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Danny Haran's mother, sister fiercely object to Kuntar's release
Murder victim's family infuriated by cabinet's decision to free Samir Kuntar within framework of prisoner exchange with Hizbullah, take opposite stance to that of his widow. Freeing murderer will only lead to more kidnappings, they warn
Roni Lifshitz
"We've been quiet so far, it's not for us to run this country, but the pain is just too great," Nurit Caftori, Danny Haran's sister told Ynet Thursday.
| Widow Speaks Out |
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| ‘I won't let Hizbullah use me' / Roni Lifshitz |
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In 1979 Samir Kuntar who murdered her family, now Smadar Haran refuses to let her personal tragedy impede the return of Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev. 'I don’t have a monopoly over pain, suffering or justice,’ she says, asking gov't to do what is best for Israel, not her |
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Danny Haran and his two daughters were murdered by the terror cell headed by Samir Kuntar, nearly 30 years ago in the northern Israeli town of Nahariya. Unlike Smadar Haran, who said she had no objection to the State releasing Kuntar as part of the prisoner exchange deal with Hizbullah
to secure the return of Eldad Regev and Ehud Goldwasser, Caftori and her mother, Nina Karen, fiercely object to his release.
"This is ridiculous. We didn't think it was right to weigh in on the decision until now, because it didn’t feel right, but when (my mother) saw it was going to happen she said we have to do something."
The details of the deal, added, Caftori, infuriated the 82-year-old: "This is her last chance to be heard. She owes it to her son." Even more enraging, she said, was the fact that since the cabinet approved the swap, no State official has bothered to contact the family: "It's high time someone gave us the time of day, we deserve that much… how can they set him free? It will only lead to more kidnappings, and then what?"
The family, has little contact with Danny's widow, but "We all love her very much… it's been hard for her to stay in touch with us. We're a very close-knit family and Smadar is a very strong woman. It was hard for her to be around us. She wanted to start her life over."
In a press conference held after the details of the prisoner exchange deal were made public, Smadar Haran said she refuses to be "used" by Hizbullah: "I don’t have a monopoly on pain, suffering or justice.
"The despicable, vile murderer Samir Kuntar isn’t, nor has he ever been, my private prisoner. Kuntar is a prisoner of the State, which sentenced him to five life terms for his vicious crimes… His fate must be decided now, according to Israel's best defensive needs and moral interests, which should serve the people of Israel, now and in the future," she said.
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