I seek refuge in Allah from Satan, the outcast.

In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful.

Praise is to Allah, Lord of the Worlds. I believe that there is no god but Allah, the Sovereign and the Manifest Truth, and that Muhammad, our master, is His servant, Messenger, and Last Prophet.

O Allah, confer Your salat and blessings upon Muhammad and the Family of Muhammad as You conferred Your salat and blessings upon Ibrahim and the Family of Ibrahim. You are Owner of Praise, Owner of Glory! And be pleased with Muhammad's good companions and all Your righteous servants and mujahidin.

Brothers and sisters, peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.

For the third month of the second year, the Israeli enemy continues its brutal, savage, criminal aggression to exterminate the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip. This week, the Israeli enemy has committed 26 massacres of genocide, resulting in the martyrdom and injury of approximately 900 Palestinians (most of whom were children and women), in addition to other numbers still trapped under the rubble. These massacres carried out this week add to the thousands of massacres that preceded them since the beginning of the heinous Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip. Every day throughout all this period, the Israeli enemy has perpetrated collective massacres against the Palestinian people.

At the end of last week, the Israeli enemy launched an attack on Kamal Adwan Hospital as if it were targeting a fortified military stronghold. In this attack, the Israeli enemy used drones to bomb the hospital and land weapons, as well as using all forms of barbaric methods to target the medical staff and patients inside the hospital. The attack began with a series of intensive airstrikes, accompanied by heavy and direct fire on the hospital. This included the direct targeting of the oxygen station, with the aim of deliberately killing premature infants and patients in intensive care units. Following this, the enemy arrested some members of the medical staff and forced the Indonesian medical team, the only specialised team in critical surgery, to leave the hospital. This is in addition to the immense suffering endured by the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip due to this criminal behaviour in attacking and terminating medical services. These criminal actions, accompanied by preventing the entry of food and medicine into the Gaza Strip, have resulted in the death of thousands of patients. Indeed, the medicine of most diseases that can be cured by the will of Allah through medications is not available.

There is also immense suffering among the wounded, with 15,000 injured individuals in need of treatment abroad, but the enemy has not allowed them to leave. Furthermore, there is great suffering during the bitter cold of winter due to many illnesses, especially for the elderly, children, and everyone in general, as all suffer from malnutrition.

The Israeli enemy continues its genocide by the means of starvation as a weapon to annihilate the Palestinian people. Famine is at its peak. The situation of most of the displaced in the Gaza Strip has reached a point where they depend on animal feed (if available) for their essential nutrition, as it is also scarce and limited. Some of them are even compelled to scavenge through garbage for food, even though this causes severe illnesses and immense suffering. What is available of food is extremely insufficient. This is why everyone is suffering profoundly. Meanwhile, the Israeli enemy continues its brutal attack in the north of the Gaza Strip, aiming to completely depopulate the north of the Gaza Strip. It is also attempting through forced displacement to ensure that no one remains in the north of the Gaza Strip.

In the West Bank, the Israeli enemy also continues demolishing homes, levelling lands, and seizing large areas for the sake of Zionist usurpers to build new usurped settlements there. The Israeli enemy continues its crimes of killing and abduction. Unfortunately, this week also witnessed individuals of the Palestinian Security Services committing acts of murder in service of the Israeli enemy. It is also saddening that their crimes of killing have been repeated throughout this phase and that some of them [individuals of the Palestinian Security Services] provide services for the Israeli enemy through information collaboration so as to attack Palestinians under the guise of 'security coordination'.  

Thus, the Israeli enemy commits all forms of atrocities, while most Muslims and Arabs remain completely passive. They keep on watching, reaching a point where many of the deeply tragic, painful scenes that attest to the immense oppression of the Palestinian people become ordinary for many, due to the passage of time and continuity of Israeli aggression. These scenes no longer provoke them, awaken their conscience, or revive their conscience, which has become lifeless. This is how they forget their humanitarian, religious, and moral duties and neglect all concepts, under which many take action: Arabism, doctrine, and jihad. All banners have been forgotten and continue to be forgotten, seeking to erase them from the list when the issue is pertinent to Palestine.

With all this great tragedy in Palestine, with what the Israeli enemy is doing there, and with the horrific crimes and comprehensive aggression it is committing, our Islamic Ummah should have taken action to stop and prevent that and to support, assist, and rescue the Palestinian people, by virtue of its religious, humanitarian, and moral responsibilities. However, we see other developments in our Arab scene, where the Israeli enemy is present with its aggression, criminality, oppression, and occupation. In the context of the developments taking place in Syria, the Israeli enemy expressed that these represent a real opportunity for it. In the light of this, it announced the termination of the disengagement agreement established in 1974, following a major war and after its efforts to occupy and completely invade Syria. This agreement was under the supervision of the United Nations and international oversight. Nonetheless, the Israelis see the current situation in Syria and the ongoing developments there as an opportunity for themselves. They wait for such opportunities, and at the same time create many opportunities and seek to manufacture chances to exploit them significantly. Against whom is that? That is against all the peoples of our Ummah, starting from the areas surrounding Palestine: The countries of the Levant and Egypt, which are adjacent to Palestine, are at the forefront of the targeted countries by the Israeli enemy. In fact, the Israeli enemy covets these countries, repeatedly declaring them to be within the scope it seeks to fully control and occupy. This is included in all its media programmes, its political plans, and the conspiracies it engages in with the Americans and others.

