Wikileaks: Jumblatt & Hamadeh: "Israel is not inflicting enough damages on Hezbollah .. Israel needs to occupy South Lebanon!"

Friday-Lunch-Club

Document Beirut 2403: Excerpts/ Original will post later in the day.

July 16, 2006/ ambassador Jeffrey Feltman in a late night meeting with Terje Roed Larsen & Geir Pederson, in Larsen's suite at the Phoenicia Hotel. Pederson later left the meeting to join other members of the UN delegation in Beirut and to prevent the interpretation that the US & UN were in cahoots....

Larsen said that he had an excellent meeting with Siniora and Berri who was overwhelmed by a inert desire to 'seize the opportunity' but was held back by the popular mood... Larsen was adamant to restrict his 'initiative' to Berri & Siniora, and did not wish the incorporation of the 'naive ones like Michel Aoun and Saad Hariri.'

Walid Jumblatt & Marwan Hamadeh were clearly concerned with Israel's MO of 'surgical bombardment', and hoped that it continues with it war until they inflict quasi destruction of Hezbollah's infrastructure, even if this entailed the occupation of south Lebanon. Jumblatt stressed that publicly he was going to call for a cease fire but that he sees in the continuation of hostilities an opportunity to destro Hezbollah.

In that meeting, over a bottle of wine, 3 bottles of Corona & Vodka (the origin of which led to a long argument between Jumblatt and an overwhelmed room service waiter), the Druze leader went through an encapsulation of March14' thinking.

Jumblatt was not happy to see that Israel has not destroyed enough of Hezbollah's infrastructure and capabilities... and complsined that a cease fire would give Hezbollah a victory. He frankly conveyed that he prefers the continuation of the hostilities..

Ambassador Feltman asked Jumblatt what does Israel needs to do to inflict maximum damage on Hezbollah: jumblatt replied that Israel is fighting a conventional war ... What is needed is an invasion of south Lebabon, cleaning the area to allow the redeployment of the LAF ... .Jumblatt concluded that there are only two possible outcomes: total victory or total defeat of Hezbollah, no gray zones!

Posted by G, Z, or B at 4:03 AM

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