Lebanon and France Welcome Prisoner Exchange Deal Between Israel and Hezbollah

Political prisoner released in exchange for Israeli citizen

Deal resolves years-long stalemate over return of Lebanese prisoner

Lebanon and France hailed a prisoner exchange deal reached between Israel and Hezbollah, which saw the release of a Lebanese political prisoner in exchange for an Israeli citizen held by the Lebanese Shiite group.

The swap, which was brokered by Germany, marked a significant breakthrough in efforts to resolve the years-long stalemate over the return of Lebanese prisoner Nissim Nasser, who had been held in Israel since 1997.

In return for Nasser's release, Hezbollah handed over the remains of two Israeli soldiers and a map marking the burial site of a third soldier, who were killed in a 2006 conflict with the group.

Optimism for future negotiations

Lebanese President Michel Aoun welcomed the deal as a "positive step" and expressed hope that it would pave the way for future negotiations aimed at addressing the broader issue of prisoners held by both sides.

French President Emmanuel Macron, who played a key role in mediating the deal, said he was "relieved" that Nasser had been released and that the remains of the Israeli soldiers had been returned.

Complex negotiations

The negotiations leading up to the exchange were complex and spanned several years. Hezbollah had long demanded the release of Nasser, who was serving a life sentence in Israel for his involvement in a deadly attack on Israeli soldiers in 1994.

Israel, on the other hand, had insisted on the return of the remains of its soldiers and information on the fate of the missing soldier before releasing Nasser.

Ultimately, the two sides were able to reach a compromise that satisfied both parties, with Germany playing a crucial role in facilitating the exchange.

Historic moment for Lebanon

The prisoner exchange was seen as a historic moment for Lebanon and was welcomed by many as a sign of progress towards resolving the long-running conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.

The deal also highlighted the importance of international mediation in facilitating dialogue and finding solutions to complex regional issues.

Source: Aljazeera