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Close the Arad file
By Gideon Levy

The time has come to say this out loud: There is virtually no chance that Ron Arad is alive. Only Japanese soldiers emerge from the thick of the forest after 21 years. We should fold the flags of this struggle and lower our heads in sadness, and focus all our efforts on those who still have a chance of returning. As the struggle for Arad has become not only hopeless but is liable to undermine the effort to return the others, we must make the painful and unavoidable choice to give up on his case.

The state should free itself from hollow declarations and fulfill its real mission - to bring back Gilad Shalit, Udi Goldwasser and Eldad Regev. Those who wish to continue to hold rallies, off-road races and flyovers, to roam the world or distribute rewards to anyone providing information on the fate of Ron Arad, are welcome to continue doing so, of course. But the state should focus on the others so that they do not become Ron Arads.

The Arad file should be closed. Samir Kuntar and other prisoners should be released in exchange for the two soldiers captured by Hezbollah, without conditioning this on receiving information on Arad. It will not lead to anything other than more and more fateful delays. Arad's mother has passed away. His daughter, who was an infant when he fell into captivity, is already the third generation of searchers for him. Their personal pain touches the heart, but it can no longer engage the teams of negotiators, who should focus on the main issue. What value was there in the much-publicized trip by Yuval and Chen Arad to meet with Germany's general prosecutor? "Raising the awareness of Arad's case," in the words of his brother Chen. It is already too late for this, and it bears no significance.
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The State of Israel has invested a lot in searching for the navigator, even if we accept the statement of his wife, Tami, who years ago called the country's efforts a "disgrace." Arad became a legend in arousing conflicting sentiments: On the one hand, it is emotionally moving to see how an entire country mobilized on behalf of one of its sons. On the other hand, it is infuriating to witness the way the state discriminates. Was Arad only "born for freedom?" The fate of Zecharia Baumel is no less compelling. The chance of him being alive is similar to that of Arad, but there are no flyovers or rewards for him. "One who crawls on the ground is worth less than a pilot," his father, Yona Baumel, said bitterly at the end of the week, and he was justified in saying this. And we have said nothing about Gabriel Dawit, the Ethiopian, or about our callous attitude toward the fate of the prisoners we are holding.

We have chosen a symbol, one of the "best and brightest for piloting." The family's activity has added its own aspect, and we have invented a legend for ourselves. Educational institutions have invested in Ron only because it was easy to unite around him. "Ron Arad, we're hoping for you, Ahmed and Salim," screamed one ridiculous sign. His 40th birthday was celebrated in about 800 places throughout the world. And what came of this? Nothing. Just as nothing came from all of the "negotiating chips" who, in simple language, are hostages we snatched and held in prison for years, in flagrant violation of the law and human rights and in a way that made us comparable to the terror organizations. When Mustafa Dirani, one of the most important "chips" was released, Arad's daughter Yuval said: "This is the end of the struggle." And her mother added: "Tomorrow, Ron's funeral procession begins." But the family did not stick to its word and two years later again traveled to Germany in a futile effort to prevent the release of another "chip."

