Subscribe to Print Edition | Fri., March 20, 2009 Adar 24, 5769 | | Israel Time: 19:30 (EST+7)
Haaretz israel news English
web haaretz.com
Haaretz Toolbar
Diplomacy
Defense Jewish World Opinion National
Print Edition
Car Rental
Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate Joy of Giving Travel Week's End Anglo File
Abducted IDF reservists Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev (Archives)
Last update - 00:00 26/06/2008
Israel and Hezbollah ready to sign on prisoner swap deal
By Barak Ravid, Yossi Melman, and Jack Khoury
Tags: Ehud Goldwasser, Hezbollah 

Israel and Hezbollah have prepared a written agreement on a prisoner exchange that the cabinet will deliberate on Sunday and possible approve. If approved, Israel will sign the deal that will then be taken to Beirut by the German mediators for Hezbollah's signature.

The deal with Hezbollah aims to secure the release of IDF reservists Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev, who were captured in a cross-border raid by the Lebanese guerillas in July 2006, sparking the Second Lebanon War.

The cabinet will meet Sunday to hear a briefing and deliberate over the prisoner exchange deal Israel reached with Hezbollah through German mediation. Ofer Dekel, the official charged with the negotiations on all the prisoners, will brief the ministers and respond to their questions.
Advertisement
So far the deal with Hezbollah is described in official Israeli circles as "a framework agreement."

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said that he believes "we will be able to reach the moment of decision with a clear conscience."

Speaking in the Knesset on Wednesday, Olmert said that "among decisions facing a prime minister, this is one of the most difficult. On the balance, along with the boys and their families, are sadness, pain and values on which we have grown as a nation and a state. All these are stripped off in one hard and complex moment when a decision needs to be made and we will make it."

If the cabinet approves the accord, as it is currently inclined to do, Israel will sign an agreement that will be carried by German mediators to Beirut, where a Hezbollah representative will be asked to also sign it. The deal would then be carried out in a week or two.

Infrastructure Minister Benjamin Ben-Eliezer said Thursday that he was prepared to vote in favor of the deal.

"We must do everything to bring the boys home, and if a deal like this was prepared for the release of Gilad Shalit, I would vote in favor of that also," he said.

Related articles:
  • Israel's spymasters concluded weeks ago: Troops seized by Hezbollah are dead
  • Families of soldiers snatched by Hezbollah: 'We've waited long enough'
  • Most ministers back Hezbollah prisoner swap
  • PMO: Prisoner exchange with Hezbollah not likely next week
    • Bookmark to del.icio.us  
     
