After 41 years of imprisonment in France, Lebanese resistance figure Georges Abdallah received a hero’s welcome at Beirut’s Rafik Hariri International Airport on Thursday. Supporters and activists gathered in large numbers to greet the 74-year-old freedom fighter, who walked free after more than four decades behind bars.
In remarks delivered from the airport’s Honor Hall, Abdallah expressed unwavering commitment to the path of resistance, emphasizing that the resilience of Palestinian and Lebanese prisoners “depends on the steadfastness of their comrades outside.”
“Resistance is rooted in this land—it cannot be uprooted,” says Abdallah, vowing continued support for Palestine and Gaza.
‘Greetings to the Resistance, to the Martyred leader, Hassan Nasrallah!’
From the heart of Beirut’s southern suburbs, Georges Abdallah issues greetings to supporters, to fallen Hezbollah leader, and to Al Mayadeen channel pic.twitter.com/LRhyNTwKP0
— RT (@RT_com) July 25, 2025
“Our Resistance Is Strong, and It Will Endure”
Abdallah, a long-standing symbol of Arab anti-imperialist resistance, reaffirmed the enduring presence of resistance movements in the region.
“Resistance is deeply rooted in this land—it cannot be uprooted. Our resistance is not weak; it is strong. Now more than ever, it must be embraced and protected,” Abdallah added.
Drawing a direct line between his release and the broader liberation struggle, Abdallah declared, “As long as there is resistance, there will be a return to the homeland.” He paid tribute to the martyrs of the resistance, calling them “the cornerstone of every idea of liberation.”
A Call for Solidarity with Palestine and Gaza
Abdallah urged immediate and intensified support for the Palestinian cause, calling for the escalation of resistance in occupied Palestine.
“It is a disgrace to history for Arabs to remain silent as the people of Palestine and Gaza suffer,” he said.
He issued a direct appeal to the Egyptian people, urging them to act in defense of Gaza and work to end the siege, starvation, and destruction that continue to devastate the territory. “They have the power to stop the genocide and famine,” he stressed.
Released After Decades of Political Imprisonment
Abdallah was released earlier Thursday from Lannemezan Prison in France, where he had been held since 1984. Last week, a Paris appeals court approved his release on the condition that he be deported from France and never return.
Originally sentenced to life in 1987, Abdallah was convicted over alleged involvement in the assassinations of a US military attaché and an Israeli diplomat in 1982. Despite repeated calls for his release by international human rights groups and Lebanese authorities, French governments had refused to free him—until now.
Abdallah’s return marks not only the end of one of the longest political imprisonments in Europe but also a renewed call for unity, dignity, and resistance across the Arab world.
Source: Al-Manar Website