The Israeli enemy expressed its views on the developments occurring in Syria: The criminal Netanyahu said that the collapse of the Assad regime offered new and great opportunity for Israel. What are these opportunities? They are the very opportunities that the Israelis have already translated into action after expressing them in words. Netanyahu added that they were reshaping the Middle East, referring to this topic that we will discuss in the context of the speech, Allah willing.

The Israelis carried out a significant aggression against Syria in two directions. The first direction was the incursion of their troops into the depths of Syria, particularly in southern Syria and the areas adjacent to the Syrian Golan. In this regard, their forces conducted a ground invasion into what is known as the buffer zone. Then they advanced to the strategic Mount Sheikh in Syria. The Israeli army's invasion extended to various areas, cities, and towns in southern Syria, including Al-Hamidiyah, Al-Rawadi, the Al-Qahṭaniyah area, Al-Ruwayhinah, Bir Ajm, Al-Rafid, and the border triangle between Syria, Palestine, and Jordan, as well as the city of Hader and other towns, reaching close to the outskirts of Damascus. According to information, the remaining distance between the Israeli army and Damascus is estimated to be only twenty-five kilometers. This means that the distance is very close to Damascus itself. This highlights the extent of this Israeli invasion.

This is in addition to another incursion in Syrian areas adjacent to Lebanon. There is also an incursion, extension, and spread occurring there. The possibility still exists that this incursion may expand further than it already has.

In the context of this expansion and invasion, the Israeli forces positioned themselves in various areas, interrogated citizens in some cities and towns, conducted investigations with them, and raised the Israeli flag in those regions, facing no resistance: No one showed up to confront them, to face them, or to prevent their actions. They did all of that with ease.  They occupied and controlled with blatant disregard, without any concern for the Syrian people, the groups that have taken control of Syria, or their supporters. They also showed complete indifference to the entire world and international norms, including international laws, United Nations charters, international customs, and everything else. As far as the Israeli enemy is concerned, as long as there is an opportunity for occupation, it seeks it, and if the opportunity is for killing, it seeks it. Therefore, the Israeli enemy does not only wait for opportunities; if opportunities arise, it is ready to exploit them for bad, aggressive purposes against our Ummah across all its countries. However, if opportunities do not arise, it strives to create them and prepare suitable conditions to implement its plans and conspiracies.

This new occupation, along with the incursion and invasion of vast areas in Syria, adds to the previous occupation of parts of Syria, including the occupied Syrian Golan and others. Moreover, there is also the American occupation in certain areas of Syria, particularly where the Syrian oil resources are located. These are the areas that the Americans have chosen to occupy, establishing military bases there and immediately engaging in the clear, overt, and blatant looting of Syrian oil, selling it, taking it, and benefiting from it.

This is one aspect of the Israeli aggression against Syria. The other aspect is the largest Israeli aerial assault aimed at destroying the military capabilities of an Arab country since the establishment of the occupying, usurping, criminal Israeli entity. It is an unprecedented aerial aggression: The Israeli enemy has never executed such an aggression targeting the military capabilities of any Arab country. The situation reached a point where the Israeli enemy announced that it had destroyed 80% of Syria's military capabilities. In just one night and one day, it destroyed 80% of the military capabilities that Syria had built over decades, funded by the Syrian people's money, resources, and efforts. This aggression and bullying occurred with blatant impudence, in full view of the Arab states, the Arab League, the Islamic world, and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation. They also happened before the very eyes of the entire world, including international organisations, such as the United Nations, the Security Council, and all others. With sheer audacity in its aggression, the Israeli enemy destroyed Syria's air forces: It targeted and destroyed squadrons of MiG aircraft and others, along with the resources and means associated with the air forces. It also targeted and destroyed Syria's naval forces. Moreover, it targeted the entire air defence system so as to destroy it, and it targeted Syria's military factories. It even attacked important scientific research centres that the Syrians rely on for their studies and research related to development and manufacturing. These centres are fundamentally civilisational and scientific in nature, but the Israeli enemy targeted them. The Israeli enemy shows no respect for knowledge or research and scientific institutions. For it, these are merely targets to be destroyed when they are in the hands of Arabs and Muslims.

This aggression occurs in this clear context: the establishment of the equation of violation. Indeed, this is the policy that the Israelis, with American support and partnership, insist on imposing on the peoples and countries of our Ummah. Whatever the situation of these countries is—whether these countries are in a position of confronting the Israeli enemy (in which the battle between them is ongoing) or whether they have chosen a contrary position where they do not oppose Israel (declaring that they do not take it as an enemy and are willing to cooperate with it)—all of this will not be effective against the equation that Israel and America seek to impose. This equation dictates that the peoples and countries of our Ummah be completely vulnerable to the Israeli enemy and that their blood be violated. Therefore, the Israeli forces may kill whenever the desire for murder and crime arises, killing whomever and however many they wish, whether in large numbers or individually and whether through targeted killings, mass killings, or genocide. It also dictates that the land remain open to them without any reaction, allowing them to invade lands and confiscate whatever land they want, and again, without objection or even the simplest form of response. The same applies to the looting and confiscation of resources.

