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Hezbollah swap 'coming together' By Amos Harel, Haaretz Correspondent, and Reuters Tags: Israel, Israel prisoner swap  Although the outlines of the prisoner swap now being brokered with Hezbollah seems to indicate Israel's assessment that the kidnapped soldiers Eldad Regev and Ehud Goldwasser are dead, their families have received no official word. Regev and Goldwasser's parents told Haaretz and other news outlets in recent interviews that they have no new information, and as far as they are concerned their sons are alive unless proven otherwise. In the previous prisoner exchange in 2004, a similar problem arose regarding the fate of the three soldiers abducted at Shaba Farms in October 2000 - Adi Avitan, Benny Avraham and Omar Sueid. Then, too, Hezbollah refused to divulge any information to Israel on the condition of the three soldiers. However, at an advanced stage of talks over a swap, Israel learned that the three were dead and the situation was treated as such. The present deal is somewhat different. Evidence collected at the scene of the July 12, 2006 abduction near Moshav Zarit on the Lebanese border showed that Regev and Goldwasser were seriously injured during the incident. A medical report stated that it was highly likely that one of the two was dead. No sign of life has ever been received from them, which may mean that they were indeed killed in the course of the abduction. But lacking proof, no decision has been made to declare them dead and no such assessment given to the families. Advertisement However, the families may not have been informed because given the media spotlight on them, it would be difficult to keep such information secret for even for a short time. If official word leaked that the terrorist Samir Kuntar was being swapped - as is reportedly under discussion - without receiving live prisoners in return, public criticism would make it difficult to approve the deal. Kuntar's lawyer, Elias Sabbagh, told Army Radio Monday, "All the signs and indications are that a deal is coming together," but cautioned he had not heard anything official. "We know that a deal to release the prisoners may be under completion," Lebanese political leader Michel Aoun, who is allied with Hezbollah, said yesterday in Beirut. He gave no further details. Israeli defense officials said this week that the deal for the return of Regev and Goldwasser could be concluded toward the end of next week. Ofer Dekel, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's negotiations coordinator, is to report to Olmert today on progress in his talks with the German mediator Gerhard Konrad. Several questions remain to be resolved, and therefore no date has been set for the inner cabinet to discuss the issue. On Monday bulldozers were seen at work in the cemetery for enemy dead in the Galilee, which may mean that preparations are under way to exhume bodies of Hezbollah fighters. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Fragile cease-fire Olmert: Gaza cease-fire is fragile, may be short lived. Unbalanced stance Italy FM: EU stance on Israel in past swayed by intolerance.

Read & React Olmert: Gaza cease-fire is fragile, may not last Responses: 318 ANALYSIS / Cease-fire deal means Hamas is calling the shots Responses: 88 Moshe Arens: Israel has nothing to fear from next U.S. administration Responses: 50 Olmert to French daily: Israel, Syria not far from direct talks Responses: 50 Editorial: Law to ban Arab MKs from visiting enemy states is an insulting PR ploy Responses: 66 More Headlines 22:05 Noam Shalit threatens to appeal Gaza truce in court 21:56 Olmert: Gaza cease-fire is fragile, may be short lived 23:29 Lebanon PM: There's no place for bilateral talks with Israel 22:48 Olmert to French daily: Israel, Syria not far from direct talks 23:49 Italy FM: EU stance on Israel in past swayed by intolerance of Jews 02:01 Eager yet untrusting, both sides of Gaza border await calm 21:38 World welcomes Gaza truce, urges sides to fulfill obligations 18:07 Families of missing soldiers briefed ahead of Hezbollah deal 21:13 Hezbollah supporters hurl stones at U.S. envoy's car in Lebanon 14:45 Shas MK: 300,000 Jews still in Ethiopia eligible for immigration 23:35 9 people killed in car accidents across Israel Wednesday 21:14 Latin America Jewish Congress honors Chilean President Previous Editions Select Day 18 jun 17 jun 16 jun 15 jun 13 jun 12 jun 11 jun 10 jun 09 jun 08 jun 06 jun 05 jun

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