Hezbollah Goes on Defense In Response to Bulgaria Bombing
After a period of apparent indifference on Hezbollah's part regarding recent accusations that it was behind last summer’s Burgas bombing, Nasser Chararah argues that the party will soon adopt a strategy of defense.
Hezbollah did not issue an official statement following the announcement of Bulgaria’s investigation results that have accused Hezbollah’s military wing of being involved in the Burgas bombing last July. Hezbollah did nothing more than to have its deputy general, Sheikh Naim Qassem, comment that he believes Israel is behind the accusation, because it is “the leader of an international campaign to contain the resistance.”
It was expected that Hezbollah would appear indifferent toward the allegation as a way of demonstrating the certainty of its innocence, and making it known that the accusation is merely political. This is the same way Hezbollah dealt for a long period of time with accusations that it was responsible for the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri. It later, however, changed its approach and its secretary general spoke out via lengthy television appearances, taking on the role of defense lawyer as he presented evidence that he believed to offer a material basis for accusing Israel of Hariri’s killing.
Hezbollah’s reasoning in confronting the bombing or assassination allegations is convoluted. For example, regarding Hariri’s assassination, Hezbollah succeeded in infiltrating the international investigation committee led by Detlev Mehlis. They obtained information within the committee and leaked it to the media. Its intention through this infiltration was to expose the committee’s lack of integrity, evidenced by one of its members who gave confidential information from the investigation in exchange for a small sum of dollars. Hezbollah is keen to give its popular base evidence that proves that the court assembled by the United Nations to prosecute those Hezbollah members who were accused of assassinating Hariri is unjust and a political tool utilized by America and Israel aimed at damaging and distorting its image.
As it confronts allegations in the Burgas bombing, it is anticipated that Hezbollah will rely on the same preemptive defense strategy. First it will show indifference. Then, soon after, it will present to the media “shocking news” about what really happened during the bombing and the course of the investigation itself in a way that bolsters its conviction that the allegations are merely political and aim to distort the resistance’s image.
