from the guns of the occupiers. Moreover, [the operations] emphasize the importance of the West Bank and its successful people in the equation of the conflict with the Zionist enemy, and the need to restore the strategic balance within this struggle…

"The new wave of this resistance is proof that the issues of Jerusalem, the Al-Aqsa Mosque, the right of return and the freeing of the prisoners from the occupation jails will not be decided around the political negotiation table, as some of our people surmised. On the contrary, this new wave of resistance, the readiness [for battle] and this defiance [of the occupation] within the Al-Aqsa compound in Jerusalem are the proof that the [Palestinian] issue and the conflict will be decided through the overall confrontation with the enemy and not by means of useless negotiations which exhausted our people and led many of this nation's esteemed officials to lose their way…

"We have noticed that the issues of Jerusalem and Palestine, despite all the significant events taking place in the world today, have managed to regain their priority [in the] media [discourse], in political measures and in contacts that various countries and elements are holding with the leadership of the resistance. This proves that the Palestinian cause is at the heart of an important and central struggle on the regional and global levels. Security and stability will not prevail in this region as long as the Palestinian people does not enjoy its full rights to its lands and its homeland, to Al-Aqsa, Jerusalem and the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, and until it realizes the right to return to its homeland, all the prisoners are freed, and the siege on the Gaza Strip is lifted. This is [what we emphasize] in a clear [manner] and with no doubt or ambiguity…"[6]

In pre-recorded statements delivered by Haniya on April 29, which were broadcast in Qods Day processions in Yemen, he reiterated that "the decision of the Palestinian people is that resistance is the [right] option and the shortest path to the liberation of Palestine." He stressed that "the conflict can transform from a bilateral one between [Israel and] our Palestinian people, which stands guard in the front trenches of this nation, into a wider, regional conflict."[7]

Hamas Official On Visit To Tehran: The Armed Resistance Is Stronger Than Ever; The Palestinian People Rejects Negotiations

At a conference in Tehran about the state of the Palestinian resistance, Khalil Al-Hayya, member of the Hamas political bureau and head of the movement's Arab and Islamic Relations Department, said that "the armed Palestinian resistance is stronger than ever" and that the negotiations track, which the Palestinian Authority is leading, is a resounding failure. This track, he added, is aimed at "undermining the spirit of resistance" Speaking at an International Qods Day rally in Tehran, Al-Hayya said: "Al-Aqsa Mosque is the emblem of the struggle against the Israeli occupation. The Zionists want to destroy everything in Palestine and the holy places." He thanked the Iranian people, leadership and government for their ongoing support for the Palestinian people and resistance, and for establishing International Qods Day to perpetuate the status of Jerusalem and emphasize its importance and its place in the conflict with Israel.[8]

Hamas official Khalil Al-Hayya (second from left) with IRGC Commander Gen. Hossein Salami (Source: Hamas.ps, April 29, 2022)

PIJ Secretary General: Iran Stands With Us And Opens A Wide Channel For Victory; General Qassem Soleimani Fell As A Martyr For Jerusalem And Is An Icon For The Fighters And For Jerusalem's Liberation

At the April 26 "Jerusalem Podium" online conference, PIJ Secretary-General Ziad Al-Nakhaleh: "…This year's Qods Day comes while we are at the height of jihad and resistance in defense of Jerusalem and the Al-Aqsa Mosque against the evil Zionist regime and the Jewish arrogance, and amid the victims of the fabrication, distortion of facts and reliance on fake history dripping with hatred for Islam and the Muslims. Our great people has risen up to halt Israel's unrestrained [violence], arrogance and corruption and especially in order to shame the murderous criminal Zionists while fighting its daily battles and declaring that Jerusalem is ours and Palestine is ours, no matter how bad this tyranny becomes and even if it makes alliances with all the tyrants of the world…

"The Islamic Republic [of Iran] staunchly supports [us] and is committed to the Palestinian cause and to the liberation of Palestine and Jerusalem. It supports, aids and embraces the [Palestinian] resistance and the families of the martyrs, and opens up wide horizons of victory for the jihad fighters, out of solidarity with our just [cause] and despite all the challenges. Qods Day, established at the time by Imam Khomeini, is the day on which all Muslims worldwide rally around Jerusalem, Palestine and its resistance-fighting people.

