AlHouthi4President

April 14, 2026 is a day that will go down in infamy as the Lebanese government succumbed to the American demand to enter into direct negotiations with the Zionist entity.

America wants to bring Lebanon back into the government and army restructuring of 1982-1983, when the 1978 “israeli” invasion and 1983 normalization agreement was used as leverage to bring Lebanon completely under the US/Israeli fold.

The brutal normalization attempt, which involved the US restructuring of the Lebanese army from 1982-1984, witnessed the carpet bombing of Dahiyeh by then Lebanese Army commander Ibrahim Tannous or the direct support of “israel” to then SLA leader and President-elect Bachir Gemayel.

Though this time gave rise to the fiercest resistance, such as - but not limited to - the SSNP’s Habib Shartouni assassinating the treasonous agent Gemayel in September 1982, the elimination of Zionist soldiers in the Wimpy Cafe in Beirut that same month by Khaled Alwan, the martyrdom operation of Sanaa Mheidly.

Behind the Lebanese government’s traitorous moves, handing the south to Israel through the Zionist-backed SLA gave rise to Hezbollah, the fiercest and most successful resistance organization in the region.

In the honor of the martyrs from Hezbollah and the unified resistance, Lebanese - from Thursday to Saturday - took to the streets in protest before the Government Serail in Downtown Beirut, voicing their opposition to the Vichyist government and the historical betrayal unfolding this week.

This sentiment also intensified by the dishonor and disgrace the commencement of direct talks with the Zionist entity poses as the blood of hundreds of civilian martyrs across Lebanon hasn’t even dried yet after daily nonstop attacks murdering state workers, women and children, paramedics – one infant girl was even murdered at the funeral of her own father.

The massacres that represented “israel” imposing its will on the Lebanese government, however subservient, were defied by the material equation Hezbollah and Iran are setting on the ground.

USIsrael’s incredible pressure on Lebanon represents growing wrath with Iran’s victory and consequent weakening of US hegemony regionally

The more they lose on the ground, the more “israel” has to try to convince the world otherwise that its “Greater Israel” plan is underway.

But no matter how much Smotrich wants to take to the podium and announce it, that doesn’t change the reality on the ground that tells a very different story.

Israel may claim Bint Jbeil is encircled - the same Bint Jbeil that the IOF themselves said in the 2007 Winograd report was a “symbol of the unsuccessful action of IDF throughout the fighting” with a force of 5,000 occupying soldiers defeated by 150 Hezbollah fighters maximum.

This same Bint Jbeil that is right now, with the resistance continuing to hit artillery, Merkava tanks – 120 burning and counting – soldier groupings and occupying army barracks.

Despite the Enemy narrative that they have the town surrounded, any advancement made in the last month and a half was thanks to ordered Lebanese Army withdrawals from Christian villages like Rmeish, Debel, Ain el Ebel, Alma as-Shaab with no Hezbollah presence in them.

“Israel” made the same claims of encirclement and advancement around Khiam a couple weeks back, using its presence there accomplished through ceasefire violations and illegal incursions during the previous 15 months to today as evidence of an advancement that couldn’t even hold as the IOF was forced to withdraw to its occupation point in Hammames hill and to today cannot make any advancements in the Naqoura/Tyre axis, is being fought off in Bint Jbeil, failed miserably in Nabi Sheet at the very start, and has yet to make any progress in Khiam.

So in light of this demonstrated strength by the resistance, the level of comprimization extends mere cowardice – PM Nawaf Salam joined in on Israeli/American framings of a Lebanese ceasefire to be separate from the Iranian ceasefire, despite one of Tehran’s core demands being a cessation of violence in Lebanon.

By saying that “Iran should not negotiate on behalf of Lebanon,” Salam is enabling the US/Israeli shaping of terms, where the Lebanese state, instrumental as a vehicle to invite normalization, can put seemingly ‘independent’ conditions that actually represent American demands aimed at forcibly disarming the resistance.

The same resistance, by the way, that can give Lebanon - as a state - leverage over Israel in negotiations that don’t even have to be direct.

Direct negotiations are completely unnecessary and symbolic means of the US and Israel to pass through symbolic victories amidst losses and blows by Iran and the Hezbollah resistance group in the South of Lebanon.

