Radio 786, Hamid Rezk - Interview with Ansarallah (2023)

Hassan Siria: As-salamu alaykum and welcome to Al-Aqsa Flood, the road to liberation here on Radio 786 100.4 FM. Also streaming live at Radio786.com or alternatively you can tune in to us on the TuneIn app. I'm Hassan Siria. The Al-Aqsa flood battle was launched on the 7th of October 2023 as a historic moment in the ongoing Palestinian struggle for liberation. With the Haram al-Sharif or the Holy Sanctuary in Jerusalem al-Quds, which includes the Al-Aqsa Mosque as well as the Dome of the Rock, Facing repeated and intensified Israeli desecration of the holy site and the ongoing atrocities against Palestinians in the West Bank and the condition of the Palestinian prisoners, these were the motivators for the resistance to painstakingly plan this operation, which it carried out with meticulous success and precision. Unable to handle the sheer embarrassment of this magnificent achievement by a people who for 17 years had been subjected to one of the most brutal and protracted sieges, which meant a slow death for those Palestinians living in Gaza, Israel launched a deadly bombing campaign against the innocent civilians. Nothing was spared. Entire communities obliterated, hospitals targeted, schools and food storage warehouses bombed, and thousands of babies butchered. But through their just struggle and their sumud, their steadfastness, despite the failure of those in power, it was the people's movements and the believers who came to the aid of the Palestinians. From Lebanon to Syria, Iraq and Yemen, the men of faith rose up and confronted the hegemon. This is Radio 786 on 100.4 FM and tonight we bring you an exclusive interview with the Ansarullah movement from Yemen. These are the men who from the early hours of Israel's targeted genocide against the Palestinians began launching rockets and drones at the Zionist regime. And as the fight intensified, they issued a warning to any Zionist-linked ships that are passing off the coast of Yemen. And within hours, they acted on those threats and began seizing ships that are owned or linked to Israeli businessmen. The actions by the Yemeni resistance means that the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait is unsafe for the Israeli shipping, forcing them now to go all around Africa to get to the Zionist shores. Here now on Radio 786, we present you this exclusive interview with the representative from Ansarullah, Hamid Rizq. Let us begin by looking at Yemen itself. Yemen has gone through a period of war with Saudi Arabia. Yet when the Palestinians launched this Operation Al-Aqsa flood and Israel then began attacking the Gaza Strip, Yemen came to the battlefield almost immediately. What motivated this move?

Hamid Rizq: Thank you. Fraternal greetings from Yemen to all the listeners from this auspicious and respectable radio station. It is important that all those who have been following the news know the reasons behind the Saudi war on Yemen. It was because there was a Quranic revival that called to war against Israel and to liberate Palestine. and it also called for the exit of America from the Arab and Islamic countries. This is the reason of the Saudi war. They imposed war on Yemen because our authentic stance, first, which is based on the Noble Quran and the invitation to return to the Noble Quran. Secondly, the invitation to stand firmly with the Palestinian people and that we do not remain subjected as Muslim to the will of the Americans and Western countries. Of course there is a smear campaign against the Ansarullah in Yemen. This campaign is spearheaded by countries that have an alliance with the United States and Israel. Our position in relation to Palestine is to stand with the people of Palestine. So when this war was launched, it was only natural that we would stand with the Palestinian people.

Hassan Siria: But how wise was this decision, considering that Yemen has endured a war of eight years and has still not recovered from that? Also, the United States has positioned a naval strike group off the coast of Yemen. Was this a wise decision by you?

Hamid Rizq: Yes, it was a wise decision. Not only was it wise, it was also a firm and brave decision. We in Yemen are not weak or vulnerable because the motivation force in Yemen is the will of the people. So when the people act and they mobilize, then they are not weak. So what is at work in Yemen now is the will of the people. This, the people, is the foundation of our strength in Yemen. We do not fear the American aircraft carriers. The war that lasted eight years against Yemen, it was America that was responsible for that war. They did everything in that war. They did not spare anything, so what can they do now? On the contrary, we are looking forward to this direct confrontation with America. We have no issue or fear. We are Muslims. We believe in the Quran. Either we live free or we die with dignity. The aim is clear. The American-Israeli massacres in Gaza must stop. In other words, we in Yemen are not adventurers. These are calculated moves we are making with carefully considered goals, and they are against Israeli ships only with the aim of stopping the aggression against Gaza. Only when the aggression on Gaza stops, then will we stop targeting Israeli ships in the Red Sea.

Hassan Siria: Now, your leader, Said Houthi, has said that if there were a land border with occupied Palestine, that Yemen would be on the front lines to assist the Palestinian resistance. We've seen the developments over the past week. The temporary truce has ended. Israel has resumed its murder campaign in Gaza. We've seen a number of massacres that have also taken place. What is your strategy? What is your long-term plan? How are you going to intensify your resistance?

