Hizbullah Sources: Evidence Linking Israel to Hariri Case Tests STL’s Credibility
Hizbullah sources denied on Friday that it had received word that the Special Tribunal for Lebanon had received a memorandum from former Prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia Marwan Dalal confirming Israel’s involvement in the 2005 assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.
The sources told Akhbar al-Yawm news agency: “This is a new test of the STL’s credibility.”
They revealed that the party had presented evidence a long time ago proving Israel’s involvement in the assassination, but they were ignored, which confirms the tribunal’s politicization.
They stressed that the STL has political goals, the first of which is destroying the Resistance.
Al-Akhbar newspaper had reported on Thursday that Dalal had presented “damning” evidence of Israel’s culpability in the Hariri assassination to STL Pre-Trial Judge Daniel Fransen.
He said that the Israeli intelligence agency Mossad and its former chief, Meir Dagan, are possibly involved in the crime.
The Hizbullah sources revealed that the party is labeling this file as a “sensitive issue” because it is linked to the country’s stability.
“From this aspect, we are not worried about the party, but about the repercussions the STL may have on Lebanon,” they stated.
Addressing Prime Minister Najib Miqati’s recent statements that Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah had not explicitly stated that the party opposes the tribunal, the sources noted: “We don’t believe the premier’s statements were negative.”
The prime minister only said that the issue of the tribunal will be discussed at constitutional institutions and at the appropriate time, they added.
“The most important aspect of Miqati’s remarks was his assertion that he will not resign,” they continued.
“The tribunal is a contentious issue, but it will not force the government to resign,” the sources stressed.
On U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Jeffrey Feltman’s warnings that Lebanon may incur “harsh consequences” if it failed to fund the STL, they remarked: “This eagerness towards justice is an eagerness towards destroying the Resistance and the United States’ enemies.”
Nasrallah stressed during a televised interview on October 24 that his party is against the funding of the STL, adding that cabinet will resolve the issue when the time is right.
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