Syrian President Bashar Assad warmly welcomed Monday an unusual guest at his palace – Samir Kuntar, who murdered an Israeli family and was released from prison in 2008 in the framework of the swap for the bodies of IDF soldiers Eldad Regev and Ehud Goldwasser.
Media outlets in Damascus reported that Assad and Kuntar discussed the latest political developments in Lebanon ahead of the publication of the Hariri probe conclusions, as well as "the role of the resistance in defending Lebanon against the dangers threatening its security and stability."
Avoiding long lines at stores. Assad gets Kunta'r book (Photo: AFP)
The two stressed the importance of "the resistance mode of thinking as a basis for regaining Arab rights."
During the meeting, Kuntar gave the Syrian president a copy of his book, "my story," which details his life in the 30 years he spent in Israeli prisons.
The visit marked Kuntar's second trip to Damascus since being released by Israel. In the first meeting with Assad, held a few months after Kuntar's release, the Syrian president honored the Lebanese killer with a prestigious Syrian distinction and praised him, saying "Kuntar was not only the most senior prisoner during his time in jail, but also the most senior free and honorable man."