With the death of soldier Abbass Medlej going viral over Twitter, anger and protests awakened the streets from their catatonic state threatening of subversion. However, contacts got underway on various levels to rein in conflicts that were leaking from the Arsal heights.
Lebanese daily Assafir learned that Prime Minister Tammam Salam and Interior Minister Nouhad Mashnouq were in contact with Hezbollah Secretary General's adviser Hussein Khalil as well as with Coordination and Liaison Unit head Wafik Safa, so as to put tags on reactions following the Islamic State's beheading of soldier Medlej.
The Islamic State's scheme is said to be aimed at inciting Sunni-Shiite sedition, which calls for specific measures so as to bash the pillars of said plans. The Hezbollah administration has been notified that the government is fully aware of the jihadists' treacherous scheme and that it shall not allow it to come into effect.
Hezbollah is said to have interfered in full force to thwart any deterioration and halt all angered popular reactions in regions that fall under its influence. The party has been deploying all efforts to spread self-restraint and protect refugees and has been in contact with the Medlejs and various Bekaa Families to keep the situation under control.
With the murder of soldier Medlej, many questions arise:
- How could the Islamic State behead a new detainee, at times where the Qatari-Syrian mediation is in full force?
- Is negotiation at knife's edge acceptable? Where does the mediator, that enjoys IS-Nusra Front links, fall in terms of credibility that qualifies him to pursue such endeavors?
- Is "blood negotiation" the aim, as depicted by Prime Minister Tammam Salam's Sunday speech? Are these attempts to push the state into compromise?
- When will the state's "winning cards" be put into actions? Are we supposed to await the fall of martyrs prior to their deployment?
With this being said, Assafir sources noted that said "winning cards" encompass besieging Arsal and cutting off the area, hence leaving gunmen powerless, then carrying out Fatah al-Islam inmate-executions.
PM Tammam Salam was quoted saying that the Qatari mediation has resulted in major shifts as Doha voiced readiness to collaborate and assist the Lebanese state. However, this remains a thorny dossier which involves a whole town that has fallen captive to gunmen and goes beyond the detainment of a number of soldiers.
Interior Minister Nouhad Mashnouq said that resolving the case of the captive soldiers and ISF personnel will likely “take some time", stressing that contacts are maintained with Hezbollah leadership.
The talks were carried out by Prime Minister Tammam Salam and Mashnouq on the one hand and Khalil and Safa on the other, the newspaper reported.
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