On the character of Hezbollah

The information that led to the Israel Defense Forces to announce that three of its kidnapped soldiers are no longer alive speaks volumes about the character of Hezbollah.

Its inhumane ruthlessness confirms the view that it is nothing more than a terrorist organization that uses religious and human values to conceal its interests.

It believed that it could extract a higher price from Israel if it did not provide any information about the hostages.

There is no reason to expect Hezbollah to turn its back on the murderous strategies that have so far characterized its fighting. But the UN, the U.S. and European countries should take every possible measure against a state that allows a murderous terror organization to operate undisturbed from inside its borders.

The Lebanese government and its citizenry must understand that Hezbollah's well-being will come at the expense of the country's growth. They must be made to pay a heavy price for Hezbollah's brutality.

-- Ha'aretz, Jerusalem