This equation is fundamental within the context of 'the New Middle East', which is declared by the Israelis and announced and repeated by the Americans alongside them and even previous to them. This is the meaning of the New Middle East: It is that all our countries are to be violated by the Israelis and Americans, allowing them to take the oil wells they desire and wish with complete impunity and without objection, to seize the areas they want to establish military bases without objection, and to plunder resource-rich regions without any objection, discontent, protest, or resentment. They aim to bring these countries and peoples to a state where they are content, welcoming, supportive, and turning a blind eye to everything the Israelis and Americans do, no matter how outrageous, aggressive, criminal, unjust, offensive, contemptuous, disdainful, or humiliating they are towards these peoples and no matter what rights they confiscate. What is being confiscated? It is the freedom of these peoples, taken away by the Americans and the Israelis; it is the independence of their countries and all their rights within their own countries, in their resources, and in all the recognised rights.  

In fact, the Israelis seek first to establish this equation; they want to solidify it in Syria and beyond, as well as in other regions.

On the other hand, the second equation that the Israeli enemy wants to impose is that the military capabilities of our peoples and countries remain within a certain ceiling and level. That is because among the essential concerns of the Americans and Israelis is to ensure Israeli military superiority over all members of our Ummah. Therefore, seeking to achieve this object, they make efforts to prevent our peoples from acquiring any means of defence and protection against any Israeli or American aggression.

Thus, they focus initially on the air forces and missile forces—missile forces, such as Scud missiles and others, were among what the Israeli enemy destroyed during its aggression against Syria—as well as missile, air, and naval capabilities. The Israeli enemy completely destroyed naval capabilities in Syria along the coast of Latakia. Additionally, they focus on destroying the air defence systems and all means of protection against the external enemy or of confrontation with it. They [the Americans and the Israelis] allow these countries to maintain a certain deal of weaponry (that can be used for internal fighting and killing among the members of this Ummah) for a limited time: until the mission of internal conflict among the peoples is accomplished. So if this task is fulfilled, they will then make efforts to strip this Ummah of all means of combat and defence, for they want this Ummah to be like chickens and sheep and to be a subjugated nation, deprived of any means of combat, protection, or defence to safeguard itself, its religion, its land, its honour, its capabilities, its resources, or its wealth: Indeed, they want this Ummah to be a subjugated nation. The Israelis consider the people of this Ummah to be animals and do not recognise the Arabs as human beings; in fact, they do not even want them to share the same level as some animals that defend themselves: The Israelis do not want the Arabs to reach even the level of cats or some other animals that can defend themselves to some extent. They want every Arab to be like chickens and lambs, having no means of self-defence, protection, or confrontation against their aggression, ambitions, and atrocities. This is truly unfortunate!

We were deeply shocked and greatly saddened that all the actions that the Israeli enemy carried out in Syria, including incursions, invasions, occupations, and the destruction of military capabilities, were met with no response. There is a responsibility on the Syrian people and on the groups that have taken control of Syria; these groups are the first to bear the responsibility to confront the Israeli enemy and stand up to its aggression, and the Ummah must support them: The rest of the Ummah also bears a responsibility to take a position with Syria and its people against this Israeli aggression. So, where is the actual position of this Ummah?

There is no appropriate position, as usual—only some timid statements and comments issued by this or that Arab or Islamic regime. As for inside Syria (particularly the groups that have taken control of Syria and that bear responsibility and face an important and real test that reveals the reality of their direction), no position or reaction has been issued so far regarding everything that has happened, while the dangers to Syria and its people persist. Therefore, there are a significant responsibility and a real test concerning what has happened and what is happening to Syria on the one hand, and regarding the Palestinian cause on the other. We will elaborate further on this very critical point.

The Israeli enemy carries out its actions in Palestine daily, and everyone is aware of this. Anyone following the events knows, sees, and hears about what is happening in Palestine. It did what it did in Lebanon, and everyone knew that. Indeed, it still carries out breaches, violations, and attacks in Lebanon. Then it committed all these actions in Syria, launching an aggression at this scale and level of invasion, occupation, and the destruction of Syria's military capabilities, all within a short period and with utter audacity and confidence. In this context, none of the usual banners that typically inspire Arab and Islamic regimes, groups, and forces within this Ummah were present. The concept of human conscience was absent. However, we have seen it appear when the issue is about discord among the people of this Ummah or when internal fronts are opened within it. The concept of standing against injustice was also absent, and so were the principles of religious responsibility and jihad for the sake of Allah. In addition, the concept of Arabism, Arab national security, and the Arab embrace were not brought forth. None of these banners were present. What we observe in reality is silence, inaction, and lack of any position: There is no real position regarding what is happening there.

Why do they disappear when the issue is related to what the Israeli enemy is doing? The Israeli enemy represents a true threat to this Ummah with all its factions. It is targeted with all its sects and orientations. What the Israeli enemy has done since those groups took control of Syria stands as clear and undeniable evidence that the matter is not as Israel constantly claims: to pursue Iran, to target its allies, and to act against those connected to it. It is because the position of intense hostility towards Iran those armed groups have and their movement in the past under sectarian titles are well-known; this is a very well-known issue.

