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Hizbullah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah
Photo: AP
Reproduction: Ahiya Raved
Ehud Goldwasser
Reproduction: Ahiya Raved
Reproduction photo: Hagai Aharon
Eldad Regev
Reproduction photo: Hagai Aharon

Nasrallah on captives: Hopes to reach best outcome for everyone

During three-hour interview for Hizbullah's television stations, al-Manar, Hassan Nasrallah talks about internal Lebanese political arena, refers to relations with Israel. On negotiations: Wants to keep issue out of media. On ceasefire: US wanted to stop war because worried Israel would collapse. On Lebanese resistance: War proved resistance can defeat Israeli enemy

Hizbullah Secretary-General Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah said Tuesday, "For the past six years, we have expected a war and we prepared. Now, (the weaponry) we had, we are still holding on to. We can fight with a sea, land, and air blockade. The Lebanese resistance is strong and prepared and they (the Israelis) won't manage to hurt us and won't succeed."

 

In a three-hour television interview broadcast on Hizbullah's TV station, al-Manar, Nasrallah responded to a series of issues centering around developments in the arena of internal Lebanese politics, but wasn't deterred from sending hints to Israel. The interview, by the way, was conducted "under the destroyed remains of the station."

 

Nasrallah referred to the talks about the prisoner exchange, and said, "I want to reassure all those related to the issue that the conversations on the issue (of prisoner exchange) are continuing, that the representative of the UN secretary-general is continuing his work and will meet with Israeli representatives.

 

"We have reached the stage of exchanging ideas. This is all I can say because we prefer to keep the issue far from the media. How long will it take? This depends on the nature of the negotiations," said Nasrallah.

 

According to him, "The Lebanese families can be calm because any deal will include. In regards to the rest of the families – the Palestinian, Syrian, and others – I say, 'Let's not get into details. We won't make promises and let us hold negotiations.'

 

"If I say something in the media, this could be damaging because perhaps the Israelis will want to prove the opposite - just as I brought up the issue of Samir Kuntar in the past and the issue was shot down unanimously in a vote of the Israeli government," he said. 

 

Nasrallah emphasized, "We have more serious and difficult discussion ahead of us, but I don't want to make promises. I hope that at the end of the day we will reach the best possible outcome for everyone."

 

"The attempt of Israeli aggression on Lebanon proved that the resistance can defeat it. Thirty-three days of way, yet Israel didn't manage to capture Aita al-Shaab. That is to say that the resistance can prevent them from occupying Lebanon. From now on, if the Israeli enemy wants to attack Lebanon, it will think twice," added Nasrallah.

 

'Number of casualties exaggerated'

Nasrallah also referred to what he believes are exaggerated reports regarding the number of casualties and the scope of damage sustained in Lebanon during the war. "(After the war) it was said that 2,000 were killed in Lebanon, and this isn't true. A little more than 1,000 were killed. And what Israel suffered was not easy also," he said.

 

According to Nasrallah, "The strategy of resistance is correct, and the resistance could have faced the strongest army in the Middle East. The United States put an end to the war because it was worried about an Israeli defeat.

 

I'm not saying we didn’t want the war to end – we wanted it to stop at any moment. But the truth is that the Israeli army could not continue the war for fear of graver consequences for the military and the Zionist entity."

 

At the same time, Nasrallah signaled to the opposing political camp, headed by Saad Hariri, Fouad Siniora and Walid Jumblatt, and said: "I advise all those who are counting on the Americans to learn from the experience of Vietnam and of the Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon, and realize that when the Americans lose the campaign here – they will abandon them."

 

"What has the Lebanese government achieved during the last year and-a-half? What financial aid did the United States and its friends offer Lebanon in order to help it emerge from the economic crisis? It's true, they provide moral and diplomatic support, but what achievements have they gained thanks to the American assistance?" he asked.

 

Nasrallah also spoke about "the American failure in Palestine," saying that thanks to the Palestinians' rejection of President George W. Bush and Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's proposal for a Palestinian state, Hamas has ascended to power.

 

"Has America succeeded in enforcing its terms on the Palestinians? No. I'm not saying that the campaign has been decided, but I'm saying that the Americans failed.

 


פרסום ראשון: 11.01.06, 01:01
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