Hizbullah leader Hassan Nasrallah said Monday that had he believed, even one percent, that a war would break out following the kidnapping of two IDF soldiers, the operation would never have been launched. In an interview granted to Lebanese news network New TV, Nasrallah said in an almost apologetic tone that “we did not believe, even by one percent, that the captive operation would result in such a wide-scale war, as such a war did not take place in the history of wars. Had we known that the captive operation would result in such a war we would not have carried it out at all.”
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this guy is so full of garbage. he rains down katushyas for who knows how long, then when he sees the IDF go into Gaza for Gilad Shalit he decides to do the same thing. He knew that Israel was going to go into Lebanon, in fact he was counting on it so that he can use the civilian casualties against Israel in the media. I dont think this guy can say the truth if he wanted to!!
Although you are certainly correct that Nasrallah (as well as other Arab Islamic leaders) has difficulty telling the truth. He does on occasion say it as it is, like when he (or Achmanidejad) says that he aims to wipe Israel off the map. In this case I believe Nasrallah
To date, there have been three prisoner exchange deals between Israel and Hezbollah.
In July 1996, Hezbollah released the remains of two Israeli soldiers in exchange for the remains of 123 Lebanese soldiers.
In June 1998, Hezbollah returned the remains of Sergeant First Class Itamar Ilya in exchange for the remains of 40 Hezbollah soldiers. The deal also included the release of Lebanese prisoners.
In January 2004, in the largest prisoner exchange, Israel released a total of 436 prisoners and also returned the remains of 59 Lebanese soldiers. Israel received the remains of three Israel soldiers and the release of Elhanan Tennenbaum.
There is no reason not to assume that Nasrallah believed that the weak and timid Olimert as well as the push-over Peretz would be chicken to start a full scale war. (Which indeed is true. They launched a very limited invasion and ran away without accomplishing any real victory). Nasrallah may well have hoped only to force Israel to release many prisoners in a lopsided exchange as Israel has done in the past and thus bolster his image and further humiliate Israel.