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ANALYSIS / It took 2 years, but Nasrallah kept promise to free Kuntar
By Zvi Bar'el, Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: Israel, Hezbollah 

In April 2006, on the 27th anniversary of Samir Kuntar's imprisonment, Hassan Nasrallah promised "the prisoners will return to us very shortly."

It took two years until Kuntar was freed. Nasrallah's insistence on Israel releasing Kuntar, who wasn't a Hezbollah man but a member of the Palestine Liberation Front, was a test of Nasrallah's leadership. Even the return of his son's body, after he was killed by the IDF in 1997, didn't slow him down.

Nasrallah built up Kuntar into a symbol of his own credibility and his ability to deliver on promises to such an extent that he imposed his release on all of Lebanon. Praises were showered on Hezbollah, the Lebanese leadership was prominent at the reception for the freed prisoners and Lebanese and Hezbollah flags flew side by side. All this merged Kuntar, the symbol, with the leader who brought him home and the state whose politics Nasrallah dictates. Israel's insistence on not releasing Kuntar played into Nasrallah's hands, for he perceived, with his customary insight into Israeli public opinion, that Israel was providing him with a banner.
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Nasrallah is expected to release more details of the last negotiation round in the near future. But his approach to Kuntar's release is especially interesting. As a religious man he was expected to make use of the religious edict and ethnic context. But Nasrallah did the opposite. He refrained from using religious terms and is not attributing his last achievement to the Shi'ite community. He sees it as a triumph of Hezbollah and Lebanon - of the Christians, Shias, Syrians and Druze who support the resistance. This is a military, political - not ideological - victory, suitable to Lebanon which is trying to balance the power of religion with the political perks accorded its representatives.

Nasrallah is familiar with this game, knowing he can compensate for the limitations of his religious power with political achievements for his community and allies, even if they're not Shi'ite.

Thus Nasrallah yesterday forced Lebanon's Christian president, Sunni prime minister and political rivals to embrace "his" prisoners. For a moment it looked like Nasrallah was forcing his victory on the Lebanese leadership, for those who were embracing the prisoners would be unable to criticize the organization that led Lebanon into war. This Nasrallah technique is not new. In his pronouncements over the years, he has proved adept at weaving together all of Lebanon's political, religious and nationalist threads.

Nasrallah, 48, is a Shi'ite who studied in the holy city Najaf in Iraq for two years but was also a close associate of Sunni Rafik Hariri, Lebanon's prime minister who was murdered in 2005. He is allied with secular Syria and coordinates his religious ideology with Iran. While he is a political ally of Christian Michel Aoun, he speaks in Shi'ite terms in Beirut's southern neighborhood, home to the religious Shi'ite bastion. He enlists "Islamic resistance" to defend the homeland and its borders - terms that are ideologically contradictory to the idea of reestablishing the Muslim nation.

Palestinian nationalism is important to him up to the point it can erode his or Hezbollah's status. He cares about the Palestinians' suffering in Lebanon up to the point they ask for the right to work or buy property in Lebanon. Then Nasrallah joins the ranks of Lebanese politicians, who want the Palestinians out.

Like other fascist leaders, Nasrallah is a man of grand pomp and ceremony, in which the uniform, flag and weapons are the main props and setting. But how long will he be able to sustain Lebanon with the great exhibition he mounted yesterday, before he is required to explain what his next move will be following the negotiations between Israel and Syria? Will he allow Lebanon to open its own negotiations or will he stand by and watch Syria advance toward the enemy?

