The writer and political analyst at the London based Arabic daily al Hayat, Hazem Saghieh said that it is very difficult to identify the assassins of the former leader of the Lebanese Forces militia who was behind the massacres of Sabra and Shatila due to his many enemies.
“The assassination operation and what is going in Shabaa are enough reasons for concern, he added.
Following are excerpts from the telephone interview with Albawaba.com
Q. How do you analyze the assassination of Elie Hobeikah?
A. Elie Hobeikah had many enemies during his life, so it is very difficult to tell about the source of the explosives that killed him. In the end this person lived with the mentality of war and he was killed in the same manner. What is more important is the situation in Lebanon now which causes us a lot of concern particularly in view of the assassination and the situation in Shabaa Farms.
Q. The Lebanese Investigator accused Israel of the assassination. Do you think that Israel has interests in carrying out such an operation so that the Lebanese would loose confidence in their government and its ability to protect its citizens?
A. It is possible because under the current circumstances one should not rule out any possibility. Elie Hobeikah collaborated with Israel for a long time and the peak of his collaboration was clear in Sabra and Shatila massacres. Then he turned towards the Syrian intelligence. He began with the Lebanese Forces and became their enemy in the end. Everything is possible.
Q. Do you think that the assassination and the escalation in the south of Lebanon serve the Israelis?
A. No. Hobeikah is something and the south is something else. Hisbollah initiative in Shabaa constitutes a golden opportunity for a person like Sharon to escalate the situation and hit fiercely. I think it would have been better if Hisbollah had not carried out the attack in Shabaa.
Q. Do you think that Sharon has any interest in assassinating Hobeikah?
A. I don’t know….
Q. Bearing in mind that Hobeikah was the only witness on Sharon’s involvement in the massacres, what do you think?
A. Possible! Very possible. But in such an affair, it is very difficult to give a conclusive answer because it is of judicial and investigation nature.
(Albawaba.com)
