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Last update - 16:50 12/04/2009
ANALYSIS / Israel is profiting from Egypt-Hezbollah quarrel
By Amos Harel and Avi Issacharoff, Haaretz COrrespondents
Tags: Israel News, Hassan Nasrallah 

In what was apparently one of Hezbollah Secretary-General Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah's most important speeches since taking office in 1992, on Friday he admitted for the first time in the organization's history that it was operating on Egyptian soil. Nasrallah mentioned the swearing-in of Benjamin Netanyahu's cabinet, but it was clear that, in the context of Friday's speech, the real enemy was the Egyptian regime.

Nasrallah did not try to contradict Egyptian reports about the uncovering of Hezbollah's network in Egypt: "We do not deny it and we do not apologize." He claimed only that the reports were inaccurate - there were "only" 10 Hezbollah operatives in Egypt, not 50, as Cairo had stated. Hezbollah was merely trying to provide logistical assistance to the Palestinians besieged in the Gaza Strip, Nasrallah said. But he did not make do with a partial confession of the facts. He excoriated the Egyptian regime for failing to act to lift the siege on Gaza and accused it of collaboration with Israel and the United States.

Nasrallah's first reference to the dramatic reports from Cairo, on Thursday, also launched a wave of criticism from the Egyptian opposition, which mocked the regime of President Hosni Mubarak for making Hezbollah the main enemy, instead of focusing on the injustices perpetrated by Israel.
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Nasrallah's address once again highlights his willingness to gamble, to the point of direct conflict between his organization and the country until recently considered the leader of the Arab world. Nasrallah has been insulting Mubarak since the 2006 Second Lebanon War, when Hezbollah found out that Cairo was pressuring the Olmert government to continue its military attack on Hezbollah.

The Egyptian response, for now, is somewhat hesitant, despite the firm steps it has taken on the ground. The most senior official to mention the affair as of last night has been a representative of the general prosecution in Cairo. So far, only anonymous officials have been quoted, warning that Mubarak would not allow Hezbollah to turn his country into a second Lebanon. Weekend editorials in the Egyptian press called Nasrallah an "Iranian agent." In terms of practical steps, the past two days have seen reports of the uncovering of a rocket factory in Egyptian Rafah, the arrest of smugglers on the Israeli border and the capture of a man attempting to smuggle $2 million to Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

The conflict between Egypt and Iran and Hezbollah might also impact the upcoming elections in Lebanon. It is unlikely all voters will be happy about the affair, which highlights Iran's control over Hezbollah and creates tension between Beirut and Cairo.

Israel, which can regard the events with some satisfaction, is keeping a low profile. Hezbollah's penetration into Egypt, now facing a close race for Mubarak's successor, leaves no doubt as to Iran's intentions. This may result in increased security coordination between Israel and Egypt against arms smuggling into the Strip, and will apparently also dictate Cairo's continued cool stance toward Gaza.

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      1.   Sold his soul to the devil 04:40  |  BazMann 12/04/09
      2.   Analysis 05:43  |  Mr Right 12/04/09
      3.   Iran doesn`t control Hezbollah any more than US controls Israel 05:52  |  peacelover 12/04/09
      4.   Mubarak`s dictatorial reign is coming to an end 06:59  |  Joe 12/04/09
      5.   Nasrallah is definitely doing Iran`s bidding here 07:24  |  Mark B. 12/04/09
      6.   Hezbollah is Iran`s hand meddling in Egypt 08:34  |  Seti 12/04/09
      7.   Egypt, what a friend! 11:52  |  fritz t. 12/04/09
      8.   Hezbollah admit to terrorism 13:01  |  Peter Williams 12/04/09
      9.   PEACELOVER A rag tag bunch like Hezb can`t fight without Iranians 13:46  |  PETER SM 12/04/09
      10.   FRITZ T where did you read that? 14:08  |  PETER SM 12/04/09
      11.   MR RIGHT wrong! There are Shia/Sunni Iran issues all involved 14:17  |  PETER SM 12/04/09
      12.   Mr Right, Peacelover 15:03  |  rich 12/04/09
      13.   Joe 15:08  |  rich 12/04/09
      14.   Its SYRIA vs Egypt 15:14  |  Jeff 12/04/09
      15.   BazMann:"Sold his soul to the devil" 16:36  |  Christopher 12/04/09
      16.   #3 how would you know? you get intelligence briefings from Iran? 16:39  |  McQueen 12/04/09
      17.   MUBARAK GONE, DEMOCRACY WILL ARRIVE 18:22  |  indrajaya 12/04/09
      18.   wake up amos harel,iran is profiting from this more than iran 18:36  |  whatta idiot 12/04/09
      19.   Indrajaya,,,,Name me one islamic/muslim country that actually has 18:41  |  if you can 12/04/09
      20.   Joe #4 all you have to do is take a look at what iran has become 18:49  |  history lesson 12/04/09
      21.   Another happy consequence of the "peace" process 18:53  |  Frank 12/04/09
      22.   # 5, MARK B 18:57  |  indrajaya 12/04/09
      23.   `Israel, which can regard the events with some satisfaction...` 19:09  |  Colin Wright 12/04/09
      24.   Mubarak`s fading influence 19:19  |  Mandelarab 12/04/09
      25.   to# 20 19:35  |  udi 12/04/09
      26.   Just like Salahaldin take egypt first then Jurasalem 19:36  |  Syria Eagle 12/04/09
      27.   democraty 19:46  |  udi 12/04/09
      28.   to indrajaya 19:55  |  udi 12/04/09
      29.   @ #19 20:10  |  Andrew 12/04/09
      30.   To Andrew #29 `@` 20:19  |  Colin Wright 12/04/09
      31.   Mubarak is about to join saddam 20:20  |  shia 4 ever 12/04/09
      32.   future 20:40  |  Ze 12/04/09
      33.   HEADLINE CORRECTION 20:47  |  steve 12/04/09
      34.   Empty Rhetorics 20:49  |  BazMann 12/04/09
      35.   Andrew 20:57  |  Henk 12/04/09
      36.   Mubarak was complicit with Zionist war crimes. 21:55  |  Maureen Ann 12/04/09
      37.   i am an egyptian but.. (Try 2) 22:04  |  FalluJah 12/04/09
      38.   to andrew 22:46  |  udi 12/04/09
      39.   when will you learn 23:33  |  ehud 12/04/09
      40.   #37, Falujjah 23:34  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 12/04/09
      41.   Hezbollah turned into an pan arab terror 23:46  |  Abuya 12/04/09
      42.   Udi 23:58  |  Andrew 12/04/09
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