With the release of Naseem Nissr, attention is now on the next stage of negotiations - the more anticipated prisoner exchange deal between Hezbollah and Israel. If the speculation that Israel will release all Lebanese prisoners for Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev is true, Operation Truthful Promise that Nasrallah announced two years ago will have succeeded - and what an amazing feat that will be.
It would mean that since the mid 1980s through to 2000 and beyond, Hezbollah would have resisted the Israeli occupation, driven them out of Southern Lebanon and freed all Lebanese prisoners of war from Israeli dungeons and torture cells. All Lebanese prisoners - including Samir Kuntar who has done hard time in Israel's prisons for almost 30 years.
Think about what all this means for a moment. Look at it in the big picture. There was once a time when Israel did what it pleased simply because it could. The defeat it suffered in the 33 day war, however, changed everything. Israel suddenly realised that it no longer had the military option in Lebanon - the resistance was just too stiff. Hezbollah showed what they could do to the IDF and sent them packing. This is why - and this is the only reason - Israel now has no choice but to negotiate with Hezbollah over a prisoner exchange deal.
What Hezbollah has achieved is nothing short of miraculous. When all Lebanese prisoners are free, however, there is still the issue of the Shebaa Farms and Israel's continuous violation of Lebanese air space and territorial waters. To those who want Hezbollah disarmed, do you really think that the Lebanese army will care enough to do something about these Israeli violations? In the event of a future Israeli invasion (and there will be one - Israel is a vengeful, frustrated and lunatic state, let's not forget), is the Lebanese government and army capable of even putting up a fight? Remember that crying on national television doesn't count for anything.
I'll ask an even more important question: If it were not for Hezbollah, would Israel still be occupying Southern Lebanon?
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