"Hajj Qassem [Soleimani] was martyred for the sake of Jerusalem. He travelled all over the world in order to defend [Jerusalem] and help it, until he was martyred and became an icon for all those fighting for Jerusalem and its liberty.

"It is on these momentous days, Laylat Al-Qadr and Qods Day, that our fighting and persistent people experiences its greatest revelations and makes its greatest sacrifices in defense of Jerusalem. It sacrifices martyrs and everything it has, so that Jerusalem remain Islamic…"[9]

In another speech on the occasion of Qods Day that was broadcast at a Gaza rally, Al-Nakhaleh said: "Jerusalem is the emblem of our identity, our faith and our history… It is our duty to wage jihad, resist the occupation with all our might, and fight to liberate [Jerusalem] from the Zionist occupation and to purge Al-Aqsa Mosque from the daily defilement of the Jews… The unity of the Arab and Islamic resistance forces in the fight against the Zionist enterprise, and the greatest possible integration and cooperation [among these forces], are pivotal [requirements] in defeating this enterprise. There is [also] need for unity among the Palestinian resistance forces, and for an agreed-upon, permanent and clear plan for the struggle, as an effective guarantee of unified political and military action…"[10] 

Spokesman For The PIJ Military Wing: The Zionist Enemy Must Be Wiped Out; The Axis Of Resistance Will Not Concede Jerusalem

In a statement on the occasion of International Qods Day, the spokesman for the PIJ military wing,  Abu Hamza, revealed that the PIJ is using a new drone called "Jenin," which was developed in Gaza. The statement, published on the website of the PIJ military wing, said: "On September 7, 2019, the drones of the [Al-Quds] Brigades stormed the enemy's strongholds and hit a jeep of the occupation army [before] returning safely to their bases. [They used] the Jenin drone, which is part of the air-force operational array that the jihad fighters are constantly developing and strengthening within the besieged Gaza Strip... The enemy should consider his moves carefully, given the capabilities of our drones today, three years after that operation [in 2019] and the similar operations that preceded it… The steadfastness and firmness shown by the Jerusalem axis [i.e. the Iran-led axis] and by the resistance [stems from] its options and its basic assumption, [namely] that Palestine belongs to the Palestinians and that there is no room for foreigners in it… The resistance axis has defensive and offensive capabilities, and the Zionist enemy will feel the force of its blows."

Abu Hamza stressed that Qods Day is "a day that rouses every honorable person, a day of unity that calls for the nation to correct its course and take aim at its [real] enemies… This day, which Imam Khomeini called for, represents the great and lofty goal of liberating Jerusalem from the Zionists." He clarified that, "this year, [Qods] Day occurs amid the stabbing operations in the occupied Negev [i.e., a stabbing attack in Beersheba in which four Israelis were killed], the sound of gunfire in Hadera [i.e., a shooting attack in which two Israelis were killed] and in Tel Aviv [i.e., a shooting in which three Israelis were killed], and the resistance in the courageous refugee camp of Jenin." He added that, "from day to day, the resistance of the [Jenin] Brigade [comprising all the resistance factions in Jenin refugee camp] increasingly becomes a model of emulation, famous throughout  the West Bank for its might and its vitality. It is a model that inspires all the resistance factions and all our people in the West Bank, and which increases our determination and our faith that Jerusalem will return [to us], free and clean of the occupier's defilement."

