Quotes of the Day

Though it is deemed a terrorist organization by, among others, the U.S., Israel, Canada and Australia, the Lebanon-based Islamic militant group Hizballah is close to finalizing a dramatic prisoner swap with its arch-enemy, Israel. The deal would free several hundred Lebanese, Palestinian, Syrian, Jordanian and Tunisian prisoners in exchange for kidnapped Israeli businessman Elhanan Tannenbaum and the bodies of three Israeli soldiers.

Brokering an exchange of such scope would enhance Hizballah's luster in an Arab world desperate for heroes. Hizballah deputy secretary-general Sheik Naim Qassem wouldn't discuss the swap when he met last week with TIME's James Graff in a secret location in southern Beirut. But he suggested that his organization would be front and center in other ways in the caldron of conflict from Palestine to Iraq.

Why didn't Hizballah respond when the Israelis bombed an alleged terrorist training camp in Syria, your ally? We issued a statement that Lebanon should keep an eye on developments in Syria. Sharon is dragging the whole region into an abyss. Certainly if such aggression is repeated, there would be a response. It is not in Sharon's power to guarantee the results. People in southern Lebanon say they're tired of the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians being waged around their homes. You cannot take a position from limited samples. We believe a big majority of Lebanese want us to liberate their land and to work for the liberation of Palestine. We will continue the fight as long as Israel remains in Palestine.

Since the Israeli military withdrew from southern Lebanon in May 2000, the only Lebanese land arguably under occupation is the Shebaa Farms, an uninhabited patch along the poorly defined border between Lebanon and Syria. that's not much of a cause to inspire the Lebanese, is it? The cause of resistance hasn't lessened since 2000, it's increased. The Lebanese don't look at the size of Shebaa Farms, but at the size of the daily threat from Israel. In the last three years there have been 8,100 violations of Lebanese airspace. [He computes on a calculator on the table in front of him.] That's an average of seven per day.

But what difference has your resistance made for southern Lebanon? There are many examples. When the Lebanese government installed pumps [last year] to divert water from the Hasbani River before it flows into Israel, the Israelis threatened an attack to stop it. If not for fear of our resistance, they would have carried out those threats. We clearly matter to Israel. Every few days there's another statement from some Israeli official about wanting to destroy Hizballah from the roots.

How does American pressure on Iran and Syria affect Hizballah? We don't feel the current pressure from America or Israel is special. It's there every day. For us, it's normal. No pressure on other countries has any effect on us. Hizballah has its own issues relating to Israeli enmity. No one can tell Hizballah that we have to accept Israeli occupation. We're determined to liberate our land whatever the cost may be.

Have the war in Iraq and diplomatic pressure slowed the flow of weapons from Syria and Iran? Hizballah has no weapons shortage problem. They are available on the black market and can be gotten from the West, even American ones. Besides, the amount of weapons isn't important. There are those with far more than us, but they aren't as effective. Our strength comes from having a cause.

Muqtada al-Sadr, the young unschooled son of grand ayatullah mohammed sadiq al-sadr, is rallying Shi'ites to resistance in Iraq; other Shi'ite clerics oppose him. Who does Hizballah support? When Saddam's regime assassinated [al-Sadr's] father [in 1999], there was no opportunity for a clean handover of authority. People followed the young one because of heredity. He represents one of many Shi'ite factions in Iraq. We want the American occupiers to pull out of Iraq and demand that the Iraqi people oppose them. But it's up to the Iraqis themselves to decide on how to express their own interests. We don't interfere.

In recent years, with Hizballah in the Lebanese parliament, your calls for an Islamic republic have been muted. We believe an Islamic republic is the best for the people, but we cannot establish this unless the Lebanese people agree. The way Lebanon is made up doesn't allow for such a state, at least in the near future. We do believe we should advocate our position, but through dialogue, not the power of strength.

America and Israel, among others, see your preferred method not as dialogue but terrorism. Hizballah is in a state of defense, not offense. Israel does deeds that strengthen the will of all Arabs. By killing babies and destroying homes, they are driving even those who don't want to fight into a position where they have to.

But Hizballah remains a prime target of the U.S. war on terror. There is no real war on terror. What there is is America's wish to take control of the economics and politics of the whole region.

Who supported the Taliban? Who supported Saddam against Iran? All problems in the area stem from American support of Israel.

• JAMES GRAFF
• 10 Questions For Hizballah's Naim Qassem