Beirut: Although Hezbollah negotiated with Israel in the past to free several militiamen captured between 1982 and 2006, specific conditions imposed on the Lebanese government after Jabhat Al Nursa and Daesh prevented the release of 27 Lebanese Army and Internal Security Forces troops, who were kidnapped on August 2, 2014 in the city of Arsal. Ironically, Hezbollah secured the freedom of Emad Ayyad, who was caught by the Free Syrian Army (FSA) in the Qalamun region along the Lebanon-Syria border two months ago, for two FSA revolutionaries it had captured in earlier battles.
Inasmuch as everyone welcomed Ayyad’s liberation, many wondered how Hezbollah could justify its reticence for Beirut to engage in similar initiatives, holding to its firm position against government negotiations with “terrorists” or as it refers to such men as “takfiris” [apostates]. Although no official statement was issued to confirm if the two men exchanged for Ayyad were in fact members of the FSA, the pro-Hezbollah daily Al Akhbar identified the two FSA officers as Merhi Merhi and Murhaf Abdul Gheni Al Rayes. Lebanese sources believed that the party held several additional Syrian detainees although it was unclear if any of them were Al Nusra or Daesh members.
The difference was critical because the FSA accepted the very idea of an equitable swap whereas extremist groups were less likely to doing so or, if they could be persuaded to exchange prisoners for kidnapped soldiers, their demands tended to be excessive. In the event, an unnamed pro-Hezbollah official told the pro-March 8 daily Al Safir that Al Nusra, Daesh and FSA prisoners should not be referred to trial, but should be used as bargaining chips to release Lebanese captives which reflected a changed position.
Interestingly, the latest swap prompted Hezbollah officials to call on Prime Minister Tammam Salam to negotiate with militants, in the same way the party did. It was unclear, however, whether these officials wanted a mere exchange or whether they recommended that Beirut kidnap “takfiris” to make the deal. Others wondered whether Hezbollah, which is part of the current Lebanese government, would be willing to exchange some Al Nusra and Daesh men in its custody for Lebanese soldiers.
The fate of the 27 Lebanese were now tied with that of Emad Jomaa, a Syrian member of Al Nusra whose arrest sparked the Arsal unrest in August, and 42 other Syrians. According to Al Safir Jomaa expressed serious doubts that negotiations would lead to their release, and demanded to stand trial, because negotiations were “useless.”
To date, the Jabhat Al Nusra made three separate proposals to end the three-month old hostage crisis:
1. Exchange 10 inmates held at Roumieh Prison for each hostage;
2. Swap 7 Lebanese inmates and 30 female Syrian prisoners for each abducted soldier or policeman;
3. Trade 5 Lebanese and 50 Syrian women inmates for each of the 27 remaining men in its custody.
Although the Lebanese cabinet previously rejected such deals and vowed not to negotiate with extremists, the latest Hezbollah move may well alter its priorities that, in all likelihood, improved the odds for a release of the soldiers before long.
