Subscribe to Print Edition | Sun., August 26, 2007 Elul 12, 5767 | | Israel Time: 10:23 (EST+7)
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Former MK Azmi Bishara. (Motti Kimche)
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Ex-MK Bishara says will head bid to try U.S., Israeli 'war criminals'
By The Associated Press

Former Israeli Arab MK and Balad chairman, Azmi Bishara, accused by Israel of spying for Hezbollah during the Second Lebanon War told a Lebanese newspaper he will head an international push to try "the war criminals, Israel and America".

Bishara made the statement while touring south Lebanon, where he was hosted by Hezbollah's media division. He said Israel and the United States would be condemned for the damage they caused to Lebanon during last year's war.

On his tour, he visited Hezbollah battle headquarters north of the Israeli town of Avivim, and Bint Jbail where he laid wreaths on the graves of civilians killed in the fighting last summer. Bishara also visited Kfar Qana where an Israel Air Forces strike killed 29 in the community center during the Second Lebanon War.

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Bishara called the attack on Kfar Qana the worst civilian slaughter since Deir Yassin in 1948, adding that these incidents made the "long-awaited agreement with the Zionist entity an impossibility".

In a speech Friday, Bishara praised Hezbollah saying it is now stronger than ever.

"Everybody envies the Lebanese for their resistance [Hezbollah] and its leadership, but I envy the resistance for its people," said Bishara, according to comments carried by the state-run National News Agency.

Bishara also condemned Israeli attacks against innocent Lebanese civilians during the fighting last year.

"The massacres that were carried out by Israel were not a coincidence but were a strategic policy to frighten people," he said.

He praised Hezbollah for its performance during the 34-day war last summer, which was triggered by Hezbollah's capture of two Israeli soldiers in a cross border guerrilla raid.

"I am convinced that Israel has become incapable of attacking Lebanon again, and that is a very big achievement for the resistance," he said.

"Hezbollah has rearmed itself in the last year and perhaps is now stronger than ever, he added," according to the NNA. He did not elaborate.

Bishara left Israel in early June after being grilled twice by investigators and later resigned his Parliament seat. Police said he would be arrested immediately if he returns to Israel on charges of espionage for Hezbollah.

Both he and Hezbollah have denied the accusations. He has said he is a victim of political persecution.

