Acceptance of the prisoner exchange deal with Hizbullah
will eliminate the last bargaining chip in MIA navigator Ron Arad’s case,
Samir Kuntar.
Attorney Eliad Shraga head of the Born Free organization and Arad family representative told Ynet on Sunday evening that “it is a big shame that the government did not withstand the agreements pertaining to the second stage of the previous prisoner exchange deal. We will continue to attempt attaining information on Ron. I hope that one day we will bring him back home.”
| Sealing the Deal |
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| Cabinet approves prisoner swap deal / Roni Sofer |
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(Video) Officials say prisoner exchange with Hizbullah likely to go through within two weeks. Cabinet votes in favor of swap despite defense officials' warning it will only encourage more kidnappings in future. Earlier, Prime Minister Olmert tells ministers captives are 'probably dead' |
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Ronen Merav, a friend of the Arad family who met Ron in flight school added, “The significance of Ron’s deal is still unclear. We came to Jerusalem and stood beside the families of the kidnapped soldiers in order to make it clear that we are with them, not against them and so that what happened to Ron, will not repeat itself. I hope that as part of this deal, Israel took Ron’s status into consideration as well.”
Nonetheless, there are those who adamantly disagree with the agreement. Meir Indor, head of the Almagor Terror Victims Association and lieutenant colonel (res.) told Ynet that, “this is a terrible day amongst those who want to trust the Israeli government.
"At the end of the day, the war ended with a huge fiasco. Just as the families are exhausted, so are we. We all know what is awaiting us. How will we be able to look into the eyes of soldiers’ parents and send their children to battle? What motivation will the soldiers have?”
Indor believes that by releasing Samir Kuntar, the government is violating the promises it made in the past. “Prime Minister Ehud Olmert promised
to take our sorrows into account. Where is his promise? Where is the promise made by Menachem Begin aside the graves of Kuntar’s victims?
“This is a huge production created by the terror organizations who utilize our emotions, our families and our media. All the latter serve a function for them. How can we conduct an army this way? Hizbullah Secretary-General Hassan Nassrallah will
kidnap more soldiers tomorrow.
We have opened a path for additional abductions. The next kidnapping is on its way and with it the next blackmail. Start preparing your campaigns.”
Roi Mandel contributed to this report
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