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Last update - 14:50 01/07/2008
Lebanon: Hezbollah prisoner swap marks 'failure' for Israel
By Yoav Stern, Haaretz Correspondent and Reuters
Tags: Regev, Hezbollah, Kuntar 

The Lebanese government said on Tuesday a prisoner swap deal reached between Israel and Hezbollah marked a "big failure" for Israel, which had earlier refused to agree to such a plan.

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert secured cabinet approval on Sunday for a prisoner swap with Hezbollah under which two soldiers held by the guerrilla group, believed to be dead, would be recovered.

The capture of army reservists Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev in a cross border raid in July 2006 triggered a 34-day war in Lebanon, with Olmert ruling out talks on their return. He later relented, negotiating through a UN-appointed mediator.
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"The release of the prisoners through a German mediator, after this long time and according to the conditions published in the media, marks a big failure, and a very big failure of Israel's policy which refused, before the July 2006 war, to seal a complete exchange deal," a Lebanese government statement said.

"Then it returned and launched a war against Lebanon and its people with the excuse of demanding the prisoners, and then it returned and submitted in the end to the logic of negotiating through mediators, in order for the deal to succeed.

"This deal ... is a new and clear condemnation for Israel, its tactics and its policies."

In exchange for the soldiers, Israel would release five Lebanese gunmen and at a later stage an undisclosed number of Palestinian prisoners. Dozens of bodies of slain infiltrators and the remains of eight Hezbollah men killed in the 2006 war would also be handed over.

The deal is expected to take place within a few days.

In parallel to the Hezbollah deal, Israel has said it is interested in opening peace talks with Lebanon, a move the Lebanese government has rebuffed.

Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Siniora has often said Lebanon would be the last Arab country to sign a peace treaty with Israel.

Lebanon sources: Swap to take two phases

The pending prisoner exchange deal between Israel and Hezbollah is to be carried out in two phases, the Kuwaiti news agency has quoted Lebanese officials as saying.

In the first phase, Hezbollah is to transfer to Israel remains of Israeli soldiers killed in the 2006 Second Lebanon War, and Israel will transfer the bodies of Hezbollah and Palestinian operatives.


The next day, Hezbollah will hand over captive soldiers Goldeasser and Regev, and, in return, will receive jailed terrorist Samir Kuntar and four Hezbollah activists.

The second phase is to be carried out a month later, with Israel releasing a number of Palestinian prisoners, who are likely to be women and minors.

Israeli news reports have indicated that the first phase could begin this coming week.

Information on Ron Arad

The Kuwaiti account differs from Israel's reckoning of the stages of the deal, as approved in a cabinet session on Sunday. In Israel's view, the signing of the deal, expected within days, will the first of four stages of the swap.

As part of the second stage of the prisoner swap agreement approved by the cabinet, Hezbollah will hand over a report said to detail the organization's efforts to obtain information on missing Israeli airman Ron Arad.

In exchange, Israel will give Hezbollah a report on the fate of four Iranian diplomats kidnapped and murdered during the Lebanon war in the 1980s. Israel has previously said it does not know what happened to the diplomats, who were arrested at a Christian Falange roadblock in 1982 and are believed to have been subsequently executed and buried at a site where construction later obliterated their graves.

If the reports are accepted as meeting the terms of the deal, the third stage is then to ensue: Hezbollah will return Goldwasser and Regev or their remains if they are no longer alive, as well as the last of the remains of Israeli soldiers in Lebanon.

In exchange, Israel will deliver Kuntar to Hezbollah, along with four Hezbollah militants who were captured in the Second Lebanon War and the remains of a few dozen bodies, including those of eight Hezbollah militants. This phase will take place at Rosh Hanikra under Red Cross auspices.

Sources in Israel said the swap would probably take place by July 12, when Hezbollah is planning a victory ceremony to mark the second anniversary of the Second Lebanon War.

Related articles:
  • Olmert: I voted for swap to prevent another Ron Arad
  • Bradley Burston / Free the monster Samir Kuntar
  • Mother of missing soldier: Hezbollah will kidnap again if Kuntar not returned
  • Terror victim's brother: Samir Kuntar must stay in prison
  • Families of missing soldiers briefed ahead of Hezbollah deal
    • Bookmark to del.icio.us  
     
