Asked in his weekly seminar if the current stage necessitates that the Intifada should focus until the end of the Israeli elections and the war on Iraq , on political action rather than military operations and confrontations, the Religious Authority Sayyed M.H. Fadlullah said:

1- First of all, we should emphasize that the Intifada does not represent the view of any single Palestinian faction. It is the struggle for liberation of the entire Palestinian people. Consequently no Palestinian faction, and not even the Palestinian Authority for that matter, could prevent the Palestinians from expressing their stand of confronting occupation, even if it were by bloody confrontations.

2- On the other hand, there are certain political circumstances and pressures that might hinder the Intifada and prevent the Palestinian people from achieving their goals.  The Americans and Zionists are trying to tire out the Palestinians and convince them that there is no point in going on with their struggle, and this will lead to a state of despair that will not only have an impact on the present but one that will affect the future and the fate of the Palestinians.

3-Nevertheless, we believe that it is the Palestinians themselves are the ones who make their own fate, and that America and Israel will be able to execute their plans, only in case we stand on the sidewalk, especially that the Palestinians have faced such tough circumstances in the past and managed to overcome them with their almost incredible sense of dedication and sacrifice.

4-Nonetheless, we call on the Palestinians to study thoroughly the need for a new strategy that takes into account the current stage. But this should not mean that to allow this stage of elections to pass, they ought to end their resistance and let the Israelis continue their barbaric   attacks with out any retaliation.  In this respect , we would like to point out that we are not trying to guide the Palestinians and teach them how to fight or what to do, for we are certain that they know every aspect of what they are going through better than those who are outside.

5- We also believe that the Palestinian people who have proven in the past that they could overcome the toughest circumstances and the greatest pressures will be able to continue their Intifada and struggle for liberation, but they have to take into consideration that they must think about the future of the cause and the prospects of their struggle and not in terms of the present circumstances only.