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Kidnapped Israel Defense Forces reservists Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev. (Archive)
Last update - 09:17 17/02/2008
Report: Olmert to declare soldiers abducted by Hezbollah dead
By Haaretz Service and DPA
Tags: Eldad Regev, Der Spiegel 

The German weekly Der Spiegel reported Saturday that Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was considering declaring Goldwasser and Regev dead. The article cited no source, and carried no byline.

The two soldiers were kidnapped in Hezbollah in June 2006, in an incident that sparked the Second Lebanon War. No sign of life has been received from them.

Sources in the Prime Minister's Office rejected the report, and said that negotiations to free Goldwasser and Regev are still underway and the assumption is that the two are still alive.
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However, Israeli military sources said the abductees' situation is being reappraised and that "difficult decisions" could be made within weeks.

The Der Spiegel report came just days after Olmert visited Germany, where he met with Chancellor Angela Merkel. Germany is mediating between Israel and Hezbollah in negotiations over the kidnapped soldiers.

PMO sources said unequivocal evidence would be required before the soldiers are declared dead, and that this evidence had not been obtained.

Related articles:
  • Reservists: A year on, soldiers still exposed to kidnappings
  • Israel botched chance to free abducted soldiers at start of war
  • World's Jewish communities to rally for kidnapped IDF soldiers
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      1.   Israels tactics becoming apparent. 15:47  |  Chris Linthwaite 16/02/08
      2.   the other one is also a person with a name 16:18  |  f 16/02/08
      3.   Chris the expert 16:30  |  Niv 16/02/08
      4.   Dead Prisoners 16:49  |  EA 16/02/08
      5.   Nasrallah the next sacrificial lamb 16:50  |  Chaim Gorenstein 16/02/08
      6.   Chris show some respect idiot 16:56  |  Sean 16/02/08
      7.   Finding the lads should not have been a stated objective 16:59  |  David 16/02/08
      8.   #1 who shall remain nameless 17:06  |  Joe Moer 16/02/08
      9.   Very good move! 17:08  |  Dory 16/02/08
      10.   Excellent strategy 17:29  |  Maurice 16/02/08
      11.   Adapted rules. 17:35  |  Jean Van Daem 16/02/08
      12.   the other one 17:40  |  keith 16/02/08
      13.   #1 Linthwaite`s usual wisdom 17:54  |  * BEN JABO 16/02/08
      14.   #10, Maurice, agreed, excellent strategy 17:58  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 16/02/08
      15.   Forgive Linthwaite 18:22  |  * BEN JABO 16/02/08
      16.   # 1 Linthwaite.."the other one" had a name 18:25  |  Lynn 16/02/08
      17.   10maurice,11 jean van diem,think outside the box,relying on 18:27  |  lakshmi 16/02/08
      18.   # 4 EA ...it isn`t like they haven`t been 18:28  |  Lynn 16/02/08
      19.   ONLY haaretz could print a talkback from scum like No 1 .. 18:28  |  Mary 16/02/08
      20.   #13 Ben Jabo 18:38  |  Chris Linthwaite 16/02/08
      21.   Only 1 thin g to do Kill Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah 18:54  |  Kipperraes 16/02/08
      22.   #20 Chris Linthwaite - We knew about the threat 19:00  |  * BEN JABO 16/02/08
      23.   #16 Lynn 19:01  |  Chris Linthwaite 16/02/08
      24.   Israelies dont worry! 19:01  |  buckfush 16/02/08
