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Prisoner swap
After swap, Israel fears Hezbollah will escalate tensions in North
By Amos Harel, Yoav Stern and Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondents
Tags: Hezbollah, IDF, prisoner swap 

Israel and Hezbollah completed the prisoner swap Wednesday: Hezbollah returned the bodies of abducted Israel Defense Forces soldiers Eldad Regev and Ehud Goldwasser, while Israel handed over terrorist Samir Kuntar and four Hezbollah militants, as well as 197 bodies.

Now that the exchange has taken place, the Israeli defense establishment is worried that Hezbollah may seek a calculated escalation along the Lebanese border, and try to disrupt Israel Air Force flyovers in Lebanese airspace.

Hezbollah secretary general Hassan Nasrallah ended his public reclusion for a few minutes Wednesday, appearing in person at the Beirut celebration for the freed prisoners. Nasrallah took the stage at the stadium in the city's southern suburbs, a Hezbollah stronghold. Appearing alongside Samir Kuntar, he declared that his organization would now try to free the Lebanese land still occupied by Israel.
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"Our worry now is to free the rest of our lands ... protect our water and our sovereignty and our honor," he said, calling the prisoner release a victory for the resistance.

Nasrallah hinted that after examining the bodies Israel returned Wednesday, his organization will see whether more Lebanese whom Hezbollah believes Israel has are still missing.

Nasrallah then returned to his quarters in a secret location, to make a longer speech on video.

A Kuwaiti newspaper reported last week that Hezbollah has deployed sophisticated anti-aircraft missiles in the mountains in central Lebanon, in order to threaten IAF flights. Israeli intelligence sources said it appears the organization is looking for new excuses to clash with Israel, and that along with the fight for Shaba Farms (Mt. Dov), disrupting the flights could become another key area of operation. Until now, the IAF has enjoyed complete freedom of operation, which it used to collect intelligence.

Hezbollah identified this aerial freedom as its own weak spot - the IAF carried out attacks deep in Lebanon, and special forces reached the Lebanon Valley via helicopter.

Although senior military officers believe Israel still has substantial deterrent power over Hezbollah, they are concerned the organization is still seeking to "settle accounts" with Israel over the February assassination of Imad Mughniyah in Damascus. Hamas blames the Mossad for the killing. There are general terror alerts for Israel and Israeli targets abroad, and Canada last month reported it had arrested five Hezbollah members seeking to attack the Israeli embassy there.

Meanwhile, the Medical Corps experts who examined the bodies of Goldwasser and Regev determined they were killed during the abduction on July 12, 2006 or shortly thereafter. The experts' conclusion was similar to that of the missing soldiers unit, which stated a month after the abduction that one of the soldiers had died on the spot and the other was mortally wounded during the abduction.

Goldwasser, the patrol commander, was sitting in the passenger seat of the first Hummer that Hezbollah attacked. The militants fired anti-tank missiles at the Hummer from close range, in order to paralyze the patrol. Evidence on the site, as well as Wednesday's examination of the body, indicate that Goldwasser's seat took most of the damage and he was killed instantly. Regev, seated behind Goldwasser, was apparently also critically wounded by the anti-tank fire. The experts said Regev also may have been shot at close range by his kidnappers, possibly as soon as they reached the Hummer or when trying to escape from the burning vehicle.

The other two soldiers in the patrol have testified that they believed they saw the kidnappers pulling the two victims out of the jeep alive, but the army does not consider their testimony credible. The two fled the jeep after it was hit and hid in the bushes. One was seriously injured and the other suffered severe shell shock.

Hezbollah representatives Wednesday evaded questions regarding which of the soldiers was wounded and when. However, Hezbollah has promised to publicize a video of the kidnapping, which may shed more light on the sequence of events.

Also on Wednesday, Kuntar vowed to continue his 'resistance' against Israel, speaking at a Beirut rally welcoming his return and that of four Hezbollah men Israel released as part of a swap deal with the Lebanon-based guerilla group.

"I returned today from Palestine but believe me I will not return until I go back to Palestine," he told the roaring crowd. "I promise my people and dear ones in Palestine that I and my dear comrades in the valiant Islamic resistance are returning."