    The real Gaza war
    Haaretz expose: IDF testimonies paint grim picture of Operation Cast Lead.
    Israel's PR image
    Ex-U.S. envoy to UN tells Haaretz what he really thought of Israel during his term.
      1.   A death warrant for future hostages! 09:17  |  MARK KLEIN, M.D. 26/06/08
      2.   THE ZIONIST IS GIVING IN FINALLY 09:33  |  indrajaya 26/06/08
      3.   Pure fantasy 09:34  |  Clickfool 26/06/08
      4.   Must limit the scope 09:52  |  Ilan 26/06/08
      5.   Exchange 09:56  |  siem 26/06/08
      6.   Thinking Like Natalie 10:10  |  FOX 26/06/08
      7.   Unconditional surrender 10:26  |  CM 26/06/08
      8.   Israel is giving Hizbollah a large bonus for their efforts 10:26  |  Natallie Durson 26/06/08
      9.   What does Hezbollah even have? 10:26  |  .. 26/06/08
      10.   SWAPPING the Lebanese baby killer & others for ?? 10:36  |  PETER SM 26/06/08
      11.   Where is the ICRC? 10:37  |  FOX 26/06/08
      12.   #5, FOX, "where is the ICRC?" 11:04  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 26/06/08
      13.   THE UNHCR and Red Cross have been selectively blind -as usual 11:12  |  PETER SM 26/06/08
      14.   FOX #6 on `drunken Supreme Court` 11:57  |  John Syracuse 26/06/08
      15.   High time to sign... 11:59  |  Esther 26/06/08
      16.   When Nassrallah Demands You listen 12:04  |  Ali 26/06/08
      17.   #6 FOX, read the ICRC annual reports 12:17  |  Johnboy 26/06/08
      18.   Cipora Fox Peter: you ask where the humanitarians are 12:39  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 26/06/08
      19.   What a real soldier would say...? 12:54  |  Anne 26/06/08
      20.   johnboy and coups 12:58  |  zebulun 26/06/08
      21.   JOHNBOY How about witholding membership from ICRC 13:00  |  PETER SM 26/06/08
      22.   #12, john, the demand is of Hezbollah and Hamas 13:03  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 26/06/08
      23.   john syracruse 13:07  |  avihai 26/06/08
      24.   # 7 FOX - ICRC is a muslim dominated nifty ambulette service. 13:18  |  17 26/06/08
      25.   #2 FOX-I don`t think so 13:32  |  Aphemia 26/06/08
      26.   It is almost certain that Olmert got a bribe 14:07  |  Vladimir 26/06/08
      27.   Samirele did some killing (S; previously) 14:13  |  Tosefta 26/06/08
      28.   Ali,, the true Lebanese resistance will liquidate Nasralla 14:26  |  Omar 26/06/08
      29.   Precedents, and Kuntar`s release 14:31  |  Tosefta 26/06/08
      30.   tosefta kuntar`s age does not matter 14:32  |  avihai 26/06/08
      31.   tosefta goes off on a tangent 14:35  |  avihai 26/06/08
      32.   # 11 You are right 14:36  |  CM 26/06/08
      33.   Corruption and Political Prostitution at our future expense 14:36  |  Simon 26/06/08
      34.   tosefta "aka samirele to his parents" 14:39  |  avihai 26/06/08
      35.   disingenuous Margie in Tel Aviv #16 14:46  |  John Syracuse 26/06/08
      36.   #25, Tosefta, once again pleading the case off the monster Kuntar 14:48  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 26/06/08
      37.   Parnoid psychosis 14:53  |  Mark Lincoln 26/06/08
      38.   #16 Fake "olive branch" founder seeks humanitarians 14:56  |  Labhras 26/06/08
      39.   "tosefta "hizballah truly does not know ron arad`s whereabouts" 15:03  |  avihai 26/06/08
      40.   precedent tosefta 15:05  |  avihai 26/06/08
      41.   precedent tosefta and "real people" 15:11  |  avihai 26/06/08
      42.   Lebanon owes this to Israel 15:18  |  Margaret Connell 26/06/08
      43.   NO SWAP UNLESS THEY ARE ALIVE 15:18  |  thinkaboutit 26/06/08
      44.   Aphemia, Nasrallah is not the issue 15:27  |  FOX 26/06/08
      45.   THE ZIONIST IS GIVING IN FINALLY (2ND TRY) 15:29  |  indrajaya 26/06/08
      46.   the best thing that happened to me in `06 was defeat of israel 15:31  |  noor 26/06/08
      47.   Ancient wisdom for Cipora J. Kohn #36 15:33  |  Mars H. Mallow 26/06/08
