Subscribe to Print Edition | Thu., June 12, 2008 Sivan 9, 5768 | | Israel Time: 18:11 (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

Hezbollah leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah addressing mass rally through a TV broadcast in Beirut on Monday (AP) Last update - 10:05 27/05/2008 ANALYSIS / Nasrallah preparing for Kuntar's homecoming By Amos Harel and Avi Issacharoff, Haaretz Correspondents Tags: Abducted IDF Soldiers  The statements made by Hezbollah chief Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah at the end of April 2006 were the same as those in his speech Monday: "We are going to meet Samir Kuntar very soon." Two and a half months later, Hezbollah operatives kidnapped reserve soldiers Eldad Regev and Ehud Goldwasser. But Monday's statements were made in an entirely different context: They may constitute an agreement in principle to an Israeli offer. Israel can give relatively few "assets" in exchange for Regev and Goldwasser. The hundreds of Palestinian prisoners will wait for a deal with Hamas in return for releasing kidnapped soldier Gilad Shalit, who is known to be alive. Advertisement On the assumption that the deal includes the return of six live Lebanese and 10 bodies, what does that say about Regev and Goldwasser? The news is not good. Israel has paid with hundreds, even thousands of prisoners for living captives. A pending agreement can be attributed both to Israel's tough stance and Hezbollah's domestic success in Lebanon. When it comes to Hezbollah, Israel is operating differently than in talks over Shalit: it has refused to bow to pressure without receiving a sign of life. As for Nasrallah, his domestic victory allows him some room for maneuver. Monday's speech showed that Hezbollah has mostly recovered from the war, as Brigadier-General Yossi Baidatz, the head of Military Intelligence's research unit, told the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee. The disarming of Hamas is not on the table and the organization is once again part of the Lebanese cabinet. Nasrallah has proven himself, and can back down from his demand to release Palestinians. If he secures the return of Kuntar and the other Lebanese, the Palestinian prisoners can wait for Hamas. One obstacle does remain: Kuntar was the "bargaining chip" for information about missing airman Ron Arad. His family could mount a last-ditch public campaign, which, even if it does not stop the swap, will engender emotional public debate. Another question is how progress toward a Hezbollah deal will affect a Shalit exchange. Hamas seems in no hurry to close a prisoner deal with Israel. Will the broadcast of Kuntar's homecoming celebrations spur Hamas on? Related articles: Bradley Burston: Free the monster Samir Kuntar Sources: Israel, Hezbollah strike prisoner swap deal Abductees' families cautiously optimistic over Hezbollah deal Bookmark to del.icio.us   Knowing when to fold Ehud Olmert tells Kadima to begin preparations for party primaries. Cost of kashrut Meat prices set to soar after raid on biggest kosher slaughterhouse in U.S.   1.   How can anyone give up Kuntar for corpses (other than Olmert`s) 03:31  |  McQueen 27/05/08   2.   nasrallah.. 03:32  |  bashar 27/05/08   3.   Are We Really Stupid Enough To Do This? 03:35  |  dyinglikeflies 27/05/08   4.   Good riddance Kuntar 04:11  |  Connie 27/05/08   5.   Kuntar, a murderer in cold blood and he is a hero for these thugs 05:10  |  Rami 27/05/08   6.   Haggling over prisoners as if they were produce in the market 07:22  |  Dror 27/05/08   7.   KUNTAR SHOULD GO ABROAD AFTER HIS RELEASE 07:56  |  indrajaya 27/05/08   8.   kuntar bla bla bla.. Rami# 5 08:35  |  northern neighbor 27/05/08   9.   Nasralla to #2 08:46  |  Gman 27/05/08   10.   KUNTAR SHOULD GO TO JAKARTA AND MEET INDRAJAYA AFTER HIS RELEASE 08:59  |  Asian Observer 27/05/08   11.   This deal could have been made long ago 09:26  |  Natallie Durson 27/05/08   12.   outsider 09:41  |  Di, the doubter 27/05/08   13.   Why is Kuntar still alive? When Feiglin is PM, this will change 10:09  |  Yehuda 27/05/08   14.   No doubt, Beirut will see a tremendous "party" once again..... 10:46  |  Swiss (Dino) 27/05/08   15.   Dino, Isn`t it OK to murder 5yr old Israeli Right Wing girls? 11:16  |  Rob 27/05/08   16.   Natallie lies: 2 yrs ago Nasrallah pretended they are alive, 11:23  |  Rob 27/05/08   17.   # 15 No, Rob, unlike Palestinian terrorists and the IDF..... 11:40  |  Swiss (Dino) 27/05/08   18.   INDRAJAYA.Islamic terrorists are comfortable in Indonesia!! 11:42  |  PETER SM 27/05/08   19.   DINO no doubt you would be an honored guest at the party 11:46  |  PETER SM 27/05/08   20.   Nasrallah Leaves Underground Hole To Make A Deal 11:54  |  Ruth 27/05/08   21.   #17 Dino, You imply IDF murders little kids in cold blood, like 12:05  |  Rob 27/05/08   22.   nasrallah has his reputation at stake on kuntar 12:47  |  amos 27/05/08   23.   what is this muslim habit of not telling families 12:48  |  amos 27/05/08   24.   Rob, I love when Israels supporters use the term "moral values" 13:01  |  Natallie Durson 27/05/08   25.   # 22, AMOS (11.000 PALESTINIANS) 13:07  |  indrajaya 27/05/08   26.   # 19 PETER SM 13:14  |  Swiss (Dino) 27/05/08   27.   Sad that glory goes to a man who bashed a child`s head in. 13:19  |  J 27/05/08   28.   # 21 Rob, I`m afraid the statistical trend is not your friend.... 13:23  |  Swiss (Dino) 27/05/08   29.   Finally an Arab leader who glories in brutal murderer of a child 13:33  |  De 27/05/08   30.   # 8 northern neighboor-feel free to take kuntar 13:40  |  ziggurat 27/05/08   31.   SWISS It speaks loads for your morals if you call THAT success 13:47  |  PETER SM 27/05/08   32.   i agree with number 3 14:06  |  paulo2005 27/05/08   33.   I sincerly hope this time both soldiers return home 14:08  |  Adel 27/05/08   34.   #3 dyinglikeflies; One is the statement in this article 14:28  |  Max Horoskopski 27/05/08   35.   Bashar - is that why you live in the US??? 14:52  |  Am 27/05/08   36.   #9 ur not seeing the bigger picture 15:38  |  Sami 27/05/08   37.   Durson and morality 16:10  |  Joe Sittizen 27/05/08   38.   # 31 PETER SM 16:46  |  Swiss (Dino) 27/05/08   39.   The trouble human rights for Palestinians (also for Durson) 16:58  |  Joe Sittizen 27/05/08   40.   Durson`s selective morality 17:33  |  utagawa 27/05/08   41.   swiss,whats the statistics on pals using their children as human 17:33  |  terrornator 27/05/08   42.   # 28 - Dino 00:55  |  Michael 28/05/08   43.   Natallie`s misspelling 20:22  |  leucippe 28/05/08   44.   to no. 1 11:07  |  Ariel 29/05/08   45.   # 21 rob 02:00  |  Axel 30/05/08   46.   # 43 leucippe 02:09  |  Axel 30/05/08   47.   Durson on Moral Values 01:37  |  Alan 31/05/08   48.   When He is Free 18:06  |  Razool 12/06/08

