In an exclusive interview, a Member of Parliament for South Lebanon Elias Jaradi warned that Israel’s war against Gaza and Lebanon serves its expansionist agenda, while the US allows it to wage wanton destruction at full might.
The world is witnessing a brutal war against humanity, he said, and not one against a single political or resistance faction.
He added that Israel has trampled on all international laws and norms, with the assassination of the Secretary-General of the Lebanese Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah coming as a “political earthquake”.
■ What is your assessment of the Israeli war on Lebanon in general, and the southern region in particular?
Israel is currently implementing its previous plans in accordance with its policy of greed, but it took advantage of the “Al-Aqsa Flood” operation and Lebanon’s support for the Gaza Strip to carry out its criminal operations.
Its escalation continues in light of global silence and the failure to move a finger towards Tel Aviv, which is committing crimes against humanity by killing children, women and entire families and bombing places of worship and hospital.
This is a war beyond any conception of 21st century warfare, one with no respect for the humanistic values fought for by those who came before us.
Israel has trampled on all international values and laws to the point that they are now utterly worthless – this issue is one of humanitarian confrontation at a global level, and not just Lebanon or Palestine.
That is why we warn that the ongoing Israeli escalation is a war against humanity, as seen by the targeting of wireless pager devices used by civilians in homes and hospitals.
You can imagine that if there was a device on board civilian aircraft, it would have spelled disaster.
The full extent remains unknown, in the face of deceptive negotiations.
■ As an ophthalmologist before you became a member of the Lebanese Parliament, what is the most notable thing you observed regarding the “Pager” bombings?
Israel, arrogant monster that it is, has targeted the eyes of civilians in order to blind them, in an electronic war crime which opens the way for international investigations.
They mostly targeted the face area, specifically between the upper lip to the top of the eyebrows.
There must be ethical controls regarding technological developments so that phones cannot become time bombs in the hands of their owners, as we’ve just seen occur.
These crimes occurred after claims that the US did not seek to expand the scope of the war in Lebanon, and thus to prevent escalation. This is a deception – when Washington said that there was approval from Israel for a 21-day “truce,” we then saw surprise assassinations against major figures of the Lebanese resistance.
This raises question marks and distrust in Washington, and even permanent doubt about the extent of commitment to its words.
We have witnessed the calls and resolutions of the Security Council and the United Nations, but in the end the US allowed Israel to kill with all its might, leading to waves of displacement.
■ As for displacement, what is the scene in the event of a ground invasion?
There is large displacement not only in southern Lebanon, but in the Bekaa, the mountains and the north.
This means that all of Lebanon is being targeted, not just parts of it or a specific faction, and what we see of incursions and infiltration is the best evidence that Tel Aviv is ignoring all international laws and does not pay attention to anyone – Israel is only compounding the situation further.
This poses dark consequences for the region through Israel’s desire for expansion, so let the Arab world realize that it is threatened by this criminal monster.
Whether through theft, usurpation of lands, or ethnic cleansing campaigns, the invasion poses a great danger to the region.
■ In light of what is happening, whether in terms of assassinations or targeting the Lebanese territory, how do you see the role of the government headed by Najib Mikati?
There are real efforts by the government and parliament, and there are various political activities to save what remains of the global conscience in order to work towards calm in the Middle East, and by extension the countries of the world.
The situation inside our country will impact the entire world, excluding no one.
The next few days are full of surprises, though there is a parliamentary call for the army to assume all the tasks of defending Lebanon while working to implement International Resolution 1701 and carry out the agreements.
■ I return to the position of the United States of America. How does it evaluate its role in the ongoing war?
Unfortunately, the US takes a biased position far from the values of peace.
The concepts that emerged from Europe during World War II after it resulted in millions of victims have no effect at the present time regarding this war against humanity, and with the difference in the balance of power between the East and the West.
With the fall of the Soviet Union, brutal colonial concepts were established.
■ A few days ago, the world was shocked by the assassination of the Secretary-General of the Lebanese Hezbollah. How do you describe the incident?
The assassination of the Secretary-General of Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, is a political earthquake not only against the party but all of Lebanon.
Danger threatens the entire nation, not just one political or resistance faction.
Israel’s ambitions aim to drag our country into this ongoing war, and we have issued calls, due to the seriousness of the current crisis, for the sake of unity among all the political factions, supporters and opponents.
What is most important now is for all of Lebanon to join hands and confront Israel.
■ What are the most prominent challenges facing Lebanon at this historical moment?
We are facing a historical and pivotal stage which will either lead to the success and preservation of Lebanon or failure, which would pose a great threat not just in the region.
This would lead to civil war and divisions under the name of self-security, as the current situation becomes exploited by certain forces.
■ The war on Lebanon and before that, Gaza. Are we at the beginning of a global war emanating from the Middle East?
Based on Israel’s aggressive expansion, the state of international chaos, the lack of deterrence against Israel and the complete mockery shown towards international laws and norms, we are already entering World War III.
This is evidenced by the start of Israel’s criminal war on the Gaza Strip.
US and British fleets moved not to combat Hamas or Hezbollah, but rather to send a message to the world that this region is subject to western influence.
World War III has begun, and so either it marches on or we work to end it before it ignites and worsens.
■ You talked about American hegemony through its arms, led by Israel. Is there any explanatory evidence for that?
The criminal operation regarding targeting and bombing of pagers I consider akin to the Hiroshima bomb, which the US launched on Japan in World War II in order to surrender.
Looking back in history, Tokyo was on the verge of surrender before the nuclear bomb fell, which Washington anticipated.
With destructive measures, you tell the world “I am the hegemon,” and they are once again doing so now.
And so I say that Israel is merely a military organization subject to the system of US hegemony.
■Speaking of threats of ground invasion and in light of the calls for the army to be at the front of the ranks, how does this happen while Hezbollah is still fighting on the ground?
The Lebanese army must be the only defense institution for Lebanon, and to confirm that Hezbollah was and is still resisting because it had realistic justifications when the state abandoned the army, and therefore the party was entrusted with carrying weapons to deter the Israeli occupation.
If one day the party realizes and is reassured that the military is the one to take up the fight, then it will decide whether its fighters will join the army or not.
All that matters to us is not to turn back the clock to the 1980s, specifically in 1982.
Therefore, we always stress that the resistance does not enter “a war for a picnic.” Rather, it must join to stop the Israeli occupation, which poses a threat to humanity.
