Hezbollah: Israel Policy Prevents Talks; Senior Leader: America Acting as 'Troublemaker'; Behavior 'Has to Change'

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Byline: Benjamin Birnbaum, THE WASHINGTON TIMES

A senior Hezbollah leader in Lebanon has flatly rejected the idea of talking to Washington unless it revamps its Middle East policy, which his group says unfairly favors Israel.

There is an American behavior that has to change first, and then we can discuss the possibility of a dialogue, the organization's deputy chief, Sheik Naim Qassem, told the Associated Press on Monday.

The Hezbollah official was dismissing suggestions from former and current U.S. officials about engaging the Iranian-backed Lebanese Shi'ite group, designated a terrorist organization by the State Department.

America is playing …