In 2022, Lebanon was able to force “israel” to accept the country’s maritime rights while refusing its attempts at making even a symbolic victory in the format of a direct negotiation.

So there is both historical precedent, and material logic, regardless of ideology, in leveraging Hezbollah’s strength to safeguard a modicum of sovereignty just as Iran is nullifying US power projection through its resistance.

The current Lebanese government is made up of minds so colonized that they disregard this material equation and internalize their own sense of inferiority, rushing to sell their own country to appease a moribund empire.

This is an unfortunate historical reality in a country like Lebanon caught between a comprador class comprising a compromised subservient state, and a historically revolutionary and strong resistance capable of confronting the Zionist entity while solely demonstrating the political will towards a truly sovereign domestic settlement.

In the face of a historic victory for Hezbollah and Iran, Aoun and Nawaf Shalom decide its a much better idea to literally hand the country over to Satanyahu and Trump. But no matter how much they try to even criminalize the discourse of resistance in the country, they’re simply dishing out the orders of an empire that is witnessing its political leverage weaken in real time.

As Georges Abdallah said upon his release from prison [in an interview with arab-i]: “The one who holds the weapon has the final say” — this isn’t a matter of preference but a dialectic trajectory that reflects the real-time trajectory of power, which since 2000 is increasingly in the hands of the resistance.

The real negotiation that the enemy understands - and that will determine Lebanon and the region’s fate - is taking place not in Washington.

But in Bint Jbeil.

In the Name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful

O Transformer of hearts and sights, O Director of nights and days, O Transformer of situations and circumstances, Transform our circumstances to the best of circumstances!

This year, the spring of spirituality and the spring of nature – i.e., the auspicious Eid-al-Fitr and the age-old Eid of Nowruz – have coincided, and I congratulate each and every one of the people of the nation on these two religious and national holidays. I also congratulate all Muslims of the world on the occasion of Eid-al-Fitr.

It is also necessary to congratulate everyone regarding the remarkable victories of Islam’s fighters and to express my condolences and sympathy to all the families and survivors of the honorable martyrs of the second imposed war, the January Coup, the third imposed war, the security and border martyrs, and the anonymous martyred soldiers [martyrs of intelligence forces].

Below I present my remarks on the occasion of the upcoming 1405 year.

First, I will give a brief overview of some of the important events of the past year. In the past year, our dear people have experienced three military and security wars. The first war was the June war, when the Zionist enemy, with the special help of the United States and in the midst of negotiations, martyred some of the country's best commanders and prominent scientists and subsequently about 1,000 of our fellow citizens. Because of a gross miscalculation, the enemy thought that after a day or two, it would be the people who would overthrow the Islamic system. But with the vigilance of you, the people, the unparalleled bravery of Islam’s fighters, and the many sacrifices, the indications of desperation and destitution soon appeared in it [the Zionist enemy], to the point that it saved itself from the edge of the abyss through mediation and resorting to cessation of fighting.

The second war was the January Coup, when the United States and the Zionist regime, thinking that the Iranian people were implementing the enemy’s vision due to the economic problems imposed by them, used their mercenaries to create countless disasters and martyred more of our dear fellow citizens than in the in the previous war and caused a lot of damage.

The third war is the war that we are now in the middle of, and on the first day of which, with tearful eyes and sad and broken hearts, we bode farewell to the kind father of the Ummah, our great Leader – may God make his respected position exalted – while hastening with great enthusiasm at the head of a caravan of martyrs on a celestial journey to a place that had been considered for him in the shadow of God's mercy and in proximity to purified lights and among the righteous and martyrs. Also, from that day onwards, we gradually and sorrowfully bode farewell to the other martyrs of this war, including the children of the Shajareh Tayyebeh School in Minab, the brave and oppressed stars of the Destroyer Dena, the martyred commanders and fighters of the IRGC, the army, the security and police forces, and the Popular Mobilization Force (the Basij), the anonymous soldiers [martyrs of intelligence forces], the brave border guards, and the rest of the nation, young and old, who passed in front of us in a caravan of light. This war took place after the enemy was disappointed with a significant popular movement in its favor, and with the illusion that if it martyred the head of the regime and a number of influential military figures, it would create fear and despair in you, our dear people, and cause you to leave the arena, and in this way, it would realize the dream of dominating Iran and then disintegrating it. But in this holy month, you combined fasting with jihad and provided a vast defense line, as wide as the country, and strong fortifications, as numerous as the squares, neighborhoods, and mosques. And in this way, you dealt him a confusing blow, so much so that he began to utter numerous contradictory words and many absurdities, which is a sign of lack of mindfulness and the existence of cognitive weakness.