In Israel, a state that has experienced considerable bereavement, there are quite a few fallen soldiers whose burial site is unknown, and this is an unending nightmare for their families. Arad is apparently one of them and perhaps will remain such forever. Someone who was declared dead back in 1999 by the former commander of the air force, Avihu Ben Nun, cannot continue to shake an entire society and, in particular, cannot endanger its other sons who are being held in captivity. Let us put Ron's case aside and instead display some generosity to achieve the release of the others. If there is a campaign that needs to be waged now, it is one calling on the government to release anyone necessary to allow Shalit, Goldwasser and Regev to return.
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  1.   Gideon Levy wants to free Samir Kuntar the child murderer 10:14  |  Ken Jurist 21/10/07
  2.   Gideon we`d much rather you stopped writing 10:19  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 21/10/07
  3.   Time has come for HAARETZ to give up on Gideon Levy 10:44  |  Vittorio 21/10/07
  4.   gideon levy as usual 10:45  |  igal azuelos 21/10/07
  5.   NEVER, Levy! 11:11  |  Tzfonit 21/10/07
  6.   # 1 Ken Jurist. IDF child-killers 11:11  |  Nick Ferriman 21/10/07
  7.   Gideon when it will be your child, remind us all to close the fil 11:19  |  Gil 21/10/07
  8.   Well done Gideon 11:22  |  Nick Ferriman 21/10/07
  9.   One of the most shameful articles by Levy ever! 11:25  |  Jonathan S 21/10/07
  10.   IT ISN`T LEVYS CARCASS ON THE LINEWHAT`S WHY 11:48  |  JEFF 21/10/07
  11.   # 5 Tzfoint 11:56  |  Nick Ferriman 21/10/07
  12.   Nick Ferriman If you wish to talk about tortures go and look at 12:09  |  Gil 21/10/07
  13.   About Child Murderers! 12:14  |  northern neighbor 21/10/07
  14.   Levy care more for Baghrouti than Shalit 12:19  |  Ilan 21/10/07
  15.   #12 Gil, 12:33  |  Nick Ferriman 21/10/07
  16.   Make the deal 12:38  |  Natallie Durson 21/10/07
  17.   Gideon Levy gave up on Ron Arad a long time ago 12:46  |  Jonathan 21/10/07
  18.   Gideon is not one of us 12:58  |  Guy 21/10/07
  19.   Time We Give Up On Gideon Levy 13:07  |  Mark Hamil 21/10/07
  20.   Nick Ferriman, I will gladly address issues 13:19  |  Tzfonit 21/10/07
  21.   99%OF ISRAELIS GAVE UP ON GIDEON LEVY`S OPINIONS - SO WHO CARES? 13:23  |  Mitch Iginer 21/10/07
  22.   NICK Freriman some civil rights protector you have come to be! 13:38  |  Gil 21/10/07
  23.   NICK Freriman some civil rights protector you have come to be! 13:39  |  Gil 21/10/07
  24.   Close the Palestine File 13:41  |  FOX 21/10/07
  25.   The Cheap Racism and Class card 13:49  |  FOX 21/10/07
  26.   Is the word "despicable" too soft? 13:58  |  Lior 21/10/07
  27.   Northen neighbour.Lebanon allowed attacks on Israel from its land 14:17  |  PETER S.M. 21/10/07
  28.   Gideon Levy - its you we should give up on. 14:18  |  Dr David I. Gross 21/10/07
  29.   Ron Arad 14:26  |  leven5 21/10/07
  30.   Trade Levy for Ron Arad`s bones 14:43  |  Herbert Kaine 21/10/07
  31.   Peter SM 14:49  |  northern neighbor 21/10/07
  32.   NMORTHERN Neighbour.There would be NO Lebanese child deaths. 15:11  |  PETER SM 21/10/07
  33.   What`s so special about this navy officer? 15:33  |  Roxana from IRAN 21/10/07
  34.   An extreme and unpleasant article, but don`t hold Kuntar for Arad 15:35  |  Tosefta 21/10/07
  35.   "Let us put Ron`s case aside and instead display some generosity" 15:38  |  Rolandus 21/10/07
  36.   ROXANA Comrades in arms do not desert each other. 16:02  |  PETER S.M. 21/10/07
  37.   #25 16:03  |  Fox Hunter 21/10/07
  38.   Stop Negotiations 16:19  |  dyinglikeflies 21/10/07
  39.   Tosefta , #34 you have it all backwards 16:20  |  Tzfonit 21/10/07
  40.   Time for Israel to Face Reality 16:35  |  Walid 21/10/07
  41.   The chicken and the egg (Tzfonit #38) 17:00  |  Tosefta 21/10/07
  42.   Tosefta 17:12  |  Walid 21/10/07
  43.   Ken Jurist 17:16  |  Walid 21/10/07
  44.   Nick Ferriman and G.L 17:22  |  Donato di Segni 21/10/07
  45.   Close the Arad file - Gideon Levy 17:34  |  Realist 21/10/07
  46.   Roxana from IRAN 17:40  |  SystemF 21/10/07
  47.   # 23 Gil 17:49  |  Nick Ferriman 21/10/07
  48.   If Arad is not found then Kuntar will never be free. 18:04  |  End of story. 21/10/07
  49.   # 27 Peter SM 18:09  |  Nick Ferriman 21/10/07
  50.   Walid`s collection of Myths 18:10  |  Tzfonit 21/10/07
  51.   It is related to Islamic Republic of Iran 18:21  |  Natan Ben Avraham 21/10/07
  52.   Like another Dr.Mengele Gideon Levy makes the "final selection" 18:22  |  Absolute Sweden 21/10/07
  53.   bastard! 18:23  |  eddie 21/10/07
  54.   "Haaretz"` kapo censors publishing Leb sicko`s Walid comparisons 18:26  |  Absolute Sweden 21/10/07
  55.   Israel should give up on Gideon Levy and viceversa 18:27  |  Army MD 21/10/07
  56.   Roxana if you must know! 18:46  |  Gil 21/10/07
  57.   Walid lack of similarities (#39) 18:53  |  Gil 21/10/07
  58.   System F 18:53  |  Walid 21/10/07
  59.   Roxana from Iran 19:06  |  John Saul 21/10/07
  60.   Walid = Well Said 19:15  |  northern neighbor 21/10/07
  61.   The symbolic value of the two prisoners 19:19  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 21/10/07
  62.   Sad comparison #13 - Northern neighbor 19:23  |  William 21/10/07
  63.   Rod Arad 20:01  |  KUTW 21/10/07
  64.   System F 20:01  |  Walid 21/10/07
  65.   Tosefta 20:03  |  Walid 21/10/07
  66.   There should be no incompatibility 20:06  |  KUTW 21/10/07
  67.   Ken Jurist 20:07  |  Walid 21/10/07
  68.   Search for Zecharia Baumel too 20:10  |  KUTW 21/10/07
  69.   8. Nick Ferriman: missing people 20:15  |  KUTW 21/10/07
  70.   13.northern neighbor: How twisted 20:17  |  KUTW 21/10/07
  71.   Giving up on Ron Arad? Nuts! 20:27  |  Jak 21/10/07
  72.   Margie 20:33  |  Walid 21/10/07
  73.   The chicken and the egg (Tzfonit #38) 20:38  |  Tosefta 21/10/07
  74.   The Talmud scholar reading behaviourist psychology 21:14  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 21/10/07
  75.   Gil 21:16  |  Walid 21/10/07
  76.   Walid 21:22  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 21/10/07
  77.   Walid`s collection of Myths 2nd try 21:23  |  Tzfonit 21/10/07
  78.   39.Walid: Reality 21:26  |  KUTW 21/10/07
  79.   Sorry, Tosefta, I don`t agree 21:51  |  Tzfonit 21/10/07
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  82.