Israeli media: Nasrallah optimism burdens Olmert gov't

Hasan Hijazi - Translated source almanartv

17/10/2007 Israeli media followed attentively Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah's comments and broadcast simultaneous translation followed by analyses. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's office swiftly responded to Sayyed Nasrallah's words and sought to lower the expectations set by the Hezbollah chief. "Negotiations are ongoing but the prospect of a large-scale swap deal is still far away," Olmert's office said. The Israeli media attributed Olmert's stance to what it described as the government's embarrassment vis-à-vis the families of the two captured soldiers still held by Hezbollah. Yediot Aharonot's columnist Shimon Shiffer said that Sayyed Nasrallah has succeeded in transferring the whole crisis to the Israeli government and its leader, Olmert. He added that "the Israeli institution believes Nasrallah", therefore when he speaks in an optimistic tone, it means that the problem is at the Israeli side. According to Israel's media, Sayyed Nasrallah's optimism has created hope within the families of the two captured soldiers. They expressed full confidence in Sayyed Nasrallah's words on the one hand and lashed out at Olmert and his government for failing to release the soldiers.