Abu Hamza said further: "The most important feature of International Qods Day this year is the absolute clarity regarding [those who have joined] the camp of aggression and arrogance, [those] who have chosen to be part of the camp of the U.S. and the enemy [Israel] and to show hostility towards the [Islamic] nation and its freedom-loving peoples that embrace the Palestinian cause… Despite the series of failures and capitulations by the regimes of [some] Arab and Muslim countries that normalized [relations] with the Zionist enemy, we witness the might and the force of the peoples of our [Islamic] nation, for whom the Palestinian cause is an everyday concern that will become a flood of rebellion against those normalizers, so as to end this stage of evil and arrogance in occupied Palestine." He reiterated that any harm to Al-Aqsa and to the places holy to Islam in Palestine means opening up multiple fronts against the enemy entity, and that the arena of the coming campaign will transcend the borders of Palestine, thanks to the partnership with all the components and arms of the resistance axis, which, he said, will turn the enemy entity into one big conflagration.

The Brigades spokesman added: "On Qods Day, the components of the resistance axis in Palestine and outside it send a clear and sharp message, that the Zionist enemy is a danger to humanity as a whole, and that its elimination, which is for the good of all, requires a state of heightened readiness for battle and a blazing resistance front." He stressed that the Al-Quds Brigades, along with all the components of the resistance axis, will not abandon Al-Aqsa, and that Jerusalem will remain the emblem, [the place where] the flames of the jihad fighters converge over occupied Palestine until liberation [is achieved… We will continue to fight and defend the honor of our people. We will respond to aggression and never stop fulfilling our duty, in which we believe. We will continue to maintain every forceful means, so as to be ready and equipped. All our fighting units have become strong, prepared and well-equipped, in the sea, in the air and on land."

Abu Hamza expressed his profound gratitude "to the Arab and Islamic peoples, chief among them Iran, which, he said, never spared support for the resistance and the Palestinian people, and for anyone who still stands with the resistance on the path to liberation…"[11]

PIJ Official: Our Only Options Are Victory Or Martyrdom; We Firmly Oppose Any Political Settlement

In an April 29, 2022 rally in Gaza, held by the PIJ on the occasion of International Qods Day, Khaled Al-Batsh, member of the organization's political bureau, said: "We have no option but to continue the campaign and cleave to the weapons of the jihad fighters and revolutionaries, the weapons of [PIJ founders Fathi] Al-Shaqaqi and Ramadan Shalah, of Abu 'Ammar [Yasser 'Arafat], of [Hamas founder Sheikh Ahmad] Yassin, of [Popular Front secretary-general] Abu 'Ali Mustafa, and of all the martyrs… We have no option but victory or martyrdom…

"The Palestinian people and its brave resistance are recording achievements, and the best proof of this is the Jenin drone, manufactured by the Al-Quds Brigade. We must support the option of resistance in Palestine, the opening of the [Gaza] border crossings, and the uniting of the nation's capabilities for the sake of Palestine and Jerusalem… The sacrifice [operations] continue, giving the resistance a lesson in sacrifice and loyalty…"

Al-Batsh emphasized the centrality of the Palestinian cause as "a magnet for all the freedom-lovers, revolutionaries and supporters of justice," and added: "Fists in Gaza are raised today to meet the fists in Yemen, Tehran, Lebanon, Syria and in all the [city] squares in the world. They are [all] brandishing the slogan 'Jerusalem Is the Capital of the World'… It is the capital of Palestine… [They are all] reiterating our opposition to any plans of a political settlement [with Israel] that recognize the enemy and his legitimacy in Palestine…"[12]

PFLP Deputy Secretary-General: Iran Supports And Assists The Resistance In Palestine With All Its Might; We Will Not Forget The Contribution Of Qassem Soleimani To The Arming Of  The Palestinian Resistance

In his speech at the April 26 "Jerusalem Podium" online conference, Abu Ahmad Fouad, deputy secretary-general of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), addressed "the multitudes of our Arab and Islamic nation," saying: "I address [you] with this message on the occasion of Qods Day, which we mark each year at the instruction of Imam Khomeini, who designated the last Friday of Ramadan as Qods Day. His initiative presented the world's conscience with its moral and human responsibility, [clarifying] that the rights of oppressed peoples do not expire, no matter how much time has passed. The victory of the Islamic Revolution in Iran reinforced the active revolutionary forces in the world that support the rights of the oppressed peoples and of those whose homeland has been occupied, especially the rights of the Palestinian people. [The Islamic Revolution] provided a live example of supporting the struggles of the peoples by challenging the global imperialism headed by the U.S. The Islamic Republic of Iran supports and assists, with all its might, the resistance axis in the Arab world and in particular the Palestinian resistance…

