From “Extremists” to Dialogue… Hezbollah fought them in Syria Now it reportedly meets them in Turkey

Secret Talks After Years of War
Reuters reported secret meetings in Turkey between Hezbollah representatives and Syria’s new authorities.
Damascus and Ankara denied the talks, while other reports suggested contact was ongoing.

Entering Syria to Fight Them
Hezbollah fought alongside Bashar al-Assad, framing its intervention as a fight against “extremists” and a way to protect Lebanon from their advance.

Lebanon Paid the Price
The intervention deepened domestic divisions, pulled Lebanon further into regional conflicts, and strained ties with several Arab states.

Assad Fell. The Rhetoric Changed.
Assad’s opponents took power, and Naim Qassem said Hezbollah was open to meeting Syria’s leadership.
Yesterday’s “extremists” became possible dialogue partners.

Dialogue Is Not the Problem
The problem is a party waging war outside state authority, at Lebanon’s expense—then changing its language as its interests shift.
Had this dialogue happened 14 years ago, Lebanon might have avoided many of the costs and consequences of years of war.