      48.   Johnboy, our noble occupier re #17 15:34  |  FOX 26/06/08
      49.   Margaret Connell.Looks like Nasrallah has not learnt the lesson 15:35  |  PETER SM 26/06/08
      50.   FOX: what`s wrong with the fact that most people are anti-israel? 15:36  |  noor 26/06/08
      51.   Our shallow and verbally diarrhetic "flushman"; aka avihai 15:36  |  Tosefta 26/06/08
      52.   M.LINCOLN The ICRC has behaved shamefuly.What is paranoid about-? 15:39  |  PETER SM 26/06/08
      53.   John Syracuse, Racist playing the Race card 15:42  |  FOX 26/06/08
      54.   Complete nonsense 16:19  |  Ordallie Nutcase 26/06/08
      55.   another terrific deal - 400:1, 800:1, ?????? 16:26  |  superjew 26/06/08
      56.   #2 you have a a warped mind 16:27  |  David 26/06/08
      57.   Demand Status! 16:28  |  Fred McCann 26/06/08
      58.   Isn`t 30 years in jail enough? 16:46  |  Roberto 26/06/08
      59.   Promises, Promises, Tosefta 16:57  |  Jacob Blues 26/06/08
      60.   You know what Roberto, in some cases, the answer is no 17:06  |  Jacob Blues 26/06/08
      61.   # 37 Mark Linkoln - the renaissance man 17:30  |  17 26/06/08
      62.   FOX #53 17:31  |  John Syracuse 26/06/08
      63.   keep kuntar & give him the israeli nationality 17:35  |  ClearCut 26/06/08
      64.   kuntar is a druze and a child killer 17:38  |  ClearCut 26/06/08
      65.   #46 noor - see the light 17:54  |  * BEN JABO 26/06/08
      66.   syracruse you muslims have declared war on the usa 18:06  |  yudke 26/06/08
      67.   Red Cross 18:20  |  Doron 26/06/08
      68.   Israel Must Know if they are Dead or Alive 18:22  |  Jane 26/06/08
      69.   False Blues #59 18:25  |  Tosefta 26/06/08
      70.   OMAR of Saudi Arabia and Israel 18:33  |  Alex 26/06/08
      71.   John Syracuse 18:35  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 26/06/08
      72.   Noor 18:38  |  x-ray 26/06/08
      73.   Tosefta who knows everything says that Hizbullah does not know 18:43  |  x-ray 26/06/08
      74.   syracruse the case you quote in 1951 19:01  |  yudke 26/06/08
      75.   Margie in Tel Aviv 19:18  |  John Syracuse 26/06/08
      76.   Misleading! 19:43  |  Sar Chasm 26/06/08
      77.   x-ray: i think im going to laugh 19:45  |  noor 26/06/08
      78.   x-ray, its not about making 1 or 2 mistakes 19:47  |  noor 26/06/08
      79.   John Syracuse 19:56  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 26/06/08
      80.   Well, Noor when you talk bullshit 20:20  |  x-ray 26/06/08
      81.   john syracruse "barbaric treatment" 20:29  |  yair 26/06/08
      82.   john syracruse the most horrific event 20:39  |  yair 26/06/08
      83.   noor "killing of pals" 20:45  |  farid al atrash 26/06/08
      84.   Israelis Have Lost Their Common Sense , Courage, or Both 21:08  |  Tod Zuckerman 26/06/08
      85.   Message from Ali 21:08  |  utagawa 26/06/08
      86.   farid el atrash 21:09  |  ClearCut 26/06/08
      87.   #35 John Syracuse re Margie in TA 21:19  |  Labhras 26/06/08
      88.   a deal without arad is an unforgiveable crime. 21:22  |  harzion 26/06/08
      89.   shmuck olmert. the release of kidnapped ... 21:32  |  nk 26/06/08
      90.   Gee Tosefta, I guess Hizballah is dumber than you think 21:38  |  Jacob Blues 26/06/08
      91.   WHY? 21:42  |  4:20 26/06/08
      92.   Tosefta asks, why, why, why 21:45  |  Jacob Blues 26/06/08
      93.   #8 Natalie why if they are not alive I believe you personally are 21:46  |  Big Sur Czalifornia 26/06/08
      94.   BULL, Israel to release ten thousand criminals for twoIDF 21:49  |  Avram 26/06/08
      95.   Hizbollah Must Recieve Nothing But Missiles 21:49  |  Baruch Gold 26/06/08
      96.   when nasrallah talks 22:29  |  moody 26/06/08
      97.   Baruch Gold in Hebron 22:48  |  BBSNews 26/06/08
      98.   moody what does it feel like with a broomstick up you derriere? 23:13  |  Big Sur 26/06/08
      99.   bbs news "the list is endless" 23:23  |  yudke 26/06/08