You had already suppressed the coup on January 12 [22nd of Dey], and on February 11 [22nd of Bahman], you once again showed your opposition to global arrogance and your tirelessness, and on March 12, which coincided with Quds Day, you made him realize that he was not only dealing with missiles, drones, torpedoes, and military affairs and that Iran's front line is much bigger than his [the enemies’] humble and small mentality. I would like to thank each and every one of the dear people for creating this great epic, as well as the brave, honest and popular president and other officials who were present among the people in this ceremony, immaculate and without formalities.

This kind of action and making it visible can be in itself a very desirable thing that increasingly strengthens the cohesion between the nation and the rulers. At present, as a result of the incredible unity created among you, fellow citizens – despite all the differences of religious, intellectual, cultural and political origins – a breakdown is brought about in the enemy. This should be considered as a special blessing from the Almighty and Exalted Allah, for which we should be very grateful in words and in heart as well as in action. One of the inviolable rules is that whenever a blessing is thanked for, its root becomes stronger or enhanced in proportion to the amount of thanksgiving, and more favors are sent to the thankful person. What is needed for the time being in the position of practical gratitude is that we consider this great blessing as merely a mercy from the Almighty and make good use of it as much as possible. In this way, this cohesion will definitely become more and more resolute, and your enemies will become more disgraced and subdued. These were a review of some of the important events of the year 1404.

But now that we are on the verge of the year 1405, we are facing a few matters. One is that we bid farewell to our dear guest, the holy month of Ramadan 1447 AH, forever: The month in which your hearts turned to the transcendent world on the Night of Qadr and you called upon the merciful God, and His Holiness directed His mercy to you. You asked our lord [Imam Mahdi], may Allah hasten his noble reappearance, and His God for triumph, victory, well-being, and all kinds of blessings, and you must have received the same or better than what was your heart's desire, God willing. At the same time as this farewell, which the more knowledge human beings have, the more bitter and sad it will be, we press the happy and full moon of Shawwal al-Mukarram in our warm arms and await the reception of gifts from the Blessed and Transcendent Allah with fear and hope. I hope that after that daily and nightly conscientious presence of you, the dear nation, and the creation of the epic of Quds Day, the Almighty will not treat us except with His generosity, forbearance, forgiveness, and great grace to which you and I have become accustomed. And especially we hope that soon with the good news of the general relief in the matter of the general appearance of our lord [Imam Mahdi], his eminence, the supreme guardian appointed by Allah, He will fill the blessed heart of his holiness with joy, from which all kinds of blessings will descend upon the people of this world, by His grace and generosity.

Another thing we are facing is the important occasion of the age-old Eid of Nowruz. It is an Eid that brings with it a gift of nature, of renewal, freshness, and life, and it has a perfect occasion with joy and happiness. On the one hand, for the general public, this is the first year that our martyred Leader and other noble martyrs are not among us. In particular, the hearts of the families and survivors of the martyrs are grieving for their loved ones.

At the same time, for my part and as a simple citizen who has a few martyrs in my circle, I think that while we are mourning and our hearts are a nest of sorrow and grief for all the martyrs, we would become very happy that in these days, our newlywed brides and grooms start their life together. And God willing, the prayers of our martyred leader and other noble martyrs of this war will be with these dear ones. And I recommend that the public should have their usual [New Year] visits of these days, of course, while respecting the survivors of the martyrs and respecting their well-being, and perhaps the people of any neighborhood will start their New Year's meetings by honoring the martyrs of the same place, which can be made possible with the necessary coordination. Of course, the period [of mourning] that the honorable government set for the tragedy of the martyrdom of our dear Leader remains in place, and observing and preserving it is considered an aspect of the greatness of this system and the country.