"On International Qods Day, the resistance axis will continue to be the main protector of Jerusalem and of the holy places and to lead the struggle against the occupation's repeated attacks on Al-Aqsa Mosque. Our people will use all its capabilities to thwart these schemes and attempts [to harm Al-Aqsa]. On this occasion, we bless the souls of all the martyrs of the Islamic and Arab nations, first and foremost the martyr and warrior Qassem Soleimani, who sacrificed his life for the sake of Palestine, the freedom of the Palestinian people, and the liberation of all of Palestine. We cannot forget the contribution of this courageous fighter, Qassem Soleimani, to  strengthening the weapons capabilities of the Palestinian resistance in Gaza and elsewhere, and his contribution to the resistance forces in various Arab countries. Therefore, this man is a role model for revolutionary fighters… I take this opportunity to convey blessings to [the Iranian leader] Imam Khamenei, to the Iranian leadership and to all our brothers, the Iranian people, and I wish the Islamic Republic and the fraternal Iranian people further progress, development and victories…"[13]

Hizbullah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah: The Entire Regional Axis Of Resistance Will Defend Jerusalem And Act For Its Liberation; Iran May Attack Israel Directly

Hizbullah secretary general Hassan Nasrallah said at the "Jerusalem Podium" conference: "The enemy that founded the entity [called Israel] – I mean the global arrogance [i.e., the U.S.], the Zionist movement and the governments and regimes in the Arab world that collaborated with them behind the scenes – had a strategy of playing for time, and [of hoping] that events would eliminate the [Palestinian] cause and that eventually it would be completely forgotten. [They hoped] that the peoples of the region, including the Palestinians, would eventually give up on this cause, one way or another, in light of the challenges, the trials and the difficulties they would face, or at least that it would not remain at the top of the agenda. Their strategy always counted on the Palestinians becoming discouraged, along with our [Arab and Islamic] peoples and nation. [It counted] on despair, frustration and a sense that we have no horizon and no choice but to surrender and settle for the crumbs that were offered to the Palestinians in Palestine and to the other peoples in the region regarding issues that are still in dispute between them and the usurping [Zionist] entity… 

"[But] what happened was the complete opposite, thanks to the blessings of faith and jihad, and the blessings of sacrifice and far-sightedness shown by the countries, movements and peoples of the resistance axis. This faith, presence, steadfastness, defiance and constant action yielded a completely different outcome.

"Jerusalem is now once more the emblematic goal, the fundamental cause and the focus of the entire resistance axis. Therefore, the heading or motto announced for this year's [Qods Day] is 'Jerusalem Is the Axis' – our [main] axis, the growing axis of the resistance… For Jerusalem is in fact the central unifying pivot of the countries, peoples, movements, parties and factions of the resistance… Jerusalem is now back in our thoughts, our awareness, our emotions and our conscience, but, most importantly, it has forcefully returned to [the action in] the field and to all the arenas. Real armies and forces, and troops with significant strength, are being established for the sake of Jerusalem, …

"Jerusalem is back, and it now has an axis that is coming together to form a strong and firm regional equation – first of all in order to defend it, and then in order to libertate it, Allah willing. We are acting to complete all the strong, solid and integral components of this equation of which I speak today, Allah willing.

