Subscribe to Print Edition | Sun., July 13, 2008 Tamuz 10, 5768 | | Israel Time: 01:52 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Car Rental Books Peres Conference Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

Exchange with Hezbollah set for Wednesday By Yossi Melman, Amos Harel and Barak Ravid The prisoner exchange with Hezbollah is set to take place Wednesday or Thursday, at the Rosh Hanikra Israel-Lebanon border crossing, barring any last-minute changes. The German mediator who brokered the deal, Gerhard Konrad, is expected to give Israeli negotiator Ofer Dekel the full report compiled by Hezbollah on missing Israeli airman Ron Arad tomorrow, or even today, including clarifications requested by Israel. In return, Israel is to release a report on an Iranian journalist and three Iranian diplomats who were arrested during the first Lebanon War and executed following interrogations. Advertisement Dekel has been to Europe several times in recent weeks in connection to the report. He is expected to travel to the continent again this weekend. Next week Israel will issue an official announcement on the plans to release Samir Kuntar and four Hezbollah militants held in Israel, in order to let those opposed to the exchange petition the High Court of Justice. The report on Arad will be examined by Israeli intelligence officials before it is presented to the cabinet early next week, ahead of Tuesday's final vote on the exchange. Intelligence officials will present their opinions on the report to the cabinet. One possible obstacle to the cabinet's approval is the terms of the current deal, which go against promises the state made to Arad's family when it redeemed Elhanan Tenenbaum in 2004 - not to release Lebanese terrorist Samir Kuntar without also obtaining substantive information about Arad's fate. At present, the cabinet seems set to give the deal final approval. One minister said he believes Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is submitting the deal to a second cabinet vote so that all the ministers will be responsible for violating the government's promises to the Arads. If the cabinet approves the deal, the exchange will take place either Wednesday or Thursday. Israeli officials want the exchange to be a relatively low-key affair, despite the considerable media interest in the event. If the soldiers are dead, they will be given standard military funerals next Friday, not state funerals. Meanwhile, at the cemetery for enemy combatants at the Galilee kibbutz of Amiad, the military rabbinate is finishing exhuming the remains of some 200 militants from Hezbollah and Palestinian terror organizations. They will be sent to Lebanon as part of the exchange. "The effort to return the abductees should not be delayed or halted because we are forced to deal with Hezbollah's constant tricks," Defense Minister Ehud Barak said yesterday. "I hope that very soon we shall see the end of the fight to return the soldiers." Bookmark to del.icio.us   Smoking kills Tehran slams McCain for saying cigarettes could be used to kill Iranians. Case of deja vu Olmert and his office chief Shula Zaken were accused of similar charges back in 1991.

Read & React Did Iran doctor an image of its missile test launch? Responses: 208 Hitler's bodyguard: The Fuhrer was a good boss Responses: 160 Olmert suspected of defrauding state, charities to fund trips abroad Responses: 76 Ari Shavit: The real problem is America Responses: 164 H.A. Hellyer: Who speaks for Europe's Muslims? Responses: 68 More Headlines 00:51 Olmert: Reports I defrauded charities are distorted, despicable 22:48 Hezbollah hands report on Ron Arad over to Israel 01:44 Sarkozy asks Syria to help resolve Iran nuclear crisis 20:10 Friends of captive IDF soldiers mark two years since Hezbollah raid 21:57 Tehran slams McCain for saying cigarettes could be used to kill Iranians 17:29 Report: Berlin man who tore off head of Hitler waxwork to escape fine 20:47 ANALYSIS / Two years on, IDF is starting to look like an army that can fight a war 20:46 Dichter: Recent terror attacks in Jerusalem are not start of new intifada 17:12 Senior Tehran official: Iran would destroy Israel if attacked 07:17 Former U.S. diplomat gets year in prison for anti-Arab remarks 14:00 Hezbollah: Second Lebanon War was biggest Israeli defeat ever 14:26 Qassam hits western Negev in new Gaza truce violation Previous Editions Select Day 11 jul 10 jul 09 jul 08 jul 07 jul 06 jul 04 jul 03 jul 02 jul 01 jul 30 jun 29 jun

Special Offers Advertisement Fattal Hotel Chain Perfectly located hotels on best resorts of Israel. Israel's Premier Real Estate Website www. israel-property.com Dan Hotels Israel Live the Legend & experience an Unforgettable Summer Vacation Yossi Avrahami Presents: New Luxurious Projects in North Tel Aviv & Eilat Holyland Park Jerusalem Apartment Tower World Class Luxury Right In the heart of Tel-Aviv The Meier on Rothschild tower Your vacation starts here Israel Travel Center Guaranteed Lowest Rates Hebrew Summer courses From $39.95 ISRAEL BONDS Build Israel Israel bonds - a multi-purpose way to celebrate Israel's 60th Eldan Rent a Car Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on all online reservations Junkyard Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt

Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Underground | Site rules |

Real Estate in Israel | Travel to Israel with Haaretz | Hotels Israel | Restaurants Israel | Tourist attractions Israel | Shops Israel

birthright Israel | Search engine marketing

Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.

© Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved