Efraim Halevy says it's useful for Israel to deal with its enemies "in a humane way".

The former head of Israel's intelligence agency Mossad defends the country's treatment of al-Nusra Front fighters on the Syrian border.

In this web extra, Efraim Halevy tells Mehdi Hasan that he is not concerned that Israel had treated fighters in Syria from al-Nusra Front, which some say is al-Qaeda's Syrian branch.

"It's always useful […] to deal with your enemies in a humane way," Halevy says.

When pressed on whether he believed the assistance was purely humanitarian, Halevy responds, "I didn't say there's no tactical [consideration]. I said the main consideration, the immediate consideration is humane."

Halevy also says he would not support the treatment of wounded Hezbollah fighters because Israel had been targeted by Hezbollah, but "not specifically targeted by al-Qaeda".

Watch more from Mehdi Hasan's interview with Efraim Halevy in which they discuss Israeli politics, the peace process and Halevy's time in the Mossad.

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Source: Al Jazeera