Subscribe to Print Edition | Mon., June 02, 2008 Iyyar 28, 5768 | | Israel Time: 22:03 (EST+7)
Haaretz israel news English
web haaretz.com
  Back to Homepage
Rosner's Domain
Diplomacy
Defense Jewish World Opinion National
Print Edition
Advertising
Books Peres Conference Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File
Last update - 23:30 01/06/2008
ANALYSIS: Return of bodies is another PR victory for Nasrallah
By Yossi Melman
Tags: Israel, Nissim Nasser 

Sunday's events, in which Hezbollah transferred to Israel the remains of what it said were Israeli soldiers killed in the 2006 Second Lebanon War, can be seen as another successful spin from Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah - despite Israel's wishes and intentions.

The transfer of the bodies followed Israel's release from prison and deportation of convicted Hezbollah spy Nissim Nasser. What was meant to be the regular release of a security prisoner who completed his sentence is now being painted as a deal, or as another step on the road to a larger agreement that will return captured soldiers Eldad Regev and Ehud Goldwasser alive or dead.

Israel did not want the situation to appear this way. Sources from the prime minister's office, the Israel Defense Forces, the Mossad and intelligence agencies involved in the prisoner exchange talks with Hezbollah reiterated and stressed their surprise at the return of the remains at the Rosh Hanikra crossing on Sunday.
Advertisement
The International Committee of the Red Cross also said it was not notified prior to the developments. The proof lies in the fact that no one, not the Red Cross, UNIFIL, of the IDF made advance arrangements to receive the soldiers' remains. The Red Cross staff was even forced to wait an hour and a half until the IDF called a chief rabbi and sappers to inspect the container holding the remains.

Conspiracy theorists will find it difficult to believe the simple explanation that no one in Israel knew. Maybe everyone involved is pretending not to have known. Or they are feigning surprise so as not to make it look like there was a deal in place for the return of the remains. And this comes a year after Nasrallah's proposal regarding this matter was rejected, and after he cruelly offered to negotiate with Israel over the return of body parts. Ofer Dekel, appointed to conduct negotiations to the release of captive IDF soldiers, scornfully rejected the offer saying that Israel is interested in the return of the remains but will not allow them to be used as bargaining chips, nor will it offer any compensation for them.

But this time, it seems, the explanation is simple. Israel understood that the High Court of Justice would not allow it to keep Nissim Nasser in administrative detention after he completed his sentence. Israel decided it had no choice but to release Nasser and stressed that his release is not part of any deal or a goodwill gesture. But Nasser's attorney Smadar Ben-Natan hinted that things aren't as simple as they seem and that perhaps her client was freed in order to advance a larger deal. Hezbollah listened to Ben-Natan and believed her. That could be one possible explanation for their returning the solders' remains.

Another more sophisticated and reasonable explanation is that Nasrallah wanted to create a false impression. Nasser was released not because he served his sentence, but rather because Hezbollah cares for its soldiers and agents and does not abandon them. And that is the evidence that this was a deal. Hezbollah has sent the message: We pressed for Nasser's release and paid the price of returning the missing remains in exchange. That way Nasrallah makes Nasser look like much more than the small fry he is perceived to be in Israel. That's how Nasrallah's mind works. He is a spin artist and an expert at psychological warfare who creates dramas because he thinks he knows Israeli society. And, if it comes at the cost of suffering for the bereaved families, at the cost of a cynical game played on their exposed nerves, even better.

Related articles:
  • ANALYSIS / Nasrallah preparing for Kuntar's homecoming
  • Playing poker with Nasrallah
  • Nasrallah: The Zionist entity can be wiped out of existence
    • Bookmark to del.icio.us  
     
    Building Google
    How an Israeli hi-tech guru inspired Google's 'magic formula'.
    La femme Tzipi
    Colleagues regale the Sunday Times with stories of Livni's days on a Mossad hit team.
      1.   I am a Sunni Muslim, but I salute Hezbullah 19:27  |  KAM 01/06/08
      2.   Foul devious planner 19:35  |  Esther 01/06/08
      3.   Do not make too much of this 19:48  |  Dror 01/06/08
      4.   Israelis have begun to wake up 19:53  |  Dror 01/06/08
      5.   Ever hear of good deeds that begets another 19:54  |  Joe 01/06/08
      6.   dor & zionist entity 19:57  |  Imad 01/06/08
      7.   #1 Is that why they attacked your government? 19:59  |  Gili 01/06/08
      8.   #1, KAM, Foolish Person 20:04  |  Mordechai 01/06/08
      9.   HEZBOLLAH SHOULD OPEN A PR COMPANY 20:13  |  Arik Silverman 01/06/08
      10.   dignity 20:24  |  Imad 01/06/08
      11.   One day Nasrallah`s body parts will be the subject of negotiation 20:34  |  Joe 01/06/08
      12.   #11 Joe 20:44  |  Imad 01/06/08
      13.   Nasrallah is nothing but a thug and a trader in body parts. He 21:09  |  Rob 01/06/08
      14.   Not a deal, just Nasrallah trying to repair his face. It i 21:32  |  Jo 01/06/08
      15.   Hey Madrid come back home to Lebanon fight for real peace 21:37  |  J 01/06/08
      16.   #1 That`s the Muslim concept of "dignity`! What we suspected! 22:09  |  McQueen 01/06/08
      17.   I would bet anything the remains do not belong to Israelis 22:11  |  McQueen 01/06/08
      18.   #1 KAM 22:15  |  Murray the Mongoose 01/06/08
      19.   My heart bleeds for you 22:19  |  Colin Wright 01/06/08
      20.   12# Whats wrong with returning dead fallen soliders... 22:23  |  Joe 01/06/08
      21.   It`s no disgrace to lose the spin war to Nasrallah 22:33  |  Natallie Durson 01/06/08
      22.   I thought this was actually good news 23:22  |  Michael II 01/06/08
      23.   Joe - obviously you do not understand 23:44  |  Palestinian Brit 01/06/08
      24.   Nasrallah the Ghoul 23:55  |  H 01/06/08
      25.   Shia dominance 23:57  |  Edward 01/06/08
      26.   Muslim dignity and body parts 00:12  |  Tarzan 02/06/08
      27.   Arab world speak up or you are all Nasrallahs? 00:28  |  Kaya 02/06/08
      28.   IMAD "dignity" by hiding like a rabbit in a hole.An Arab hero 00:43  |  PETER SM 02/06/08
      29.   WRIGHT your may bleed but does your brain work? how does arrested 00:45  |  PETER SM 02/06/08
      30.   it is important that israel does no more deals 01:02  |  avihu 02/06/08
      31.   Return of bodies is another pr victory for Nasraliah. 01:50  |  Samuel I. Popack 02/06/08
      32.   Nasrallah`s PR these days is much better than Olmert`s PR 03:16  |  Aounist 02/06/08
      33.   Well Done Ya Sayyed Nasrallah 07:53  |  American 02/06/08
      34.   PR-victory ´d have been returning Ehud & Eldad! 11:18  |  AliciaYasmeen 02/06/08
      35.   A small box with body remains in a spot-light is an insult 11:28  |  AliciaYasmeen 02/06/08
      36.   Occupied Palestine 21:55  |  JW 02/06/08
     Read & React
    Who didn't attend New York's pro-Israel march? Israelis
    Responses: 132
    Doctors identify three IDF soldiers among remains handed over by Hezbollah
    Responses: 91
    John McCain: U.S. is committed to preventing a second Holocaust
    Responses: 106
    Barak: Hamas is exhibiting signs of distress
    Responses: 75
    Rosner's Domain
    New Guest: Why educate child as Jew when he is not Jewish?
    McCain's real enemy: Iran or Obama? (WTR)
    Poll: What political option is better for Israel?
    The ultimate challenge for Pastor Hagee
    The next seven months in the Middle East


    More Headlines
    21:41 Doctors identify three IDF soldiers among remains handed over by Hezbollah
    18:35 Three Israeli Arabs charged with planning to kidnap, kill soldier
    21:30 McCain tells AIPAC: Obama meet with Ahmadinejad would be 'earful of anti-Semitic rants'
    22:02 Senior IDF officer loses 'top secret' security documents
    21:56 Israel lets Israeli Arabs into Jenin for first time since 2000
    20:37 Olmert to Abbas: PA bid to curb our Europe ties 'unacceptable'
    20:25 Barak says general elections this year are 'entirely possible'
    21:59 Despite Shas threats, Bar On says no increase to child welfare payments
    18:45 Syria allows IAEA to investigate reported secret nuclear site
    20:19 U.S. imam fighting deportation talks of torture in Israeli detention
    15:31 Thousands attend funeral of Yosef Lapid; Olmert: He was my most loyal friend
    21:46 U.S. reinstates scholarships of Gaza students blocked exit permits by Israel
    Previous Editions
    Special Offers
    Advertisement
    Dead Sea Products
    Buy Dead Sea mineral skin care and beauty products. Coupon code Haaretz for 10% off.
    Jerusalem of Gold
    Luxury apartments in Jerusalem's finest location
    Your vacation starts here
    Israel Travel Center Guaranteed Lowest Rates
    Istudy
    Learn Hebrew in 3 months
    The Terraces
    Your Ultimate Coastal Address On Nitza Boulevard, North Netanya
    Together Celebrating Israel's 60th
    The Jewish Agency and You - together making history
    Pardes Institute Summer Sessions
    http://www.pardes.org.il/
    Free the Palestinians from:
    Corrupt Kleptocracy, Tyrannical Theocracy, Abysmal Anarchy
    Fattal Hotel Chain
    Perfectly located hotels on best resorts of Israel.
    ISRAEL BONDS Build Israel
    Israel bonds - a multi-purpose way to celebrate Israel's 60th
    Eldan Rent a Car
    Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on all online reservations
    Junkyard
    Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt
    Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Underground | Site rules |
    Real Estate in Israel | Travel to Israel with Haaretz | Hotels Israel | Restaurants Israel | Tourist attractions Israel | Shops Israel
    Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.
    © Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved