Nasrallah at Anti-Islam Film Rally: Showing Entire Movie Will Have Very Dangerous Repercussions
Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah warned on Monday against the broadcast of the entire anti-Islam film.
He said: “The United States must realize that broadcasting the entire film will have very dangerous repercussions in the world.”
He made his remarks during a rally, held in Beirut's Dahiyeh southern suburb, protesting the film.
The Hizbullah leader made a rare public appearance, his fifth in six years, at the rally.
“Those who insult the Prophet Mohammed will suffer a holy punishment,” he declared before the crowd of thousands.
“Some sides have not realized the extent of the insult against the Prophet,” he added.
“Our movement will continue until the film ceases to be broadcast,” he revealed.
Nasrallah held the United States responsible for ensuring the halt of the airing of the movie, Innocence of Muslims, that has sparked outrage and anti-U.S. Rallies throughout the Muslim world.
He demanded that the U.S. also “close the door completely against any possibility to insult the Prophet and hold whoever does so accountable for their actions.”
He reiterated his demand that the Lebanese government exert efforts on the international community to issue an international resolution that incriminates insults against religions.
“The Muslim world's failure to achieve such a goal will leave the door open to future abuses the consequences of which cannot be determined,” he warned.
The Hizbullah chief announced that Monday's action will pave the way for the beginning of worldwide action.
“Muslims around the world must unite to reach common goals,” he added.
The Hizbullah leader announced on Sunday that the party will hold a series of rallies against the film throughout this week.
This is also the first time he made a full speech in person to thousands of his supporters since 2008. Nasrallah has been in hiding since 2006, at the end of the July war that year.
Several thousand Hizbullah supporters took to the streets Dahiyeh to denounce the film mocking Islam.
"America is the great Satan!" and "Death to Israel! Death to Israel!" cried the protesters, shrouded in an ocean of colorful flags representing Hizbullah and its ally the AMAL movement.
"We sacrifice ourselves for you, O Mohammed!" and "We sacrifice ourselves for you, O Islam," they yelled, raising their fists to the sky. "O America, listen to us, you cannot humiliate our religion!"
"I haven't seen the film, but I know it portrays the Prophet as a bloodthirsty man who only thinks about his desires," said 29-year-old Nabih Ayash, one of the protesters in Beirut.
"I came to heed the Prophet's call... but I waited until an organized protest was staged, so that we do not give a bad image of Muslims."
Violent protests and clashes have broken out since last week, leading to the deaths of 18 people worldwide, including a U.S. ambassador in Libya and three members of the diplomatic corps.
In Tripoli in north Lebanon, Islamists set fire to a fast food restaurant on Friday, in protest over the film, while a 25-year-old was killed when protesters clashed with the security forces.
Source: Naharnet
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