So the Israeli enemy's targeting of Syria, after those groups took control of it and under this new situation, serves as evidence that the issue is not about a position regarding Iran. What connection does Iran have with what the Israeli enemy did after those groups had seized control of Syria? This targeting is also against the entire Ummah, regardless of the orientations, sects, or positions of its peoples. This means that even those who adopt a position of non-hostility towards Israel affirm this reality. Indeed, the Israelis themselves state that some of these groups reached out to them, attempting to reassure them and confirming they would not take them as an enemy. Some even communicated, declared, and assured on Israeli channels that they are willing to have an Israeli embassy in Damascus, among other things. However, all of this is of no benefit and is useless.

As for the Israeli enemy, the matter is included in the Quranic truths emphasised by Allah, describing the hostility of the Jews towards this Ummah in all circumstances. Had the Palestinian people provoked the Jews when they were brought in and gathered from various countries around the world to occupy Palestine? Were they engaged in any problem with the Jews, in any movement against them, or in any provocation towards them? No. The Jews came from the beginning before any problem, hostile movement, or provocation. Since the very first day, they have come to occupy Palestine, carrying with them the grand map of what they call 'Greater Israel', which encompasses the entire Levant, including Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan, as well as vast parts of Iraq, Egypt, and three-quarters of Saudi Arabia. This happened from the first day, before any problem arose, and before the victory of the Islamic Revolution in Iran. Before the Islamic Revolution in Iran, before its victory, and before the establishment of the Islamic country in Iran, the Israeli enemy had targeted Syria, sought to invade it, and killed thousands of its people. The Israeli enemy had done all of that before the issue of Iran: before any relations with Iran, before the victory of the Islamic Revolution in Iran, before the establishment of the Islamic Republic in Iran, and before Iran even emerged on the scene. Prior to all of this, Israel was already an enemy of Syria, occupied parts of Syria, sought to invade all of it, and killed thousands of Syrians. Therefore, it is a true enemy and the one that initiated aggression against Syria. Multiple stages of war and the Israeli enemy's attempts to invade all of Syria are well-known in Arab history. When it failed, it resorted to occupying parts of it, most notably being the occupied Syrian Golan.

These are clear facts, although some deliberately deny them and intentionally ignore them. But does denying these facts and ignoring them benefit anyone? O Arabs and Muslims, the true enemy for all of you is the Jewish, the Zionists, the Israelis. They are the enemy of all of you and do not hesitate to target you. They seek to impose upon you the equation of violation (violating everything) and the equation that your military capabilities should be limited to the point where you can only perform tasks that serve their interests, such as igniting conflicts among you, crushing each other, and draining your resources. All of this is aimed at making you drive yourselves to the point of complete collapse, to losing all your moral and material elements of power, and to leading your Ummah to become divided, scattered,  feuded, torn apart, and weak in every sense of the word. This is what they want for you as they are a real enemy. Indeed, Allah has emphasised that they are your enemy and intend to distort your religious identity, to distance you from the Holy Quran, and to manipulate all banners for their benefit, even religious ones: Even the banner of jihad in the cause of Allah arises among many members of this Ummah only when it serves the Israeli enemy in targeting the sons of this Ummah. These matters are very clear.

Allah (the Almighty) said in the Holy Quran, {'Surely, Shaytan is an enemy to you, so take him as an enemy'}[Fatir 35:6]. He also said about the Jews, {'You will surely find the most bitter towards the believers to be the Jews'}[Al-Ma'idah 5:82]. Here are their crimes, their actions, their assaults, their aggression, and what they do to you. {'So take him as an enemy'}: Direct your weapon towards it [the Israeli enemy], focus your incitement against it, mobilise against it, and declare a clear position against it. Be explicit in your enmity towards it, and be serious and sincere in your hostility towards it. Move within the framework of treating it as an enemy, just as you do when you take others as enemies. The issue with some is that they have not yet taken it as an enemy or regarded it as an enemy. Nonetheless, we see how they act towards those they consider enemies: They fight with ferocity and unwavering courage.

We deeply wish for takbir, rifles, banners, and even knives to be present in facing the Israeli soldiers. We also wish that those armed groups that took control of Syria had confronted the Israeli invasion with their rifles, tanks, the capabilities that belong to the Syrian people, knives, cries, chants, and takbir, with ferocity and unwavering courage. Such actions would have elevated its stature and status and strengthened its role and presence. In fact, this is what is necessary, what is a responsibility, and what represents a true test for them, for others, for their supporters, and for all the peoples of this Ummah. It is a matter of great importance. The facts attest that the Americans and Israelis are the enemies of this entire Ummah, regardless of its political orientation, sects, or positions.

In this very context, we declare and affirm our support for Syria and the people of Syria against Israeli aggression and attacks. Regardless of whoever controls the situation here or there, it will not affect us: When there is aggression targeting an Arab country and a Muslim people, we will stand by their side.