"Brothers and sisters, Jerusalem is the responsibility of the entire [Islamic] nation, and, as part of this nation, we in Hizbullah see ourselves as the vanguard on the front line of the confrontation, along with our brothers, the honorable jihad fighters of the Palestinian resistance. This is the position from which we act, and we will bear all the pressures and consequences…

"We and all the honorable members of this nation will meet in Jerusalem, Allah willing, and pray there. This is our promise to Jerusalem, to the proud Palestinian people and to all our beloved martyrs, who died on the road to Jerusalem… This is our promise to all the mighty senior commanders in Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Iran and Yemen who were martyred, chief among them the martyr of Jerusalem, the great and inspiring commander Hajj Qassem Soleimani, who spent his honorable life serving this cause, this path and this axis. He witnessed much jihad and many sacrifices and victories of this axis, and always yearned to see the great and decisive victory that is yet to come, Allah willing…"[14]

Hizbullah's Al-Ahed website reported on another speech delivered by Nasrallah, at a Qods Day rally titled "Jerusalem Is the Axis," held in the Al-Shuhada compound in the Dahia in Beirut. The report stated:  "Nasrallah said that 'Qods Day has arrived, and we are in a very advanced strategic position, for approaches have developed among us that worry the enemy. [Therefore, the enemy] is working to neutralize them, and we in response must work to reinforce them…' The first approach is that of the jihad operations [that have been carried out both in] the '48 territories and in the West Bank, especially during the past week, and in particular the solitary operations, which are a very high-quality development that causes the entity [Israel] the greatest shock and fear… The recent solitary operations have exposed the helplessness of this entity and the weakness of the [personal] security in it, and have badly shaken the confidence of the Israelis in their army and government… The liberation of Palestine does not require vast armies but [only] the Palestinian jihad fighters which deprive the Israelis of their security, so in a matter of years [the Israelis] will pack their bags and leave…

"[The second approach] is the approach of the mutual bond among the Palestinian arenas [i.e. Gaza, the West Bank and the 1948 territories]. It is one of the most important approaches, and the Sword of Jerusalem campaign [i.e., the round of fighting in the Gaza Strip in May 2021] strengthened it… The third approach, which, [Nasrallah aid], is 'also one of the important approaches today, is the mutual bond among the arenas of the resistance axis, which has developed to a great extent…' Nasrallah repeatedly stressed the regional equation regarding Jerusalem and called on the countries of the region to convey the message that the disappearance  of Jerusalem and the holy places means the disappearance of 'Israel.' He stressed that these three approaches are our hope and that we must strengthen them…

"Nasrallah asserted that Iran's situation on the ground and on the military level is developing to the point where, if the [Israeli] aggression against the Iranian presence in Lebanon continues, it [Iran] may prefer to strike Israeli directly…

"Nasrallah also revealed that, in the past several weeks, during the run-up to the elections [in Lebanon], Hizbullah's jihad units have carried out quiet maneuvers. He warned the Israeli enemy that every mistake that it dares to make will be met with a swift and direct response, and that they [i.e., the Israelis] will not hear [us utter the oft-used phrase,] 'we reserve the right to respond at the appropriate time in the appropriate place.' He stressed that 'the elections in Lebanon won't distract us from responding to any Israeli aggression,' and added: 'If Allah wills it we will pray in Jerusalem. They believe that this is far in the future but we believe that it is very, very close'..."[15]

Hizbullah Official: Hizbullah Will Continue To Arm The Palestinian Resistance; It Is Preparing For The Next Campaign Against Israel

Sheikh Nabil Qaouq, a member of Hizbullah's Central Council, said at an iftar (meal to break the daily Ramadan fast)organized by Hizbullah on the occasion of Qods Day: "Hizbullah will continue to be in first place in terms of helping the Palestinian resistance with weapons, experience and every [kind of] force we possess… The resistance axis has become an army of a million [fighters] for the liberation of Jerusalem, and it is preparing every day for the great campaign that will not [have to] be followed by another campaign."[16]

Head Of Yemeni Houthi Movement: We Will Not Hesitate To Join A Regional War Against Israel