    Hezbollah abduction
    How the Lebanese militia captured two IDF reservists in 2006, illustrated in pictures.
    Kuntar's crimes
    Israeli YouTube video details the 1979 terror attack perpetrated by Samir Kuntar.
      1.   Interesting form of words 10:17  |  Clickfool 01/07/08
      2.   Let`s keep our word- Kuntar`s body should be given back too 10:32  |  dyinglikeflies 01/07/08
      3.   IT IS A FAIR DEAL 11:05  |  indrajaya 01/07/08
      4.   HESBALLA"militants"captured?Didn`t these heroes fight to death? 11:26  |  PETER SM 01/07/08
      5.   How telling is the reaction in Lebanon regarding the freeing of a 11:34  |  Ruth 01/07/08
      6.   #2 indrajaya 11:37  |  joki 01/07/08
      7.   dyinglikeflies - Definition of a "brave Israeli" 11:53  |  Natallie Durson 01/07/08
      8.   Israel has no room in the ME. 12:27  |  American 01/07/08
      9.   Israel has no room in the ME. 12:27  |  American 01/07/08
      10.   Thank you "American" that`s all we need to know 13:15  |  Nationalist 01/07/08
      11.   Durson: Brave Kuntar scrambled defenceless 13:21  |  dov epstein 01/07/08
      12.   ANTISEMETISM 13:36  |  JASON 01/07/08
      13.   "AMERICAN" Re Israel.Jews have been there for thousands of years 13:41  |  PETER SM 01/07/08
      14.   7- Brave indeed to shoot him in the back 14:23  |  dyinglikeflies 01/07/08
      15.   DURSON.Actually PALs dance in the streets when unarmed Israelis 14:50  |  PETER SM 01/07/08
      16.   Waiting for a reply 14:55  |  Yakov 01/07/08
      17.   #8 American: If you`re an American then I am 15:03  |  GottaBeKiddingMe 01/07/08
      18.   Ruth #5 15:29  |  Palestinian 01/07/08
      19.   LIVE PRISONERS FOR DEAD REMAINS, a tactical and defensive mistak 15:31  |  jewish doctor 01/07/08
      20.   RUTH-- it seems you need to read history... 15:33  |  LEBANESE Victory!! 01/07/08
      21.   Yakov #16 15:47  |  Palestinian 01/07/08
      22.   "American" #9 15:49  |  utagawa 01/07/08
      23.   Yakov - Little murders vs mass slaughter 15:55  |  Natallie Durson 01/07/08
      24.   Our problem is psychopathic PM and his team 15:58  |  17 01/07/08
      25.   Looking forward to celebrations! 16:02  |  utagawa 01/07/08
      26.   Durson #7 16:22  |  Joe 01/07/08
      27.   Dear American you must live in another part of America than I do. 16:30  |  Jewish American 01/07/08
      28.   Dear American you must live in another part of America than I do. 16:35  |  Jewish American 01/07/08
      29.   PETER SM 16:53  |  Natallie Durson 01/07/08
      30.   LOOK WHO IS TALKING 17:12  |  indrajaya 01/07/08
      31.   HEZBALA is a shame and diaster of Lebanon. Be careful Lebanese! 17:12  |  Vittorio 01/07/08
      32.   #7 17:14  |  Moshe 01/07/08
      33.   #3-Another islamoascist supporter of mass murder 17:22  |  Arie 01/07/08
      34.   #7-Still suffering from heatstroke are you 17:25  |  Arie 01/07/08
      35.   An Israeli failing a disaster for Lebanon 17:30  |  Ilan 01/07/08
      36.   Hezbullah ethics 17:44  |  Sam C 01/07/08
      37.   TO this YAKOV-- 17:46  |  KEVIN 01/07/08
      38.   View of a Lebanese 18:32  |  Sara 01/07/08
      39.   Report by Palestinian terror "operation" groups 18:33  |  J 01/07/08
      40.   Yup 18:34  |  DocD 01/07/08
      41.   So predictable and disgusting 18:35  |  ScotGuy 01/07/08
      42.   Hezbanon is talking? They should look at themsleves 18:41  |  Dan 01/07/08
      43.   The CEO of Samir Kuntar was none other than Abu Abbas 18:43  |  Yoel 01/07/08
      44.   They launch attacks against us and complain of wars? 18:43  |  Dan 01/07/08
      45.   Not a failure 18:59  |  Tali 01/07/08
      46.   # 41, SCOTGUY 19:23  |  indrajaya 01/07/08
      47.   to sara the lebanese--sad-- 19:24  |  KEVIN 01/07/08
      48.   This is how Israel treats her children? 19:34  |  Daniel 01/07/08
      49.   #18 Palestinian 19:50  |  Jane 01/07/08
      50.   Natallie Durson 20:01  |  Jane 01/07/08
      51.   Sad day 20:06  |  Pat 01/07/08
      52.   23, durson- no Hezb raid, no resultant 2006 war 20:20  |  dyinglikeflies 01/07/08
      53.   All Arab victories are the fruits of their vivid imagination. 20:37  |  17 01/07/08
      54.   RESPOND TO NUMER 50 -- 20:43  |  KEVIN 01/07/08
      55.   everybody says its a mistake eccept olmert 20:56  |  zionist forever 01/07/08
      56.   Kevin 21:00  |  Jane 01/07/08
      57.   At least Jews and Arabs agree on one thing... 21:23  |  Jew 01/07/08
      58.   At least Jews and Arabs agree on one thing... 21:25  |  Jew 01/07/08
      59.   kidnapped alive and then the next day murderered 22:00  |  Jo 01/07/08
      60.   Mme Durson 22:25  |  Efraimov 01/07/08
      61.   Daniel 23:12  |  Brad 01/07/08
      62.   To Palestinian - Baruch Goldstein is no hero 23:20  |  Jo 01/07/08
      63.   the soldiers were kidnapped and then murdered the day after 23:24  |  J 01/07/08
      64.   Seniora and Hizbullah 01:28  |  Jordan 02/07/08
      65.   Losers 18:30  |  Nadine 02/07/08
      66.   Losers 18:31  |  Nadine 02/07/08
      67.   When power becomes a trap. 01:57  |  Beiruti13 03/07/08
      68.   Israel did fail in Lebanon 04:35  |  Slappy 03/07/08
     Read & React