However, we inform everyone that they have a responsibility. Everyone has a responsibility to stand against the Israeli enemy and to take a clear, explicit, and declared position. They must not respond with silence, inaction, or passivity, nor with forgiveness. This is not a time for forgiveness towards the Israeli enemy. I often find myself in a state of astonishment and amazement when I deeply think about the great forgiveness displayed by most Arab and Islamic countries and regimes towards the Israelis and Americans, while they [the Arab and Muslim regimes] are not people of forgiveness among themselves or towards one another. In other words, the level and extent of forgiveness shown by Arab regimes and many forces, groups, and movements towards the Americans and Israelis surpass what they would show even to their own parents, siblings, peoples, brothers, friends, or relatives! They tolerate the Americans and Israelis, allowing them to do whatever they desire and wish in every matter. Indeed, they show tolerance towards them in everything.

• They pardon them even though they commit crimes of murder; no matter how much killing they perpetrate, they are those who tolerate, remain silent, and turn a blind eye. 'Forgiven', as the Arab saying goes, means that they are permitted to do whatever they desire and wish.
• They tolerate them despite the intense hostility they demonstrate; they occupy lands. Many people would not forgive their own brothers (from the same parents) if they tried to take their land.
• They tolerate them concerning what they direct against their religion and dignity: against everything.

The horrifying crimes committed by the Israeli enemy even against Palestinian captives and abductees are far beyond imagination. These crimes are so severe that one can hardly speak of some of them, describe some of them, or even discuss some of them due to their brutality and their level of insult and violation of honour, dignity, and other values. Despite that, there is an astonishing level of tolerance [towards this], while they are incredibly fierce with one another: There is no forgiveness, overlooking, or understanding. The cruelty and harshness among them are so severe that they render one astonished!

Amid these developments and Israeli aggression on Syria, the Israelis—and the Americans before them—speak of working to reshape the Middle East. That is, there is an American-Israeli project and conspiracy through which the Israelis and Americans are jointly engaging to target these peoples and their countries. This is something we must all be aware of and understand and we must recognise that it means adversarial targeting against our Ummah. It is not a typical or natural matter when we hear this title, 'reshaping the Middle East'. It means that you (O, Arabs and Muslims), your countries, and peoples are being targeted. What are you targeted with? You are targeted with what achieves the Israeli and American objectives of creating a new situation. What is this new situation they want to create, while you are the target (the goal of this targeting)? It is—as we have said before—turning these peoples and their countries into lands vulnerable to the Israelis to serve the Israeli enemy and the Americans. In this situation, the Americans and Israelis can do whatever they desire and wish in these countries, and these peoples and their countries become utterly subjugated to the Israelis and Americans. They take whatever land they desire, establishing military bases wherever they please, plundering resources and wealth as they wish, and controlling oil and other riches to the extent they want. They impose changes on the religious culture and identity of this Ummah, interfering with its educational curricula, religious discourse, and even religious beliefs. They also pursue creating new trends within this Ummah under religious and sectarian titles and other titles. Furthermore, they seek to drive this Ummah to a level of internal killings and combat that facilitates their objectives.

To achieve this objective and title, the Israelis and Americans must mobilise certain regimes. It is deeply unfortunate and profoundly saddening that for the purpose of implementing the concepts of 'the New Middle East' and 'reshaping the Middle East', the Americans and Israelis focus on activating Islamic and Arab regimes, groups, and movements to execute this plan on their own. It is because this method proves to be more effective and faster, and it offers a better guarantee of success in execution on the one hand. And it spares the Americans and Israelis several losses and significant financial and human costs on the other.

Thus, they aim to make some Arab and Islamic regimes, groups, forces, and formations carry out this plan, and others fund it. That is, some Arab and Muslim regimes bear the financial burden, while others handle the implementation. This plan is directed at destroying the Ummah from within, starting with eliminating those who currently stand as obstacles (those who oppose America and Israel and inspire the Ummah to rise against them) and seeking to eliminate the Palestinian cause in this first phase.

The first phase involves imposing what they call normalisation with Israel, dismantling obstacles that are considered hindrances to the Israeli enemy and the Americans, and eliminating the Palestinian cause. Then it will be the turn of the rest of the Ummah, but only after conditions have been fully prepared for the implementation of the second phase of the plan. This second phase aims to fragment this Ummah, create new entities within it, and divide its countries and peoples into numerous small scattered entities. Even the major countries in this Ummah are planned to be reduced to smaller states, each fragmented into tiny states. Then the area controlled by the Israeli enemy would get larger. In other words, imagine if the area controlled by the Israeli enemy were to encompass all of the Levant, parts of Egypt, parts of Iraq, and significant portions of Saudi Arabia (three-quarters), while other countries were divided into small states, miniature cantons, and small fragmented entities; this would result in the largest presence and dominance in this region belonging to the Israeli enemy. In addition, it would present itself as the largest power across the entire region. Then all the fragmented entities would be completely submissive to both America and Israel, as the Americans want Israel to act as their proxy.

What is deeply distressing is that the implementation of this plan, particularly in its initial phases, relies on mobilising Arab regimes, Arab forces, and Arab and Islamic movements and groups. This is profoundly disheartening; however, it is something we must fully understand beforehand. Indeed, awareness is crucial.