In his speech at the online conference,' Abd Al-Malik Badr Al-Din Al-Houthi, commander of the Houthi Ansar Allah movement in Yemen, said: "… International Qods Day is an important opportunity to remind the [Islamic] nation of its responsibility for its holy places, for its sons in Palestine and for every Islamic country… There is consensus among the nation that regaining [control of] the holy places and cleansing Palestine of the defilement of the Zionist Jews is a responsibility of the Muslims. This clarity regarding the issue, regarding the clear [Israeli] oppression and regarding the solid right [of the Palestinians] is an important element which helps to rally the nation around a unified position, so as to assist the Palestinian people and to support the jihad fighters in Palestine…

"Our dear [Yemeni] people, along with the freedom-lovers of the [Islamic] nation and the axis of resistance and jihad, will act to unite the efforts and increase the cooperation and coordination as part of this sacred purpose, and to bear this religious and human responsibility, for this is one of the most exalted, holy and revered issues on which the nation agrees.

"In this context and at this important juncture, we repeat and stress that we adopt with all seriousness and honesty the equation that Hizbullah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah declared, namely that any existential threat to Jerusalem means regional war. We will not hesitate to participate in [this war] to the extent of our ability, along with the freedom-lovers of the nation, the Palestinian people, the jihad fighters in Palestine and our brothers in the axis of resistance and jihad. The truth in which we believe  – and our faith in it which is part of our belief in the book of Allah, the Quran, and in the promise of Allah – is that the Zionist entity which rules over Palestine is a transitory entity whose disappearance and vanquishing by the worshippers of Allah are unavoidable…"[17]

The Head Of The Al-Fath Coalition In Iraq: The Liberation Of Jerusalem Is A Goal Of The Resistance Factions In Iraq

Hadi Al-'Amiri, the head of the Iraqi Al-Fath Coalition, the political wing of the Popular Mobilization Units (PMU), said in his speech at the "Jerusalem Podium" online conference: "…The call of the [Iranian] leader Imam Khomeini to mark International Qods Day is not just a media [stunt] or a passing tactical move. It is a strategic liberation plan aimed at mobilizing and harnessing all the capabilities of the nation, pooling them and directing them at the main goal, which is the banner of the nation and an emblem of its unity, honor and might, [namely] beloved Jerusalem…

"We are currently facing a Zionist-American attack that uses every means… to achieve its wicked goals. We believe and are fully convinced that the first signs heralding the liberation of beloved Jerusalem will emerge from Iraq. We must carry out our great historic and sacred role. Therefore, the Iraqi resistance factions will always be present in the field, to do their sacred duty in the campaign to liberate Palestine and rescue Jerusalem…

"Since the establishment of the occupation state more than 70 years ago, the Iraqis have had the honor of participating in the defense of Jerusalem and of the Palestinian people, and they shed pure blood [for their sake]… Today we see the Iraqi resistance developing in terms of its equipment, its troops and its mobilization. The Iraqi resistance has set Jerusalem as its second goal [after the defense of Iraq]. It has sanctified [this goal] and is carrying this weighty trust. It confronts the tightly-integrated American and Zionist plans in Iraq and its region… The Iraqi resistance factions are aware of the deep connection between the liberation of Iraq and the liberation of Jerusalem and all the Palestinian lands…

"The Iraqi resistance continues its efforts to liberate itself and break free of the American influence and occupation, which have taken forms more dangerous than direct military occupation. The [American] occupation has developed its own methods of political, security, economic and cultural occupation, and its invisible fingers have begun to manipulate Iraq's social structure. It makes efforts to erase [Iraq's] noble Arab and Islamic identity, spreading deviant ideas, corruption, dissolution, and drugs in [the country]. All these forms of destruction show clear signs of Zionist involvement. Therefore, liberating this country from every form of American control has become [synonymous with] liberating it from the hidden Zionist encroachment that takes many forms…

"Oh brothers, understanding the truth about the enemy, his corrupt doctrine and his dangerous [nature] is the key to victory… Israel is temporary, according to the promise of Allah and His Prophet. The promise that [the Jews] will be punished appears in the Old Testament, the New Testament and the Quran, and all signs now indicate that this orphan entity [Israel] has none of the basic requirements needed for survival…"[18]