After these words, there are other brief remarks.

First of all, I must especially thank those who – in addition to being present in squares, neighborhoods, and mosques – highlight their social role with increasing effort. Among them are some production units, both public and private, and including some service guilds, and especially people who provide all kinds of useful services to the people for free without their jobs requiring them, and praise be to God, there is an abundance of this kind.

Secondly, one of the enemy's courses of action is his media operations, which in these days, in particular, intends to undermine national unity and consequently national security by targeting the minds and souls of some among the people. We must be careful lest this sinister intention be realized as a result of negligence and by our own hands. Therefore, my advice to our country’s domestic media, with all the intellectual, political, and cultural differences they may have, is to seriously refrain from focusing on weaknesses. Otherwise, it is possible for the enemy to reach its goal.

Thirdly, one of the enemy's hopes is to take advantage of the economic and managerial weaknesses that have been formed over a long time. Over various years, our martyred Leader – may Allah elevate his position – had focused the main theme and slogan of the year on the economy. In the opinion of this humble person, providing people's livelihood and improving the living and welfare infrastructures and creating wealth for the general public should be considered as a focal point and a kind of defense and even significant progress against the economic war waged by the enemy.

I am gracious that I have had the chance to hear the words of our dear people from all walks of life. During one period, for instance, I would ride along with you in a taxi – arranged at my request – through the streets of Tehran, with an anonymous group, listening to your conversations. I regarded this method of sampling as superior to many opinion polls. In many cases, my understandings were in line with yours, which were often expressed as various criticisms regarding economic and managerial matters. In the process, I learned a great deal from you, and I continue to seek new knowledge. Recently, during the days before and after the 19th of Ramadan, I again learned things from many of you who were present in the public squares. I hope I am never deprived of this blessing. Following things thus learned and heard, along with other studies, efforts have been made to formulate an effective and expert-tested remedy—one that is as comprehensive as possible. Thank God, this has been realized to an acceptable degree, and soon it will be ready for implementation by officials of great resolve, with the cooperation of all segments of the nation, God willing. Finally, in this section, drawing inspiration from our great martyred Leader, I announce this year’s slogan as: “Resistance Economy in light of National Unity and National Security.”

Fourth and last, what I stated in the first statement regarding the system's stance and policy on engagement with neighboring countries is a serious and genuine matter. Beyond the element of neighborliness, we recognize other spiritual elements – foremost among them our shared devotion to the noble religion of Islam, as well as the presence of holy shrines and sacred sites in some of these countries, the residence and employment of many Iranians in others, shared ethnicity or language, and common strategic interests, particularly in confronting the front of arrogance—each of which alone can serve to strengthen amicable relations. Among them, I consider our eastern neighbors to be very close to us. For a long time, I have known Pakistan to be a country that was especially beloved by our martyred Leader, a sentiment that was evident in the emotion in his voice during Friday prayer sermons over the devastating floods that threatened the lives of our religious brothers there. For various reasons, I have always held this view myself and have not refrained from expressing it in various meetings. Here, I would like to urge that our two brotherly countries, Afghanistan and Pakistan, establish better relations with each other – if only for the sake of divine pleasure and to avoid division among Muslims – and for my part, I am ready to take the necessary steps.

I should also remark that the attacks against Turkey and Oman – both of which have good relations with us—targeting certain locations in these countries, were in no way carried out by the armed forces of the Islamic Republic or the other forces of the Resistance Front. This is a ploy by the Zionist enemy, employing the false flag tactic to create discord between the Islamic Republic and its neighbors, and it may also occur in some other countries. I have already mentioned the rest of the points related to this matter.

I hope, with the prayers of our lord [Imam Mahdi] – may Allah hasten his relief – and with the Almighty’s attention, this year will be a good year full of triumph and all kinds of spiritual and material relief for our nation, our neighbors, and Muslim nations, and especially for the elements of the Resistance Front; and a year not so for the enemies of Islam and humanity. “And We desired to show favor to those who were oppressed in the earth, and to make them examples and to make them the inheritors, and to establish them in the land, and to show Pharaoh and Haman and their hosts from them that of which they were apprehensive (Holy Quran 28:6).” Indeed, God the Almighty has spoken the truth; His noble Messenger (pbuh) has spoken the truth; and we are among those who bear witness to that.