In this context, it is particularly unfortunate that while major titles that were absent regarding the great tragedy of the Palestinian people will suddenly emerge when it comes to advancing this plan! They will speak boldly and loudly about human conscience to justify their actions. They will also invoke the religious responsibility and jihad in the cause of Allah, as well as other similar titles.

That means when the Israelis kept and still keep tearing up and burning copies of the Quran (the Noble Book of Allah, the Glorious Quran); demolishing mosques; destroying the Al-Aqsa Mosque; insulting the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&F); killing Muslims, their women, and children, the old and the young in acts of genocide; and starving millions of the Palestinian people, the concept of religious responsibility was not present among many members of this Ummah. Jihad was not deemed obligatory or invoked in the cause of Allah, nor was any action taken. However, within the framework of the Middle East plan, there will be extensive talk of jihad and martyrdom, of raising banners of jihad, accompanied by abundant takbir and tahlil, among other things. Sectarian rhetoric will intensify significantly in service of the American-Israeli agenda, even though such rhetoric had been absent in response to the actions of Israel or America. When a specific people within the framework of the American-Israeli plan to reshape the Middle East is targeted, the banner of Arabs—which was previously absent—will suddenly come into sight. At that time, the Arab League will then be able to convene, and making fiery speeches, saying strong statements, raising voices, and opening eyes widely (among other things) will be allowed. All of this would appear in a form entirely different from what was witnessed regarding the Palestinian cause. At that point, all concepts, such as the 'Arab embrace', 'Arab national security', and 'threats to national interests', will be strongly invoked, accompanied by weapons, bombardments, killings, destruction, and intensive media campaigns. Thus, everything changes.

Therefore, in this very critical stage, there are two very important criteria for our entire Ummah and all its peoples. The first is the statement of Allah (Glory be to Him), {'O believers! Whoever among you abandons their religion, Allah will replace them with others who are loved by Him and love Him. They will be humble with the believers but firm towards the disbelievers, and they fight in the cause of Allah, fearing no blame from anyone. This is the favour of Allah. He grants it to whoever He wills. And Allah is All-Bountiful, All-Knowing'}[Al-Ma'idah5:54]. This is an important criterion. Those whom we see, observe, know, and become completely clear to us are humble in every sense of the word. Regarding Israel, they did not dare to take any position against it: not to perform jihad against it, fund mujahidin against it, or offer anything real or actual in confronting it. We have seen them humiliated in every sense of the word. Humiliation has become evident, and it has been embodied in their reality to the point that we could almost refer to them as the source of humiliation, given how clear and obvious it is in their position towards the Israeli enemy, as it is doing everything against Islam and Muslims.

However, when those become rebellious, and then move within the framework of the New Middle East plan, drastically reshaping the Middle East, we see them violating these divine criteria, which Allah has provided in the Holy Quran. That is because they were humiliated before the real disbelievers and before the Israeli disbelievers, who burn the Holy Quran, tear the Book of Allah, destroy mosques, and kill Muslims, both young and old. Then some of their scholars, whom they call scholars, say that the priority for the Ummah is above all these matters: above following the news of Palestine and above jihad in the cause of Allah to confront the real enemies of the Ummah, who burn the Quran, destroy mosques, kill Muslims, and insult the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&F), directing the worst insults and the most heinous, horrible, awful expressions towards him. Some of these scholars claim that the priority for the Ummah is to focus on the rulings concerning urine, considering it the most important matter, and to ignore all of that, using this as an excuse to neglect everything else. They take it as a matter of importance and priority that requires ignoring everything happening to the Palestinian people and everything practised by the Israeli enemy against Islam and Muslims.

In fact,  this is the reality: They are humiliated in the face of everything the Israelis do, yet they act fiercely towards the peoples of our Ummah. They display firmness in their fatwas, their rhetoric, their statements, their incitement, and their practical actions. They show fierceness in the battle and move with utmost seriousness: They are serious in their position, demonstrating courage and offering sacrifice. Thus, great sacrifices may be made by the members of this Ummah to serve the American and Israeli project, aimed at reshaping the Middle East according to the desires of America and Israel. Consequently, this Ummah becomes entirely submissive, stripped of freedom and dignity. In addition, everything within it is turned to benefit Israel and America: Those who fight from among its people fight for the sake of America and Israel; those who teach and educate do so according to what America and Israel dictate, reinforcing their domination, control, and supremacy, while erasing the cultural, intellectual, and religious identity of this Ummah. The same is true for those who work in other fields: All move in a way that their life and death are being dedicated to serving America and Israel. Additionally, everything they do and offer, as well as all their powers, are placed at the service of America and Israel.

In the light of this horrific and awful reality, we recognise the importance, greatness, and necessity of taking the right position and following the right path, as this is the key to salvation for this Ummah and its peoples. This is what brings goodness, honour, and virtue, promising the best of both this world and the Hereafter. This is true, even if it requires sacrifice, for it makes those on the other side suffer and endure losses as well: those who serve America and Israel under any banner, including the banner of 'reshaping the Middle East'. While there may be other banners raised, this banner will remain the true one, regardless of the misleading banners raised by those seeking to deceive the simple and naive among people.

