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## LETTER TO THE ARAB AND ISLAMIC UMMAS

July 30, 2004

> Nasrallah’s letter to both the Arab and Islamic nations, published in a number of regional newspapers, was prompted by reports in Israel that Jewish extremists were planning on demolishing the sacred al-Aqsa Mosque, Islam’s third-holiest site, in Jerusalem. Nasrallah’s apparent concern, whatever its basis in fact, leads him to reach out directly to all Arabs, “or simply people from other religions who respect the holy sites of other faiths,” in an effort to prevent what would undoubtedly be a catastrophic and climactic event in the region.

> Nasrallah’s emphasis on the keystone position of Jerusalem, especially for Muslims, his attempts to bridge sectarian divisions, and his exhortation to states in the region “at the very least” to lodge substantive complaints, points, of course, to his strong pan-Arab and pan-Islamic perspective. At the same time, however, one can discern a certain note of desperation, and indeed exasperation—“At the very least,” he reiterates, “the enemy should expect an intifada.” This aspect of lurking concern over regional attitudes, especially among key Arab states, would only become more pronounced later on, when support from other historically anti-Israeli stalwarts like Saudi Arabia would be less than forthcoming during the 2006 July War.

It came to our attention in the past, and we read many analyses in newspapers and books, regarding the possibility that a number of Zionists intend to destroy al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. We might have said, at the time, that these were simply the opinions of journalists; now, however, after hearing one of Ariel Sharon’s government ministers openly say that a number of Zionist extremists are planning to destroy the blessed and holy al-Aqsa Mosque, we are facing in my opinion a very sensitive and dangerous situation. We have to respond to this new development in a very different manner than we have done in the past, irrespective of whether we are Muslims, Arabs, or simply people from other religions who respect the holy sites of other faiths. This development is not the same as the old stories, or journalistic opinions, we used to hear regarding the possibility that someone might be planning to destroy the al-Aqsa Mosque. These are the words of a minister in Sharon’s right-wing government—itself an extremist government, which ought therefore to know what goes on behind the scenes and what is being planned in Zionist extremist circles.

Since we are facing a new reality, a new danger, and a new threat, we call upon the Arab and Muslim worlds and their governments, states, parties, elites, relevant cadres, the Islamic National Congress, the Arab National Congress, the Arab Parties’ Congress, Muslim scholars, lay institutions, Muslim religious authorities, and, last but not least, the people themselves, to take this issue very seriously, and adopt a historic stance that tells the enemy not to dare consider undertaking such a move. We should not wait until this monumental disaster actually takes place before wondering what our reaction should be. We are duty bound, at this particular point in time, to think, plan, and work so that no one in this enemy entity would dare do such a thing, think of doing it, or even threaten to.

I heard a Knesset member say that such a move could lead to the annihilation of Zionism, because there are only 6 million Zionists in occupied Palestine, surrounded by [1.4 billion] Muslims. Are we in the Islamic world and nation up to the level of what this Knesset member expects of us? So far, all we have done is say that there should be a reaction at the Arab national level, and that such a move constitutes a threat and a danger to Arabs and Muslims. The message we ought to be sending to the Zionists and the Israelis, however, is that such a step—that is to say, the destruction of al-Aqsa Mosque, God forbid—will mean the end of the Zionist entity; and this is the message this nation should send. We should also be careful not to divide the issue by saying that a particular Israeli group should bear the responsibility for such an eventual catastrophe, when in fact the entire Zionist entity should do so.

The Arab nation should make this enemy entity, its government and political parties—whether right-wing, left-wing, moderate, extremist, or any other phony appellation—understand that they jointly bear responsibility for any danger befalling the al-Aqsa Mosque; the Arab nation would not be able to absorb a catastrophe of such proportions.

This is the message all of us should be addressing; as to how, where, by which means, and with which language and style we do it, each of us has [his] own way, language, and style of doing things. We should all stand up, say what we need to say, issue condemnations, warn, and threaten in order to prevent such a dangerous development from ever happening. The Israelis have to understand that changing the map of the Holy Sanctuary will entail a change in the map of the entire region, and that this is contingent upon the will of the region’s peoples and governments, and the will of the Arab nation that trusts its faith, its awareness, and its attachment to its holy sites. The enemy should have no doubt whatsoever that this nation will not allow anyone to harm its holy sites, whether by destroying, violating, or soiling them—and they only have to remember how the al-Aqsa intifada erupted the very moment Sharon defiled the mosque. If this move on Sharon’s part gave rise to such a large-scale intifada, what would the reaction be then to an eventual destruction of al-Aqsa Mosque?

At the very least, the enemy should expect an intifada throughout the entire Arab and Muslim nation, which would bring down the entity and leave no stone or trace behind to tell the tale: this is what we are actually calling for. We are facing a great and historic challenge, and should therefore not stand idly by, watch lazily while events unfold—and then, when the deed is done, feel sad, lament our fate, and beat our chests in anguish, yet still remain idle. As of today, we have to take a strong stand and send appropriate messages that will, at the very least, prevent these people from even daring to consider such an eventual move. The nation should shoulder this responsibility, and, God willing, it will be up to the challenge.