Hizbullah, FPM Reject Tasking Muslim Scholars Committee with Hostages Crisis
Hizbullah and the Free Patriotic Movement expressed reservations on tasking the Muslim Scholars Committee with negotiating the release of Lebanese soldiers and policemen taken hostage by Islamist gunmen.
According to the pan-Arab daily al-Hayat, Hizbullah rejects tasking the committee with negotiations over its ongoing campaign against the party and its intervention in the war raging in the neighboring country Syria.
Sources told the newspaper that Hizbullah will not announce to public its rejection to avoid a “sectarian tension.”
The Families of policemen and soldiers held hostage by militants for almost five months met Saturday with MP Walid Jumblat, who has repeatedly called on the government to accept a swap deal to free the servicemen.
A delegation from the relatives of the abducted servicemen held a meeting on Saturday with Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat at the Mukhtara palace in presence of Health Minister Wael Abou Faour.
The families tasked Jumblat with the negotiations, calling on Prime Minister Tammam Salam to swiftly resolve the case.
Last week, the relatives called on the Committee to play a bigger role in the negotiations after Qatar withdrew from the case.
However, the scholars called on the state to officially task them in order to follow up the case.
The security force members were captured when the jihadists briefly overran Arsal in August, sparking fierce battles with Lebanese troops.
Four have been executed so far, and the jihadists have threatened to kill the remaining hostages unless there is a deal to free Islamist prisoners in Lebanon.
Sources told al-Hayat newspaper that contacts will kick off on Monday to reach a solution for the task that could be played by the committee despite reports saying that the scholars could play a role in the release of servicemen away from media spotlight.
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