Hizbullah has been offered huge rewards through secret channels in exchange for abandoning the resistance, giving up the claim to the Shebaa Farms and stopping the its demand for releasing prisoners and detainees in Israel, disclosed Sheikh Naim Qassem, Hizbullah’s deputy secretary-general. The offer was discussed “in general terms,” Qassem said, adding: “Some told us they were ready to provide substantial socio-economic aid for south Lebanon which would be at ‘your’ (Hizbullah’s) disposal,” he revealed.
“This offer,” according to Qassem, “involved wide-scale social and economic projects that would include hospitals, schools, and services for villages and municipalities.” Speaking to the Lebanese The Daily Star newspaper, Hizbullah’s deputy secretary-general conveyed the offer was “based on American recommendations as well as recommendations from specific European states.”
Qassem affirmed that the secret channels were “officially commissioned” to pass along the offer, which he called “political temptation.” Asked if Hizbullah considered the offer before rejecting it, Qassem said, “out of courtesy, we let them continue their proposal during the meeting. But we answered them directly and during the (same) meeting because there was no need to go back and think and discuss these issues since our stand is clear.” “We have a cause and we cannot sell out for a cheap price,” he stressed.
Qassem refused to comment on reports that Hizbullah had operated a training camp for members of the Palestinian group Hamas, as was published recently by the Lebanese daily An-Nahar. The report said US Ambassador Vincent Battle asked Lebanese authorities to close a camp, reportedly located in the northern Bekaa, but that the authorities did not comply. Regarding Hizbullah’s support of the Palestinian uprising, Qassem just said “we do not discuss details, and we do not have to submit reports about the way we perform.”
Qassem refused to answer questions related to the three Lebanese nationals whose names appeared on US “terrorism” lists: Imad Mughniyeh, Hassan Izzedine and Ali Atwi.
“We are not concerned about giving reports and information that would answer questions raised by the Americans; therefore we will not say if these brothers are part of the party or not, or whether they were members of it in the past.” He added “we will not be part of American intelligence by answering their questions. Let them stay confused, and let them say whatever they want.”
Qassem denied reports, which appeared mainly in the West, claiming that Jawad Noureddine, a member of Hizbullah’s Shura Council, Hizbullah’s decision-making body, was in fact Mughniyeh, disguised under another name. “Noureddine is a major figure in the Islamic Resistance (Hizbullah’s military unit) and we are not used to allowing such leaders of the resistance to appear in the media or in other public conferences and meetings,” he said.
“We deal with Jawad Noureddine just like we deal with the other senior leaders of the Islamic Resistance.” (Albawaba.com)