      100.   x-ray: im ignorant bc i said israel wiped palestine? 23:28  |  noor 26/06/08
      101.   bbs news "its no wonder" 23:28  |  yedidayah 26/06/08
      102.   farid: you have 2 problems which need to be refuted 23:31  |  noor 26/06/08
      103.   bbs news and east jerusalem 23:32  |  yedidayah 26/06/08
      104.   Re FOX #6 23:32  |  Esther 26/06/08
      105.   bbs news al jazeera 23:38  |  yedidayah 26/06/08
      106.   clearcut 23:39  |  farid al atrash 26/06/08
      107.   clearcut you remind me of some wonderful lines 23:44  |  farid al atrash 26/06/08
      108.   dear ali from lebanon, nasrallah got the crap beat out of him and 00:40  |  Jack 27/06/08
      109.   # 97 B-BSpropaganda 00:45  |  17 27/06/08
      110.   Exchange Proportionate to Means 00:53  |  Gray 27/06/08
      111.   Pretty putrid stuff there yedidayah 01:03  |  BBSNews 27/06/08
      112.   Noor, baby! #50 01:09  |  FOX 27/06/08
      113.   John, thanks for playing parrot #62 01:16  |  FOX 27/06/08
      114.   Avihai why not negotiate with Amal? 01:25  |  Bernie 27/06/08
      115.   Margaret Connel, the war started in 2004 01:29  |  Bernie 27/06/08
      116.   noor time has past.there is no going back to 1948 01:33  |  farid al atrash 27/06/08
      117.   noor think like this 01:35  |  farid al atrash 27/06/08
      118.   Jack, all the leaders are hiding 01:37  |  Bernie 27/06/08
      119.   There`s nothing hateful about it 17 01:45  |  BBSNews 27/06/08
      120.   noor,when are you moving out of the united states like you 02:15  |  terrornator 27/06/08
      121.   #110 Sorry, but human bombs killing civilians aren`t "inaccurate 02:33  |  DesMnsDave 27/06/08
      122.   Jack you realy believe what you are saying,the Boys alive 02:42  |  Simon 27/06/08
      123.   god bless rabin s soul 02:54  |  josh 27/06/08
      124.   Well said Bernie from Detroit! 02:58  |  BBSNews 27/06/08
      125.   Who is dumber than I think? (Jacob Blues #90) 03:23  |  Tosefta 27/06/08
      126.   the sick bbs news 03:25  |  yedidayah 27/06/08
      127.   bbs news the arabs are such racists they would 03:27  |  yedidayah 27/06/08
      128.   bbs news "israeli benefactors" 03:29  |  yedidayah 27/06/08
      129.   bbs news "your little stories make me ill" 03:30  |  yedidayah 27/06/08
      130.   bbs news "here in north carolina" 03:32  |  yair 27/06/08
      131.   bbs news "we want a fair fight" 03:34  |  yair 27/06/08
      132.   bbs news it would take more then north carolina 03:36  |  yair 27/06/08
      133.   bbs news writes in cliches 03:37  |  yair 27/06/08
      134.   bbs news "i`d go for the arab peace initiative" 03:39  |  yudke 27/06/08
      135.   bernie amal work for hizballah 03:41  |  avihai 27/06/08
      136.   #10, PETER SM shows hypocricy yet again 03:44  |  VIPER 27/06/08
      137.   Iowa Dave, check your history. 03:46  |  BBSNews 27/06/08
      138.   No release of Samir Kuntar! 03:51  |  Maureen Ann 27/06/08
      139.   THEY ARE READY UNTIL THEY CHANGE THEIR MIND AGAIN;WHAT DOES THAT 04:17  |  glenna 27/06/08
      140.   Hey terrornator, when are you leaving for the IDF? 04:23  |  BBSNews 27/06/08
      141.   BBSnews - I like the idea: 05:28  |  17 27/06/08
      142.   Avihai, Amal and Hezbollah are quite different 05:40  |  Bernie 27/06/08
      143.   #73, x-ray 05:51  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 27/06/08
      144.   #140 BSnews - when will you stop pretending 06:29  |  * BEN JABO 27/06/08
      145.   #137 BSnews - Check your history 06:39  |  * BEN JABO 27/06/08
      146.   HEY, WHAT ABOUT RON ARAD? 06:48  |  PalestniansAreA Myth 27/06/08
      147.   yair, yedidayah etc, try and be more succinct... 06:57  |  BBSNews 27/06/08
      148.   Avihai, listen to Bernie, he speaks truth 07:10  |  BBSNews 27/06/08
      149.   17, I like it too... 07:13  |  BBSNews 27/06/08
      150.   #107, farid al atrash 07:15  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 27/06/08
