More than a year after the war between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, lasted for 34 days, the scars continue to heal. The war ended inconclusively with both sides claiming victory and southern Lebanon, forced into staging the combat, left in tatters.
If the exchange of soldiers between Israel and Hezbollah be taken as a sign of the ensuing peace, then nothing could ever be farther from the truth.
True, the mood in the region has been somewhat lifted by the prisoner-exchange policy, enacted both by the Israeli army and the Lebanese militants, but reality is that much still needs to be done to wipe out the tearful memories of last summer.
Hezbollah handed over the dead body of one Israeli soldier and received one Lebanese prisoner and the remains of two Hezbollah fighters killed in the war last summer. The process came amidst emotional scenes at the Naqoura crossing. Though there wasn’t any protest at the exchange, the tangible grief and biting loss were pervasive.
The war between the Israeli army and Hezbollah sparked after the Lebanese militant group captured the two Israeli troops, Eldad Regev and Ehud Goldwasser, and refused to let them go. Israel then launched into a raid on southern Lebanon in an effort to free the captured soldiers and Hezbollah picked up the thread from there.
Thousands of civilians died and thousands more were displaced. The wounds cut so deep that the exchange of prisoners could hardly come as a respite for those who mourn the loss of their beloved in the war.
Relationship between Israel and Lebanon has been damaged because of the war and the Hezbollah keeps on gathering strength. War does really change nothing for the better.
Image Source: China Images
Source: Al Jazeera