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  • ANALYSIS / In Lebanon, prisoner swap is Hezbollah victory (2006)
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      1.   no comments 06:00  |  danielo pipos 17/07/08
      2.   Nasrallah is good for lebanon 06:06  |  bashar 17/07/08
      3.   What negotiations? 06:12  |  Lebanese 17/07/08
      4.   Nasrallah: man of the hour 06:24  |  Star of David 17/07/08
      5.   Kuntar looks well 06:31  |  Iman 17/07/08
      6.   The downside od assassination 07:06  |  Natallie Durson 17/07/08
      7.   Israel has lost all deterence 07:18  |  Jon 17/07/08
      8.   I couldn`t have done it without the help of Regev and Goldwasse 07:25  |  Binyamin DIssen 17/07/08
      9.   Nasrallah is more Palestiniane than Abbas 08:21  |  Refugee 17/07/08
      10.   He told you from the beginning , but who was listening !? 08:49  |  Bilal 17/07/08
      11.   force only language Israel understand 08:56  |  guldman 17/07/08
      12.   Sayyed Hassan the biggest arabic leader the world has seen 09:57  |  steven 17/07/08
      13.   EVEN THE PHALANGISTS OF LEBANON CAN ACCEPT HAZBOLLAH 10:13  |  indrajaya 17/07/08
      14.   # 6 fear born of wreckless will natallie; or of military power? 10:37  |  eric 17/07/08
      15.   Indrajaya & celebrations 10:56  |  The Judge 17/07/08
      16.   NATALIE DURSON 10:59  |  mike 17/07/08
      17.   #6, Durson, do not underestimate the IDF 11:33  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 17/07/08
      18.   Mike 16 Israel didn`t win against the Romans. 11:43  |  Michael 17/07/08
      19.   mike 11:45  |  Natallie Durson 17/07/08
      20.   Kohn 11:50  |  Natallie Durson 17/07/08
      21.   Michael, sorry mate 11:59  |  Star of David 17/07/08
      22.   Lebanosn vs what-so-called-israel 12:01  |  Imad 17/07/08
      23.   Lebanon vs what-so-called-israel 12:02  |  Imad 17/07/08
      24.   Durston can`t come up with much.. 12:02  |  The Judge 17/07/08
      25.   My condolence 12:20  |  Pepe 17/07/08
      26.   Give Lebanon to Syria 12:29  |  Tommy 17/07/08
      27.   Hizbollah will destroy Lebanon. 12:59  |  Stephen. 17/07/08
      28.   Good for Lebanon, Nasrallah the "RAT" 13:00  |  J. B. 17/07/08
      29.   # 21 star 13:01  |  Axel 17/07/08
      30.   ``Hizbulah victory`` 13:03  |  ari 17/07/08
      31.   21 Star of David, tell the Turks, Italians and Iraqis that! 13:22  |  Michael 17/07/08
      32.   ISRAEL: start implementing SHARIA to Moslem pows/terrorists 13:43  |  AliciaYasmeen 17/07/08
      33.   Durson, why is Nasrallah The Brave hidden with human shields?Why? 14:06  |  Marco 17/07/08
      34.   Michael UK 14:27  |  Star of David 17/07/08
      35.   Nassrallah: A leader in a Region with no Leaders 14:32  |  Sharif Hafez 17/07/08
      36.   Hi Axel 14:34  |  Samantha Tilley 17/07/08
      37.   OK, Nasrallah 14:35  |  Jeff Northridge 17/07/08
      38.   Haters of Lebanon & Hizballah 14:46  |  Nadine 17/07/08
      39.   To Iman 14:50  |  Observer 17/07/08
      40.   Nasralla`s Greatest Achievement 15:03  |  Avi 17/07/08
      41.   Close the Lebanese Chapter 15:06  |  Baz Mann 17/07/08
      42.   # 34 samantha 15:08  |  Axel 17/07/08
      43.   Observer: thank for reply but 15:10  |  Iman 17/07/08
      44.   Israel has a Savior 15:14  |  American Christian 17/07/08
      45.   Star of David # 33 Rome Still Exists 15:29  |  Jeff Northridge 17/07/08
      46.   #33 Star of David 15:41  |  Pegasus 17/07/08
