(AFP-Daily Star-Lebanon) Rana Moussaoui - "Hizbullah's margin of maneuver is currently very limited because the strategic Iran-Syria-Hizbullah axis is threatened by the [Syrian] revolt and this forces the group to act prudently," said Paris-based Middle East expert Agnes Levallois. Hizbullah has adopted the Syrian regime's official line in blaming the unrest on armed extremist gangs and outside agitators. This has prompted anger among protesters in Syria who have torn down and burned pictures of Hizbullah leader Hasan Nasrallah, according to images posted on YouTube. Nasrallah has also been criticized for acting like a "Syrian television presenter," prompting his party to adopt a more low-key approach. The Arabic-language daily An-Nahar, which is close to Lebanon's opposition, wrote in a weekend editorial: "Tomorrow, when the Syrian regime falls, and it will fall, what will Hizbullah, which supported those who assassinated women, children and the elderly, say?"
2011-07-26 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive