Turki al-Faisal: ‘Hezbollah cows opposition due to their well-armed position’

In an exclusive interview with Al Arabiya English, Saudi Prince Turki al-Faisal, Chairman of the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies, said that engaging with the people of Lebanon in reaction to Hezbollah’s growing domination is the right policy, explaining that the party does not represent all Shiites in the country.

“Because of Hezbollah’s ruthless and well-armed position among the Shiite community in Lebanon, they (Hezbollah) manage to cow those who oppose them. So maintaining linkage with Lebanon is very important,” Prince al-Faisal said in response to a question about whether engagement or boycott of Lebanon is the right approach in reaction to Hezbollah’s de facto rule.

“Engaging with the people of Lebanon in general I think will help and maintain somehow the linkage of Lebanon to the rest of the Arab world. I think even within the Shiite community in Lebanon there is an opportunity to engage because Hezbollah does not represent all of the Shiites in Lebanon,” said the former President of Saudi General Intelligence as part of a wider interview.

Prince Turki al-Faisal said that there are people and groups in the country that oppose Hezbollah’s domination, adding that even the Shiite community in Lebanon is divided between those who adhere to Hezbollah’s line and those who oppose it.