Israel must kick its pointless Nasrallah addiction
Opinion: Let's put things in perspective: A few tunnels dug under the border and a device used in the production of precision missiles that was just lying about in some courtyard do not indicate there is some superior strategy in play on the part of Hezbollah
It is time for Israel to free itself of the dark spell cast by Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.
For years his likeness stared out from television screens and Israelis hung on his every word as if they were celestial utterances of a man who always delivers on his promises, despite facts to the contrary, but still mountains of analysis are piled up after each one of his speeches.
The truth of the matter is that Nasrallah has never spoken the truth. Granted, he is good at making threats, but not so good at carrying them out.
In the final tally, his achievements and those of the organization he leads are light years away from his promises and dreams.
For the past 15 years, the Shi'ite leader has been confined to a bunker, surrounded by guards and living on borrowed time courtesy of Israel - probably because it is preferable to keep him in a cage rather than having his replacement running free.
As a virtual leader, Nasrallah devotes his ample free time to political plotting.
The Hezbollah party is increasing its hold on Lebanon, seizing more and more important positions in a failing political structure, taking advantage of a weakening country, its public's apathy and its political parties' leniency.
But that is a Lebanese tragedy not an Israeli one. And only the Lebanese can put an end to it.
Let us put things in perspective. A few tunnels dug under the border with Israel, and a device used in the production of precision missiles that was just lying about in some courtyard in the sun do not superior strategy make.
Nor is a single attack on a military vehicle that mistakenly appeared on the wrong road a fitting response to an Israeli attack in the heart of Hezbollah's stronghold in Beirut.
The Iran-backed terror group was beaten badly in the 2006 Second Lebanon War and Nasrallah was forced to accept humiliating ceasefire terms.
Due to successive Lebanese governments being unable to govern, those terms were never fully enforced and both the West and Israel had no interest in the small country's disintegration.
Remember when Nasrallah threated to launch missiles at ammonia stores near Haifa and cause more death and destruction than a nuclear bomb?
Well the Israeli media carried every word he uttered about, despite his ignorance of both chemistry and physics.
Hezbollah entered the cruel civil in Syria on the side of the murderous regime, thereby losing what was left of any Arab support for his cause outside Lebanon.
But Israel is warned not to offend Nasrallah's honor. What honor is that precisely?
Not only were Hezbollah fighters unhelpful to Assad in the war he waged against his own people, they kept getting in the way as they sustained heavy losses and ultimately fled back to Lebanon with their proverbial tail between their legs.
When Hitler threatened Poland in the summer of 1939, making use of psychological warfare, he had the strength of the entire German army behind him.
Behind Nasrallah is only the wall of his bunker and a background photo prepared for his next televised speech.
Israel really does need to kick its embarrassing habit of taking Hassan Nasrallah seriously
