'We Are Weakening Hezbollah'

Shimon Peres, 82, has served his country in every position from prime minister to minister of defense. The last of his country's founding fathers, he was in the United States last week to explain Israel's strategy in its war against Hezbollah to U.S. officials and others. In an exclusive interview, he spoke with Newsweek-Washington Post's Lally Weymouth. Excerpts:

Q: Is it true that you were the only person in the Israeli cabinet to raise objections to this operation?

A: After two weeks, I forgot everything. We are at war and have to be united. I'm not going to make an account of who was right and who was wrong.

Q. Is the operation going according to the original plan or has it expanded?

A. We are using more ground forces and have reduced the bombing. The purpose of the bombing was to destroy the headquarters of Hezbollah in the cities.

Q. Are Israeli forces going all the way to the Litani River? Will Israel reoccupy southern Lebanon?

A. No. We shall make incursions but not stay there.

Q. Have you been surprised by the strength and tenacity of Hezbollah?

A. Not their strength but the strangeness of this operation. Nobody understands why they started to attack, what the purpose of the attack was and why they are using so many rockets and missiles.

Q. The Turks say they won't go to Lebanon as part of a force if they have to disarm Hezbollah.

A. We don't need a group of observers; we need people who will be effective in fulfilling their task: to implement U.N. Resolution 1559, which calls for the Lebanese army to replace Hezbollah along the Israeli border.

Q. Do you believe Israel can win a military victory over Hezbollah?