Subscribe to Print Edition | Tue., June 24, 2008 Sivan 21, 5768 | | Israel Time: 22:00 (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

Mossad head Meir Dagan. (Tomer Appelbaum / BauBau) Last update - 12:32 23/06/2008 ANALYSIS / Prisoner deals - emotion vs. security sensibilities By Amos Harel and Avi Issacharoff, Haaretz Correspondents Tags: Gilad Shalit, Gaza Strip  A combination of circumstances that may not be entirely coincidental has brought both negotiation tracks dealing with the release of captured Israeli soldiers to critical junctures. Israel is pretty close to a deal with Hezbollah on the return of Eldad Regev and Ehud Goldwasser, although last-minute problems appear to be cropping up yet again. And the government is now promising increased efforts in talks with Hamas on the release of Gilad Shalit. But after two years of promises, Shalit's family remains unconvinced and has begun a public and legal battle meant to force the state into an agreement. The country's periodic disputes over prisoner deals are generally seen as a conflict between the emotional view, whose advocates are most interested in easing the distress of the captive's family, and the security perspective, which seeks to prevent the security damage from swapping prisonersfor an Israeli captive. Advertisement This time, though, the issue is more complicated, because the argument by the families of all three captives is not just an emotional one. They are also talking about the damage that the Israel Defense Forces will incur if its soldiers and their parents discover that the state is not doing all it can to bring the captives home. And in both negotiation tracks, security officials can be found on either side of the fence. While the Shin Bet and Mossad chiefs represent the traditional security perspective, the defense minister and chief of staff espouse a view closer to that of the families. In the negotiations with Hezbollah, the leading opponent of the deal is Mossad chief Meir Dagan, whose term was extended yesterday by a seventh year and whose opinion the prime minister values. Dagan is concerned by Israel's dropping of its demand that it receive information to resolve the mystery of the whereabouts of missing navigator Ron Arad and by the return of live prisoners in exchange for soldiers' remains. (The families of the two soldiers disagree with intelligence officials' assessment that Goldwasser and Regev are dead.) Defense Minister Ehud Barak and IDF Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi understand Dagan's reservations but think the price is worthwhile considering the possibility of putting the Hezbollah-captives issue behind us and ending the families' limbo. They also have the Arad precedent in mind; in that case, once the window of opportunity closed, Israel was left with an unsolved mystery. In the Shalit case, opponents of the deal have a built-in advantage: the steep price Hamas is demanding. The chief of the Shin Bet security service, Yuval Diskin, who is authorized to determine the risk level posed by each released prisoner, takes the unequivocal position that capitulating to Hamas' demands would run an immediate risk of releasing professional killers and sending them straight back to their organizations. But those who disagree suggest other solutions, like sending the West Bank prisoners to Gaza or abroad, or employing a test that would determine how much risk each prisoner poses, instead of using the criteria of what the prisoners have done in the past. They also mention precedents in which Israel has made tough concessions, such as releasing Sheikh Ahmed Yassin in exchange for Mossad operatives arrested in Jordan. They adopt a position that can best be described as ideological: Israel has the responsibility to bring soldiers home. A security source who supports a prisoner swap to free Shalit indicated that Israel will have to free murderers, apparently dozens of them, leaving the government to decide between releasing the prisoners and the possibility that Shalit will disappear forever. Related articles: Hezbollah deal delayed over demand to include Palestinian prisoners Hezbollah wants Palestinians included in prisoner swap Most ministers back Hezbollah prisoner swap PMO: Prisoner exchange with Hezbollah not likely next week Mother of missing soldier: Hezbollah will kidnap again if Kuntar not returned Bookmark to del.icio.us   Justice for Jews London summit focuses on plight of Jewish refugees from Arab states. No place like home Poll: 77% of Israeli Arabs would rather live in Israel than in any other country.   1.   Release prisoners into Gaza 06:05  |  Ron 23/06/08   2.   No more swaps. Period. Never. 06:40  |  Alex 23/06/08   3.   Need for the Death Penalty 06:49  |  David B 23/06/08   4.   Shalit is a hostage 07:29  |  Great White North 23/06/08   5.   Releasing 1000`s means that kidnapping pays 08:01  |  redmike 23/06/08   6.   G-d forbid the last sentence... 09:25  |  sandra chitayat 23/06/08   7.   David B: Yes, I support, the death penalty 09:54  |  KMS 23/06/08   8.   The United Nations and the hostage taking 11:21  |  Nora 23/06/08   9.   The Israel of 1948 would not be this stupid 11:47  |  dyinglikeflies 23/06/08   10.   Execution of Pal prisoners only thing that will help 11:58  |  Sal 23/06/08   11.   DavidB- # 3 invited to serve IDF 14:04  |  kameel 23/06/08   12.   DavidB- # 3 invited to serve IDF 14:04  |  kameel 23/06/08   13.   sandra "G-D forbid the last sentence" 14:12  |  yair 23/06/08   14.   RED MIKE 14:36  |  GABE1 23/06/08   15.   To KMS #7 17:45  |  utagawa 23/06/08   16.   These aren`t Arab POWs but certifiable war criminals! 17:48  |  Dr. L. Brnd 23/06/08   17.   nora 8 21:20  |  potobac 24/06/08   18.   utagawa 15 21:23  |  potobac 24/06/08   19.   r brnd 16 21:28  |  potobac 24/06/08

Read & React Cabinet to vote Sun. on Hezbollah deal, says wife of abducted soldier Responses: 250 Editorial: We must pay the high price for the return of Gilad Shalit Responses: 93 Gaza truce shaken as four Qassams slam in Negev Responses: 180 Poll: 77% of Israeli Arabs would rather live in Israel than in any other country Responses: 209 Border Policeman dies from self-inflicted shot at Sarkozy farewell Responses: 88 Rosner's Domain New Guest: Israel should've continued blockade of Gaza Al Hura not working? Tell me something I don't know (WTR) Why do non-Jewish Americans support Israel? Poll: exchange deal with Hezbollah, good or bad? Will we see a record number of Jewish lawmakers? (2) More Headlines 20:59 Cabinet to vote Sun. on Hezbollah deal, says wife of abducted soldier 21:35 Border Policeman dies from self-inflicted shot at Sarkozy farewell 21:06 Gaza truce shaken as four Qassams slam into west Negev 21:12 Olmert: Israel mulling response to renewed Qassam fire 19:50 VIDEO: Two years after his kidnap, U.S. kids read Gilad Shalit's tale of co-existence 20:33 World Wealth Report: People in Israel get richer faster 18:46 Religion is not very important to American Jews 21:21 Knesset approves law allowing property owners to kill invaders 17:39 Ahmadinejad: World leaders behind sanctions must stand trial 12:07 Arab World nuclear race / Who has what, and from where 14:49 Egypt: Gaza crossing will remain shut until Shalit deal reached 18:53 Hamas prisoners freed in West Bank, despite PA pledge to Israel 20:57 Lawyers ask Spanish court to charge 4 alleged ex-guards at Nazi camps Previous Editions Select Day 23 jun 22 jun 20 jun 19 jun 18 jun 17 jun 16 jun 15 jun 13 jun 12 jun 11 jun 10 jun

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