      47.   Nasrallah 15:41  |  Ralph 17/07/08
      48.   Sorry Axel 15:44  |  Samantha Tilley 17/07/08
      49.   Alicia (31) hitting the nails head 15:45  |  Jew- and Bookburner 17/07/08
      50.   dear Jeff 15:55  |  Star of David 17/07/08
      51.   43 Jesus is not stupid - the true version of the story 15:56  |  Mike the American 17/07/08
      52.   Israeli IDF are the children killers - not hero Kuntar 16:01  |  Mike the American 17/07/08
      53.   # 47 sorry samantha 16:10  |  Axel 17/07/08
      54.   Baz Mann # 40 The Shebaa Farms 16:11  |  Jeff Northridge 17/07/08
      55.   Sharia for Muslim `militants` NOW 16:11  |  Joe Frazier 17/07/08
      56.   Jesus is not stupid 16:12  |  Christian 17/07/08
      57.   Kuntar should have been released in 2004 16:13  |  Tosefta 17/07/08
      58.   To Iman, again ... 16:28  |  Observer 17/07/08
      59.   American Mike: yup Israel exploded suicide bombs on schoolbuses 16:41  |  x-ray 17/07/08
      60.   American Mike: yup Israel exploded suicide bombs on schoolbuses 16:41  |  x-ray 17/07/08
      61.   American Mike: yup Israel exploded suicide bombs on schoolbuses 16:41  |  x-ray 17/07/08
      62.   American Mike: yup Israel exploded suicide bombs on schoolbuses 16:41  |  x-ray 17/07/08
      63.   ISLAM- IS RELIGION OF HATE! 16:51  |  Victor 17/07/08
      64.   even a defunct clock is right twice a day 16:58  |  Jacob 17/07/08
      65.   Nadine 16:58  |  Jane 17/07/08
      66.   33 Star of David. I`m English, my wife`s Scottish. 17:01  |  Michael 17/07/08
      67.   #10 Bilal.....on strength 17:01  |  Lynn 17/07/08
      68.   if he is so good why is he still hiding 17:03  |  Big Sur 17/07/08
      69.   kuntar promises to kill more jews 17:03  |  chaim 17/07/08
      70.   #37 Nadine....from this day forward, 17:05  |  Lynn 17/07/08
      71.   #6 Natalie Poster girl for Nasrullah 17:08  |  Big Sur 17/07/08
      72.   Kuntar should have been released in 2004 17:16  |  Tosefta 17/07/08
      73.   Nadine 17:17  |  Jane 17/07/08
      74.   #43 Yes Moshiach is coming and soon 17:21  |  Big Sur 17/07/08
      75.   # 47 samantha 17:25  |  Axel 17/07/08
      76.   to # 54. Histroy shows jews were not 17:32  |  najour 17/07/08
      77.   The High Price of Nasrallah`s Promise 17:34  |  Tzfonit 17/07/08
      78.   The sympathy for child-murderer Samir Kuntar 17:35  |  Yonatan 17/07/08
      79.   tell me, samantha 17:35  |  Axel 17/07/08
      80.   # 65 big sur 17:38  |  Axel 17/07/08
      81.   # 58, BIG SUR 17:38  |  indrajaya 17/07/08
      82.   #49-50 Mike the "American" 17:43  |  Yonatan 17/07/08
      83.   Nasrallah is Daoud (David) Israel is Jaluth 17:44  |  Brotherly message 17/07/08
      84.   #66 Axel - A bit of archeological information 17:53  |  Yonatan 17/07/08
      85.   As the video on this site shows... 17:54  |  Jew- and Bookburner 17/07/08
      86.   TO #57 JANE 17:56  |  JIHAD 17/07/08
      87.   Jane 17:58  |  Nadine 17/07/08
      88.   #58 17:59  |  JIHAD 17/07/08
      89.   Funny that you use Jewish images #72 18:01  |  x-ray 17/07/08
      90.   #59 IDF killing children says a lot about Zionism morality! 18:05  |  Mike the American 17/07/08
      91.   # 71 is afraid to know that American are sick of Israel 18:10  |  Mike the American 17/07/08
      92.   THE ANTI-ISRAEL PEOPLE HONOR TERRORISTS, ARAB CHILD-KILLERS 18:12  |  Steve Randolph 17/07/08
