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Marwan Barghouti. (Uriel Sinai)
Last update - 10:26 30/06/2008
Bar-On: If we cede Kuntar, Barghouti will be next
By Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondant
Tags: Israel, Samir Kuntar 

Three government ministers voted against the prisoner swap deal Sunday-Finance Minister Roni Bar-On, Justice Minister Daniel Friedmann and Housing Minister Zeev Boim.

The three said that the deal constitutes a victory for the Hezbollah. "After the release of Kuntar, who will be able to stop the release of [Tanzim head] Marwan Barghouti?" Bar-On said Sunday. "Anyone who says that Samir Kuntar is no bargaining chip for Ron Arad is mistaken" he added. Bar-On continued: "We gave an official promise to the Arad family, and we can't go back on it."

Bar-On also expressed his objection to the release of Palestinian terrorists. "It will give Nasrallah solutions for the Palestinian issues, which I believe is a dangerous precedent," he said, adding that it will also push the price for [kidnapped soldier Gilad] Shalit up.
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Justice Minister Friedmann argued during the debate that approval of the deal will send a message of weakness. "It is a terrible deal. The price is too high. We must not release Samir Kuntar, because it will be a huge victory for Hezbollah" Friedmann said.

Housing Minister Zeev Boim said that "prevention of terrorism is of cardinal importance, no less so than that of returning soldiers." He warned against any victory for Hezbollah. "If Nasrallah celebrates, it will be burned into the Arab consciousness," he said.

Boim criticized the release of Kuntar. "A despicable terrorist, whose value we amplified in 2007, will become a symbol. We must not allow ourselves to scorn symbols, they have caused the spilling of rivers of blood throughout history.


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      1.   Price is to high, Do not release Kuntar or Barghouti 03:18  |  Shepherd 30/06/08
      2.   25,000 Israeli forces would free Shalit 03:28  |  D 30/06/08
      3.   Dead bones for the life of a murderer 04:42  |  Bob 30/06/08
      4.   barghouti will be next... 05:26  |  bashar 30/06/08
      5.   kuntar and barghouti 06:46  |  rm 30/06/08
      6.   Releasing Barghouti 07:02  |  lonemoderate 30/06/08
      7.   So what? 07:17  |  Natallie Durson 30/06/08
      8.   Cede Kuntar 07:23  |  howiej 30/06/08
      9.   Bar-on is way out...! 07:33  |  Esther 30/06/08
      10.   Kuntar=pyscho, Barghouti=likely peace partner 07:47  |  anti-racist 30/06/08
      11.   LET BE PROACTIVE TO RELEASE PRISONERS 09:50  |  indrajaya 30/06/08
      12.   Give up on the "perception game" Israel lost that long ago 09:58  |  Natallie Durson 30/06/08
      13.   Kuntar is sick and should not have been released 10:03  |  Tupac 30/06/08
      14.   Dead Bodies for Dead Bodies therefore KUNTAR must be DEAD 10:07  |  Dagma 30/06/08
      15.   If we sede Kuntar -Olmert will be next 10:08  |  Sal 30/06/08
      16.   i doubt if kuntar will be much of anything...but barghouti... 10:15  |  eric 30/06/08
      17.   Kuntar=Baghrouti=pathological killers 10:31  |  Ilan 30/06/08
      18.   FAKE INDRAJAYA ALERT # 7 10:50  |  indrajaya 30/06/08
      19.   Re Natallie #3 11:09  |  Esther 30/06/08
      20.   Who is dead and who is alive 11:27  |  Big Al 30/06/08
      21.   US interests Must Come First. America Above All 11:35  |  MiddleStanian 30/06/08
      22.   Let Barghuti go 11:37  |  Big Al 30/06/08
      23.   To Natalie- Responses 11:40  |  Big Al 30/06/08
      24.   RE: Ester #19 Re: Durson 11:49  |  Proud Israeli 30/06/08
      25.   Bar-On wrong - and Jewish tradition is right 11:56  |  Alan Abbey 30/06/08
      26.   Esther - A score card tells you who is bad and who is worse 12:12  |  Natallie Durson 30/06/08
      27.   Do not release Kuntar or Barghouti 12:27  |  Daniel 30/06/08
      28.   #18 who would want to phake a phaker 12:53  |  Joe Moer 30/06/08
      29.   Free Kuntar now! 13:27  |  Murray the Mongoose 30/06/08
      30.   Hobson`s Choice 13:56  |  khairi janbek 30/06/08
      31.   Sooooo, what`s so bad about releasing Barghouti? 14:08  |  Johnboy 30/06/08
      32.   Do you want to catch a terrorist? 14:27  |  Gilad 30/06/08
      33.   to Natalie Durson 14:35  |  Nicole 30/06/08
      34.   To Esther 14:49  |  Nicole 30/06/08
      35.   # 24 to a proud israeli re: his twisted logic 06:19  |  eric 01/07/08
      36.   To Nicole in #33 07:22  |  Reveille 01/07/08
      37.   Release all prisoners 16:00  |  Boris 01/07/08
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