Saudi pressure behind Nilesat’s al-Manar transmission cut: Analyst

Press TV has conducted an interview with Ibrahim Mousavi, a political analyst from Beirut, to discuss a recent move by the Cairo-based leading Arab satellite operator, Nilesat, to cut the transmission of Lebanon’s al-Manar TV channel, which run by Hezbollah.

The following is a rough transcription of the interview.

Press TV: Do you think it was a move that Egypt took on its own? Or do you think that it was one that perhaps Saudi Arabia had a say in?

Mousavi: Absolutely. Now everybody knows that the Saudi Arabian regime has always been trying to exercise its pressure and to dictate some of the decisions and some of its wishes upon most of the Arab governments and regimes. It is not at all something surprising to hear that Saudi Arabia is exercising such kind of policies against the resistance movements like Hezbollah, against the media outlets of the resistance like al-Manar, but what surprises us is that the Egyptian provider of the satellite, Nilesat, has bowed down to this kind of pressure because we know very well that Egypt continues to represent by its people, the vanguard of the people who refuse to make any normalization with the Israelis regardless of the so-called peace treaty with Israel. But we know very well that the Egyptian people know that Israel continues to be the number one enemy; the Takfiri groups are number one enemy also to the Egyptian people. So I mean with al-Manar, with Hezbollah, they share the same enemies. They should not have done this in any way, but I believe the political pressure have been very successful this time.

Press TV: When this type of thing happens, is Saudi Arabia, if they are involved, doing this because you have al-Manar who is speaking the truth about Saudi Arabia and its policies in the region? Or is it because Saudi Arabia wants to get at Hezbollah and one way of doing it is by cutting off the channels or transmission, or both?

Mousavi: Yes, it is both. It is the combination of both things. We know very well that Hezbollah stands to be an icon of resistance, liberation, sovereignty, independence, and the pride to all of the Arabs. It has always been able to inflict damage upon the Israeli enemy; it has always been able to restore and maintain this level of dignity and the pride and independence upon the Arab masses all over the Arab world. This is one thing and when it comes to al-Manar; al-Manar has always been supportive of the Palestinian cause, the resistance movements, the liberation movements, and recently the al-Manar sided with Yemeni people with these atrocities that are being perpetrated by the Saudi regime against them. So I mean the Saudis are fed up. They do not want to hear any voice which opposes them; they do not want to hear any criticism. We know very well there is a kind of dispute on the political level, but yet they have been able, and successfully this time, to a certain degree to try to silence the voices. But I can assure you al-Manar, that has stood up in a very good way against the Israeli oppression, against the Israeli strikes, will continue to send its messages and communicate with its masses, with its people because people are attached to the theme of the resistance, the theme of independence, the theme of liberation, the theme of dignity that all Arabs aspire to reach.

Press TV: All of this obviously comes to the advantage of Israel. Israel must be very happy that in any shape of form Hezbollah is being targeted and thus making it more clear that Saudi Arabia and Israel obviously are getting closer, sharing the common enemy they both have in their eyes, Hezbollah. So do you see this relationship evolving between Israel and Saudi Arabia getting closer due to their common goal?

Mousavi: Yes, I believe you are totally right. They are not ashamed to shake hands; they are not ashamed to say publicly that they have good relations together. It is always that Saudi Arabia has never agreed with any Arab country about policies in order to liberate Palestine or help the resistance movements. It is time to shake hands and to say that we have a common enemy, the resistance movements, and namely Hezbollah. They are getting closer and closer to fight Hezbollah. The Israelis have been very happy to express their joy when Saudi Arabia and some Arab regimes tried to designate Hezbollah as a terrorist entity and now they are very happy that al-Manar that has also reported many times has been the most myth of the resistance, has been able to broadcast the shameful defeats of the Israelis on air. Now of course they should feel happy about this decision. 

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.co.uk