Hamid Rizq: First of all, we in Yemen see the issue of Palestine as our issue. Firstly, we in Yemen see the Palestinian cause as our cause, because Israel does not only pose a threat to Palestine, but it is a danger to all Arabs and all Muslims. Therefore, our position is based on this reality. There is currently a popular campaign, 10,000 volunteers are ready, and whenever the opportunity arises, they will go to Palestine. Currently, the choice we are faced with is either fire long-range ballistic missiles and drones, as well as closing the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait to Israeli shipping. According to economic reports, Israel has sustained heavy losses. The port of Eilat, which is the most important port in Israel, is shut. It is out of service. Israeli commerce has suffered losses in Haifa. These are big and strategic achievements and they surprised many in the world. And Yemen has other options that we can take should this aggression continue.

Hassan Siria: Let us consider the reality. Yemen is the poorest country in the Arab world, but it has been resolute in the way in which it has been supporting Palestine and also based on our discussion here. What are your expectations from other Arab countries, particularly considering also that they are in a far stronger position than you?

Hamid Rizq: The Arab governments are divided into two parts. There is a part that stands beside Palestine, Arab governments are of two types. The first stand on the side of Palestine. We can say they are the minority. Yemen, Lebanon, Iraq, and to an extent Syria. As for the rest of them, they are in cahoots with Israel. We consider that all the blood that is being spilled in Gaza and this operation will lead the region to chaos and destruction and everyone here will pay the price for it because Allah will never be pleased with this oppression without there being a retribution against those who commit this oppression and those who cooperate with him from the Arab rulers. Firstly, we are very optimistic about the liberation of Palestine in the near future, Allah willing. Secondly, I wish to convey via your radio station that Ansarullah in Yemen is an international movement because we are guided by the universality of the Quran. We are not following just a madhab or sectarianism as the media portrays us. Ansarullah is a world Quranic movement which calls to and for the unity of Muslims and for Muslims to return to the Quran. It is possible for anybody who wants to learn more about Ansarullah to go onto the internet. We have websites and the official Al Masira TV channel. And that way you can learn more about Yemen and the severe extent of the oppression. Because the war which we in Yemen have been subjected to resembles the war that Palestine is facing now. However, we endured and stood firm by the grace of Allah and by the virtue of the strong, brave leadership of Sayyid Abd al-Malik Badr al-Din al-Houthi.

Hassan Siria: The voice of Hamid Rizq, the representative from the Ansarullah movement in Yemen, who spoke to Radio 786 in an exclusive sit-down interview where we explored a number of issues that affect the resistance in Palestine and particularly the fact that the Ansarullah movement has been at the forefront of the struggle for the liberation of Palestine in this Operation Al-Aqsa Flood. Now some important pointers that came out from that interview is that the Quran is the guiding principle for the resistance and for the resistance in Yemen here and that the cause of the resistance in Yemen is directly linked to Palestine and therefore Ansarullah has said As they say, an army of 10,000 volunteers who are ready to go to Palestine in order to fight on the battlefield with the Palestinians. They say that the only obstacle is that Yemen does not share a common border with occupied Palestine. And so, because of this reality, they have rather focused their efforts on firing missiles and drones. And they have now also been seizing the Israeli ships in order to impact the economy of the Zionist entity. And already they say that this has meant that the most important port in Israel, the port of Eilat, needed to be shut down. Also, Israeli ships now have to sail all around Africa in order to deliver their cargo, which has, of course, increased the costs of the shipping for the Zionist entity. But Ansarullah says that it also has more capabilities in its arsenal and it will use these as it intensifies its actions and this decision will be taken when required. It says it is not acting in a reckless manner, it is acting in a very calculated manner and it is with these calculations ensuring that whatever goals it has, Now according to Hamid Rizq as well from the Ansarullah movement who was speaking to us exclusively there, he says that Israel does not only pose a threat to Palestine but also to the entire Arab and Muslim region and therefore this is an issue that affects the entire Ummah. He also warned Arab leaders. that Allah will not allow for this injustice to go unpunished and indeed that there will be retribution for those who are committing the atrocities and for those who are standing by them. In this case referring to Israel and the Arab and Muslim allies who have failed to take any action to stop the massacre and the genocide that is taking place in Gaza at this moment. Nonetheless, their state, this is the state of Yemen as the poorest nation in the Arab world. For them, this has not been an obstacle. And as he pointed out that their faith, their commitment to the Quran, this is what drives them. And this is the foundation on which they base their involvement in this operation to liberate Al-Aqsa, the first Qibla of the Muslims. Thank you for having tuned in to this edition of Al-Aqsa Flood on Radio 786, an exclusive interview with the Ansarullah movement here on Radio 786. Next week, we'll bring you an exclusive interview with Islamic Jihad. We thank you for having tuned in. I'm Hassan Siria. Thanks to Ayub Ali for the translation on that interview. Assalamualaikum.

Speaker 4: We must make it clear. What is happening in Gaza is not some kind of an earthquake. or a flood that only requires food for those people to recover from it. No, what is taking place in Gaza is unspeakable crimes against humanity. It's a system of colonization that requires a disruptive armed decolonial response for the people of Palestine to be completely free. And after that, there must be consequences against the Israeli regime that has committed these crimes. And the consequences must be so decisive and so strong to send a strong message to any racist, colonial, abusive power and to any white person who thinks they can just dehumanize a black person without consequences.