May God’s greetings, mercy, and blessings be upon you.

Sayyid Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei

Esfand 29, 1404 [March 20, 2026]

Ukraine, like “Israel” before it, has been transformed into an outpost of Western imperialism. The two wars these two are waging—one against the Russian Federation, the other against Iran–are similar and interconnected in so many ways. The common goal of each war is to preserve and even enhance Western hegemony by waging warfare against countries that dare to rebel against the ‘rules-based international order’ of the Western powers.

Former advisor to the Ukrainian president’s office, Alexei Arestovich, says outright that the war on Iran is being used to demonstrate what happens to those who oppose the rotten Western alliance.

Eduard Basurin, former army spokesman of the Donetsk People’s Republic, is convinced that the treacherous war against Iran is directly linked to anti-Russian plans by the US empire. “By hook and by crook, as they say, the U.S. is pressing ahead with strategic plans to create a ‘firewall’ around Russia and drive us into economic isolation.”

Ukrainian political scientist and journalist Oleg Yasinsky, who lives in Chile, reminds that everyone in the world should be aware that the war against Iran is already a global war and is directed not only against Iran. “The question is whether all the other victims that will inevitably be subjected to what Iran is facing will take action or instead patiently await their turn,” he says.

Yasinsky is convinced that this war is not a demonstration of strength but, rather, of the extreme weakness of a system unable to retain its power and hold over the world except by forceful means.

The Ukrainian underground communist group Borotba writes that the goal of the US attack against Iran is to destroy all other forms of communal life on the planet except for those which are subordinate to the Western powers, be they liberal or conservative.“That is why the attack against Iran is an attack against all of us, it is an attack on all of humanity,” the group says.

The aggression by the US and “Israel” against sovereign Iran cannot fail to affect Ukraine itself, and in a very big way. That’s because any international conflict is traditionally perceived in ruling circles in Ukraine with undisguised jealousy, deemed to distract attention from the situation in Ukraine and from the antics of its comedian-and-actor-turned-president, Volodomyr Zelensky. The Ukrainian authorities regularly engage in public relations promotions using social media and ‘emotional diplomacy’ (hysteria), fearing, above all, a loss of attention from the foreign public.

Good article.

a deepening ideological divide within right-wing American politics. On one side are Evangelical Christian and Jewish Zionists who support wars against Iran and the Palestinians; on the other are right-wing Christians who believe that America is being drawn into wars on behalf of Israel.

Similarly, many on the American left, including progressive Jews such as Congresswoman Sara Jacobs, argue that Israel has pulled the United States into war. Rather than seeing the US-Israeli imperialist attack as serving the bellicose American billionaire class that fully backs it, these right-wing and left-wing critics contend that Benjamin Netanyahu tricked Trump into attacking Iran primarily for Israel’s benefit.

However, it is crucial to understand that Israel’s bellicose policies are an element of the overall US strategy in the region and do not exist independently of it. It is hardly far-fetched that the US aims to intensify the Arab states’ hostility towards Iran and incite them to openly join the US-Israel attack.

Some right-wingers cite the fact that prominent American billionaires, including Sheldon and Miriam Adelson, Bernard Marcus and Paul Singer, have promoted hostility towards Iran for the past decade as proof that such figures are “Israel firsters”, rather than “America firsters”, and that Israel controls US foreign policy.

They ignore how major American defence industries and energy companies directly benefit and stand to make huge profits from this war. Palantir, Lockheed Martin, Exxon, Raytheon and Boeing can hardly be accused of being Israel firsters, even if, like the billionaires, they believe that Israel’s regional military dominance serves the interests of US imperialism.

Instead of framing their criticism of the attack on Iran as driven by the imperialist warmongering of US financial elites – for whom the genocidal Israeli state is both an asset and a proxy – these right-wingers accuse Israel of “controlling” Washington’s decisions, thus effectively exonerating the United States of responsibility.

