Posted on 08/28/2006 6:24:43 PM PDT by blam
TV star Nasrallah impresses people on all sides in hopeful Lebanon
By Patrick Bishop in Tyre
(Filed: 29/08/2006)
The leader of Hizbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, became one of the most widely admired leaders in the Middle East overnight after a broadcast in which he impressed audiences of all persuasions.
The lengthy, peak-time television interview was watched all over the region. Some viewers likened the portly, smiling sheikh to the Egyptian leader, Gamal Abdel Nasser, who half a century ago became a hero by defying Israel, Britain and France during the Suez crisis.
Hizbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah makes his widely admired television broadcast
But despite Nasrallah's standing, it is clear that few Lebanese even among his own Shia supporters have the stomach for a resumption of war and want him to turn his energies to rebuilding the country.
The interview was the first he has given since the war ended and was clearly designed to calm fears that there would be any second round of fighting. It contained a frank admission that, had he known the destruction that would result from the capture of two Israeli soldiers, he would never have allowed the operation to go ahead.
He also said that the strengthened deployment of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil), which starts this week, had nothing to fear from his men, "as long as their mission is not to disarm the resistance".
He added that, if the Lebanese Army, which is moving to take control of the south of the country for the first time in decades, came across an armed man, "they have the right to disarm him". Nasrallah also went out of this way to emphasise that the political capital Hizbollah had won with its "victory" against Israel would not be used to impose a Shia hegemony on the country's religious and sectarian patchwork.
Nasrallah chose to give the interview to the liberal, secular New TV station, rather than to his propaganda outlet, al Manar, and the questioner was a woman journalist, Maryam al Bassam.
It was watched by almost everyone in Lebanon and dominated coffee shop conversation yesterday. In Nasrallah's home village of Bazouriyeh, near Tyre, Shia residents were proud of the impression he had made.
"He has calmed the situation and people believe him," Hassan Sourour said. "Unlike all the other politicians, he is not a liar."
Christians were also impressed. "He is a good man, there is no doubt about it, "said Dani Khayat, a small businessman from Tyre. "He has a very trustworthy manner and lots of charisma."
There had been fears that the month-long war would increase friction between Christian, Sunni and Shia factions. But it seems to have stengthened national solidarity. A poll published by the respected Ipsos organisation suggested that nearly two thirds of people did not fear a resurgence of the 17-year civil war that ended in 1992.
Despite the prestige Hizbollah has won, respondents were evenly split on whether the militia should be allowed to keep its weapons.
Hizbollah is now under pressure from outside its ranks to show its commitment to a unified state. Ironically, its "victory" may force it to disarm and loosen its ties with Iran and Syria.
Kofi Annan, the UN secretary general, called on Hizbollah to to hand over its two Israeli captives to the Red Cross. Speaking during a visit to Lebanon, he also asked Israel to lift its blockade.
As he toured the shattered suburbs of Beirut accompanied by Hizbollah MPs and the prime minister, Fouad Siniora, he was reminded of the support Nasrallah enjoys on the streets.
A woman, clad in a black Muslim dress, laid a portrait of Nasrallah face-down on the tinted glass of one of the moving vehicles of his convoy.
As he picked his way through the rubble, he was followed by dozens of Hizbollah supporters chanting: "Allah, Nasrallah and the suburbs."
OK...WHERE IS THE BARF ALERT?LOL.
The only thing that surprises me here is the KOFI did not meet directly with Nasrallah.
You forgot the barf alert for us afflicted with islamointolerence.
This is good news. All the more stunning it will be when the Israeli's kill him.
Another Brit reporter who wants desperately to wear a burkha and join Nasrallah's harem.
"This is good news. All the more stunning it will be when the Israeli's kill him."
Yup. Then we get to see the toothless women of Beiruit running around whailing like banshees and the men shooting live rounds straight up in the air.
Real fine bunch of folks over there in the ME>.
Nasrallah called it off because, he said, it would be too much of a security risk (the meeting would be highly publicized and the Israelis are after him).
Little pigs admire this murdering PIG!
They all deserve to suffer, and they will!
I didn't know The Telegraph had permission to reprint Scrappleface articles.
Well I am sure if ISRAEL hit him at the meeting the world would be outraged. But getting two terrorists for the price of on Shiekh and Kofi has a nice ring to it.LOL!
Yep and forget to mention that Tyre is one of Hizballah main headquarters. From the 40% of Lebanese who are Christians the liberal media chose the Christian who lives in Hizballah stronghold to ask him what he thinks about Hizballah....
I thought Liberal bias was sickening enough, but I was wrong.
I am 10 times more horrified by this bias than by TIME's Hillary lovfest.
The wet kisses for an Islamofascist weenie who was directly responsible for starting a war (so he shares something in common with Hitler and Saddam) are beyond disgusting.
They are a revolting act of civilizational suicide.
"Yep and forget to mention that Tyre is one of Hizballah main headquarters. From the 40% of Lebanese who are Christians the liberal media chose the Christian who lives in Hizballah stronghold to ask him what he thinks about Hizballah...."
About as reliable as asking Gulag prisoners about their treatment in front of the prison guards.
yah. TV star.
Wonder why he's afraid to show his face in the daylight these days???...
LOL, excellent analogy.
Yeh, the Muzzies seem to love their militarily incompetent despots. Nasser got his @$$ handed to him, and so with Noseofallah. Just a matter of time, and likely not much of it.
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