Related articles:
  • 'We cut out newspapers to show you when you returned'
  • Regev and Goldwasser to receive military funerals Thursday (2006)
  • ANALYSIS / In Lebanon, prisoner swap is Hezbollah victory
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      1.   Interrrupting Overflights is Escalation 04:11  |  Bernie 17/07/08
      2.   hezzbollah has won all the batles against israel 04:16  |  paulo2005 17/07/08
      3.   To all the clickfools & Dursons 05:54  |  Hans 17/07/08
      4.   Deleted by moderator 06:03  |  Maurice 17/07/08
      5.   To all the clickfools & Dursons& the Dutch of this world 06:16  |  Hans 17/07/08
      6.   and the Jews lap it up--um, it MUST be chocolate? 06:39  |  Mark 17/07/08
      7.   Israel seen as pathetically weak 07:15  |  Jon 17/07/08
      8.   Tell me who are your heroes and I`ll tell you who are you 07:25  |  Dan 17/07/08
      9.   Na-zi-ralla bodies trader to the stars 07:26  |  Dan 17/07/08
      10.   So now I know Israel is run by total idiots 07:40  |  Steve Randolph 17/07/08
      11.   PEACE INDEX?? 07:48  |  Ilan 17/07/08
      12.   Israel "fears" 08:20  |  Jewish State 17/07/08
      13.   GONE is that once substantive Power that Israel once had.... 08:28  |  Dolly 17/07/08
      14.   Is this supposed to be a joke? 08:34  |  Guy From NYC 17/07/08
      15.   Do you notice how they talk about more `victories`? 08:50  |  Dan 17/07/08
      16.   Er...you were saying about breaches of Resolution 1701 09:14  |  Clickfool 17/07/08
      17.   Jon 09:16  |  Daniel 17/07/08
      18.   Kudos to Haaretz! 09:21  |  Natallie Durson 17/07/08
      19.   Resistance to what? 09:36  |  ScotGuy 17/07/08
      20.   Word of consolation for Dolly # 7 09:38  |  Clickfool 17/07/08
      21.   Clickfool, Dutch, Noor Natalie et al 10:32  |  Yakov 17/07/08
      22.   #18 Very nice post from you Clickfool 10:41  |  Mark B. 17/07/08
      23.   Moderator?? 11:18  |  Des Boxall 17/07/08
      24.   For Des Boxall # 23 12:00  |  Clickfool 17/07/08
      25.   Clickfool`s post #20 12:01  |  Daniel 17/07/08
      26.   Dan: I guess your heore is Sharon 12:07  |  Jose 17/07/08
      27.   The easiest way for Israel to avoid 12:10  |  Paul Wood 17/07/08
      28.   Admission 13:05  |  Persian Hero 17/07/08
      29.   it`s illegal! 13:52  |  jo 17/07/08
      30.   Persian Hero, go read 1701, then come back and apologize 14:30  |  Colonel 17/07/08
      31.   You to Jo of Jerusalem 14:31  |  Colonel 17/07/08
      32.   Bernie#1 14:40  |  Steve 17/07/08
      33.   FEAR? IT IS TIME TO DO WHAT WE MUST DO 15:00  |  JL 17/07/08
      34.   # 14 Was this a joke? 15:35  |  Charles Ronen 17/07/08
      35.   HOW TO ATTACK IRAN 15:42  |  B. Roffman 17/07/08
      36.   For B.Roffman # 32 15:55  |  Clickfool 17/07/08
      37.   We should not wait : We should beat the Hezbullah to the ground. 16:01  |  Jean Van Daem 17/07/08
      38.   lebanon 16:14  |  lara 17/07/08
      39.   WELL OF COURSE THEY WILL COME BACK TO TERRORIZE MORE;ALL THEIR 16:20  |  glenna 17/07/08
      40.   If Hizbullah Escalates, Destroy Syria 16:26  |  Josh 17/07/08
      41.   swap 16:27  |  Lebanus 17/07/08
      42.   Israel Fears Hezbollah will Escalate 16:32  |  JordanisPalestine 17/07/08
      43.   #30, Colonel 16:42  |  Persian Hero 17/07/08
      44.   Kuntar, it`s not over yet. 17:09  |  Mossad 17/07/08
      45.   Clickfool : UN resolution OK only if AGAINST Israel? 19:45  |  Arthur 17/07/08
      46.   Government SUPPORTS Kuntar 100% by FREEING this Monster (1) 20:03  |  Linda Rivera 17/07/08
      47.   Government SUPPORTS Kuntar 100% by FREEING this Monster (2) 20:04  |  Linda Rivera 17/07/08
      48.   The Infamous Day that EVIL, Terrorism & MURDER Triumphed 20:06  |  Linda Rivera 17/07/08
      49.   Hezbollah 20:42  |  Michael Pielet 17/07/08
      50.   To Scot Guy in Jerusalem 21:17  |  Otto Rand 17/07/08
      51.   Lebanon has NO sovereign rights 21:18  |  dsharon 17/07/08
      52.   Is the IDF`s No Army Army Ready ? 21:40  |  Tod Zuckerman 17/07/08
      53.   Steve, Hopefully It is All Over Now 21:54  |  Bernie 17/07/08
      54.   #27 Paul Wood - The easiest way for 22:46  |  * BEN JABO 17/07/08
      55.   #28 Persian Hero 22:50  |  * BEN JABO 17/07/08
      56.   I remember media saying Israelis didn`t want to serve in Lebanon 23:09  |  Straight Talk 17/07/08
      57.   To Steve 23:22  |  Danny 17/07/08
      58.   #47 Tod Zuckerman SF 02:35  |  * BEN JABO 18/07/08
      59.   #30 Colonel, he is quite correct 05:32  |  Johnboy 18/07/08
      60.   #46 Says who, dsharon.... 05:41  |  Johnboy 18/07/08
      61.   #52, Ben Jabo 13:13  |  Persian Hero 18/07/08
      62.   #61 Persian Hero 15:02  |  * BEN JABO 18/07/08
      63.   #59 Johnboy - with his one eyed version of 1701 15:08  |  f* BEN JABO 18/07/08
      64.   #61 2ND TRY Persian Hero 21:58  |  * BEN JABO 18/07/08
      65.   Johnboy admits No Lebanese Sovereignty 22:58  |  dsharon 18/07/08
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