Israel and its intelligence and military apparatus and personnel are tightly integrated into the US war machine, but this is not proof, as some might argue, of Israeli “control” over this system, but rather the result of the US subcontracting significant intelligence and military functions to a trustworthy proxy.

Both Maga and left-wing critics of the war have interpreted recent comments by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio as an admission that Israel dragged the US to war.

What they forget is that Washington – on which Israel is almost entirely dependent for weapons supplies – could have ordered Israel not to attack. But the US chose not to do so, meaning that it approved of Israel’s war plans and coordinated with it beforehand.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/44384861

The Israeli army committed a massacre in the heart of Beirut early on 12 March, targeting a group of displaced Lebanese civilians with a drone and killing eight in the Ramlet al-Bayda beach area.

A drone fired three missiles near the promenade where people walk along, and where scores of families displaced from various parts of the country have set up tents.

At least eight people were killed, and 31 were wounded by the attack, which coincided with two deadly airstrikes on the Aramoun area on the outskirts of Beirut, and several other attacks on Beirut’s southern suburb that were heard across the city.

Cover image:

Sayed Abdul-Malik al Houthi, leader of the Yemeni Revolution stands behind his martyred brother Hussein al Houthi, who was killed by American bombs two decades ago.

Sayed Mojtaba Khamenei, leader of the Islamic Revolution stands behind his martyred father Ali Khamenei who was killed by American bombs a week ago.

Lots of fake news and speculation about Sayed Mojtaba Khamenei, the new Leader of Iran. I figured Id share some informative takes that stood out to me.

Is ISIS 2.0 re-emerging in Syria with tacit Western approval? In this explosive Deep Dive Perspective interview, war journalist Marwa Osman exposes the chaotic reality on the ground, arguing that the US has once again "dropped the Kurds" to further a destabilization agenda.

Marwa Osman is a journalist, political commentator, and university lecturer based in Lebanon. She specializes in Middle Eastern affairs, the Axis of Resistance, and the geopolitics of the Levant.

From the release of ISIS prisoners to the expansion of Israel into Syrian territory, Marwa breaks down the complex web of alliances between Turkey, the US, and local militias. We analyze whether the region is facing a new wave of terror designed to fracture the Axis of Resistance and serve the "Greater Israel" project.

Is Syria being partitioned for oil and gas? What role does Erdogan truly play behind the rhetoric? This episode dissects the geopolitics of the Levant, the suffering of the people, and the resilience of those rebuilding amidst the rubble.

In response to some self-described Leftist calling Hamas a "Capitalist Theocratic Fascist" Ms Kates writes:

There have already been many responses to this nonsense, and @Mujamma Haraket long ago wrote the definitive English-language expose of the "propped up by the zionist entity" line of attack, but it's worth considering the framework of many of our responses, coming from the left. Obviously, a great deal of this sort of mischaracterization of the resistance is being done with bad faith, or as a form of conscious or subconscious psychological warfare to advance the interests of imperialism and zionism.

That is, it seeks to split the de facto alliance between the international revolutionary and even broad left, and the resistance and revolutionary forces in the Arab and Iranian region -- in West Asia -- today, which are led by liberation movements with an Islamic identity.

To be clear, these comments are not meant to cast aspersion on the history, present or future of the Arab or regional revolutionary left, which has contributed greatly to the development of the struggle in Palestine & throughout the region, both theoretically and militarily. However, many international leftists, revolutionaries or Marxists have justified their support for the resistance of, for example, Hamas, by citing the support that exists from Palestinian revolutionary or other leftist parties, rather than the movement's own history & analysis.

While this is a valid supplementary argument, and one that speaks to the commitment of national liberation movements to seeking anti-colonial national unity in all the colors of the Palestinian flag, it cannot be the lodestar of a revolutionary alliance with the resistance. The effects of overreliance on adherence to the positions of those who identify themselves as leftists or communists in a country is seen in the relatively weak levels of support, action & mobilizing currently, particularly in the imperial core, with the Islamic Republic of Iran.

This problem is attributable at a far greater scale to alignment with imperialism and refusal to support full-scale national projects that confront it head-on, or the effects of "State Department Socialism", but the former is a major tool of political warfare to block action.

