Nasrallah: Let's see what Lieberman's got

Hizbullah head says Lebanon mustn't fear right-wing rhetoric; defends need for air defense system.

By JPOST.COM STAFF, AP
nasrallah 248 88 (photo credit: AP [file])
nasrallah 248 88
(photo credit: AP [file])
Hizbullah leader Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah made his first comments this week about the Israeli election results, telling his supporters that they should not fear the rising power of Israel Beiteinu, despite the radical rhetoric of its chairman, Avigdor Lieberman. "The good news is that Israel is speaking more honestly and more clearly," he said by video-link to a rally in Beirut on Monday night. "But don't let this frighten you." Listing Israel's former and current prime ministers, he urged his audience not to worry about "those who [try] to frighten you. I say to you: They were all beaten in Lebanon - Begin, Sharon, Rabin, Barak, Netanyahu, Olmert, Livni. "There is one who hasn't tried, and his name is Lieberman. Let's see what's he's got," the Hizbullah chief added. Nasrallah was addressing a rally commemorating a year since the assassination of arch-terrorist and senior Hizbullah commander Imad Mughniyeh, who was killed by a car bomb in Damascus. Also during his speech, Nasrallah spoke of his group's need to possess an air defense system to counter the Israeli sorties which regularly penetrate Lebanese airspace. The Hizbullah leader refused to confirm or deny persistent Israeli reports that the group had acquired anti-aircraft missiles, but he said an air defense system would change the balance of power by shattering Israel's air superiority. "We have fought this struggle against this enemy... on the basis of surprises," Nasrallah said, drawing cheers from the thousands in attendance at the rally in Beirut. "What I want to confirm today is that we have the full right to possess any weapons, including air defense weapons. Also, we have the full right to use this weapon if we want," he said.