Interview with Ibrahim Mousawi, Head of the Hezbollah media office, Beirut; John Hajjar, US Director Council of the Cedars revolution, Boston; and Jennifer Loewnstein - Middle East studies program University of Wisconsin, Madison
Press TV
"....Press TV: Ms. Loewnstein, in the latest speech by Seyyed Hassan Nasrallah about the Hariri tribunal, it seems this tribunal has everyone jittery whether inside Lebanon regionally or internationally. Why has this UN-backed tribunal caused such a stir?
Loewnstein: I think it is clear, there are US and Israeli interests at stake here. There's nothing that would make the Americans and even more the Israelis happier than seeing an internally divided Lebanon yet again. That kind of scenario is very favorable especially at a time when Israel is always making back-handed and direct threats to attack Lebanon should XY and Z happen.....
Press TV: Ms. Loewnstein, there's a difference of equations inside Lebanon as well. Gone are the days when Hezbollah was not a part of the government, the equation inside the country has changed. Does that change the way in which we can discuss Lebanon now?
Loewnstein: First, I want to go back to the whole issue of evidence. There was a lot of information in the media in the US just this past summer about how Hezbollah had extensive evidence implicating the Israelis in the assassination of Hariri, but there was absolutely no interest in looking at that evidence, at least on the part of the US media. There was kind of a scornful attitude as if, well, here's the resistance once again trying to blame everything on Israel. It's not that easy. Israel went into Lebanon in 2006 on the most spurious pretext and they failed. They failed to even begin to dislodge Hezbollah from its power within Lebanon.
It's not surprising given those conditions that the US and Israel both would have interests in seeing members of Hezbollah indicted in this tribunal. It would cause a serious amount of division internally in Lebanon. We are reminded by four Syrian generals who were released from prison because the tribunal had no evidence against them. Where is this evidence? Are you really suggesting that this is a just tribunal that is seriously looking into the issues of the killing of Hariri and that none of these external factors plays a role? That doesn't sound right; I don't think even to the least informed person it doesn't sound right....."
Press TV
"....Press TV: Ms. Loewnstein, in the latest speech by Seyyed Hassan Nasrallah about the Hariri tribunal, it seems this tribunal has everyone jittery whether inside Lebanon regionally or internationally. Why has this UN-backed tribunal caused such a stir?
Loewnstein: I think it is clear, there are US and Israeli interests at stake here. There's nothing that would make the Americans and even more the Israelis happier than seeing an internally divided Lebanon yet again. That kind of scenario is very favorable especially at a time when Israel is always making back-handed and direct threats to attack Lebanon should XY and Z happen.....
Press TV: Ms. Loewnstein, there's a difference of equations inside Lebanon as well. Gone are the days when Hezbollah was not a part of the government, the equation inside the country has changed. Does that change the way in which we can discuss Lebanon now?
Loewnstein: First, I want to go back to the whole issue of evidence. There was a lot of information in the media in the US just this past summer about how Hezbollah had extensive evidence implicating the Israelis in the assassination of Hariri, but there was absolutely no interest in looking at that evidence, at least on the part of the US media. There was kind of a scornful attitude as if, well, here's the resistance once again trying to blame everything on Israel. It's not that easy. Israel went into Lebanon in 2006 on the most spurious pretext and they failed. They failed to even begin to dislodge Hezbollah from its power within Lebanon.
It's not surprising given those conditions that the US and Israel both would have interests in seeing members of Hezbollah indicted in this tribunal. It would cause a serious amount of division internally in Lebanon. We are reminded by four Syrian generals who were released from prison because the tribunal had no evidence against them. Where is this evidence? Are you really suggesting that this is a just tribunal that is seriously looking into the issues of the killing of Hariri and that none of these external factors plays a role? That doesn't sound right; I don't think even to the least informed person it doesn't sound right....."
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