The trailer to this thriller was published a week ago:
The leader of the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah has accused Israel of being behind the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese PM Rafik Hariri. In a fiery speech, Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah said he would prove the claim at a press conference next week.
Of course, the brave new world was predicted as well*:
We blame the Israeli enemy for the assassination, and the figures I will reveal will open new horizons in the investigation that will lead to the identity of the true murderer.
Seeing as how all the fingers that matter point ar Hezbollah, the public was waiting with bated breath for the unveiling of the new and crashing evidence. The date was set (Monday, August 9), the microphones were ready and the pens were poised. And here it comes…
The BBC headline is worthy of a special mention:
Nasrallah reveals Hariri murder ‘evidence’
You too have noticed the quotation marks, I guess. Anyhow, without going into the details, it was beyond pathetic. Of course, any Nasrallah’s speeches are taken as a gospel by the converted. But even at the low standard the converted are used to it was exceptionally pitiable.
He showed footage which he said was from Israeli spy planes, shot at different times from the 1990s to 2005.
Sheikh Nasrallah also revealed the name of a Lebanese man allegedly spying for Israel, who, he said, was at the site of the killing the day before the assassination. The man, however, fled before authorities could detain him, he said.
Nasrallah also showed footage of a man he called Ahmed Nasrallah, whom he claimed is of no relation to himself, saying he had served as a spy for Israel. The other Nasrallah, who was arrested by Hezbollah, was shown telling the camera that he had informed Hariri the group intended to carry out an attack against him and his family using a car bomb, after numerous failed attempts on his life.
That’s it, ladies and gentlemen. It may be interesting to notice that there was a moment of weakness (or was it a rare moment of truth?):
“I don’t claim this is conclusive proof,” Sheikh Nasrallah said during his news conference.
Indeed. But in any case even this “inconclusive proof” will not be of use to anyone:
Sheikh Nasrallah said he would not hand the evidence to the international tribunal investigating Mr Hariri’s death, because he did not trust it.
Uhu… but we should take another good look at this picture:
It seems to be a recent one, and the pallor of that face doesn’t point to a healthy way of life. And how could it, after four years in a bunker? Obviously this unhealthy regime has an impact on the Sheikh’s mental abilities, his power of judgment is visibly waning as this wretched “revelation” is witness.
Somebody has to persuade him to go to the beach or something…
(*) That August 2 speech included a bit of retrospection too:
Regarding the Second Lebanon War, Nasrallah accused the international community of “showing, for the most part, support for the Israeli enemy, whose plan was to crush us until we hand over our arms. Prof. Noam Chomsky also believes that the war was an American decision executed by Israel.”
Yep, it’s always a pleasure to have one of these “Noam and I” flashbacks, ain’t it?
Cross-posted on SimplyJews
shades of Dick Cavett’s “when Woody and I ..”