      151.   11 FOX - Guantanamo & the Drunken Supremes 08:01  |  Mark of Lewiston 27/06/08
      152.   11 FOX - Guantanamo & the Drunken Supremes 2 08:26  |  Mark of Lewiston 27/06/08
      153.   War crimes trial for Nasrallah and Hez leaders 09:34  |  Joe Sittizen 27/06/08
      154.   Mark in Lewiston, chew on this #145 10:03  |  FOX 27/06/08
      155.   Mark in Lewiston, swallow #145 10:15  |  FOX 27/06/08
      156.   Mark Lewiston, Nasrallah? 10:26  |  FOX 27/06/08
      157.   FOX-chew swallow and regurgitate 11:53  |  John Syracuse 27/06/08
      158.   Joe Sittizen 11:57  |  Jim 27/06/08
      159.   john syracruse and "gitmo" 12:25  |  judea 27/06/08
      160.   john syracruse stop picking on fox 12:28  |  judea 27/06/08
      161.   cipora it is indeed tennyson 12:32  |  farid al atrash 27/06/08
      162.   bbs on bernie on amal 12:35  |  avihai 27/06/08
      163.   bbs news adores bernie and johnboy 12:36  |  avihai 27/06/08
      164.   bbs news wishes for "a secure israel" 12:39  |  judea 27/06/08
      165.   bernie every word nabih berri speaks 12:50  |  avihai 27/06/08
      166.   Laugh at Olmert-He started the war & now surrenders to Hizbullah 13:17  |  Yossi Cronenberg 27/06/08
      167.   BSnews - Far be it for you to say what "Truth" is 15:09  |  * BEN JABO 27/06/08
      168.   BSnews - The Pretender - Your attention required 15:53  |  * BEN JABO 27/06/08
      169.   avihai, the many named anonymous boob... 18:20  |  BBSNews 27/06/08
      170.   BBSNews Alert 19:48  |  Roo 27/06/08
      171.   BSnews - A "Supporter of Israel"? 20:06  |  * BEN JABO 27/06/08
      172.   BSnews 2ND TRY BS has a veracity problem 07:02  |  * BEN JABO 28/06/08
     Haaretz Hot Topics
    Israel 2009 election results: Voter breakdown
    Israel goes to the polls
    Conflict in Gaza
    Israel vs. Hamas
    Iran: Nuclear and regional ambitions
    More Headlines
    16:34 Peres to Iran: Reclaim your rightful place among 'enlightened nations'
    15:10 Obama offers Iran 'new beginning' in diplomacy
    17:27 Iran supreme leader: No one can stop our nuclear progress
    18:12 Report: India buys advanced spy satellite from Israel
    18:49 Peres gives Netanyahu 14-day extension to form government
    18:32 British MP Galloway barred from Canada over 'supporting Hamas'
    18:40 Ex-Nazi guard freed on technicality in Austrian court
    10:51 WATCH: Daily news round-up from Israel
    14:03 Jerusalem Police set to prevent 'Palestinian Culture Festival'
    18:25 Home videos exposes Jewish life in pre-Holocaust Poland
    07:13 How IDF troops 'infiltrated alleged Syria nuke site'
    09:46 Report: Egyptian sources say Shalit deal imminent
    22:18 UN envoy: Gaza op seems to be war crime of greatest magnitude
    02:58 Thousands of victims of Nazi persecution to get one-off grant
    06:37 Judges, scholars call on UN to probe war crimes by both sides in Gaza
    Previous Editions
    Special Offers
    Advertisement
    Spring Specials-Dan Hotels
    Jerusalem from 179$. Tel-Aviv from 223$. Herzliya from 336$
    Dead Sea Skin Care
    Quality cosmetics from the Dead Sea. Coupon code HAARETZ for 12% off!
    Summer in Israel
    Israeli style - Tzofim Chetz V'Keshet 2009
    Passover Vacations
    The BEST Passover Vacations around ? Mexico, Arizona and Florida
    Camp Kimama Israel 2009
    The best place for your children this summer
    Eldan Rent a Car
    Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on online reservations
    Jewish Singles Personal Ads
    Find the love of your life on JDate.com
    Junkyard
    Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt
    Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | | Israel 2009 election results
    Site rules | Makom: Engaging on Israel | Search engine marketing
    Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.
    © Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved