MIT professor Noam Chomsky visits with leaders of the Hizballah terrorist gang, broadcast on Lebanon’s New TV, May 14, 2006. (Courtesy MEMRI TV.)

Apparently the Israelis were paying attention:

Anchor: The leftist Jewish American intellectual Noam Chomsky toured Al-Khiyam Prison at the end of his visit to Lebanon. He declared that the victory achieved by the resistance is a victory for all the peoples that fight injustice and oppression.

Reporter: “Umm Kamel” – the Israeli [MK] spying aircraft – was the first to welcome leftist Jewish American intellectual Noam Chomsky, in his visit to Al-Khiyam Prison. Chomsky chose to provide “Umm Kamel” with the most detestable pictures, from the Israeli perspective, by smiling and shaking hands with Hizbullah’s leader in South Lebanon, Nabil Qauq. Then they both entered the prison’s Hall of Martyrs. Chomsky, who toured the prison with his wife and university professor Fawwaz Al-Trabulsi, insisted on staying inside one of the prison cells for a short while. He commended the perseverance of the inmates during the years of cruelty and pain, stressing that this prison is no different from Guantanamo.

The leftist intellectual chose to stand in front of a destroyed Israeli vehicle and declare that all the prisoners in the world must be released, whether in Israel or in American prisons.

UPDATE at 5/15/06 7:05:58 pm:

Lebanese news blog Ya Libnan has an interesting perspective on MIT professor Noam Chomsky’s meeting with Hizballah leader Hassan Nasrallah, and his wish to see Hizballah remain well-armed: Chomsky needs to learn a lot more about Lebanon. (Hat tip: stuiec.)