Terrorist Samir Kuntar
Smadar Haran
Photo: Zoom 77
Victim's brother: Swap Kuntar for abducted soldiers
Despite brutal killing of Haran family in 1979, family member says willing to exchange Samir Kuntar for 'living' abducted Israeli soldiers
Almost four years have passed since the last prisoner exchange deal, and once again terrorist Samir Kuntar has returned to the limelight, this time pertaining to the exchange deal involving abducted IDF soldiers Udi Goldwasser and Eldad Regev.
Such an exchange is being fought by the family of missing airman Ron Arad, for whom Kuntar serves as a bargaining chip. And there is also Smadar Haran, who lost her husband and two daughters in a terror attack for which Kuntar stood trial.
Danny Haran's brother Ronny and his mother Nina (Archive photo: Ronnie Schitzer)
Ronny Keren, Haran's brother in law, told ynet: "If the abducted soldiers are alive – and the emphasis here is on alive - I agree to the release of Samir Kuntar."
"It is not my role to determine the cost, the cost is painful," said Keren. Keren added that he did not want to see Kuntar released unless the release of the abducted soldiers was at stake.
"It's a high price; the government knows who the man is and what he has done," added Keren. "It is not coincidental that he has not been released thus far. (Hizbullah Secretary-General) Hassan Nasrallah wants him released; his entire conduct is associated with this issue."
With much pain the Keren and Haran families are being forced to hear Nasrallah's statements."The last few days have been very difficult for us, the family. At times like this the whole affair is revived. It's one of the most difficult times," Keren said.
"Perhaps the public has forgotten who this man is – I want to remind them how he brutally killed the little girl, how he cracked her skull with the butt of his rifle. And he never regretted his acts; on the contrary, he boasted about them and became a hero in Lebanon for what he had done, which is considered an act of heroism there. His conduct is irregular and all the governments are aware of this, that is why he has always been involved in exchange deals but never released."
