In a rare praise of developments in Israel, Hizbullah leader Hassan Nasrallah said Wednesday he "respects" his enemy's verdict of failure in last summer's war in Lebanon.
"I will not gloat," the Shiite leader told an audience at the opening of a book fair in south Beirut. "It is worthy of respect that an investigative commission appointed by (Israeli Prime Minister Ehud) Olmert condemns him," Nasrallah said, according to the AP.
Nasrallah added the Israeli commission reviewing the Lebanon war had confirmed his claim that Israel had been defeated. "The first important outcome of this commission is that it has finally and officially decided the issue of victory and defeat ... This commission spoke about a very big defeat," Nasrallah said. He added that the word "failure" was mentioned over 100 times in the report.
The critical report blasting Olmert's performance during last year's conflict has shaken Israel and led to calls for the prime minister to resign. Foreign Minister, Tzipi Livni called on Olmert to step down in a press conference she held Wednesday afternoon.