      93.   Israeli IDF kills Palestinian children in our name - no more 18:14  |  Mike the American 17/07/08
      94.   #73 Idrajaya yes Mossad is the finest 18:18  |  Big Sur 17/07/08
      95.   Quo Vadis? 18:21  |  Afikoman 17/07/08
      96.   47 Samantha Tilley,sorry but your history is inaccurate! 18:33  |  lakshmi 17/07/08
      97.   No proof Kuntar killed the child, but Videotapes exist on IDF kil 18:47  |  Mike the American 17/07/08
      98.   # 76 yonatan 19:02  |  Axel 17/07/08
      99.   #83 Mike ....realistically speaking. 65% of 19:22  |  Lynn 17/07/08
      100.   Haaretz in praise of Nasrullah 3rd try 19:29  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 17/07/08
      101.   #13 INDY....oh yes, isn`t it wonderful 19:30  |  Lynn 17/07/08
      102.   samantha: the case of Marilyn Monroe 19:33  |  Axel 17/07/08
      103.   # 76 yonatan 19:38  |  Axel 17/07/08
      104.   Hizbullah Outclassed By Israel, Again as Lebanon Debases Itself. 19:39  |  JP 17/07/08
      105.   Government SUPPORTS Kuntar 100% by FREEING this Monster (1) 19:40  |  Linda Rivera 17/07/08
      106.   Lifes for lifes, corpses for corpses 19:41  |  Ofer Maimon 17/07/08
      107.   Government SUPPORTS Kuntar 100% by FREEING this Monster (2) 19:42  |  Linda Rivera 17/07/08
      108.   kill nazzy roller 19:45  |  frenz 17/07/08
      109.   # 92, LYNN 19:46  |  indrajaya 17/07/08
      110.   The Infamous Day that EVIL, Terrorism & MURDER Triumphed 19:59  |  Linda Rivera 17/07/08
      111.   Refugee, An Example 20:01  |  Bernie 17/07/08
      112.   Samir Kuntar Never Had a Jury of His Peers 20:06  |  Bernie 17/07/08
      113.   The Way forward Now 20:15  |  Bernie 17/07/08
      114.   Again, the pot calling the kettle black 20:16  |  Hannah 17/07/08
      115.   Again, the pot calling the kettle black 20:16  |  Hannah 17/07/08
      116.   Has israel lost its will to survive??? 20:21  |  Voice of Reason 17/07/08
      117.   JIHAD 20:22  |  Jane 17/07/08
      118.   Natalie Durson I`m not saying there`s a pattern 20:30  |  H 17/07/08
      119.   @ 75 what would you teach the world my friend if 20:31  |  Jew- and Bookburner 17/07/08
      120.   Nadine 20:54  |  Jane 17/07/08
      121.   even a defunct clock is right twice a day...but 21:03  |  Jew- and Bookburner 17/07/08
      122.   I applaud Nasrallah 21:03  |  Arik Coppermen 17/07/08
      123.   Nasrallah 1, Olmert 0 (yes Olmert another 0 for you) 21:07  |  Not a 0 like Olmert 17/07/08
      124.   The hopes of the author of this article that 21:40  |  Jew- and Bookburner 17/07/08
      125.   # 101 jane 21:42  |  Axel 17/07/08
      126.   Same Sympathy to the Israeli and Palestinian Families 21:53  |  S. Nortense 17/07/08
      127.   fOR INDAJAYA A DANISH APOLOGY 22:25  |  Big Sur 17/07/08
      128.   Kuntar`s Days Are Numbered 22:41  |  Douglas Fireman 17/07/08
      129.   Axel 23:16  |  Jane 17/07/08
      130.   Haaretz in praise of Nasrullah: 4th try: 23:28  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 17/07/08
      131.   A jury of his peers would be cold blooded child killers Bernie 23:30  |  Jasmine Murphy 17/07/08
      132.   It took 2 years... 23:34  |  Kalinin 17/07/08
      133.   Axel-recent genetic tests prove you wrong 00:26  |  Stephen in New York 18/07/08
      134.   Durson-you have no idea what Israel is capable of 00:31  |  Stephen in New York 18/07/08
      135.   DURSON "downside of assasination"? Once Arab propogandists object 01:22  |  PETER SM 18/07/08