Now, at this time, when many are aware of exactly how this form of reliance on self-identified leftist or communist forces as the (de)legitimizer of movements & states has been deeply damaging re: Iran, we must not replicate it for Palestine, Lebanon or the region as a whole.

For example, the Lebanese Communist Party issued a statement on March 3 that while correctly denouncing the Zionist invasion and assault on Lebanon, ALSO opposed Hezbollah's military response to over 15 months of fake ceasefire, weakening the front of the resistance.

The proper analysis of events in Lebanon is not to rely upon the statements of the LCP, despite its valiant history in the resistance in the 1970s and 1980s, the bravery and commitment of its fighters and prisoners through those years, or the good work done by many members today. It is essential for any revolutionary and anti-imperialist force today to support Hezbollah because it is, materially, one of the greatest anti-imperialist movements globally, in direct confrontation with imperialism & Zionism, dedicated to organizing & uplifting the oppressed.

The statements and perspectives of self-identified Lebanese leftist parties or individuals are only a sideline to the reality of Hezbollah's actual role in Lebanon & the world as a vanguard anti-imperialist, liberationist & internationalist movement.

Similarly, in relation to Palestine, there are a broad array of forces that identify themselves as leftists, and they are distinctly different from one another, including, of course, the Popular and Democratic Fronts, but also many include Hizb al-Shaab or even FIDA, or others. These parties clearly do not share common lines in many cases, although they will also issue joint statements as "five left factions" from time to time. They have widely varying levels of involvement & complicity with the "Palestinian Authority".

The Popular Front is most widely recognized as a revolutionary Palestinian left faction (although the Democratic Front also participated in a significant military form in Gaza throughout Al-Aqsa Flood), and it has maintained a strong alliance w/other, larger resistance forces. At the same time, in 2007, the Front called upon Hamas to return the security buildings & offices to PA president Abu Mazen, after Hamas thwarted the attempted coup directed not only by Fateh but by US advisors. Those 2007 actions, taken of strict necessity, are what paved the road for Gaza's underground development and the military advancement of its resistance (while of course Gaza had been a centre of military resistance for decades).

On many occasions, various Palestinian left factions, including the Front, criticized Hamas, or the Gaza government, here or there, for, essentially, not allowing the PA to direct the future of major institutions in Gaza. In some cases, leftist parties actually criticized Hamas for its developmentist policies in Gaza, such as taxing merchants on imports in order to promote local produce, focusing on tunnel development, or refusing to allow the PA to continue to direct institutions in Gaza. These positions have changed over time. Organizations and parties are dynamic institutions, & change in relation to one another & developments in the world. Palestinian left parties pushed hard to prevent an "alternative to the PLO," despite the disaster that bears the name today.

Again, the purpose of the above is not to make the point about how Hamas, in all of these cases, was right, and the leftist organizations were wrong, but that an anti-imperialist, revolutionary analysis & alliance should base itself on reality, not mere reference -- especially in the context whereby many have little to no meaningful contact with these organization and/or may not have a clear understanding of how positions and policies are developed in relation to political alliances, rather than class or political principle.

For example, "trade unions" that Hamas was accused of "repressing" in one such post (and surely, if one goes back to the late 2000s, early 2010s, one will find statements from left factions making some such allegation) are simply Fateh organizations that act on behalf of the PA.

They do not represent the Palestinian working class, and have played a devastating role in the movement to organize Palestinian workers. The ranks of Hamas and Islamic Jihad are filled by the working classes & popular masses of Palestine, rooted in the refugee camps & villages.

Again, the alliance between the Islamic and left resistance and revolutionary forces in Palestine, today, is strong (although there are plenty of self-described leftist organizations that are not involved in such frameworks, and are attached to the PA as a project).

But if, in the future, this is not the case, it is critical that internationalists and anti-imperialists that seek to play a meaningful role as part of a global camp of the resistance are prepared to develop their relationships based on the reality of the vanguard movements today. The errors made in relation to understanding the Islamic Republic of Iran and its anti-imperialist role in the region, its approach to development, and its political system must not be repeated elsewhere, & not in Palestine, Lebanon, Yemen, Iraq or elsewhere in this region.