The former secretary-general of Hezbollah, Sheikh Subhi Al-Tufeili, gave an interview to the Kuwaiti daily Al Siyassa in December of last year. MEMRI posted the translation nearly a week ago, but it hasn’t gotten as much attention as it deserves. The most relevant excerpts follow, but it’s worth reading the whole thing.
Question: “Does this mean that Hizbullah does not make its own decisions, and that its orders come from outside [Lebanon]?”
Al-Tufeili: “Yes, Hizbullah is a tool, and it is an integral part of the Iranian intelligence apparatus. Unfortunately, all the elements in the [Lebanese] arena have become tools, and take orders from outside [Lebanon] . . . ”
Question: “Can you see any justification for the July [2006] war after southern Lebanon was liberated in 2000?”
Al-Tufeili: . . . “When we look at the causes of the war, there is no choice but to [admit] this. If [the war] had gotten worse, it could have led to the loss of the [entire] country . . . Are we allowed to destroy our country [just] so we can say that we abducted two soldiers – when we all knew what the magnitude of the Israeli response [would be]? What happened was an unsuccessful adventure, and there is no escaping the fact that those who carried it out will bear the responsibility for it . . . ”