      136.   WAR CANNOT BE WON IN WHITE GLOVES 01:23  |  Victor 18/07/08
      137.   # 113 stephen 01:54  |  Axel 18/07/08
      138.   # 114 stephen 01:57  |  Axel 18/07/08
      139.   Bernie #98 - Of course not 02:04  |  David Israel 18/07/08
      140.   # 114 stephen 02:13  |  Axel 18/07/08
      141.   # 33 Star Of David..England that Was.is one Of the Most Mongrel 02:14  |  anonymous 18/07/08
      142.   # 37 Oh Nadine, Honey Is That You? Oh Nadine!! 02:28  |  ... 18/07/08
      143.   # 42 Iman Well Said.Especially About Walid Jumblat! 02:35  |  anonymous 18/07/08
      144.   re 6 One sided natty D 02:36  |  Alan the real one 18/07/08
      145.   #85 Mike - The alleged American 02:40  |  * BEN JABO 18/07/08
      146.   Sweet celebrating aroma 02:41  |  allang 18/07/08
      147.   Nasrulla Good For Lebanon 02:43  |  Sam Olayan 18/07/08
      148.   re 16 Psst mike 02:45  |  Alan the real one 18/07/08
      149.   re 20 natty D sets a new low 02:48  |  Alan the real one 18/07/08
      150.   re 83 Mike (clicks) american cousin 03:18  |  Alan the real one 18/07/08
      151.   # I A applaud The Israelis For Their Enduring Power.And Final, 03:33  |  Arik Coppermen 18/07/08
      152.   re 98 psst bernie 03:34  |  Alan the real oe 18/07/08
      153.   # 112 Douglas Fireman..Kuntar looked like a dummy. 03:35  |  anonymous 18/07/08
      154.   #92 LYNN. "To get to that point." 03:44  |  Maureen Ann 18/07/08
      155.   Nasrallah delivered 2 more murdered Israeli POWs.They place no 04:19  |  PETER SM 18/07/08
      156.   wonder if Kunter is now a double agent? 04:21  |  PETER SM 18/07/08
      157.   France should annex Lebanon 05:38  |  Jewlius Rosenberg 18/07/08
      158.   A child killer is the national hero of Lebanon 06:27  |  Daniel Leopold 18/07/08
      159.   Iman-#5-This is a stain on Lebanon as a whole 06:42  |  Daniel Leopold 18/07/08
      160.   SAD TO SAY THE MONSTER KEEPS HIS PROMISES WHILE WICKED MERT DOES 06:42  |  glenna 18/07/08
      161.   #31 AliciaYasmeen 07:43  |  dovvod 18/07/08
      162.   Every single one of your leaders is... 07:52  |  Disgusted 18/07/08
      163.   Kuntar 08:22  |  SPO 18/07/08
      164.   to 22 you just forgot to say that its so calld lebanees daily sta 08:33  |  Michael 18/07/08
      165.   No, not Nasrallah but ISRAEL that freed Kuntar 09:01  |  The Archives 18/07/08
      166.   Jew and Bookburner? 09:12  |  Grand Muftah 18/07/08
      167.   Leopold the bold 09:14  |  Grand Muftah 18/07/08
      168.   The IDF soldiers and their leaders are bathed with innocent blood 09:32  |  hassan bashaar 18/07/08
      169.   Bernie 99 09:47  |  saalem 18/07/08
      170.   #161 DOWOD in Tokyo 15:46  |  AliciaYasmeen 18/07/08
      171.   American Mike 18:30  |  AGM-142 18/07/08
      172.   Axel 137 & 138-2006 war was mismanaged 19:03  |  Stephen in New York 18/07/08
      173.   Axel 140-your obsession with genetics 19:09  |  Stephen in New York 18/07/08
      174.   Yonatan #84 on archeology 19:48  |  Paul 18/07/08
      175.   # 84 Yonatan..A Reminder For you,BUT! For Sure You must Be Aware. 22:18  |  KATHY 18/07/08
      176.   #97 3RD TRY Mike of the endless posts 22:29  |  * BEN JABO 18/07/08
      177.   #161 DOWOD in Tokyo (2nd try) 22:43  |  AliciaYasmeen 18/07/08
      178.   #48 Samantha Tilley..Wow How did I Miss Your Post!! 22:47  |  KATHY 18/07/08
      179.   #158 - Daniel Leopold 17:36  |  Ali 19/07/08
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