Hizbullah No Longer Seen as Pariah by West, Egypt Wants to “Discredit” Party
The West can no longer ignore Hizbullah and has given assurances it will deal with the Lebanese group if it wins upcoming elections, the movement”s deputy chief said on Wednesday.
In a wide-ranging interview with AFP, Sheikh Naim Qassem said Egypt”s claims against Hizbullah were mere "fabrications" and said the party actively coordinated with Lebanon”s security services on the arrest of a retired general suspected of spying for Israel.
"Western countries are rushing to speak with us and will do so even more in the future," Qassem said.
He added that a number of European countries as well as the International Monetary Fund have reassured Hizbullah”s leadership that they will not boycott the group if it wins the June 7 poll as was the case with Hamas in 2006.
"The ambassador of a key European country also informed us that the U.S. will deal with any government even though they are hoping the (Western-backed) ruling majority wins the vote," Qassem said.
Qassem stressed that Hizbullah”s image has significantly improved in the West.
"They discovered that we accept dialogue … that our resistance is well thought-out and … that we are open-minded," the 56-year-old cleric said. "The more they get to know us, the more they will realize the need to respect us."
He also welcomed the recent change in U.S. administrations.
"Things look good now that Bush is gone and Obama is trying to open up to the world and make up for the mistakes of the previous administration," he said, referring to U.S. President Barack Obama who has reached out to the Muslim world.
In a sign that Hizbullah is gaining more legitimacy on the international scene, Britain last month said it was re-establishing contact with the group”s political wing.
Qassem sidestepped questions on Hizbullah”s weapons, saying they will be dealt with once Lebanon comes up with a national defense strategy.
"We usually do not talk about (the source of) our funding and weapons," he said. "We are a resistance movement and as such we do not address questions about our funding, arms and number of fighters."
Qassem also brushed aside as baseless and unfounded accusations that the group, arguably one of the most powerful non-state actors in the Middle East, was plotting attacks in Egypt.
"It has become clear to everyone that these accusations are fabricated… and that they are worthless," Qassem said. "The Egyptian regime wants revenge and is seeking to sully Hizbullah”s image.
"This whole thing is politically motivated and will result in a backlash against the Egyptian regime."
Cairo last week announced it had arrested a Hizbullah cell on charges of plotting attacks in the country and has accused Iran of using the Shiite group to gain a foothold in Egypt.
Qassem confirmed that one of the men arrested was a Hizbullah operative but stressed that his mission was solely to provide assistance to Palestinians in Gaza.
"We have one enemy called Israel and as far as we are concerned Egypt is not an enemy," he said. "Egypt”s accusations are in revenge for our position on Gaza and our demand that the Rafah border crossing be opened."
On the arrest of a suspected collaborator with Israel, Qassem said "security forces monitored the movements of Adib al-Alam and asked Hizbullah for information on him."
Alam was arrested Saturday at his office near Beirut on suspicion of having provided Israel with information for the past decade on Lebanese security services and the Hizbullah.
The retired general ran a housekeeping service allegedly used as a front.
"Preliminary information indicates he had been working as a spy for Israel for over 25 years and retired from his position in national security eight years ago," Qassem said, adding that Alam”s wife was also implicated in the spy operation.
"His arrest was a major achievement," Qassem said.
He added, however, that this did not mean that Israel”s network had been busted in Lebanon.
"Israel works vertically, and not horizontally. It collaborates with two or three people, and if one network is caught, it may not point in the direction of the other networks," Qassem said.
The retired general is the latest among a number of Lebanese arrested in recent months on suspicion of spying for Israel, a charge punishable by death in Lebanon.