Read & React Gadhafi: Obama fears Israel may kill him like it did JFK Responses: 154 Bradley Burston: When smart countries - like Israel - go dumb Responses: 52 Israel concerned Hezbollah may try to 'settle score' over Mughniyeh Responses: 75 Rabbi: Religious settlers can violate Shabbat to build Responses: 62 Nadav Shragai: Israel must retake Gaza before it's too late Responses: 27 Rosner's Domain Bobby Kennedy and the history of pro-Israel candidates What Obama should have said (WTR) Poll: When should Israel have elections? The UN's Complicity With Evil Lieberman for VP? Only 18% want it (WTR) More Headlines 18:05 IDF: We prevented major Gaza border terror attack 13:10 Barak to Kadima: Hold primary soon or we'll force elections 15:32 Malik Obama: As president, my brother would be good for Jews 11:58 Report: Israel may free Lebanon terrorist Samir Kuntar this month 13:09 Israel fears Hezbollah may try to 'settle score' over Mughniyeh 18:02 NGOs downsizing projects, dismissing staff as dollar drops 13:20 Rabbi: Religious settlers can violate Shabbat to build 09:14 Official: Israel has no illusions on truce, expects Gaza flare-up 13:24 Jordan sentences 3 Hamas militants over anti-Israel plots 11:36 Gadhafi: Obama fears Israel will assassinate him like it did JFK 15:56 Two Bnei Brak teens charged with raping their younger sisters Previous Editions Select Day 11 jun 10 jun 09 jun 08 jun 06 jun 05 jun 04 jun 03 jun 02 jun 01 jun 30 may 29 may

Special Offers Advertisement In the heart of Tel-Aviv The Meier on Rothschild tower Jerusalem of Gold Luxury apartments in Jerusalem's finest location Your vacation starts here Israel Travel Center Guaranteed Lowest Rates Istudy Learn Hebrew in 3 months The Terraces Your Ultimate Coastal Address On Nitza Boulevard, North Netanya Pardes Institute Summer Sessions http://www.pardes.org.il/ Free the Palestinians from: Corrupt Kleptocracy, Tyrannical Theocracy, Abysmal Anarchy Fattal Hotel Chain Perfectly located hotels on best resorts of Israel.