This allows us to realise the importance of taking the right action according to Quranic criteria so that we may stand firm against the disbelievers. In this era and this battle, the ones who are leading the front of disbelievers are America and Israel. Indeed, the Israeli Zionist enemy—the vanguard of disbelief, evil, and criminality—and the Americans both are two sides of the same coin. Therefore, whoever claims to stand strong against Israel should stand out with his voice, position, and weapons. Why do some remain silent? Why do they hide? The funds that are paid for inciting discord should instead be given to the starving Palestinian people and their dear mujahidin, who struggle to get even a single bullet to confront the Israeli enemy. They receive only a little assistance from here and there. This serves as a clear criterion of one's position towards America and Israel, as stated in the Quran: {'They will be humble with the believers but firm towards the disbelievers.'} Who are the ones who stand strong in their position and with their weapons against America and Israel? And who are those who align themselves with America and Israel and seek their favour, although they will never gain their favour, no matter what they do or offer?

Therefore, this is saddening and distressing: After all this long passivity towards the tragedy of the Palestinian people and their immense oppression that should have attracted all the important banners that all of a sudden disappeared—such as the responsibility of faith, jihad for the sake of Allah, Arabism, the national security of Arabs, and the Arab embrace—many regimes, movements, and factions choose to move in a path that serves American and Israeli interests in reshaping the Middle East, as the Americans and Israelis call. This is truly unfortunate and disheartening!

However, nothing should worry or affect the confidence of those who adhere to the right position and follow the right direction outlined by Allah, according to the right definition that presents the Americans and Israelis as enemies and sets forth the right, important criteria and standards that reflect sincere intentions, genuine commitments, and sound positions: {'They will be humble with the believers but firm towards the disbelievers.'}

Therefore, using this criterion of light and discernment (the truly just and rightful criterion), we will evaluate everyone in our Ummah. Based on this, we will evaluate every regime in its actions and positions and every group in its movements and actions. This evaluation will be grounded in this criterion, allowing us to determine our position on the actions of this or that entity and tell whether they are moving in the right direction or whether they are, in fact, serving the Americans and the Israelis in the conspiracies they refer to as 'reshaping the Middle East'.

Regardless of the efforts made by the enemies under this banner, if we adhere to the right principle and the right position outlined by Allah—the position called for by our responsibility and religious duty, the position we follow based on our faith in Allah and our jihad in His cause and for His sake—then we can trust in Allah, as He is the best of helpers: {'What an excellent Protector, and what an excellent Helper!'}[Al-Anfal 8:40]. As long as we adhere to His teachings in this movement, trust Him, and rely on Him, He will stand with us. {'And He is the best of helpers'}[Ali Imran 3:150]. {'What an excellent Protector, and what an excellent Helper!'} All plots, conspiracies, and schemes (no matter who works for their implementation) will therefore fail. Today, some are competing and feeling anxious that a particular regime or group may get closer to America than they do or that Trump will rely on them more once he returns to the White House. This saddens and disappoints them, and it makes them try to take action here or there to compensate for their previous shortcomings and to reaffirm their loyalty to America.

Due to our religious and Quranic position of faith against America and Israel, we will confront every move that targets us. We will resist every conspiracy and every targeting through our trust in Allah and reliance on Him, grounded in the belief that this correct direction we have taken is the only path of honour, virtue, and goodness. Anything outside of it is a loss. Sacrificing for the sake of America and Israel is a loss in this world and causes painful torment in the Hereafter. This path grants us divine support and aligns with the position Allah (the Almighty) has outlined for us. Therefore, we are clear in our position and confident in adopting the right position.

Since the beginning of the Israeli aggression against the Gaza Strip, we have declared a clear position in which we followed up words with missile and drone operations, naval operations, and all possible efforts including financial contributions. Our people have mobilised within the framework of a clear position that stands strong against the disbelievers. We have raised our voices against America and Israel, and alongside that, we have raised our missiles and drones, brandishing our weapons and resources in the face of the enemies of this Ummah. We are confident in Allah and rely on Him, believing that this is the right direction. Therefore, we never fell into any state of humiliation or allowed our position to be constrained by any considerations that affected others, whether political considerations or false interests. That is because we see all goodness in aligning ourselves with Allah and following the path that pleases Him, and we are certain that this provides us with strength—indeed, this grants us strength.

Throughout this entire period, as we have maintained this position, we have grown stronger day by day. We have trained hundreds of thousands of our Muslim Yemeni people to acquire combat skills and the ability to fight, ensuring that they are mentally, culturally, emotionally, and morally prepared—in addition to allowing them to acquire the necessary skills to engage in combat.  In fact, we are ready to fight against America, against Israel, and against any party that targets us for the sake of America and Israel and their agenda of reshaping the New Middle East.

With the support and assistance of Allah and with our reliance on Him, we stand firm with great cohesion and absolute conviction in this rightful position that is a Quranic, faith-based position. From the very first day, we embraced this position: Before and after these events unfolded, we have been on a path rooted in faith and the teachings of the Holy Quran. In this path, we have sold ourselves to Allah, while many have sold themselves to America and Israel and to their proxies. Indeed, many of those who belong to our Ummah sold themselves, their positions, and their loyalties to America, Israel, and their proxies and tools. In contrast, we have chosen to sell ourselves to Allah at the highest price, which is Jannah: 'There is no price for yourselves except Jannah, so do not sell yourselves except for it.'

