Well, I guess it’s over.

Wearing a white shroud, indicating her readiness for martyrdom, and writing in Arabic that reads: ‘death to Israel, death to US’, an Iranian woman holds a poster of Lebanese Hezbollah leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah, and a placard showing Jerusalem’s Dome of Rock, as she attends an anti-Israeli demonstration in Tehran, Iran, Friday, Dec. 12, 2008. Thousands of Iranians stage demonstrations to protest Israel of the consequences of the ongoing siege of the militant Hamas-run Gaza Strip

If she does attain her goal of martyrdom, I assume she would function as one of the 72 virgins for a male counterpart.

Unless they are mistaken about the whole virgin thing, and it is actually 72 raisins.

In which case I’m sure she’ll be pleased anyway.

More of this beauty here and here.

The Hizbullah-run Al-Manar news agency reported Saturday that recent reports stating the organization’s secretary general, Hassan Nasrallah, escaped a poisoning attempt on his life were false.

Al-Manar aired an interview with Nasrallah via its internet website, in which the Hizbullah leader denied the rumors, though he confirmed that he was indeed ill.

Let me guess: he ate some dodgy Lebanese falafel?

So who was spreading these false rumors? (need I ask?)

In the interview with Al-Manar Nasrallah explained that “if research was done on the internet websites posting such unfounded information, it would reveal that they are all being run from that same dark room, and that their aim is to serve American-Israeli interests.”

He’s on to us. And on the subject, do you realize for how long I’ve been asking for some darn lights in here?

An Iraqi news website on Wednesday quoted “high-ranking diplomatic sources in Beirut” as saying that Hizbullah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah survived a poisoning attempt.

According to the state-affiliated website, Nasrallah survived an assassination by a highly toxic chemical just a few days ago.

The report has yet to be confirmed by any official source, and Hizbullah media made no mention of the alleged attempt on the Hizbullah chief’s life.

According to the Iraqi website’s report, Nasrallah suffered grave effects from the poison, and a team of 15 Iranian physicians was flown to Beirut to attend him, and eventually managed to stabilize his condition.

The report quoted “western diplomatic sources” as saying that Israel was apparently behind the assassination attempt, adding that the Shiite group has launched an investigation into the incident.

The origin of the chemical may indicate who was behind the assassination attempt, according to the report.

Arutz Sheva quotes Iranian newspaper Khoursid as saying essentially the same thing, and adds:

The report may explain rumors 10 days ago that Nasrallah has appointed his heir in case he is assassinated. Safi al-Din, the chairman of the terrorist organization’s executive council and Nasrallah’s cousin, will take over the leadership of Hizbullah if “the Zionists succeed in assassinating Hassan Nasrallah,” the newspaper reported.

Whether or not it was the Mossad behind the assassination attempt is a matter of speculation. But if it was, it looks like we are not having too much luck with poison.

Meanwhile, you have to love this Hizbullah denial.

A senior Hizbullah figure called the report a “fabrication”, saying “I haven’t seen Nasrallah in a week, but I know he is in good health.”

In other words, “I don’t know what the f*** I’m talking about, but I’ll say he’s in good health.”

Did this senior Hizbullah figure ever stop to think why he has not seen Nasrallah in a week?

Where’s a Hellfire missile when you need one?

Update: The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office has released this video on Kuntar:

Again, I can only hope Israel was smart enough to have placed some poison in Kuntar’s food, to guarantee him a slow and painful death.

Note: Props to AP for publishing this photo. I am normally very critical of their (biased) coverage, so I am more than willing to acknowledge when they get it right.

Updates (Perth, Australia time):

11:19AM: You will find here some pictures of Kuntar and friends being processed for released.

Is it just me, or does Kuntar look like Adolph Hitler after sucking on some hydrogen?

11:45AM: The IDF believes Hizbullah leader Hassan Nasrallah will leave his bunker and “make a special appearance to greet Samir Kuntar upon his arrival in Beirut.”

Here’s hoping this happens, and an IDF jet is there to help Kuntar and Nasrallah make a special appearance to greet Yasser Arafat and the other terrorists upon their arrival in hell.

12:22PM: Israel National News reports:

Palestinian Authority media, controlled by “moderate” PLO Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, has hailed the release of Samir Kuntar, saying the man who crushed the skull of four-year-old Einat Haran in 1979 “epitomizes the ideal Palestinian prisoner.”

I couldn’t agree more.

And that, my friends, tells you everything you need to know about Israel’s “peace partner.”

12:30PM: Ha’aretz reports that Hassan Chicken Nasrallah will apparently not attend the prisoner reception in Lebanon after all.

1:50PM: As the Jerusalem Post reports, the Regev and Goldwasser families are still hopeful their sons are still alive.

2:05PM: The exchange was supposed to happen 5 minutes, but I haven’t seen anything. The Ha’aretz news ticker reports that the swap is to be delayed by one hour, citing Hezbollah`s Al-Manar TV.

2:15PM: The soldiers are reportedly now on the border, but there’s no report of their condition.

2:16PM: They’ve been transferred to the Red Cross.

2:45PM: 2 coffins have been laid out at the border crossing.

This is a sad day for Israel.

3:50PM: Ynet reports:

Cries of horror sounded at the Regev and Goldwasser homes Wednesday, as family members witnessed the TV broadcast of the prisoner exchange, in which the coffins of Eldad Regev and Ehud Goldwasser were shown being turned over to the Red Cross.

—-

Eldad Regev’s aunt, Hanna, collapsed upon seeing the images of her nephew’s coffin and was attended to by Magen David Adom paramedics, which were standing by.

My heart goes out to the Regev and Goldwasser families.

4:31PM: Ma’an reports that the body of terrorist Dalal Al-Mughrabi was one of those to be returned in the swap, contrary to an earlier report from Israel’s Channel 10.

“(Hizbullah leader Hassan) Nasrallah is like (former Israeli Prime Minister) Ariel Sharon * – they both invaded Beirut,” Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal said during a recent Arab League conference in Cairo on the sectarian violence in Lebanon.

Leaving aside the fact that Israel captured Beirut to drive out the PLO (which had been launching terrorist attacks from Lebanon) while Hizbullah’s agenda is very different, Al-Faisal’s statement once again shows the Arab fixation with Israel, even when Israel is not involved.

By the way, in case you were wondering:

The Arab League eventually decided that it would try to mediate between the rival factions in Lebanon but did not condemn Hizbullah.

* There is no similarity between Nasrallah and Sharon, although I really wish there was in one respect.