Bishara has antagonized many Israelis over the years by meeting with some of Israel's bitterest enemies, including the leaders of Syria and Hezbollah. A Christian from the Israeli town of Nazareth who joined parliament in 1996, he has frequently spoken out in favor of Palestinian rights.
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  1.   Now Hezbollah is stronger than ever 01:00  |  Adnan 25/08/07
  2.   #1 Adnan...Then why are Hezbollah Leaders hiding? 01:21  |  Jalal 25/08/07
  3.   lawmaker? 01:22  |  Mark Katzman 25/08/07
  4.   #1, Adnan 01:23  |  Hannah 25/08/07
  5.   Proposal for appointment 01:44  |  Pepe 25/08/07
  6.   2: Adnan, that`s just wrong 01:53  |  Paul Freedman 25/08/07
  7.   I must concur ! 02:00  |  wally 25/08/07
  8.   Response to # 1 & 2 02:17  |  Hausman 25/08/07
  9.   Lebanon will rue the day Hezbollah 02:19  |  Avrum 25/08/07
  10.   Excuse me, Haaretz, but ... 02:21  |  civilized kid 25/08/07
  11.   Site ROUTINELY rapes PC 02:21  |  Dr. Dave 25/08/07
  12.   #6, Paul Freedman 02:31  |  Hannah 25/08/07
  13.   #11 Dr. Dave 02:57  |  * BEN JABO 25/08/07
  14.   #7 Wally - Australia 02:59  |  * BEN JABO 25/08/07
  15.   `Israel`s strategic policy.` 03:04  |  Maureen Ann 25/08/07
  16.   spam 03:09  |  eric 25/08/07
  17.   Hannah-# 4- your posts remind me of the old Soviet bloc 03:18  |  Daniel Leopold 25/08/07
  18.   Abnan, That`s Baby Talk 03:29  |  Brad 25/08/07
  19.   #15 Another one 03:34  |  Jane 25/08/07
  20.   #10 Hannah 03:34  |  Brad 25/08/07
  21.   Wally 03:39  |  Brad 25/08/07
  22.   You need a Goo Goo Ga Ga at the end of your post 03:42  |  Tim 25/08/07
  23.   Arabs surely keeps on coming back , 03:52  |  Joseph E . 25/08/07
  24.   #17, Daniel Leopold 04:01  |  Hannah 25/08/07
  25.   Hannah 04:07  |  Abe 25/08/07
  26.   # 1. ADNAN 04:10  |  german jew 25/08/07
  27.   Ex-Arab Israeli lawmaker: Now Hezbollah is stronger than ever 04:10  |  steve 25/08/07
  28.   WE ALL SHOULD SPEAK OUT FOR PALETINIANS RIGHTS 04:13  |  Nephtaly 25/08/07
  29.   Hannah 05:36  |  Dr J 25/08/07
  30.   Ditto to Jane 05:39  |  Dr J 25/08/07
  31.   #25, Abe 05:41  |  Hannah 25/08/07
  32.   To Ben Jabo #14 Past is the Past 06:07  |  wally 25/08/07
  33.   Site ROUTINELY rapes PC 06:10  |  Omran 25/08/07
  34.   To Brad # 21 I forgive you.... 06:31  |  wally 25/08/07
  35.   Hannah-#24-your arguments are simply ridiculous 07:38  |  Daniel Leopold 25/08/07
  36.   israeli democracy at work...? 07:41  |  ravi 25/08/07
  37.   #14 Ben Jabo. No honey. 07:59  |  Maureen Ann 25/08/07
  38.   Alas.... 08:19  |  Esther 25/08/07
  39.   Traitors are never a good bet 08:28  |  Esther 25/08/07
  40.   Pals rights a la Al Qaida school of thought 08:41  |  Joseph E . 25/08/07
  41.   Jalal #2 09:10  |  Scientist 25/08/07
  42.   Mr. Bishara, a year ago I would have been behind you 09:31  |  Hannah 25/08/07
  43.   He`s probably right 09:55  |  Clickfool 25/08/07
  44.   Distruction of Lebanon benefit? 09:58  |  Adam 25/08/07
  45.   For Daniel Leopard # 35 10:00  |  Clickfool 25/08/07
  46.   Bishara 10:03  |  Vital 25/08/07
  47.   Azmi Bishara. 10:07  |  sandra chitayat 25/08/07
  48.   HE IS NOTHING BUT ENEMY OF THE STATE 10:20  |  Marco 25/08/07
  49.   Re Wally #32 10:41  |  Esther 25/08/07
  50.   Yes, I know, # 42 is FAKE HANNAH, or is it? 10:56  |  Hayyah 25/08/07
  51.   Sneaky Bishara 11:43  |  Mother 25/08/07
  52.   For Adam #44 11:45  |  Esther 25/08/07
  53.   For Hannah on Fake Hannah 12:39  |  Clickfool 25/08/07
  54.   All mistaken about Bashra 12:54  |  Dr Karol 25/08/07
  55.   Bish is going the whole hog! 13:49  |  Esther 25/08/07
  56.   Christian hugging Islamo-Fascists 13:56  |  Papa 25/08/07
  57.   Wow, Dr. Karol #54 13:59  |  Esther 25/08/07
  58.   Bishara 14:13  |  Brod 25/08/07
  59.   Hizbullies lost. Channel 10 news broadcast interview 14:31  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 25/08/07
  60.   I want to state here and now and be very clear about it: 14:43  |  Hannah 25/08/07
  61.   israel/usa...war criminals.....? 14:49  |  ravi 25/08/07
  62.   Bishara Does Not Represent Us All 15:02  |  A.M.J. 25/08/07
  63.   @46, vital bishara is israeli citizen, we should arest him 15:11  |  vladimir 25/08/07
  64.   Esther 15:14  |  Guido 25/08/07
  65.   Dr. Karol in Berlin, the words of Bishara 15:20  |  christoph 25/08/07
  66.   To Hannah, Clickfoo; and like. 15:33  |  Vital 25/08/07
  67.   Hezbollah got thumped on the battlefield...truth hurts. 15:40  |  Devin Leonard 25/08/07
  68.   # 59 A M G of Lod 16:28  |  Ilan K 25/08/07
  69.   #62 - AMJ 16:30  |  Slibovitz 25/08/07
  70.   ADNAN the hero from the UK speaks about heroes hiding in bunkers 16:34  |  PETER.SM 25/08/07
  71.   his opinion means nothing 16:39  |  al 25/08/07
  72.   start a war....lose that war.... 16:40  |  Lynn 25/08/07
  73.   Hanna from Kana(da) 16:49  |  Mefisto 25/08/07
  74.   "HANNAH" " ribono shel olam." gave your name but Israel happened 16:57  |  PETERS SM 25/08/07
  75.   Adam of Sydney 17:07  |  Lynn 25/08/07
  76.   Go Bishara, go! And the international community except the u.s. 17:08  |  lakshmi 25/08/07
  77.   MK Bishara, go praise Hizb 17:09  |  Gil 25/08/07
  78.   4 Hannah,great post,not to worry about the fake hannah,less than 17:10  |  lakshmi 25/08/07
  79.   BISSHARRA THE QUISLING 17:10  |  Iskander 25/08/07
  80.   #37 Maureen Ann 17:15  |  * BEN JABO 25/08/07
  81.   First - Bishara must be tried for TREASON 17:18  |  * BEN JABO 25/08/07