Some have sold themselves for Saudi riyals, for dollars, or for Emirati dirhams, and some have sold themselves for any currency here or there. As for us, we choose to sell ourselves to Allah (the Almighty), the greatest buyer, the Lord of all; for by doing so, we truly become free. Here is freedom; you become free only through selling yourself to Allah, facing His fiercest enemies and the enemies of humanity, the ugliest, worst creatures: the criminal Zionist Jews, along with the Americans and all those who orbit in their realm.

The criteria are clear, what allows us to discriminate is clear, and the standards are fixed: {'They will be humble with the believers but firm towards the disbelievers.'} O sons of our Ummah, what can serve as the right criteria to reveal the truths is one's position against America and Israel and his clear and explicit movement in the right direction against the Israeli enemy, with powerful words, with strong slogans, with actions against the Jewish, Zionist Israelis, and with oneself and one's wealth for the sake of Allah within this outlined position. This is what can tell who is on the right path and who will unfortunately compete and fall like flies and butterflies while choosing loyalty to America and Israel: {'hastening into [association with] them'}[Al-Maidah 5:52]. Each one of them wants to show more loyalty than the other and even feels bad when failing while seeing this side or regime succeed in fueling strife for America's benefit so it strives to succeed as well. In fact, they are losers. We believe in Allah and in His promises and the truth of His words. He has informed us in the Quran that all those who rush to serve the Jews and Christians are failures and losers: Their fate and ultimate end is loss and regret. As for the path set by Allah, it leads to great victory, honour, and divine support.

In the same context, the great and remarkable position of the mujahidin in Palestine stands out, as they have been facing the Israeli enemy during all this period.  Despite the fact that the battle is in its third month of the second year and has never ceased for a single day in the Gaza Strip, our fellow mujahidin there continue their jihad for the sake of Allah.

This week, the Al-Qassam Brigades carried out sixteen operations, including tactical ambushes against the Israeli enemy. The Al-Quds Brigades also executed impactful operations against the enemy, including shelling enemy gatherings in eastern Rafah.

Additionally, there are joint operations between the Yemeni Armed Forces and the Islamic Resistance in Iraq against the Israeli enemy, which have been announced and affirmed responsibility for.

This week has seen significant and numerous operations from the support front in the land of faith, as part of the fifth stage of escalation in the Battle of the Promised Conquest and Holy Jihad against the Israeli Zionist enemy. These operations were carried out with nineteen ballistic and cruise missiles and drones:

• Some of these operations targeted the occupied cities of Jaffa, Ashdod, and Asqalan.
• Other operations were launched towards the seas, targeting five American ships in the Gulf of Aden, including two warships, despite their efforts to exercise maximum caution, concealment, and stealth.

As for public activities, Yemen stands on one side and all other countries where movements and activities are taking place in support of the Palestinian people, including public demonstrations and events, stand on the other. In spite of that, Yemen's contribution carries more weight. Indeed, Yemen's contribution carries more weight!

The demonstrations and marches in our country have not ceased since the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip, reaching a total of 14026 marches and demonstrations. Is there any country in the world with such a level?

The mobilisation effort has resulted in training more than 600,000 people.

This week, there have been demonstrations in many countries, including Holland, France, Germany, Britain, Australia, Canada, Denmark, Sweden, and Ireland. Regarding the Muslim world, it has also seen a massive demonstration in Peshawar, Pakistan, with tens of thousands participating. In the Arab Maghreb region, demonstrations have been held in fifty-six cities.

Our dear people continue with utmost determination and faith, striving in the way of Allah and seeking His pleasure. They continue to adhere to the right position, while others find themselves lost in disgraceful and shameful positions that bring dishonour in this world and the Hereafter. Our people remain committed to their jihad and their efforts to support the Palestinian people and show solidarity with any Arab nation facing Israeli aggression.

I call upon our dear people to participate in the massive demonstrations tomorrow, Allah willing, in the capital, Sana'a, as well as in other governorates and districts. They are called to participate as part of jihad in the cause of Allah and for the sake of attaining His pleasure, expressing support for the Palestinian people and solidarity with Syria and the Syrian people against Israeli aggression, as well as standing in solidarity with the people of Lebanon and the mujahidin of Hezbollah.

We ask Allah (Glory be to Him) to grant us all success in seeking what pleases Him, have mercy on our virtuous martyrs, heal the wounded among us, and set free our captives. We also ask Him to grant us victory: {'Our Lord, pour down patience upon us and strengthen our foothold and grant us victory over the disbelieving people'}[Al-Baqarah 2:250].

O Allah, hasten victory and relief for the oppressed Palestinian people and their dear mujahidin and make perfect the victory for the mujahidin of Hezbollah and the dear Lebanese people.

We also ask Him (the Almighty) to thwart the plots of the enemies against the people of Syria, for He is the All-Hearing of supplication. May Allah (the Almighty) grant us all success in seeking what pleases Him.

Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.