      25.   Lakshmi #17_ So You and Your Pals are On The Way To Destruction? 19:12  |  Eli 16/02/08
      26.   Reverse psycology 19:18  |  Baz Mann 16/02/08
      27.   Captured occupation troops have names, like 1000 dead Civilians 19:18  |  Steve Katz 16/02/08
      28.   to EA 19:32  |  NYC Jew 16/02/08
      29.   IL policy of swaping terros for body parts/corpses brought WAR 19:39  |  Alan 16/02/08
      30.   If they are dead, it time Kuntar "fell down a flight of stairs" 19:48  |  Dr. L. Brnd 16/02/08
      31.   How clever of olmert! declare them dead so he doesn`t negociate! 19:50  |  Assad-u-LLAH 16/02/08
      32.   The Forgotten Question - Why Not Negotiate? 19:54  |  chet 16/02/08
      33.   Interesting Move 19:58  |  Jeff Northridge 16/02/08
      34.   Ehud Goldwasser, Eldad Regev ve Am Yisrael Chai! 20:07  |  Real Israeli 16/02/08
      35.   Hezbollah 20:15  |  alan 16/02/08
      36.   #22 Ben Jabo and the threat 20:25  |  Chris Linthwaite 16/02/08
      37.   Sad Sad Sad 20:26  |  Jane 16/02/08
      38.   Both Israeli POWs were killed by Hezbollah which is a war crime 20:39  |  Marwan مروان خوري 16/02/08
      39.   What would happen 20:59  |  David 16/02/08
      40.   Ive been saying all along that they were dead 21:12  |  Adrian de Klerk 16/02/08
      41.   Treat them as they treated Isrealis 21:14  |  Adrian de klerk 16/02/08
      42.   #17 so tell me lakshmi 21:17  |  Adrian de Klerk 16/02/08
      43.   32. I am with you chet! these men are not dead 21:17  |  Assad-u-LLAH 16/02/08
      44.   About #1 21:18  |  MR 16/02/08
      45.   If this true, it makes Israel`s war crimes more disgusting 21:23  |  Joe 16/02/08
      46.   The Other One? 21:33  |  Bernie 16/02/08
      47.   #30 Doc, excellent idea 21:38  |  Bob 16/02/08
      48.   #36 LInthwaite - Read the Hamas & Fatah Charters 21:40  |  * BEN JABO 16/02/08
      49.   #36 Chris Linthwaite 21:46  |  Phil 16/02/08
      50.   Abducted Soldiers 21:48  |  Poppy Bison 16/02/08
      51.   Playing right into our hands PT.1 21:51  |  Gabriel 16/02/08
      52.   A new low EVERY day! 22:01  |  Gideon Reader 16/02/08
      53.   Linthwaite...apology accepted 22:05  |  Lynn 16/02/08
      54.   Playing right into our hands PT.2 22:15  |  Gabriel 16/02/08
      55.   The Israelis are SO unsubtle 22:16  |  Clickfool 16/02/08
      56.   #45 Gabriel 22:16  |  Phil 16/02/08
      57.   I don`t think Chris is "stateless", Mary # 19 22:25  |  Clickfool 16/02/08
      58.   Vote For Clickfool Ending Soon ! 22:25  |  Phil 16/02/08
      59.   Playing right into our hands PT.3 22:27  |  Gabriel 16/02/08
      60.   You`re a nasty, evil piece of work, Brnd # 30 22:28  |  Clickfool 16/02/08
      61.   to Marwan no 38 war crimes 22:31  |  Tina 16/02/08
      62.   #40-41-42 Adrian de Klerk on prisoner treatment 22:32  |  maoriboy 16/02/08
      63.   If that is the case, all lebaneese in Israeli hands must be put.. 22:41  |  Misha 16/02/08
      64.   #56PHIL 23:03  |  gabriel 16/02/08
      65.   f..kb..h 23:05  |  Connie 16/02/08
      66.   Clickfool 23:09  |  Connie 16/02/08
      67.   #48 Ben Jabo on Charters for Palestine 23:11  |  maoriboy 16/02/08
      68.   THE DOCTOR IS IN THE HOUSE!! 23:25  |  George W. Bush 16/02/08
      69.   # 5 Nasrallah next: let us pray 23:25  |  Basboussa 16/02/08
      70.   I think 23:26  |  Jackie 16/02/08
      71.   Zios suddenly show some feelings? Usually they 23:29  |  Andreas 16/02/08
      72.   Still sitting in the Pub Clicky?? 23:30  |  George W. Bush 16/02/08